Alexander Stafford

The Government is committed to supporting the steel sector. Guidance published in December 2016 (PPN 11/16) has helped to create a level playing field by ensuring the full value offered by UK steel suppliers can be considered in major projects. Guidance covering supply chain plans and advertising opportunities is already included and the Government may consider additional obligations beyond the current guidance if they are in the public interest.

The steel guidance was designed only for contracts awarded under the Public Contracts Regulations, 2015; this does not include procurements which are based on Contracts for Difference arrangements that require a different process.

Departmental compliance with the steel guidance is published annually on Gov.uk along with a steel procurement pipeline to show future steel requirements for national infrastructure projects.

Departments are encouraged to sign up to aspects of the UK Steel Charter where relevant to their commercial activities and where consistent with the relevant procurement regulations, and the Government’s steel policy guidelines.

The review of UK steel safeguards is being led by the Trade Investigation Directorate, an independent arm of the Department for International Trade and it would be premature for the Government to comment on this before the recommendations have been published.

A joint Industry/BEIS Taskforce has been established to consider issues reported by UK steel producers in relation to their ability to secure public sector contracts. It is expected to report in Autumn 2021.

Critical Minerals supply is an important global issue as we use our G7 Presidency to help drive the global economic recovery, harnessing green technologies and renewable energy generation and storage.

The security of critical supply chains - including critical minerals - is being considered as a possible area of focus for the G7 Panel on Economic Resilience, chaired by Lord Sedwill of Sherborne in his capacity as the Prime Minister's G7 Envoy on Economic Resilience. The Panel will consult widely across and beyond the G7 and report its recommendations at the Leaders’ Summit in June.

The Government recognises the substantial public interest in parish councils affairs, including those in Handforth.

The Government also recognises the difficulties that genuinely vexatious and repeated freedom of information requests can place on smaller organisations and in 2018, issued a revised Code of Practice to allow for the use of relevant provisions in the Freedom of Information Act where necessary and appropriate.

The Government recognises the substantial public interest in parish councils affairs, including those in Handforth.

The Government also recognises the difficulties that genuinely vexatious and repeated freedom of information requests can place on smaller organisations and in 2018, issued a revised Code of Practice to allow for the use of relevant provisions in the Freedom of Information Act where necessary and appropriate.

The UK Government has provided comprehensive guidance on the processes that apply for moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which is available on gov.uk. This includes the various means that are in place - whether through the UK Trader Scheme, the de minimis waiver arrangements, or the preferential arrangements available under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement - to ensure goods are able to move from Great Britain to Northern Ireland tariff-free. We have also established the Trader Support Service, to which more than 27,000 companies are signed up, to support traders engaging in those processes. It is complemented by the Movement Assistance Scheme which provides assistance for traders moving food or agricultural products for which specific SPS controls apply.

As my Rt Hon Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster set out in the Commons on 13 January, the UK has operated arrangements since 1 January to ensure relevant UK-origin steel products do not incur tariffs when moving to Northern Ireland from Great Britain. EU origin steel will also not be subject to tariffs when moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. On 21 January the Government also set out to stakeholders how relevant quotas can be accessed when businesses in Northern Ireland import steel from the rest of the world, and we remain in intensive contact with industry as these arrangements are put in place.

The UK Government has provided comprehensive guidance on the processes that apply for moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which is available on gov.uk. This includes the various means that are in place - whether through the UK Trader Scheme, the de minimis waiver arrangements, or the preferential arrangements available under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement - to ensure goods are able to move from Great Britain to Northern Ireland tariff-free. We have also established the Trader Support Service, to which more than 27,000 companies are signed up, to support traders engaging in those processes. It is complemented by the Movement Assistance Scheme which provides assistance for traders moving food or agricultural products for which specific SPS controls apply.

As my Rt Hon Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster set out in the Commons on 13 January, the UK has operated arrangements since 1 January to ensure relevant UK-origin steel products do not incur tariffs when moving to Northern Ireland from Great Britain. EU origin steel will also not be subject to tariffs when moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. On 21 January the Government also set out to stakeholders how relevant quotas can be accessed when businesses in Northern Ireland import steel from the rest of the world, and we remain in intensive contact with industry as these arrangements are put in place.

The UK Government has provided comprehensive guidance on the processes that apply for moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which is available on gov.uk. This includes the various means that are in place - whether through the UK Trader Scheme, the de minimis waiver arrangements, or the preferential arrangements available under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement - to ensure goods are able to move from Great Britain to Northern Ireland tariff-free. We have also established the Trader Support Service, to which more than 27,000 companies are signed up, to support traders engaging in those processes. It is complemented by the Movement Assistance Scheme which provides assistance for traders moving food or agricultural products for which specific SPS controls apply.

As my Rt Hon Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster set out in the Commons on 13 January, the UK has operated arrangements since 1 January to ensure relevant UK-origin steel products do not incur tariffs when moving to Northern Ireland from Great Britain. EU origin steel will also not be subject to tariffs when moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. On 21 January the Government also set out to stakeholders how relevant quotas can be accessed when businesses in Northern Ireland import steel from the rest of the world, and we remain in intensive contact with industry as these arrangements are put in place.

The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (113) require government contractors to be paid within 30 days of receiving an invoice, and for these terms to be passed down the supply chain. Furthermore, the Government has introduced a measure to exclude suppliers who do not pay their whole supply chain promptly from major government work.

Businesses are encouraged to report instances of late or unfair payment in public sector contracts to the Public Procurement Review Service.

As my Rt Hon Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster set out in the Commons last week, the UK has put arrangements in place such that steel from Great Britain can move into Northern Ireland without being subject to tariffs.

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

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

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

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

The Help to Grow programmes will support UK small businesses to scale and grow as they recover from the pandemic. Help to Grow: Management will provide intensive management skills support to 30,000 small businesses. Help to Grow: Digital aims to support 100,000 small businesses, through an online platform to support businesses to adopt technology and a voucher for software costs.

The eligibility criteria ensures funding is used where it will have the greatest overall impact in saving time and money across businesses, and strikes the best possible balance between helping a large number of businesses and promoting the greatest productivity benefit per business. Firms with fewer employees can still benefit from free, impartial advice through the online platform.

The Government offers a range of support to help businesses, including micro businesses, grow and thrive.

Businesses of all sizes can access advice and support through our online support at GOV.UK, including the online Finance Finder and via the free Business Support Helpline.

The network of 38 Growth Hubs across England plays a key role in providing tailored support to businesses at a local level in England, joining up national and local business support so businesses can find the help they need.

The Start-Up Loans Company provides funding and intensive support to new entrepreneurs. Since 2012 the Start-Up Loans programme has delivered 81,608 loans overall in the UK, supporting over £707.6m of funding (as of 28 February 2021).

Businesses can also access the Government-backed British Business Bank’s online Finance Hub, which helps raise awareness of appropriate finance options for scale-up, high growth and potential high-growth SMEs.

Micro businesses are also able to apply for relevant elements of the continued comprehensive package of support designed to help as many businesses as possible during this challenging period. The measures introduced include the small business grants, the coronavirus loan guarantee schemes, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), the deferral of VAT and income tax payments, and more. These measures have been designed to be accessible to businesses in most sectors and across the UK.

Further measures have been announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer that build on the significant support already available as well as set out how current support will evolve and adapt. This includes the extension of the CJRS until the end of September 2021, extending and amending the coronavirus loan guarantee schemes to allow businesses more time and greater flexibility to repay their loans, and the extension of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) to a fourth and a fifth grant.

The Government continues to work closely with local authorities, businesses, business representative organisations, and the financial services sector to monitor the implementation of current support and understand whether there is additional need.

There have been regular discussions with my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer on a wide range of issues of importance to the steel industry.

We recognise that industrial consumers currently pay higher electricity prices than elsewhere in most of Europe and we have therefore taken steps to reduce the indirect cost due to the Renewables Obligation, Contract-for-Difference and small-scale Feed-in Tariff for certain energy intensive industries, including the steel sector, and to provide compensation for the indirect emission cost due to the UK Emission Trading System and Carbon Price Support Mechanism, including to the steel sector. These steps total more than £500m in relief to the sector between 2013 and the end of 2019 to make electricity prices more competitive, including around £150 million during 2019.

We have also introduced a metallurgical exemption from the Climate Change Levy. France and Germany have taken similar steps. Additionally, at Budget 2018 we announced £315 million for the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) to support industrial energy efficiency and decarbonisation projects to bring energy costs down for these vital industries.

We are about the publish a consultation reviewing the compensation schemes for the indirect emission cost due to UK carbon pricing.

There have been regular discussions with my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer on a wide range of issues of importance to the steel industry.

We recognise that industrial consumers currently pay higher electricity prices than elsewhere in most of Europe and we have therefore taken steps to reduce the indirect cost due to the Renewables Obligation, Contract-for-Difference and small-scale Feed-in Tariff for certain energy intensive industries, including the steel sector, and to provide compensation for the indirect emission cost due to the UK Emission Trading System and Carbon Price Support Mechanism, including to the steel sector. These steps total more than £500m in relief to the sector between 2013 and the end of 2019 to make electricity prices more competitive, including around £150 million during 2019.

We have also introduced a metallurgical exemption from the Climate Change Levy. France and Germany have taken similar steps. Additionally, at Budget 2018 we announced £315 million for the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) to support industrial energy efficiency and decarbonisation projects to bring energy costs down for these vital industries.

We are about the publish a consultation reviewing the compensation schemes for the indirect emission cost due to UK carbon pricing.

There have been regular discussions with my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer on a wide range of issues of importance to the steel industry.

We recognise that industrial consumers currently pay higher electricity prices than elsewhere in most of Europe and we have therefore taken steps to reduce the indirect cost due to the Renewables Obligation, Contract-for-Difference and small-scale Feed-in Tariff for certain energy intensive industries, including the steel sector, and to provide compensation for the indirect emission cost due to the UK Emission Trading System and Carbon Price Support Mechanism, including to the steel sector. These steps total more than £500m in relief to the sector between 2013 and the end of 2019 to make electricity prices more competitive, including around £150 million during 2019.

We have also introduced a metallurgical exemption from the Climate Change Levy. France and Germany have taken similar steps. Additionally, at Budget 2018 we announced £315 million for the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) to support industrial energy efficiency and decarbonisation projects to bring energy costs down for these vital industries.

We are about the publish a consultation reviewing the compensation schemes for the indirect emission cost due to UK carbon pricing.

There have been regular discussions with my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer on a wide range of issues of importance to the steel industry.

We recognise that industrial consumers currently pay higher electricity prices than elsewhere in most of Europe and we have therefore taken steps to reduce the indirect cost due to the Renewables Obligation, Contract-for-Difference and small-scale Feed-in Tariff for certain energy intensive industries, including the steel sector, and to provide compensation for the indirect emission cost due to the UK Emission Trading System and Carbon Price Support Mechanism, including to the steel sector. These steps total more than £500m in relief to the sector between 2013 and the end of 2019 to make electricity prices more competitive, including around £150 million during 2019.

We have also introduced a metallurgical exemption from the Climate Change Levy. France and Germany have taken similar steps. Additionally, at Budget 2018 we announced £315 million for the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) to support industrial energy efficiency and decarbonisation projects to bring energy costs down for these vital industries.

We are about the publish a consultation reviewing the compensation schemes for the indirect emission cost due to UK carbon pricing.

As announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister in October 2020, the next Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction round (Allocation Round 4) is due to open in late 2021. Preparations for the round are ongoing, and we will publish the timetable for the round and information on allocation round parameters later this year.

The Government recently ran a Call for Evidence inviting views on the scope for marine technologies across the UK. This concluded on 30th September 2020 and we are currently reviewing the responses received. Wave and tidal stream projects remain eligible to compete in pot 2 for CfD auctions and will be considered in the wider context of setting auction parameters.

Tidal and wave technologies could have a potentially important role in the long-term decarbonisation of the UK, however, they will have to reduce their costs sufficiently, to compete with other renewable technologies. We are committed to growing a development of a competitive UK supply chain in parallel with our plans for increasing the deployment of renewable electricity generating technologies. We are continuing to consider policy related to these technologies in light of the information received from the recent Marine Energy Call for Evidence on the potential of marine energy projects.

Following our recent Call for Evidence which invited views on the potential of marine energy projects, we are now considering policy related to wave and tidal energy in light of the information received from the Call for Evidence. Wave and tidal stream projects remain eligible to compete in pot 2 for CfD auctions.

Low carbon hydrogen will be vital for meeting our legally binding commitment to achieving net zero by 2050, with potential to help decarbonise vital UK industry sectors and provide flexible deployment across heat, power and transport.

Working with industry, the UK is aiming for 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030. As we progress towards this ambition, we would hope to see around 1GW of hydrogen production capacity by 2025.

The UK has expertise and assets to support both electrolytic (green) and Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) enabled (blue) hydrogen. Our twin track approach to enable both routes will drive cost effective supply volumes in the 2020s in line with our 2030 ambition, whilst scaling up green hydrogen.

As outlines in my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, achieving our ambition could support up to 8,000 jobs and bring over £4bn of private investment by 2030, potentially unlocking up to 100,000 jobs and £12bn GVA by 2050 in a high hydrogen net zero scenario.

The Government is clear that in supporting the growth of a hydrogen economy, there should be a focus on maximising economic benefits for local and regional communities and the UK as a whole. The UK will work with the green hydrogen sector to seek opportunities and export UK expertise and technology into the global hydrogen economy as it grows.

Low carbon hydrogen will be vital for meeting our legally binding commitment to achieving net zero by 2050, with potential to help decarbonise vital UK industry sectors and provide flexible deployment across heat, power and transport.

Working with industry, the UK is aiming for 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030. As we progress towards this ambition, we would hope to see around 1GW of hydrogen production capacity by 2025.

The UK has expertise, innovation and natural assets to support both electrolytic (green) and Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) blue hydrogen. Our twin track approach to enable both routes will drive cost effective supply volumes in the 2020s in line with our 2030 5GW ambition, whilst scaling up green hydrogen.

The UK has the makings of a world leading hydrogen sector, enabling us to create strong domestic supply chains with jobs and growth expected across our industrial heartlands and beyond. We are working with industry to further understand these strengths and opportunities, including a focus on green hydrogen.

As my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade has stated, the Global Supply Chain Directorate, led by the Department for International Trade (DIT), interrogates vulnerabilities in UK global supply chains for critical goods (excluding food) and develops strategies to strengthen supply chain resilience. The Global Supply Chain Directorate’s strategic framework acts as a guide for Departments to select the actions they can take to strengthen resilience, taking a market-first approach which supports the UK’s free trade stance.

DIT is actively engaging with a number of potential critical minerals processing and refining companies with a view to securing investment to the UK. Further questions related to steps to attract international actors to the UK should be addressed to DIT.

The Government has not published estimates for these materials. However, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) published an external report regarding UK materials and future resource risk in July 2020. Consultant's views regarding UK needs can be found here. Further questions regarding this research can be directed to DEFRA.

The Government has not published estimates for these materials. However, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) published an external report regarding UK materials and future resource risk in July 2020. Consultant's views regarding UK needs can be found here. Further questions regarding this research can be directed to DEFRA.

The Government has not published estimates for these materials. However, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) published an external report regarding UK materials and future resource risk in July 2020. Consultant's views regarding UK needs can be found here. Further questions regarding this research can be directed to DEFRA.

Up until EU Exit, the UK might refer to the European Commission's latest list. A copy can be found here. Following EU Exit, the UK has not published an official critical minerals list.

As set out in my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial revolution, we will quadruple our offshore wind capacity by 2030 and end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans, 10 years earlier than planned, announcing the first £500 million of investment this Parliament to drive the electrification of the UK automotive sector. This will bring investment, create high-quality jobs, and strengthen British industry. Critical minerals will be important in developing offshore wind and zero-emission vehicles to meet these targets, and coordinated work is taking place across Whitehall departments to ensure there continues to be a secure, long-term supply chain.

The Government does not have a published definition of a critical mineral company. International horizon scanning questions are a matter for the Department for International Trade.

The UK Government has not made a commitment to publish a critical mineral strategy before the next G7 meeting. Questions regarding the next G7 event can be referred to the Cabinet Office.

The Government has engaged with a number of organisations regarding mineral supply chain requirements.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) has led an analysis of several critical raw material supply chains. The analysis included input from UK Government Departments and industry sources.

The Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) have supported UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and their partners, including UK universities. For example, the Critical Elements and Materials (CrEAM) network, new circular economy centres, and the Government Office for Science. Finally, BEIS Ministerial meetings with external organisations are available here.

The Government has not published a discrete critical minerals strategy for the UK.

The Government is committed to ensuring that only safe products can be sold in the UK. All distributors have a duty to act with due care to ensure products they are selling are safe, this includes online retailers.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) proactively engages with major online marketplaces to ensure that they are playing their part in protecting UK consumers from unsafe products and has recently taken action to ensure that a number of non-compliant products being sold by overseas third-party sellers have been removed from sale.

Looking forward, OPSS is developing a new voluntary commitment for online marketplaces to agree actions they will take to reduce the risks from unsafe products being sold online. This will enable online marketplaces to demonstrate their commitment to the safety of their consumers in the UK by publicly promising to work with UK regulators.

To ensure that the UK’s Product Safety framework is flexible and fit for the future, OPSS is conducting a review. The review will ensure we have a framework that delivers safety for consumers while supporting businesses to innovate and grow and will consider the impact on product safety of new business models, including e-commerce and third-party marketplaces.

The Ministerial Statement of 4 November 2019 makes clear that the moratorium on fracking applies to operations that require Hydraulic Fracturing Consent. The definition of associated hydraulic fracturing is used for the purposes of Hydraulic Fracturing Consent, as set out under section 4A of the Petroleum Act 1998 (inserted by Section 50 of the Infrastructure Act 2015).

This definition was based on the approach taken by the European Commission, which defines high-volume hydraulic fracturing as involving the injection into a well of 1000m³ or more of water per fracturing stage or 10000m³ or more of water during the entire fracturing process.

Activities outside of this definition are not included in the moratorium.

The public and private sectors must work in partnership to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The Department regularly engages with industry and advisors to maximise industry input and feedback to Government policy as we transition towards net zero by 2050.

This dialogue is maintained through a variety of forums: public consultations and calls for evidence, ongoing regular supplier and generator roundtables at both a ministerial and official level; official task forces and advisory bodies; and specific sector engagement to ensure that Government is fully informed of industry developments in key policy areas.

Last month, I led a series of roundtables with key stakeholder groups following the publication of the Energy White Paper. These were in addition to an ongoing dialogue with large, medium and small businesses to understand the unique challenges they face in relation to net zero.

Examples of more specific government-industry collaboration include the Hydrogen Advisory Council, a joint Government-Industry forum established to identify and promote concrete actions required to enable the supply of low carbon hydrogen at scale for use across the energy system. The Council will inform the development of a UK hydrogen strategy which we will bring forward in the first half of this year.

Our strategy will set out a comprehensive approach to building a UK hydrogen economy that is fit for purpose and pave the way towards achieving our ambition of 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030 – working with industry partners to achieve this.

Hydrogen offers potential to repurpose the gas network to a low-carbon alternative, and we are working in partnership with industry to assess the feasibility and impacts of converting parts or the whole of the existing gas network to full hydrogen. This will test and evaluate the potential of hydrogen as an option for heating our homes and workplaces. We have set out a vision for a possible ‘hydrogen town’ before the end of the decade, building on a programme of community trials in the first half of the decade which we will support the gas industry to deliver. In parallel, we will also work with industry with the aim of completing the testing and safety case necessary to enable government and the regulator to amend regulations that could allow for up to 20% blending of hydrogen into the gas distribution grid by 2023.

We have also established the CCUS Council which advises on the deployment of carbon capture and storage, a technology which will be crucial to achieving our net zero targets and where the re use of oil and gas infrastructure can be a key enabler.

In addition, we are working closely with the oil and gas industry to negotiate a North Sea Transition Deal. Not only cutting emissions, but also enabling new industries such as CCUS and Hydrogen to develop, supporting supply chain transformation and capability development in new net zero sectors, and championing the sector’s workforce and importance to the net zero skills transition in industrial heartlands.

The Government has committed to strengthening the regulation of pre-pack sales in administration to connected persons. This was outlined in the report published 8 October 2020. The proposed regulatory framework, which was subject to stakeholder consultation, will strengthen the integrity of pre-pack sales by promoting greater transparency for creditors whilst ensuring that pre-pack sales remain a valuable rescue tool in the UK’s insolvency framework. The Government is preparing regulations to be laid as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

The Government has invested over £300 million to secure and scaleup the UK’s manufacturing capabilities to be able to respond to the pandemic, including:

a) Facilities that have come online:

• £4.7 million for skills training through the Advanced Therapies Skills Training Network, which will be delivered through both virtual and physical centres;
• £8.75 million for the set-up of the rapid deployment facility at Oxford Biomedica in Oxfordshire;
• £65.5 million for the early manufacture of the University of Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine; and
• Funding for fill and finish capability through a contract with Wockhardt in Wrexham, North Wales, which is currently providing fill and finish capabilities to the University of Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine.

b) Facilities that will come online later this year, to help provide longer term UK capacity:

• £93 million to accelerate the completion and expanded role of the Vaccines Manufacturing Innovation Centre in Oxfordshire; and
• £127 million for the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult in Braintree, Essex.

In addition to the above, we have also funded the expansion of the Valneva factory in Livingston, Scotland.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has invested nearly £500 million towards 2,200 new research and innovation initiatives, both in the UK and globally. These initiatives are diverse and include research into new COVID-19 variants.

The University of Liverpool is part of a new national research project to study the effects of emerging mutations in SARS-CoV-2. Supported by £2.5 million of funding from UKRI, the G2P-UK National Virology Consortium will study how mutations in the virus affect key outcomes. This includes factors such as how transmissible the virus is, the severity of COVID-19 caused, and the effectiveness of vaccines and treatments.

The Consortium will bring together leading virologists from 10 research institutions including the University of Liverpool. The university will work alongside the COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) consortium, which plays a world-leading role in virus genome sequencing, as well as Public Health England, to boost the UK's capacity to study newly identified virus variants and rapidly inform the Government’s policy.

The current overall UKRI portfolio of COVID-19-related grants, including awards supported by Innovate UK, involves vaccine projects that provide greater diversity of approaches than for the first generation of vaccines developed. More details can be found on the UKRI website.

As part of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) published on 24 December, the UK has agreed to associate to Horizon Europe which represents a valuable collaboration on science and research to tackle global challenges, and in fields that will benefit the British people. The Government is committed to establishing the UK as a science and research global superpower, and this deal fulfils our manifesto commitment to collaborate internationally in this regard. As a responsible government, we were also prepared for a scenario where we did not agree to participate in Horizon Europe and were ready to implement a suite of domestic alternative schemes to support international research and innovation collaboration if required.

As part of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) published on 24 December, the UK has agreed to associate to Horizon Europe which represents a valuable collaboration on science and research to tackle global challenges, and in fields that will benefit the British people. The Government is committed to establishing the UK as a science and research global superpower, and this deal fulfils our manifesto commitment to collaborate internationally in this regard. As a responsible government, we were also prepared for a scenario where we did not agree to participate in Horizon Europe and were ready to implement a suite of domestic alternative schemes to support international research and innovation collaboration if required.

Businesses that did not receive grant support earlier in the covid-19 outbreak may still be eligible for grant support available now, and should check with their local authority.

If, for any reason, a business is not eligible for the grant support that has been put in place for businesses mandated to close, local authorities are able to provide discretionary support via the Additional Restrictions Grant.

A range of other measures to support businesses have been made available in response to Covid-19 including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, business rates holiday and a range of business loan schemes. Details about all measures are available at: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support.

The Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) is only available to businesses that are required by law to close. Other business that are not mandated to close but which suffer adverse impacts may be eligible for discretionary funding and should apply to their Local Authority.

Local authorities are the decision makers on the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) and must make decisions based on legislation and guidance that has been provided.

There are three key considerations when a Local Authority determines the eligibility of a business for a grant under the LRSG (Closed):

• Is the business the business rate payer of a hereditament that appears on the rating list?
• Is the main service of that business required to close due to the restrictions?
• Is the business able to self-declare that it meets all scheme conditions, including eligibility and State aid requirements?

Where an organisation meets all of these criteria, it is considered eligible to receive a grant through the mandatory LRSG (Closed) scheme.

The list of businesses mandated to close is set out in legislation. Local authorities should rely on the relevant legislation and on the guidance provided to determine whether a business is eligible for the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed).

Guidance to local authorities on the January Support Package for business was issued on 5^th January. This guidance makes clear that only business premises that have been required to close due to Covid-19 restrictions will be eligible for Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) where they meet the criteria set out in the guidance.

I recognise that there are some groups of businesses that are not required by law to close, but which are severely impacted by Covid-19 restrictions. That is why the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced that a further £500m in discretionary grant funding via the Additional Restrictions Grant is being made available to local authorities, on top of £1.1bn already allocated in November, which will allow grant support to be provided to severely affected businesses in a way that suits local economies. It is for local authorities to determine the best use of the Additional Restrictions Grant in their area.

The scope of the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) has always been on those businesses required to close by law.

My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced that a further £500m in discretionary grant funding via the Additional Restrictions Grant is being made available to local authorities, on top of £1.1bn already allocated in November, which allows local authorities to provide discretionary support to businesses not required to close but which are severely affected by the restrictions, including many wholesale distributors. It is for local authorities to determine the best use of the Additional Restrictions Grant in their area.

There has been close engagement with the local government sector, including the Local Government Association, throughout the design and implementation of grant support for businesses during the local and national restrictions. Local Authorities are responsible for managing grants schemes locally and determining eligibility, including for discretionary grants for businesses that are severely impacted but not eligible for grants for closed businesses.

The Government acknowledges that non-payment and late payment are significant problems for small businesses in the UK, and we remain fully committed to tackling them.

Part 2 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 (‘the Construction Act’) creates a framework for fair and prompt payment through the construction supply chain, and a resolution procedure for disputes.

The Post-Implementation Review of the 2011 Amendments to the Construction Act will formally assess the impact on the construction sector.

The stakeholder responses to the consultation which supported the Post-Implementation Review broadly favoured the principles of the framework and dispute resolution procedure.

The Government acknowledges that non-payment and late payment are significant problems for small businesses in the UK, and we remain fully committed to tackling them.

Part 2 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 (‘the Construction Act’) creates a framework for fair and prompt payment through the construction supply chain, and a resolution procedure for disputes.

The Post-Implementation Review of the 2011 Amendments to the Construction Act will formally assess the impact on the construction sector.

The stakeholder responses to the consultation which supported the Post-Implementation Review broadly favoured the principles of the framework and dispute resolution procedure.

The Government is committed to fulfilling its manifesto commitment to clamp down on non-payment and late payment to support small businesses in the UK.

We have introduced a number of measures to tackle late payment. These include the Payment Practices Reporting Duty which creates transparency in payment behaviour, and the Prompt Payment Code which sets standards and best practice in payment culture. Both measures are applicable in the construction sector.

Since September 2019, suppliers also risk being excluded from winning large Government contracts if they cannot demonstrate prompt payment. This policy applies to Central Government contracts valued above £5m per annum, subject to the Public Contracts Regulations.

In addition, in May 2020 the Government issued a Guidance Note on responsible contractual behaviour in the performance and enforcement of contracts impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government will continue to review behaviours in contracting, including public sector procurement, prompt payment and contract management arrangements.

The UK ETS will be the world’s first net zero carbon cap and trade market, and a crucial step towards achieving the UK’s target for net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Reaching our net zero target will provide crucial benefits such as reducing the risks of catastrophic climate change, reduced air pollution, economic growth, and green collar jobs.

By placing a cap on the volume of greenhouse gas emissions and issuing tradable emissions allowances under the cap, the UK ETS creates a market to ensure the most economically efficient distribution of emissions allowances and to incentivise emissions reductions where these are most cost-effective. The transparent downward cap trajectory provides a clear signal mobilising the participants in the covered sectors to invest in emissions reduction technologies and measures, which will be needed as supply of allowances tightens over time.

The UK ETS is more ambitious than the EU system it replaces - from day one the cap has been reduced by 5% below the UK’s expected notional share of the EU ETS cap for Phase IV. We received the Climate Change Committee’s advice on the Sixth Carbon Budget on the 9 December 2020, including their recommendation on the level of traded sector emissions from 2023 to 2030. We are considering this advice carefully and will consult on a net zero consistent trajectory for the cap in due course.

The Government recognises the importance of international co-operation on carbon pricing and the important role international carbon markets can play.

In that spirit, the UK is open to linking the UK ETS internationally in principle. There are more than 20 emissions trading systems globally.

This includes the EU ETS and the UK-EU Free Trade and Cooperation Agreement makes clear both parties will have their own effective systems of carbon pricing in place to help fulfil our respective climate goals. Both Parties have agreed to cooperate on carbon pricing in future and consider linking our respective systems, although we are not under any obligation to do so.

International collaboration is a key part of the UK’s global leadership on climate change and I look forward to working closely with my overseas counterparts on all aspects of tackling this global challenge, including carbon pricing.

Details of emissions trading systems around the world are available in the International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP) Status Report 2020, available at: https://icapcarbonaction.com/en/icap-status-report-2020.

The Government recognises the importance of international co-operation on carbon pricing and the important role international carbon markets can play.

In that spirit, the UK is open to linking the UK ETS internationally in principle. There are more than 20 emissions trading systems globally.

This includes the EU ETS and the UK-EU Free Trade and Cooperation Agreement makes clear both parties will have their own effective systems of carbon pricing in place to help fulfil our respective climate goals. Both Parties have agreed to cooperate on carbon pricing in future and consider linking our respective systems, although we are not under any obligation to do so.

International collaboration is a key part of the UK’s global leadership on climate change and I look forward to working closely with my overseas counterparts on all aspects of tackling this global challenge, including carbon pricing.

Details of emissions trading systems around the world are available in the International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP) Status Report 2020, available at: https://icapcarbonaction.com/en/icap-status-report-2020.

The UK ETS will be the world’s first net zero carbon cap and trade market, and a crucial step towards achieving the UK’s target for net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Reaching our net zero target will provide crucial benefits such as reducing the risks of catastrophic climate change, reduced air pollution, economic growth, and green collar jobs.

By placing a cap on the volume of greenhouse gas emissions and issuing tradable emissions allowances under the cap, the UK ETS creates a market to ensure the most economically efficient distribution of emissions allowances and to incentivise emissions reductions where these are most cost-effective. The transparent downward cap trajectory provides a clear signal mobilising the participants in the covered sectors to invest in emissions reduction technologies and measures, which will be needed as supply of allowances tightens over time.

The UK ETS is more ambitious than the EU system it replaces - from day one the cap has been reduced by 5% below the UK’s expected notional share of the EU ETS cap for Phase IV. We received the Climate Change Committee’s advice on the Sixth Carbon Budget on the 9 December 2020, including their recommendation on the level of traded sector emissions from 2023 to 2030. We are considering this advice carefully and will consult on a net zero consistent trajectory for the cap in due course.

Carbon pricing policies that work using the cap-and-trade principle, such as the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), can deliver cost-effective decarbonisation, as they incentivise abatement to occur where and when it is cheapest. In principle, larger carbon markets lead to more cost-effective emission reductions, since emission allowances are tradable across a larger and more diverse pool of participants.

Linking carbon markets would also lead towards an alignment of carbon prices across the linked schemes. This can minimise the risk of any competitive distortions that may have resulted from unevenly applied carbon prices.

Carbon pricing policies that work using the cap-and-trade principle, such as the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), can deliver cost-effective decarbonisation, as they incentivise abatement to occur where and when it is cheapest. In principle, larger carbon markets lead to more cost-effective emission reductions, since emission allowances are tradable across a larger and more diverse pool of participants.

Linking carbon markets would also lead towards an alignment of carbon prices across the linked schemes. This can minimise the risk of any competitive distortions that may have resulted from unevenly applied carbon prices.

The Government recognises the importance of international co-operation on carbon pricing and the important role international carbon markets can play.

In that spirit, the UK is open to linking the UK ETS internationally in principle. There are more than 20 emissions trading systems globally.

This includes the EU ETS and the UK-EU Free Trade and Cooperation Agreement makes clear both parties will have their own effective systems of carbon pricing in place to help fulfil our respective climate goals. Both Parties have agreed to cooperate on carbon pricing in future and consider linking our respective systems, although we are not under any obligation to do so.

International collaboration is a key part of the UK’s global leadership on climate change and I look forward to working closely with my overseas counterparts on all aspects of tackling this global challenge, including carbon pricing.

Details of emissions trading systems around the world are available in the International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP) Status Report 2020, available at: https://icapcarbonaction.com/en/icap-status-report-2020.

There is a comprehensive regulatory framework already in place for fireworks that aims to reduce the risks and disturbances to people and animals. Existing legislation controls the sale, availability and use of fireworks, as well as setting a curfew and noise limit. Current legislation limits noise from fireworks available to consumers to a maximum of 120 decibels.

The Government remains committed to promoting the safe and considerate use of fireworks through an effective legislative framework and through non-legislative measures.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards is also carrying out research on the varying levels of noise associated with different types of firework and I will consider the outcome once available.

There is a comprehensive regulatory framework already in place for fireworks that aims to reduce the risks and disturbances to people and animals. Existing legislation controls the sale, availability and use of fireworks, as well as setting a curfew and noise limit. Current legislation limits noise from fireworks available to consumers to a maximum of 120 decibels.

The Government remains committed to promoting the safe and considerate use of fireworks through an effective legislative framework and through non-legislative measures.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards is also carrying out research on the varying levels of noise associated with different types of firework and I will consider the outcome once available.

The Government is committed to ensuring consumers are kept safe. There is a comprehensive legislative framework regulating the manufacture, storage, supply, possession and use of fireworks.

Local Authority Trading Standards work at the border and with retailers to ensure fireworks imported and sold are safe, and they have powers to enforce against those who place unsafe or non-compliant fireworks on the market, including those imported illegally or via the internet.

Local Trading Standards (and local fire and rescue authorities in metropolitan counties) can also take action against those selling fireworks without an appropriate licence.

The Department’s Research and Development (R&D) Spending Review 2020 settlement supports our Departmental commitments as set out in the R&D Roadmap and helps to consolidate the UK’s position as a science superpower.

Indeed, the UK has one of the strongest and most productive life sciences sectors in the world, generating turnover of around?£80.7 billion?per annum in 2019.

Funding is subject to the departmental allocations process which is now underway. Further details of how funding will be allocated will be announced in due course.

The Government has reconsidered the surplus sharing arrangements of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme (MPS) and concluded that they remain appropriate.

We have agreed to scheme changes proposed by the MPS Trustees which guarantee that bonus pensions already accrued will not be lost in the event of a future deficit. These changes have been implemented.

The Government’s £23m Hydrogen for Transport Programme is increasing the uptake of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and growing the number of publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling stations. The programme is delivering new refuelling stations, upgrading some existing stations as well as deploying hundreds of new hydrogen vehicles. Government has also been supporting public and private sector fleets to become early adopters through the £2m FCEV Fleet Support Scheme.

The Government has set out its ambitious Ten Point Plan for a green industrial revolution – an innovative and ambitious programme of job creation that will support levelling up and up to 250,000 jobs across the country.

Spanning clean energy, buildings, transport, nature and innovative technologies, the plan will mobilise £12 billion of government investment to unlock three times as much private sector investment by 2030.

It presents a vision for the UK that is greener, more prosperous and at the forefront of industries for the future, taking advantage of export opportunities in new, global emerging markets in low carbon technologies and services, while reinvigorating our industrial heartlands, including in the North East, North West, the Midlands, Scotland and Wales.

The Government is committed to developing hydrogen as a decarbonised energy carrier, as confirmed in the Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution announced by the Prime Minister on 18^th November.

The Plan set out that the Government, working with industry, is aiming for 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity in the UK by 2030, to set us on the right pathway to net zero by 2050.

The Ten Point Plan package aims to bring forward a combination of commercial-scale CCUS-enabled ‘blue’ hydrogen and smaller scale electrolytic ‘green’ hydrogen projects. Both these production methods – and other innovative techniques – will be needed to deliver UK hydrogen demand expected by 2050.

This twin-track approach to policy development will enable production to be brought forward at the necessary scale during the 2020s, to grow the supply chain and build confidence in the sector, whilst scaling up green hydrogen which is likely to dominate the global market in the long term. The levels of green and blue hydrogen production that make up the 5GW will depend on market developments in the 2020s.

The UK’s climate change framework enables the Government to determine how best to balance emissions reductions across the economy. Any net emissions increase from infrastructure projects are managed within the Government’s overall strategy for meeting carbon budgets and the 2050 net zero target, as part of an economy-wide transition.

Meeting net zero and delivering the global transition to a low carbon economy will require unprecedented levels of investment in green technologies, services and infrastructure. The Government launched an ambitious 10 Point Plant this month, which will mobilise £12 billion of Government investment to unlock three times as much private sector investment by 2030. This sets out a strong framework for investment, with a clear signals to investors of our commitment to net zero by 2050. As set out by the Chancellor in November 2020, the UK will become the first G20 country to make TCFD-aligned disclosures fully mandatory across the economy, with most requirements introduced in the next three years. This will provide decision-useful information to investors on the exposure of companies, asset managers and asset owners to climate risks.

The UK remains committed to carbon pricing as a key policy in decarbonising its economy and reducing industrial emissions, and will introduce an effective new system from 1 January 2021.

The oil and gas sector, and particularly its supply chain, has a key role to play as we move to a net zero economy and we have committed to supporting this energy transition with a transformational North Sea Transition Deal. The focus of this deal will be on ensuring the sector can support the energy transition and anchoring the supply chain across the UK. Key features include a focus on new low carbon technologies, emissions reduction, skills supporting high-quality jobs, and innovation that will decarbonise our economy.

Our Ten Point Plan is our blueprint for a green industrial revolution. It combines ambitious policies with significant new public investment to deliver a vision for the UK that is greener, more prosperous and at the forefront of industries for the future. Spanning clean energy, buildings, transport, nature and innovative technologies, the Plan will mobilise £12 billion of Government investment and will support up to 250,000 green jobs.

This included the announcement to make the UK the world leader in clean wind energy, creating jobs, slashing carbon emissions and boosting exports. This includes £160 million that will be made available to upgrade ports and manufacturing infrastructure across communities in the UK. This new investment will see around 2,000 construction jobs created and these new plans will enable the sector to support up to 60,000 jobs directly and indirectly by 2030 in ports, factories and the supply chains, manufacturing the next-generation of offshore wind turbines and delivering clean energy to the UK.

The Green Jobs Taskforce, which I and the Skills Minister, my hon Friend the Member for Chichester (Gillian Keegan) will chair, forms part of the Government’s ambitious plan to build back greener and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Its aim will be to focus on the immediate and longer-term challenges of delivering skilled workers for the UK’s transition to net zero including supporting workers in high carbon transitioning sectors, like oil and gas, to retrain in new green technologies. This will also be a key aim for the upcoming North Sea Transition Deal.

We recognise that the death of a close family member, friend, or colleague can be deeply upsetting. The Government believes that individuals are best placed to understand their own specific needs and we encourage their employers to respond in an appropriate and sensitive way.

In April?this year we?introduced a new statutory entitlement to Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay for parents who lose a child under the age of 18. Whilst this entitlement is not available to employees who suffer a bereavement in other circumstances, all employees have a?‘day 1’ right to take unpaid time off work for an emergency involving a dependant. Time off for Dependants can?also?be used to deal with practical issues, including registering the death and making funeral arrangements.

We will bring forward details of the Employment Bill in due course.

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-fired power stations in Great Britain by 2024. The reduction of demand for coal in the UK will mean a reduction in domestic mining activity and therefore of the emissions associated with extraction.

The National Policy Statement 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.

We will support the offshore oil and gas sector with a transformational North Sea Transition Deal, which we have committed to deliver within this Parliament. The focus of this deal will be on ensuring the sector can support the energy transition and anchor the supply chain to the UK.

The oil and gas sector has an important part to play in sustaining our energy security of supply, and in the energy transition to support net zero, having many of the essential skills and capabilities in its world class supply chain to support emerging technologies such as carbon capture and storage, hydrogen production, and infrastructure to reduce its production emissions. Developing this capability will help provide significant export opportunities as the world moves towards clean energy.

In 2016, the Oil & Gas Technology Centre was established with £180 million funding, supported by the UK and Scottish Governments. The Centre aims to encourage, accelerate, and deliver innovation and innovative technologies in the North Sea as we transition to net zero.

We are committed to exploring the option of hydrogen as a strategic decarbonised energy carrier. In line with this we are currently investing up to £121 million in hydrogen innovation, supporting a range of projects exploring the production and potential of low carbon hydrogen across the value chain.

In November 2019, we published the Energy Innovation Needs Assessment for hydrogen and fuel cells. This identified that the future market for all hydrogen technologies could yield around £5.3bn of gross value added and create nearly 50,000 jobs by 2050 to meet demand in export and domestic markets.

Our (2019) Green Finance Strategy sets out how we intend to support progress towards Net Zero by 2050 by combining a focus on mobilising and accelerating flows of private finance into key clean growth sectors, using public funds to leverage private capital, whilst providing good value for taxpayers.

Infrastructure is central to our economic strategy, and the Government will publish a National Infrastructure Strategy setting out further details on its long-term ambitions in due course.

Low carbon hydrogen is one of a handful of critical options needed to deliver net zero, given its potential to help decarbonise heavy industry and flexible deployment across heat, power, and transport. We will be setting out our approach to growing the UK hydrogen economy early next year in the UK Hydrogen Strategy.

The Department regularly engages with the Department for Transport on tackling climate change and delivering our net zero commitments.

On 30 September, it was announced that Tees Valley will be the UK’s first Hydrogen Transport Hub, bringing together industry, academia, and the Government to accelerate the UK’s take-up of green hydrogen. This aligns with wider plans to drive forward transport innovation by funding 19 new hydrogen-powered refuse trucks in Glasgow and starting trials for Britain’s first hydrogen-powered train. We are committed to exploring all options for low carbon hydrogen across freight, buses, trains, maritime, and aviation to ensure that the UK can lead the world in its deployment and use across the economy.

We have committed to publish a UK hydrogen strategy in early 2021 and development is well under way.

BEIS ministers and officials work across government departments, including the Department for Transport, to coordinate on hydrogen, both bilaterally and through governance arrangements at various levels.

This includes the Climate Action Implementation Cabinet Committee (CAI), chaired by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy which covers issues relating to net zero and hydrogen; the Climate National Strategy Implementation Group, reporting to the Cabinet Secretary involving Directors General across Whitehall, chaired by the DG Energy Transformation & Clean Growth; and the Hydrogen Advisory Council, co-chaired by myself as Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth, and Sinead Lynch, UK Country Chair of Shell launched in July 2020.

The Capacity Market is the Government’s main tool for ensuring security of electricity supply. Capacity agreements impose a range of obligations and milestones on capacity providers both in the lead up to the delivery year and in the delivery year itself. This provides assurance that agreements will be met.

In light of the uncertainty created by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) judgment and subsequent standstill period, the Government recognised that in some instances capacity providers might find it difficult to achieve compliance with these obligations by the set deadline. A range of these obligations and milestones were modified where there was a high provider cost associated with the obligation and its modification would not create risks to security of supply.

The Government is committed to developing hydrogen as a strategic decarbonised energy carrier.

We are investing in hydrogen innovation across the value chain. This includes the £33 million Low Carbon Hydrogen Supply competition aimed to accelerate the development of low carbon bulk hydrogen supply solutions and the Storage at Scale Competition, which looked for innovative, replicable large scale energy storage solutions that could provide a market competitive alternative to conventional commercial large-scale energy storage technologies. These included projects supporting electrolysis.

We are considering revenue support delivered by business models to support the deployment of, and investment in, low carbon hydrogen production and developing a £100m Low Carbon Hydrogen Production Fund, announced in August 2019 to stimulate capital investment. Again, electrolysis is included in the scope of this work.

The Government intends to publish a hydrogen strategy early in 2021, which will include discussion around the costs associated with expansion of the UK hydrogen economy, including scale up of production, and how these might be met.

There are a number of R&D programmes that currently support innovative projects aimed at reducing the environmental impact of industrial processes, such as the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund: Transforming Foundation Industries, and the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, both of which are currently open for applications.

Mineral planning authorities are responsible for controlling the use of land for mining activities through the policies and proposals in their local plans and through the granting of planning permission. In granting planning permission mineral planning authorities should ensure that operations do not have unacceptable adverse impacts on the natural and historic environment or human health. Other regulators (such as the Environment Agency) are responsible the control of processes or emissions (where these are subject to separate pollution control regimes).

There are a number of R&D programmes that currently support innovative projects aimed at reducing the environmental impact of industrial processes, such as the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund: Transforming Foundation Industries, and the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, both of which are currently open for applications.

Mineral planning authorities are responsible for controlling the use of land for mining activities through the policies and proposals in their local plans and through the granting of planning permission. In granting planning permission mineral planning authorities should ensure that operations do not have unacceptable adverse impacts on the natural and historic environment or human health. Other regulators (such as the Environment Agency) are responsible the control of processes or emissions (where these are subject to separate pollution control regimes).

Waste from the extractive industry is covered by the 2009 Radioactive Discharges Strategy (2009 Discharges Strategy) and the 2014 Strategy for the management of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) waste in the UK. These strategies aim to limit the exposure of the public and the environment to radiation and require the safe processing of waste as part of those intended outcomes.

In England, the safe management of radioactive wastes is regulated by the Environment Agency in accordance with The Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016.

A 2018 review of the 2009 Discharges Strategy found that the UK was making good progress towards the Strategy’s intended outcomes and was contributing to the dose reduction aims of the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic. Overall progress on the Strategy’s implementation is monitored through close liaison with our partners in the Devolved Administrations and UK environmental regulators.

The Government recognises and values the importance of mining as a foundation industry serving a number of other vital industrial activities, and therefore this sector is covered by the responsibilities of my Hon. Friend the Minister for Business and Industry.

The Government, through UK Research and Innovation, fund informal learning programmes to inspire young people to take up STEM subjects and careers and provide a future generation passionate about STEM, including geological science. For example, we support the STEM Ambassador programme, a nationwide network of over 30,000 volunteers from a wide range of employers, who engage with young people to provide stimulating and inspirational activities to increase their interest in STEM subjects and to raise awareness of the range of careers that STEM qualifications offer.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not held any discussions with my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer in relation to these specific issues.

There are however regular discussions between BEIS, the Department for Transport and HM Treasury officials in relation green shipping, including the deployment of alternative fuels such as hydrogen, and the provision of shore power in UK Ports.

We are aware of the value in co-locating low carbon hydrogen supply and demand in the early stages of expansion in any hydrogen economy; an approach sometimes referred to as a hydrogen hub. Ministers and officials are engaging extensively with hydrogen and wider energy stakeholders as we develop a UK Hydrogen Strategy for publication in early 2021. Discussions include ways in which to coordinate supply and demand and attract early investment as the hydrogen market develops, including place based approaches.

We are following international hydrogen developments and participate in a range of international fora, including the Clean Energy Ministerial, the International Partnership for Hydrogen for Fuel Cells in the Economy and Mission Innovation. These offer opportunities to discuss other countries’ domestic hydrogen strategies in detail and explore opportunities for collaboration. We plan to publish a UK Hydrogen Strategy in early 2021. This will be informed in part by assessment of international activity and the opportunities and challenges that presents for the UK.

We are closely monitoring international hydrogen developments and participate in a range of international forums, including the International Partnership for Hydrogen for Fuel Cells in the Economy, Mission Innovation and Clean Energy Ministerial, and ad hoc meetings. These offer opportunities to discuss other countries’ domestic hydrogen strategies in detail and explore opportunities for collaboration. Since the UK has left the European Union, we are seeking to engage and cooperate with the EU and with EU Member States on hydrogen through normal diplomatic channels.

The Government is committed to the development of hydrogen as a strategic decarbonised energy carrier for the UK. As set out at the Environmental Audit Committee on 10 September 2020, we plan to publish a Hydrogen Strategy in early 2021. The Strategy will include discussion around the costs associated with expansion of the UK hydrogen economy, and how these might be met.

The Government is committed to exploring the option of hydrogen as a strategic decarbonised energy carrier and works closely with local partnerships across the country. In the course of work to understand the potential role of hydrogen in the wider energy system, my officials and I have met with a range of national, regional and local stakeholders.

The 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.

Once agreed, they form a legally binding contract of employment. While it is always open to either party to seek to renegotiate the terms of the contract, if the employer changes any of the terms without the employee's agreement, the employee may be entitled to seek legal redress. We expect all employers, to treat employees fairly. Depending on the extent and likely impact of the proposed changes, employers should meet with affected employees or their trade union representatives, and explain their case for making the proposed change.

A guidance document which contains more information on the law in this area is available at www.gov.uk/browse/working. Employees may wish to seek independent legal advice, perhaps from their local Citizens Advice Bureau or law centre, if they are unclear on their contractual position.

All employers must continue to comply with the law on redundancy.

Any redundancy process should be fair and reasonable, with appropriate equalities considerations. When making redundancies, employers must abide by the law which includes giving a notice period and consulting staff before a final decision is reached. If a company has failed to adequately consult its employees before making them redundant, it may be possible for employees to apply to an Employment Tribunal for a Protective Award.

When recruiting, employers should be fair and objective in their selection of successful candidates and must not discriminate unlawfully, for example on grounds of race, sex or disability.

The Government has also introduced new legislation which commenced on 31 July to ensure that furloughed employees who are subsequently made redundant receive statutory redundancy pay, statutory notice pay, unfair dismissal compensation and pay for short-time working based on the employee’s normal pay, rather than their furlough pay (potentially 80% of their normal wage). The Government has always urged employers to do the right thing and not seek to disadvantage furloughed employees who are facing redundancy.

Our guidance to employers using the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) makes clear that employees still have the same rights at work. They must continue to comply with employment and equalities laws when using the scheme, including in relation to recruitment, redundancy and dismissal.

Employers should always be fair and objective in their recruitment processes. Provided they do not discriminate unlawfully, for example on grounds of race, sex or disability, they are free to use the recruitment methods that they consider best suit their needs.

Any redundancy process should be fair and reasonable, with appropriate equalities considerations. Employees with the necessary qualifying service who believe that they have been unfairly selected for redundancy, or that the redundancy was unfair in some other way, may be able to complain to an employment tribunal.

The Government has also introduced new legislation which commenced on 31 July to ensure that furloughed employees who are subsequently made redundant receive statutory redundancy pay, statutory notice pay, unfair dismissal compensation and pay for short-time working based on the employee’s normal pay, rather than their furlough pay (potentially 80% of their normal wage). The Government has always urged employers to do the right thing and not seek to disadvantage furloughed employees who are facing redundancy.

The Government considers a range of matters when setting the parameters for Contracts for Difference auctions, including the anticipated pipeline of eligible projects. We will publish allocation round parameters in advance of the next auction in 2021, when assessments of the potential volume of participants can be informed by the most current information on project pipelines.

BEIS sets an administrative strike price for each technology, presented on a price per megawatt hour (MWh) basis, that is the maximum price the Government is willing to offer developers. The bid price is a commercial decision for the developer. The administrative strike prices and allocation round parameters will be published in advance of the next auction in 2021.

The Government is committed to the development of hydrogen as a decarbonised energy carrier for the UK and we are currently developing our strategic approach to hydrogen. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is Chair of the Climate Action Implementation Cabinet Committee (CAI) which covers topics including hydrogen. BEIS officials and I also continue to work across government departments, including an on-going review of governance arrangements, to ensure we work effectively to develop new policy to help bring forward the technologies and supply chain we will need to grow the UK hydrogen economy.

The inaugural meeting of the Hydrogen Advisory Council (HAC) was on 20 July 2020. It is expected to meet quarterly for at least the next two years with the next meeting scheduled on 14 October 2020.

Hydrogen is one potential option for decarbonising heating, alongside other solutions, including heat pumps and heat networks. The Government is therefore supporting a range of research, development and testing projects involving hydrogen to help determine the feasibility of using low carbon hydrogen as an alternative to the use of natural gas for heating in homes.

The Government is working closely with industry and other stakeholders to identify further testing and trials needed to provide evidence on issues including safety, feasibility, costs and benefits and the overall consumer experience.

Global solar panel production is mainly based in Asia. UK solar panel manufacture is focussed on specialised applications and the total volume of production is not globally significant.

Global solar panel production is mainly based in Asia, particularly China. The Department does not maintain detailed data on the country of origin of solar panels installed in UK.

The Department does not hold this information for the global proportion of turbine production.

Currently, the UK has capability in the production of wind turbine blades, foundations, and cables, most notably the Siemens Gamesa and MHI Vestas blade factories in Hull and the Isle of Wight respectively, employing over 1,500 highly skilled workers.

The industry has committed in the Offshore Wind Sector Deal, to increase UK content to 60% from 50%, but more crucially to increase UK content in the capital expenditure phase. I am determined that the industry delivers on this commitment.

The UK has led the way in delivering clean growth -growing by 75% while emissions have decreased by 43% between 1990 and 2018 - faster than any other G7 nation. Meeting our net zero target will require us to build on this progress by transforming our economy – our homes, our transport, our industries, how we generate and use energy, and how we use our land. This has to be a shared endeavour between Government, devolved nations, local authorities, business, civil society and the British people – as well as the rest of the world.

We expect all publicly-listed companies and large asset owners to disclose in line with the Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) recommendations by 2022. Businesses implementing the TCFD recommendations will disclose information on the procedures they have in place for Board oversight of climate change and how it is factored into their risk management processes.

We have also established a joint taskforce with the UK regulators to monitor the incorporation of climate financial risk into decision making. This will ensure a coordinated approach on climate-related issues and examine the most effective way to approach disclosure.

The UK has world leading expertise in hydrogen fuel cells. However, this is a nascent market and the Department does not routinely collect specific figures. The number of fuel cell vehicles currently being produced in the UK is low, being predominantly commercial vehicles.

The UK is well-placed to be a leader in hydrogen and fuel cell powered transportation, which can support our ambitions for greener transport. The Government is supporting fuel cell manufacturers as part of the £1 billion industry-Government Advanced Propulsion Centre programme and the Automotive Transformation Fund. In addition, we are supporting the wider market through our £23 million Hydrogen for Transport Programme, which is increasing the number of publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling stations, as well as deploying hundreds of vehicles.

The Faraday Institution, which supports UK battery development, estimates that the UK will be producing nearly 1.6 million electric vehicles (EVs) per year by 2040. The report ‘UK electric vehicle and battery production potential to 2040’ can be downloaded from the Faraday Institution’s website at: https://faraday.ac.uk/publications/.

The Government continues to create the right environment to support an increase in the production of EVsin the UK. We have announced up to £1 billion through the Automotive Transformation Fund to develop UK supply chains for the large-scale production of EVs and for further research and development (R&D). £10 million of funding will enable the first wave of innovative R&D projects to scale-up manufacturing of the latest technology in batteries, motors, electronics, and fuel cells. The Government is also encouraging industry to put forward investment proposals for the UK’s first ‘gigafactory’ and to support supply chains to mass manufacture cutting-edge batteries for the next generation of EVs, as well as for other strategic electric vehicle technologies.

This information is not collected or published by central Government.

The Government’s strategy for securing access to critical minerals, or any other key materials and components, is to work at a global level to secure free, fair, and open international trade of these materials.

The Department continuously monitors the supply of critical minerals, working closely with the Department for International Trade and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Details of meetings held by Ministers in the Department are recorded in our transparency data, which is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings.

The Department continuously monitors the supply of critical minerals, working closely with the Department for International Trade and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Details of meetings held by Ministers in the Department are recorded in our transparency data, which is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings.

The Government has made no such estimate. However, we fully recognise the importance of rare earth materials to industry, particularly those industries that underpin the clean, green economy to which we are committed such as wind turbines and low-emission vehicles.

The Government is not aware of any current rare earth minerals mining activity in this country.

As set out in ‘The future impact of materials security on the UK manufacturing industry’ paper for the Government Office for Science in 2013, hydrogen fuel cells require catalysts made of platinum group metals.

The Government has not undertaken such an assessment. However, officials’ regular engagement with industry on the deliverability and sustainability of their deployment plans has elicited no concerns regarding the sourcing of critical materials.

BEIS has not made an assessment of the types and quantities of materials that go into producing a wind turbine.

BEIS is providing innovation support to Greenspur, a company based in Hertfordshire, to trial a new type of magnet – which does not use rare earth minerals - at the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult.

The official statistics do not separately identify businesses engaging specifically in industrial magnet manufacturing. However, according to the Office for National Statistics survey on UK manufacturers sales by product, in 2018 just over 1,500 tonnes of “permanent magnets or articles intended to become permanent magnets” were estimated to be sold by UK manufacturers.

The UK has world-leading expertise in hydrogen fuel cells. The scale of UK manufacturing for electric vehicles is understood to be approximately 0.5 MW annually, enough for around 100 fuel cell stacks.

The UK is well placed to be a leader in hydrogen and fuel cell powered transportation, which can support our ambitions for greener transport. The Government is supporting fuel cell manufacturers as part of the £1 billion industry-Government Advanced Propulsion Centre programme. We are also supporting the wider market through the Office for Low Emission Vehicle's £23 million Hydrogen for Transport Programme, which is increasing the number of publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling stations and deploying hundreds of vehicles.

The information requested is not reported by the Office for National Statistics.

The Government does not carry any publicly available data on critical minerals and no assessment of UK manufacturing’s dependency on such minerals has been made.

Community projects are already entitled to apply for a contract for difference to build and operate a renewable electricity generating station, provided they satisfy the eligibility requirements of the scheme.

The Government keeps all aspects of the Contracts for Difference scheme under review on an ongoing basis, and the next allocation round is scheduled to take place in 2021.

The Government is committed to exploring the development of hydrogen as a strategic decarbonised energy carrier, alongside electricity and other decarbonised gases. In line with this we are investing up to £121m in hydrogen innovation, supporting the application of new low carbon hydrogen technologies across the value chain. This includes:

• £23m Hydrogen for the Transport Programme - to increase the uptake of fuel cell electric vehicles and grow the number of publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling stations;
• £25m for the Hy4Heat programme - to explore the safety and feasibility of using 100% hydrogen for heat in the home, including product development and core safety assessment;
• Up to £20m for the Industrial Fuel Switching Competition - to test the potential for switching to hydrogen (and other low carbon fuels) in industrial sectors like cement and glass manufacture; and
• £33m for the Low Carbon Hydrogen Supply Competition – to support the development of bulk low carbon hydrogen production technologies.

Alongside our innovation activity, we are developing our strategic approach to hydrogen and building sustainable policy frameworks to support investment in low carbon hydrogen production. This includes developing a sustainable business model to support low carbon hydrogen production and a new £100m Low Carbon Hydrogen Production Fund, as announced in August 2019, to stimulate capital investment. We will be engaging with industry on both schemes throughout the year.

While we are rightly focusing on taking action to tackle the immediate Covid-19 crisis, we continue to prioritise efforts to deal with the serious challenges of climate change.

The Government remains committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. We will continue backing this objective by funding programmes that accelerate the shift to electrification. For example, the Faraday Challenge is providing £274 million to ensure the UK leads the world in the design, development, and manufacture of batteries for the electrification of vehicles.

The 2017 Made Smarter Review highlighted the economic and environmental opportunities for the UK’s manufacturing sector until 2027. This includes £455 billion Gross Value Added, the creation of 175,000 jobs, and a 4.5% reduction in CO2 emissions. The development of low carbon technologies will benefit the UK economy, as well as reduce carbon emissions, including through the creation of new jobs.

We will establish the world’s first net zero carbon industrial cluster by 2040 and at least one low carbon cluster by 2030. This is the second mission under the Clean Growth Grand Challenge, launched in December 2018, and is the most relevant to those manufacturing industries that often co-locate in clusters. UK Research & Innovation is delivering up to £170 million to support the deployment of low carbon technologies in one or more clusters.

As the independent energy regulator, Ofgem have responsibility for matters relating to gas network charging. Ofgem have provided a mailbox for all inquiries regarding the Gas Charging Review, including short-haul (Gas.TransmissionResponse@ofgem.gov.uk). I advise that you contact Ofgem directly regarding this matter.

There are currently two Significant Code Reviews (SCRs) that are the focus of Ofgem’s work on electricity charging reform: the Targeted Charging Review (TCR) and the Access and Forward-Looking Charges Review (Access SCR). Ofgem indicated in its forward work programme update, which was published on 16th April 2020 and is available at https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/ofgem-information-energy-licensees-coronavirus-covid-19-response, that work on both the TCR and Access SCR will continue to be progressed.

In addition, National Grid Electricity System Operator has been leading a task force at Ofgem’s request to consider the future of balancing services charges. As part of its reprioritisation in April 2020 of the forward work programme, Ofgem has paused some activities including the Balancing Services Charges Task Force. This decision was taken to enable stakeholders and Ofgem to prioritise the response to coronavirus. The Task Force will resume work in July 2020.

Package travel agencies are required to comply with The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, which protect consumers who have bought package holidays. Consumers are entitled to a refund?if forced to cancel a package holiday due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, which should be issued?within 14 days, depending on the nature of the contract in place. Packages must also be backed by insolvency protection schemes. DfT is in regular contact with the regulator, the sector and consumer groups and is working to ensure consumers are protected while recognising the pressure travel businesses are facing. The Government is also in continual dialogue with the insurance sector to understand and influence its contribution to handling Covid-19.

The Government is committed to exploring the development of hydrogen as a strategic decarbonised energy carrier, alongside electricity and other decarbonised gases and we have been taking a number of steps to do so. We are:

• exploring options to develop our strategic approach on hydrogen;
• investing in innovation, with up to £121m supporting a range of projects to explore and develop the potential of low carbon hydrogen across the value chain;
• developing new policy and conducting extensive stakeholder engagement, notably around building sustainable business models to support hydrogen production;
• working on the design of the £100m Low Carbon Hydrogen Production Fund announced in August 2019.

We are also closely following international hydrogen developments and are active participants in international forums, including the Clean Energy Ministerial, the International Partnership for Hydrogen for Fuel Cells in the Economy and Mission Innovation. As part of this we are following developments as countries look to develop and implement domestic hydrogen strategies. We are considering this as part of our wider strategic approach on hydrogen.

The Government is committed to exploring the development of hydrogen as a strategic decarbonised energy carrier, alongside electricity and other decarbonised gases, in line with our 2050 net zero commitment. Low carbon hydrogen can be produced and stored in multiple ways and the UK has significant natural resources that – if used sustainably – can support development of a low carbon and renewable UK hydrogen supply.

The?UK is the world’s largest offshore wind market with 9.8GW installed capacity, which will rise to 19.5GW by the mid-2020s. Renewable electricity can be used to produce hydrogen through electrolysis. We are supporting electrolytic hydrogen projects using renewable electricity, as part of up to £121m in innovation support across the low carbon hydrogen value chain. For example, the Dolphyn project is developing a system for clean hydrogen production through electrolysis on floating offshore wind turbines.

Low carbon hydrogen can also be produced through methane reformation with carbon capture, utlisation and storage. The UK has significant underground salt beds which could provide tens of gigawatts of cost effective storage to safely store hydrogen and other gases, and the depleted oil and gas reservoirs deep off our coastline that could potentially store more than 78 billion tonnes of CO2, meaning the UK is ideally placed to develop a thriving low carbon hydrogen industry.

Ofgem, as the independent energy regulator, has responsibility for matters relating to gas network charging and has made their decision in accordance with their statutory duties, including their principal objective which is to protect the interests of GB’s energy consumers.

When making their decision on UNC725, Ofgem sought to balance the recognition of the Covid-19 circumstances against the principles which underpin the transportation charging arrangements, and gas transporters own financial circumstances. In their assessment, Ofgem considered that the proposed modification did not promote the efficient operation of the network and could have an adverse effect on the gas transporters’ ability to discharge their licence obligations.

Please visit https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/unc725-ability-reflect-correct-customer-network-use-and-system-offtake-quantity-soq-during-covid-19 for more information on the decision.

Ofgem, as the independent energy regulator, has responsibility for matters relating to gas network charging and has made their decision in accordance with their statutory duties, including their principal objective which is to protect the interests of GB’s energy consumers

Ofgem have said that they will consider proposals to introduce a gas shorthaul charge that seeks to address inefficient bypass of the gas network when they are brought forward by industry.

Ofgem, as the independent energy regulator, has responsibility for matters relating to gas network charging and has made their decision in accordance with their statutory duties, including their principal objective which is to protect the interests of GB’s energy consumers.

Ofgem have considered the impact of the decision on different types of consumers and have concluded that consumers overall will benefit from the decision. Ofgem have said that they will consider proposals to introduce a gas shorthaul charge that seeks to address inefficient bypass of the gas network when they are brought forward by industry.

Ofgem, as the independent energy regulator, has responsibility for matters relating to gas network charging and has made their decision in accordance with their statutory duties, including their principal objective which is to protect the interests of GB’s energy consumers.

Ofgem have considered the impact of the decision on different types of consumers and have set out this analysis in their decision. Ofgem have estimated consumers will save over £3 billion over ten years from this decision, including c£1billion for gas consumers and c£2billion for electricity consumers. They expect that consumers overall will benefit from the decision.

Please visit https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/amendments-gas-transmission-charging-regime-decision-and-final-impact-assessment-unc678abcdefghij to find out more information on the decision.

The Government is fully committed to minimising industrial energy costs in the UK to ensure our industries remain strong and competitive. We continue to progress a range of measures to deliver an efficient and effective gas system that benefits all consumers.

Ofgem, as the independent energy regulator, has responsibility for matters relating to gas network charging and has made their decision in accordance with their statutory duties, including their principal objective which is to protect the interests of GB’s energy consumers.

Ofgem have considered the impact of the decision on different types of consumers and have set out this analysis in their decision. They expect that consumers overall will benefit from the decision.

Please visit https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/amendments-gas-transmission-charging-regime-decision-and-final-impact-assessment-unc678abcdefghij to find out more information on the decision.

Natural gas has an important and on-going role to play into the future as we decarbonise our energy system. However, how we use natural gas will need to change in order to minimise the carbon dioxide emissions associated with burning it.

Whilst we do not yet have certainty on the future role and extent of the distribution or transmission networks, there are steps we can take in the near-term to enable a decarbonised gas pathway. .

The existing gas networks, systems and markets will be important in providing the knowledge and the building blocks for the transition to Net Zero through the introduction of low carbon gases and a potential role for Hydrogen.

The Universal Service Obligation is set out in the Postal Services Act 2011.

Ministers have no role in temporary changes to the service level. The regulatory conditions that require Royal Mail to deliver letters 6 days a week as part of the universal postal service also provide that Royal Mail is not required to sustain these services without interruption, suspension or restriction in the event of an emergency. Ofcom has acknowledged in this context that the COVID-19 pandemic is an emergency.

There is a clear and transparent process for how longer-term changes to service standards would be considered and any changes would need to be made through secondary legislation and agreed by Parliament.

The most recent survey of church attendance was published in 2018, and the table below contains figures aggregated from 2014-18 using average weekly attendance figures at all age services. These figures are collected each year during four weeks in October.

The figures in the table below include adult and child attendance at Sunday and midweek church services and fresh expressions, but not attendance at services for schools. Special local services such as memorials to commemorate flooding – can lead to fluctuations in the figures.

More information can be found in the annual Statistics for Mission report: https://www.churchofengland.org/media/18763

Parish boundaries do not coincide with constituency or county boundaries. Figures in the table are based on reasonable approximations as follows:

• The Rother Valley figure refers to the parishes in the Deanery of Laughton along with the parishes of Whiston and Wickersley.
• The Yorkshire figure refers to the Dioceses of York, Leeds, and Sheffield.

The Universal Service Obligation is set out in the Postal Services Act 2011.

Ministers have no role in temporary changes to the service level. The regulatory conditions that require Royal Mail to deliver letters 6 days a week as part of the universal postal service also provide that Royal Mail is not required to sustain these services without interruption, suspension or restriction in the event of an emergency. Ofcom has acknowledged in this context that the COVID-19 pandemic is an emergency.

There is a clear and transparent process for how longer-term changes to service standards would be considered and any changes would need to be made through secondary legislation and agreed by Parliament. Ministers and officials have regular discussions with Ofcom and Royal Mail on matters relating to postal services.

The Universal Service Obligation is set out in the Postal Services Act 2011.

Ministers have no role in temporary changes to the service level. The regulatory conditions that require Royal Mail to deliver letters 6 days a week as part of the universal postal service also provide that Royal Mail is not required to sustain these services without interruption, suspension or restriction in the event of an emergency. Ofcom has acknowledged in this context that the COVID-19 pandemic is an emergency.

There is a clear and transparent process for how longer-term changes to service standards would be considered and any changes would need to be made through secondary legislation and agreed by Parliament. Royal Mail has announced that its Saturday letters delivery service will resume from 13 June.

Under the terms of the Coal Industry Pneumoconiosis Compensation Scheme (CIPCS), formerly the Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis Compensation Scheme, there is provision for posthumous claims to be made. The criteria for a posthumous claim are:

• Employment with British Coal (which extends to employment with contractors or in a licensed mine); and
• 10 years or more of employment in the coal mining industry; and
• Having been in receipt of Industrial Injuries Disablement (IIDB) for Pneumoconiosis (Prescribed Disease D1 (PD D1)) or one of the other qualifying diseases, which does not include Covid-19; or
• Pneumoconiosis or one of the other qualifying disease, which does not include Covid-19 appearing on the Death Certificate.

Where a former miner was not in receipt of IIDB during life a request can be made, within a year of their death, to the DWP for a retrospective assessment. In instances in which there was no IIDB assessment during life or a retrospective request either is not possible or successful, a claim can be made if pneumoconiosis appears on the Death Certificate.

A breakdown of claims received under the Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis Compensation Scheme by area requested during the last full calendar year (2019) are set out below:

(a) 132 (England)

(b) 41 (Yorkshire)

(c) 16 (Borough of Rotherham)

(d) 3 (Rother Valley Constituency)

For information:

• The address of the claimant has been used (as opposed to using the last known postcode of a deceased miner) to define the origin of each claim.
• ‘The Borough of Rotherham’ has been taken as being postcode districts S60-S63, S65 and S66.
• ‘Rother Valley Constituency’ was ascertained using https://members.parliament.uk/constituencies/.

Everyone must comply with the rules issued by the Government in relation to coronavirus, in order to protect both themselves and others.

We have published guidance for employers and businesses to assist them in the safe operation of their business:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19

Where the Health and Safety Executive are made aware of an employer not complying with the relevant Public Health England guidance (including enabling social distancing where it is practical to do so), HSE will consider a range of action, from providing specific advice to employers through to issuing enforcement notices.

We must support people at work to do the right thing during the COVID-19 outbreak so they can stay safe. We regularly speak to industry stakeholders, including the British Retail Consortium and supermarket CEOs, to ensure they are well prepared and up to date with the latest guidance from Public Health England.

The Government has been clear that food retail, including supermarkets, convenience stores, corner shops, and food markets, will remain open.

Where there are no practical alternatives, workplace canteens can remain open to provide food for their staff and a communal space for breaks. Where possible, staff should bring their own food to work and distributors should move to a takeaway model. Workers should try to minimise all meetings and gatherings in the workplace and measures should be taken to minimise the number of people in a canteen at any time, for example by using a rota. Further information and guidance on social distancing practices are set out at gov.uk.

The Government has announced various measures to reduce burdens on businesses of all sizes during the Covid-19 outbreak. This includes an announcement on 25 March, in conjunction with Companies House, allowing companies to apply for a three-month extension to file their accounts through a simplified online system. Further measures are being developed and will be announced soon.

COVID-19 is clearly reducing the scope for in-person international meetings, which we will seek to manage as far as possible through other means such as video and phone conferences.

Given this is an evolving situation we are keeping the situation under careful review and are in frequent contact with the UN, Chile (as current COP Presidents) and other partners."

Her Majesty's Government (HMG) is a signatory to the “Equal by 30 Campaign”, a joint Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) and International Energy Agency (IEA) initiative, which works towards equal pay, equal leadership, and equal opportunities for women in the clean energy sector by 2030.

HMG has additionally set a target of having 40% women working in the nuclear sector by 2030 from a baseline of 22% in 2018 as part of the Nuclear Sector Deal. Since then the Nuclear Skills Strategy Group (NSSG), the leading forum for nuclear skills, of which HMG is a member, together with Women in Nuclear (WiN) has published a Gender Roadmap that sets out the actions needed for the industry to hit that target. Ministers and HMG officials have also signed the Nuclear Sector Gender Commitment, which supports companies in their efforts to reach 40%.

BEIS also continues to support POWERful Women, which was launched by HMG in 2014 and seeks to promote gender diversity in the energy sector, through membership of their Board and provision of grant funding to support their POWERful Connections mentoring programme.

The Government supports flexible working and is clear about the benefits for employers and their employees, including in the energy sector.

We consulted last year on proposals to require large employers to publish flexible working policies and to advertise jobs as suitable for flexible working. We will respond to that consultation in due course. Since then, we committed in our Manifesto to make flexible working the default. Subject to consultation, we will bring forward these new measures in our Employment Bill.

The Government is committed to working collaboratively with businesses to create inclusive workplaces and, through this, boost productivity.

Sector Deals offer an opportunity for sectors and government to make joint, long-term commitments on diversity and increase the proportion of underrepresented groups. Our agreed Nuclear, Offshore Wind and Aerospace Sector Deals include commitments to increase diversity in these sectors, including establishing the Women in Aviation and Aerospace Charter.

The Offshore Wind Sector Deal, set a minimum target of employing 33 per cent women across the sector by 2030 and raising this figure to 40 per cent if feasible.

The Nuclear Sector Deal published on 28 June 2018 also has a commitment to achieve 40% women in nuclear by 2030.

For energy companies in the FTSE350, an average of 31.8% of board positions are now held by women up from 27.9% in 2018.

We support the work of POWERful Women, a campaigning organisation committed to advancing gender diversity across the energy sector. Data compiled by this organisation can be found at: http://powerfulwomen.org.uk/board-statistics-by-company/ .

The Government has no plans to commission an inquiry into hydraulic fracturing in the next six months, or to review the moratorium on hydraulic fracturing. The Government’s position has been set out in the Written Statement of 4th November 2019 and will be maintained unless compelling new evidence is provided.

As part of the Oil and Gas Authority’s (OGA) assessment of an application for hydraulic fracturing operations, the OGA requires the operator to have in place the necessary funds or an insurance policy (including third-party liability) that will cover unforeseen events.

The moratorium applies to operations that require Hydraulic Fracturing Consent. The definition of associated hydraulic fracturing, used for the purposes of Hydraulic Fracturing Consent, is as set out under section 4A of the Petroleum Act 1998 (inserted by Section 50 of the Infrastructure Act 2015).

This definition was based on the approach taken by the European Commission, which defines high-volume hydraulic fracturing as involving the injection into a well of 1000m³ or more or water per fracturing stage or 10000m³ or more of water during the entire fracturing process.

Activities outside of this definition are not included in the moratorium.

The moratorium applies to operations that require Hydraulic Fracturing Consent. The definition of associated hydraulic fracturing, used for the purposes of Hydraulic Fracturing Consent, is as set out under section 4A of the Petroleum Act 1998 (inserted by Section 50 of the Infrastructure Act 2015).

This definition was based on the approach taken by the European Commission, which defines high-volume hydraulic fracturing as involving the injection into a well of 1000m³ or more or water per fracturing stage or 10000m³ or more of water during the entire fracturing process.

Activities outside of this definition are not included in the moratorium.

There are no plans to review the Traffic Light System or to put it into statute.

Policing is a matter for the Home Office and the local constabulary. No such assessment has been made.

The Government has no plans to review the moratorium on hydraulic fracturing. The Government’s position has been set out in the Written Statement of 4th November 2019 and will be maintained unless compelling new evidence is provided which addresses the concerns around the prediction and management of induced seismicity.

We will not support shale gas exploration unless the science shows categorically that it can be done safely. On the basis of the current scientific evidence the Government has taken a presumption against issuing any further Hydraulic Fracturing Consents.

In the UK, we have been regulating gas and oil drilling, both onshore and offshore, for decades and maintain the very highest safety and environmental standards. Licensees are responsible for liabilities associated with environmental impacts of their operations throughout the duration of the licence.

Talented under-18 athletes may be permitted to train subject to meeting the qualifying criteria set out in our guidance for elite and professional sport, and in National Governing Bodies’ own sport-specific guidance. The guidance be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation

Government recognises the significant impact of Covid-19 on young people, particularly the most vulnerable, and on the youth services that support them. A £16.5m Youth Covid-19 Support Fund has been announced which will protect the immediate future of grassroots and national youth organisations across the country.

The funding will be allocated from the Government’s unprecedented £750 million package of support which is benefiting tens of thousands of frontline charities, so they can continue their vital work. More than £60 million of this package has already been provided to organisations working with vulnerable children and young people.

The Youth Investment Fund remains a manifesto commitment for transformative levelling up across the country over the course of the parliament. In the recent announced Spending Review £30m of this was committed as capital investment for 2021-22. This will provide a transformational investment in new and refurbished safe spaces for young people, so they can access support youth workers, and positive activities out of school, including sport and culture. Further details of the timetable for allocation will be announced in due course.

Government recognises the significant impact of Covid-19 on young people, particularly the most vulnerable, and on the youth services that support them. A £16.5m Youth Covid-19 Support Fund has been announced which will protect the immediate future of grassroots and national youth organisations across the country.

The funding will be allocated from the Government’s unprecedented £750 million package of support which is benefiting tens of thousands of frontline charities, so they can continue their vital work. More than £60 million of this package has already been provided to organisations working with vulnerable children and young people.

The Youth Investment Fund remains a manifesto commitment for transformative levelling up across the country over the course of the parliament. In the recent announced Spending Review £30m of this was committed as capital investment for 2021-22. This will provide a transformational investment in new and refurbished safe spaces for young people, so they can access support youth workers, and positive activities out of school, including sport and culture. Further details of the timetable for allocation will be announced in due course.

Responsibility for developing services for children is held by the Department for Education, however we recognise that it is essential for charities to be part of the digital revolution. The government is committed to bringing together digital and civil society to help tackle social challenges and develop services needed.

That is why DCMS provided £1.6m of set up funding for the Catalyst, a programme which is incubated by the Centre for Acceleration of Social Technology (CAST). The Catalyst brings together a network of charities, digital design agencies and major funders with the shared objective of establishing a digital support hub for the charity sector. The Catalyst programme represents the first time the charity sector has had a dedicated, high-profile coalition jointly funding and championing digital innovation in the charity sector and continues to support charities to embed digital in their strategy, services and culture.

Encouraging digital innovation has long been a priority in DCMS. For example, in 2018 DCMS launched a £400,000 Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to help older and disabled people acquire digital skills. The aim of this fund was to help ensure that ‘what works’ on digital inclusion is identified, replicated and scaled. A full independent evaluation will be published soon to share learnings from this fund.

The £750 million package offered unprecedented support to allow charities and social enterprises to continue their vital work and adapt service delivery to support our national effort to fight coronavirus. This funding will continue to support this work over the winter.

We have recently published new guidance on GOV.UK for organisations and groups, to help them to understand how to involve volunteers safely and effectively in their work during the coronavirus pandemic. Under the current national restrictions in England, people can leave home to provide voluntary or charitable services, where they cannot do this from home. We regularly update our guidance on volunteering on GOV.UK.

Information on the wider measures the government has made available and details on how to access the support measures can be found on GOV.UK. The Charity Commission has also published guidance on GOV.UK, which sets out how charities can get support for their staff, advice on use of reserves, and other potential issues.

Furthermore, ensuring charities can safely begin fundraising activities will be a crucial part of the sector’s recovery. DCMS has worked closely with its sectors to publish guidance relating to COVID-19. This includes practical guidance and resources from the Fundraising Regulator and Chartered Institute of Fundraising supporting charities to safeguard the public, staff and volunteers as they plan to return to fundraising activities in a safe and responsible way. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/guidance-for-dcms-sectors-in-relation-to-coronavirus-covid-19. Over the coming months we will continue to work with the charity, voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors to assess emerging needs and how we can best support them during the COVID-19 pandemic and through recovery.

Charities, community organisations and volunteers are playing a vital role to support the coronavirus effort. Government continues to work closely with the civil society sector to assess both the needs of vulnerable people and the sector itself, and how government can best support the continuation of critical work.

DCMS has provided a £4.8million grant to the Voluntary and Community Sector Emergencies Partnership, to support its work to improve coordination in the voluntary sector, and deploy volunteers and resources where they are most needed. Examples include distributing 30 tonnes of food, the equivalent of 67,000 meals in the South West and arranging 1,000 health assessments of those experiencing homelessness. The Partnership has also supported recent initiatives such as the Department for Transport’s Journey Makers. Learning is being captured on the Partnership’s response and an evaluation is to be carried out.

The Government is firmly committed to making the UK the safest place to be online, and we are working at pace on our proposals. We will publish a full government response later this year.

The Government is committed to making the UK the safest place to be online. DCMS and the Home Office are working at pace to develop the legislation. We will publish a full government response later this year, and legislation will be ready this session.

Gyms and health club facilities play a crucial role in supporting people to be active and the Government is committed to reopening sports and physical activity facilities as soon as it is safe to do so.

We are holding regular discussions with representatives from the leisure sector and national sports organisations to develop guidance that will support them to open their facilities in a timely and safe manner once lockdown measures are eased.

As with all aspects of the Government’s response to Covid-19, we will be guided by the science to ensure that as restrictions are eased people can return to activity safely.

Guidance is available on the Gov.UK website and is being continually updated as progress is made toward the safe reopening of all facilities including those for watersports and cycling.

This includes guidance for the public on the phased return of outdoor sport and recreation in England, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation/guidance-for-the-public-on-the-phased-return-of-outdoor-sport-and-recreation.

We will update the public when we deem it is safe to open up indoor facilities such as pools, leisure centres and gyms and will continue to consult the sector as our plans develop.

Gyms and health club facilities play a crucial role in supporting people to be active and the Government is committed to reopening sports and physical activity facilities as soon as it is safe to do so.

We are holding regular discussions with representatives from the leisure sector and national sports organisations to develop guidance that will support them to open their facilities in a timely and safe manner once lockdown measures are eased.

As with all aspects of the Government’s response to Covid-19, we will be guided by the science to ensure that as restrictions are eased people can return to activity safely.

Government recently launched a major effort to tackle loneliness and social isolation. This includes a new public campaign encouraging people to talk openly about loneliness, as well as guidance on how individuals can safely support themselves and others if they are feeling lonely or isolated. This information is available on the ‘Let’s Talk Loneliness’ website.

In addition, Government is making £5 million available for national organisations working on tackling loneliness and applications for this new fund opened on 13 May 2020. Government has also formed a new ‘Tackling Loneliness Network’, which consists of high-profile charities, businesses and public figures who will work together to find innovative solutions which support people at risk of loneliness.

The Government has published guidance on GOV.UK allowing the phased return of recreational activities in line with the latest medical guidance. This guidance can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation

The Government does not plan to publish recreation-specific guidance.

The Government has published guidance on GOV.UK allowing the phased return of recreational activities in line with the latest medical guidance. This guidance can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation

The Government does not plan to publish recreation-specific guidance.

Any facilities associated with outdoor sports and physical activities including golf courses can reopen, if those responsible for them feel ready to do so and if they can do so safely, and in line with related public health guidance.

The government recognises the vital work social enterprises and co-operatives are doing to support communities and ease demands on public services in light of Covid-19. In recognising this, we have put in place a number of emergency measures to support these organisations during this time.

The government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) has been made available to social enterprises and co-operatives. This scheme will provide lenders with a government-backed guarantee of 80% on each loan, ensuring eligible social enterprises and co-operatives gain access to crucial finance with no upfront costs and lower initial repayments. Big Society Capital has established and capitalised a Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund which aims to improve access to CBILS for social enterprises. The initiative has been enabled by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) accelerating the release of previously committed dormant bank accounts money.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is also available to social enterprises and co-operatives. This scheme allows employers to claim for a cash grant of up to 80% of a furloughed employee's wages. Many organisations are already accessing this support measure.

Additionally, the government announced a £750 million support package earlier this month for charities. A number of social enterprises that are delivering vital work during the coronavirus outbreak will be eligible to apply for this support package.

Over the coming weeks and months, the government will monitor and evaluate the support that has been provided to social enterprises and co-operatives, and it continues to consider what else can be done. This includes examining further initiatives around access to finance for social enterprises and cooperatives.

The government recognises the vital work social enterprises and co-operatives are doing to support communities and ease demands on public services in light of Covid-19. In recognising this, we have put in place a number of emergency measures to support these organisations during this time.

The government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) has been made available to social enterprises and co-operatives. This scheme will provide lenders with a government-backed guarantee of 80% on each loan, ensuring eligible social enterprises and co-operatives gain access to crucial finance with no upfront costs and lower initial repayments. Big Society Capital has established and capitalised a Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund which aims to improve access to CBILS for social enterprises. The initiative has been enabled by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) accelerating the release of previously committed dormant bank accounts money.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is also available to social enterprises and co-operatives. This scheme allows employers to claim for a cash grant of up to 80% of a furloughed employee's wages. Many organisations are already accessing this support measure.

Additionally, the government announced a £750 million support package earlier this month for charities. A number of social enterprises that are delivering vital work during the coronavirus outbreak will be eligible to apply for this support package.

Over the coming weeks and months, the government will monitor and evaluate the support that has been provided to social enterprises and co-operatives, and it continues to consider what else can be done. This includes examining further initiatives around access to finance for social enterprises and cooperatives.

The measures required to tackle Covid-19 mean it is likely that more people will be going online in the weeks ahead, including school age children and vulnerable users. This may place some people at greater risk of experiencing harm online.

The government is committed to making the UK the safest place to be online. We are working with other government departments, technology companies, civil society and academia during this period to support users to understand and manage the risks and benefits of being online during this period.

The measures required to tackle Covid-19 mean it is likely that more people will be going online in the weeks ahead, including school age children and vulnerable users. This may place some people at greater risk of experiencing harm online.

The government is committed to making the UK the safest place to be online. We are working with other government departments, technology companies, civil society and academia during this period to support users to understand and manage the risks and benefits of being online during this period.

The measures required to tackle Covid-19 mean it is likely that more people will be going online in the weeks ahead, including school age children and vulnerable users. This may place some people at greater risk of experiencing harm online.

The government is committed to making the UK the safest place to be online. We are working with other government departments, technology companies, civil society and academia during this period to support users to understand and manage the risks and benefits of being online during this period.

The measures required to tackle Covid-19 mean it is likely that more people will be going online in the weeks ahead, including school age children and vulnerable users. This may place some people at greater risk of experiencing harm online.

The government is committed to making the UK the safest place to be online. We are working with other government departments, technology companies, civil society and academia during this period to support users to understand and manage the risks and benefits of being online during this period.

We value Barnardo’s work with the All Party Parliamentary Group on Knife Crime and Violence Reduction, and welcomed their report published in March 2020 on the role of youth services.

We recognise the importance of investing in our young people, and so in September last year the Chancellor announced a five year, £500 million Youth Investment Fund. This will help build up to 60 new youth centres and refurbish hundreds of existing youth facilities across the country, as well as providing over 100 mobile facilities for harder to reach areas. The fund will also support the provision and coordination of high-quality services for young people, as well as an investment in the youth workforce.

DCMS will continue to work together closely with the Home Office, the Cabinet Office’s Serious Violence Team and across government on effective strategies to keep our young people safe.

DCMS officials are rapidly assessing how the impact of Covid-19 will affect the delivery of the Youth Investment Fund in 2020 and beyond.

The department has worked closely with Public Health England (PHE) to publish comprehensive guidance based on a system of controls which, when implemented in line with a revised risk assessment, creates an inherently safer environment for staff, pupils and students where the risk of transmission of the infection is substantially reduced. This provides a framework for all schools to put in place proportionate protective measures to measure risk effectively. New guidance has been published on the period during the national lockdown, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak#history.

We recognise that social distancing and other protective measures can be harder to implement in specialist settings, particularly when working with children and young people with complex needs, or those who need close contact care. The guidance for full opening: ‘Special Schools and other specialist settings’ has been developed with experts from PHE and provides advice on how special schools and other special education settings specifically can implement a system of controls to reduce the risk of transmission. Specialist settings should use their discretion and assess their own individual circumstances to achieve the greatest reduction in contacts. This should not unduly limit the quality or breadth of teaching, or access to support, specialist staff and therapists. This guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings#the-system-of-controls-protective-measures.

The government is delivering a programme of rapid asymptomatic testing from the start of January 2021 for staff, pupils and students in secondary schools and colleges. The DfE has provided guidance on delivering asymptomatic testing in specialist settings to support delivering testing in special schools and specialist colleges. More information can be found via this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings/mass-asymptomatic-testing-in-specialist-settings. The government also announced that all primary schools, including primary special schools, will receive testing kits for staff from the 18 January 2021.

The PPE portal can be used by residential special settings to access COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE). These providers will have received an email invitation to register with the portal. Depending on local arrangements, special schools and special post-16 settings may be able to access PPE for their COVID-19 needs via their local authority or local resilience forum.

Following the reintroduction of shielding, clinically extremely vulnerable staff are advised not to attend the workplace. Staff who are in this group will previously have received a letter from the NHS or their GP telling them this. Staff who are identified as clinically extremely vulnerable should follow government guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19.

We want to ensure that no student is disadvantaged if they cannot take their exam or assessment. In consultation with Ofqual, awarding organisations and the sector we will develop an approach to ensure students receive a fair grade. If a student is unable to take their exam or assessment in January 2021, for example, if they are shielding or their provider is unable to offer the assessment, they will not be disadvantaged.

We will continue to develop our approach in consultation with Ofqual, awarding organisations and the sector, providing more detail on the way forward for vocational exams and assessments for February 2021 onwards.

We are working with Ofqual, awarding organisations and other stakeholders to discuss the next steps and provide more detail on the way forward. We will put in place arrangements to ensure students are not disadvantaged.

We want to ensure that students who have worked hard to prepare for January assessments and exams have the opportunity to take them, if their school or college decides to go ahead.

In the event that is not possible, we will put in place arrangements to ensure they are treated fairly in comparison to their peers taking similar assessments and have a way to progress with as little disruption as possible.

We will continue to develop our approach in consultation with Ofqual, awarding organisations and the sector, providing more detail on the way forward for vocational exams and assessments for February 2021 onwards.

Keeping schools and colleges open is one of the Government’s highest priorities. Testing capacity is the highest it has ever been. The UK’s daily COVID-19 testing capacity passed the 500,000 mark on Saturday 31 October and testing capacity continues to expand to help meet demand over the winter period. All essential workers continue to have access to priority testing via the online booking portal. This includes all education and childcare workers, including support and teaching staff, social workers, and specialist education professionals. In addition to this, the Department is supplying COVID-19 test kits directly to schools and further education colleges for both staff and students who develop the symptoms of COVID-19 and face significant barriers to accessing a test through other routes.

The Government is also committed to introducing mass asymptomatic testing using new technologies to minimise the risk of infection spread in our communities. Pilots have begun in a small number of secondary schools and colleges using new Lateral Flow Devices that deliver fast, on-site results. The pilots cover secondary school students and staff. These pilots will help us better understand how this new technology can be operationalised for further roll-out in schools and nurseries to ensure we protect those at high risk, find COVID-19 cases, and help enable us to return to as normal a way of life as possible.

The COVID-19 outbreak has been extremely challenging for many families, including for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Supporting pupils with SEND continues to be a priority for this government, and their wellbeing has been central to our response throughout the COVID-19 outbreak.

That is why we have supported online educational resources, including specifically for children with SEND, and why we are providing £37.3 million for the Family Fund this year to help over 75,000 families raising children with disabilities or serious illnesses, which includes £10 million specifically in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

We have published comprehensive guidance throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, including for the full opening of all schools in July, with separate guidance on specialist settings. This guidance is updated regularly.

We have also started a programme of visits by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission, working with local areas to understand the experiences of children and young people with SEND and their families during the COVID-19 outbreak, and to support local areas to prioritise and meet their needs.

Short breaks (or ‘respite care’) are funded opportunities for disabled children and young people to be cared for away from the family homes, which local authorities have a statutory duty to provide.

Supporting the most vulnerable children and young people is a priority for us, especially at this time. We know that this period is particularly hard for children and young people with special educational needs and disability (SEND), their families and those who support them.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, the government has made an additional £3.7 billion available to local authorities. This can support local authorities to deliver their respite offers (in line with their existing duties) and to address increased costs. This money is un-ringfenced, as local authorities are best placed to understand the needs of their area and to commission provision appropriately. My right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, has also just announced a further £1 billion of funding for local authorities.

We have also committed this year £37.3 million (including £10 million in response to the COVID-19 outbreak) to the Family Fund, which provides grants to low income families caring for disabled children or seriously ill children, including for family breaks.

The government remains fully committed to a thorough and fundamental review of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system.

The issues that the SEND system face are complex, but we are determined to deliver real, lasting improvements, taking into account the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

I have met with many stakeholders across the SEND sector, to ensure that the review responds to the concerns of families and representative organisations.

The findings of the review will be published as soon as it is practicable to do so.

Alongside wider adult skills reforms, the government is providing £2.5 billion (£3 billion when including Barnett funding for devolved administrations) over the course of the Parliament, for a new National Skills Fund to help adults learn new skills and prepare for the economy of the future.

Work is progressing to develop detailed plans for the National Skills Fund, including considering what role the fund could play in response to Covid-19. We will be consulting on the National Skills Fund in due course when those with an interest are better able to actively engage with it.

Apprenticeships will also have an important role to play in creating employment opportunities and supporting employers in all sectors to access the skilled workforce they need to recover and grow post-Covid-19. They can also help people re-train and re-enter the workforce. To help employers offer new apprenticeships at this time we’ve introduced a new payment of £2,000 for employers in England for each new apprentice they hire aged under 25, and a £1,500 payment for each new apprentice they hire aged 25 and over, from 1 August to 31 January 2021.

We are currently looking at how best to support young people in these institutions given the disruption to education caused by COVID-19.

The government is committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people as a central part of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak. We welcome the reports that Barnardo’s and others have published to help inform how that can be done most effectively.

The report calls for reassurance for children and young people and parents about returning to school. We agree the return is a key part of promoting mental health and wellbeing as attendance at school allows social interaction with peers, carers and teachers, which benefits wellbeing. Children in reception, year 1 and year 6 are now able to return to primary, and year 10 and year 12 pupils are able to receive face-to-face support at secondary. Primaries with capacity can bring back additional groups, in line with existing protective measures, and we have given schools the flexibility to have face-to-face ‘check-ups’ with all pupils during the summer term, which will ensure more children and young people are able to achieve this benefit. Our intention is for all children to return to school from September and guidance will be published soon.

We are clear that children, young people and parents need to know it is safe to return to school. That is why our advice sets out further information on how this can be achieved safely and effectively, and it is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

The report also calls for the education system to prioritise child welfare and wellbeing as well as guidance to support schools with staff and pupil mental health and wellbeing. We have put it at the heart of our guidance both for children at home and in the guidance and planning frameworks for children returning to school. We will continue to develop this guidance to reflect the latest situation and scientific advice.

Online education resources are available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources.

The planning framework for return is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-educational-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020/opening-schools-for-more-children-and-young-people-initial-planning-framework-for-schools-in-england.

We have put in place further support for children and teachers on mental health and wellbeing. This includes training for teachers, such as a new module developed with clinical experts on how to teach about mental health in health education, which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-mental-wellbeing.

We have also provided grants to the Education Support Partnership and Timewise to support teachers’ mental health and flexible working.

As the report suggests, schools need to be able to make additional provision to support pupils to make up for time lost to COVID-19. That is why the government has announced a £1 billion COVID-19 ‘catch-up’ package to directly tackle the impact of lost teaching time. More information is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/billion-pound-covid-catch-up-plan-to-tackle-impact-of-lost-teaching-time.

We want to get all children and young people back into face-to-face education as soon as the scientific advice allows because it is the best place for them to learn, and because we know how important it is for their mental wellbeing to have social interactions with their peers, carers and teachers.

From the week commencing 15 June, we have asked schools with sixth forms and further education colleges, which includes sixth form colleges, to offer some face-to-face support to pupils in year 12 and to 16-19 students in the first year of a two-year study programme, as they are preparing for key examinations next year. Remote education should, however, remain the predominant mode of education for these students at this time.

Whilst we are unable to welcome back more sixth form students at this time, we have recently announced that other students under 19 years old can be offered a face-to-face meeting before the end of the summer term, where it would be beneficial. As long as this happens in line with wider protective measures guidance, and guidance on the numbers of pupils permitted on-site at any one time, we would encourage this where possible.

Our priority is to ensure that year 13 sixth form students can progress as planned, including starting university, moving into apprenticeships or securing a job, and to support year 12 students to prepare for examinations next year.

We have published a planning guide for secondary schools (including those with sixth forms) to help school leaders to prepare and decide arrangements:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-secondary-schools;

as well as guidance for further education providers: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-further-education-provision/maintaining-education-and-skills-training-provision-further-education-providers.

We want to get all children and young people back into face-to-face education as soon as the scientific advice allows because it is the best place for them to learn, and because we know how important it is for their mental wellbeing to have social interactions with their peers, carers and teachers.

From the week commencing 15 June, we have asked schools with sixth forms and further education colleges, which includes sixth form colleges, to offer some face-to-face support to pupils in year 12 and to 16-19 students in the first year of a two-year study programme, as they are preparing for key examinations next year. Remote education should, however, remain the predominant mode of education for these students at this time.

Whilst we are unable to welcome back more sixth form students at this time, we have recently announced that other students under 19 years old can be offered a face-to-face meeting before the end of the summer term, where it would be beneficial. As long as this happens in line with wider protective measures guidance, and guidance on the numbers of pupils permitted on-site at any one time, we would encourage this where possible.

Our priority is to ensure that year 13 sixth form students can progress as planned, including starting university, moving into apprenticeships or securing a job, and to support year 12 students to prepare for examinations next year.

We have published a planning guide for secondary schools (including those with sixth forms) to help school leaders to prepare and decide arrangements:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-secondary-schools;

as well as guidance for further education providers: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-further-education-provision/maintaining-education-and-skills-training-provision-further-education-providers.

The review of post-16 qualifications at level 3 and below, alongside the development of T Levels, is central to building a world-class technical education system. The first stage of the qualifications review consultation ran from March to June 2019. The second stage consultation is due to be published later in 2020. The review is looking at complex questions about the range of qualifications needed at post-16 and we want to take the time to get this right. We are taking a number of steps in advance of this to drive up quality and reduce complexity in the system.

From 1 August 2020, we will withdraw funding approval for new starts on 163 older qualifications that have been superseded by newer more rigorous versions. From 1 September 2020, we will not approve new qualifications for funding for students aged 16 and above, to stabilise the publicly funded offer in advance of further reform. We have also, this year, started the process to remove public funding approval of qualifications with low or no publicly funded enrolments. Subject to the outcomes of this process, from August 2021 we will remove funding approval for qualifications with no publicly funded enrolments; and from August 2022 we will remove funding approval for qualifications with low numbers of publicly funded enrolments, unless doing so would have a significant adverse impact on a particular sector, geographical area or student group.

The government announced at the Local Government Finance Settlement that English councils' core spending power is rising by over £2.9 billion this financial year. This includes £1 billion of new grant funding that can be used flexibly by local authorities to deliver adult and children’s social care services.

Further to this, the government has provided over £3.2 billion of additional funding to support local authorities in meeting COVID-19 related pressures, including within children’s services. We will keep this under review over the coming weeks and months.

Longer term funding considerations are a matter for the next Spending Review.

Apprenticeships will have an important role to play in creating employment opportunities, particularly for young people, and supporting employers in all sectors to access the skilled workforce they need to recover and grow post-Covid-19. They can also help people re-train and re-enter the workforce.

Employers are at the heart of our reforms to apprenticeships, designing high-quality standards that deliver the skills that they need. Standards developed by the renewable and clean energy sectors include: dual fuel smart meter installer, commercial energy specialist and power engineer.

Additionally, the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) is undertaking work on a number of initiatives to support the energy, and wider engineering sector. This includes: scholarships that are focused on helping young people into areas of growth in the industry during the economic recovery period; connected competence to identify and facilitate transferrable skills, so that training doesn’t need to be replicated within the industry; and ‘Train to retain’ allowing existing graduates to be retained and ultimately reskill them according to emerging industry requirements.

The ECITB is also developing a programme for those at economic risk due to COVID-19 impacts on their part of the industry. This will be similar to the work ECITB and EDF collaborated on for workers at Cottam coal-fired power station, helping them transition from established parts of the energy sector into growth areas.

We continue to work with further education providers and employers to ensure they deliver the skills our workers and economy need. We are looking to support employers of all sizes, and particularly smaller businesses to take on new apprentices this year. We will set out further details in due course. We will also ensure that there is sufficient funding to support small businesses wanting to take on an apprentice this year. In addition, we have launched a new online Skills Toolkit to provide free high quality digital and numeracy courses, the skills most sought after by employers.

Alongside wider adult skills reforms, the government is providing £2.5 billion (£3 billion when including Barnett funding for devolved administrations) over the course of the Parliament, for a new National Skills Fund to help adults learn new skills and prepare for the economy of the future.

It is for the governing body of a school (or the academy trust, in the case of academies) to decide whether there should be a school uniform, and if so, what it should be. It is also for the governing body or academy trust to decide how the school uniform should be sourced. To support them to do this the Department issues best practice guidance which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform.

Our guidance is clear that the Department strongly encourages schools to have a school uniform and recognises the valuable role it can play in contributing to the ethos of a school and setting an appropriate tone.

The Government is pleased to support the Private Members' Bill, Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Bill, in order to make our guidance on the cost considerations for school uniform statutory at the earliest opportunity. This guidance will further support governing bodies in their decisions regarding school uniform policies.

The government remains committed to promoting and supporting the mental health of children and young people. Access to mental health support is more important than ever during COVID-19. NHS services remain open, leading mental health charities are being supported to deliver additional services through the £5 million Coronavirus Mental Health Response Fund. The NHS has set up 24/7 open access telephone lines for urgent mental health support for people of all ages.

The Department for Education has established a dedicated helpline and webpages covering advice for the education sector, as well as advice for parents and carers supporting children. The GOV.UK web pages include information about how education settings, and parents and carers, can support children and young people who may be struggling with mental health during this difficult time. This includes educational provision for vulnerable children and children of key workers; safeguarding, including keeping children safe from online harms; and advice on mental health and behaviour. Within the online education resources, there are resources to support mental wellbeing, physical activity, and special educational needs and disabilities.

This guidance is available at the following links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people;

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers/coronavirus-covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers;

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-and-behaviour-in-schools--2; and

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources/coronavirus-covid-19-list-of-online-education-resources-for-home-education.

The return to school will in itself be part of supporting mental health and wellbeing of pupils as attendance enables social interaction with peers, carers and teachers which benefits wellbeing. Pupil wellbeing is highlighted in curriculum considerations for school leaders to consider in our guidance on actions for educational and childcare settings to prepare for wider opening from 1 June 2020, which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-educational-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020. It is also included as specific a theme in the planning framework that the department has issued, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-educational-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020/opening-schools-for-more-children-and-young-people-initial-planning-framework-for-schools-in-england. We will continue to work with school and health partners on how to make further resources and support available to schools as children and young people return.

This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to my hon. Friend, the Member for Rother Valley directly and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

We have taken a number of steps to ensure the safety of vulnerable children, including ensuring that vulnerable children can continue to attend the education and childcare settings that are closed to the majority of children.

The vast majority of statutory duties remain unchanged. However, in light of the current pressures that the Covid-19 outbreak is bringing on social care services, and the risk of such pressures increasing, we have reviewed our regulations to allow some temporary and limited flexibility – to be used where absolutely necessary – to enable children's services to continue to support vulnerable children in the most effective and safest way during the outbreak.

Our starting point has been to make minimal changes to ensure the safe functioning of children’s social care during the Covid-19 outbreak. The department recently published updated guidance for children’s social care services that covers how the flexibilities provided in regulations should be used. The guidance can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-childrens-social-care-services/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-local-authorities-on-childrens-social-care#delivery-of-services.

Amendments have been made to provide for extra flexibility in limited circumstances, but this should only be used when absolutely necessary, with senior management oversight and must be consistent with the overarching safeguarding and welfare duties that remain in place. The amendments will remain in place only for as long as they are needed.

Where it becomes necessary to use any of these flexibilities, it is important that this is properly recorded, along with the reasons for doing so. Where it is not necessary to make use of the flexibilities due to the current circumstances, they should not be used.

The department continues working with a wide range of stakeholders and the sector to ensure that the right support is available for frontline services during the crisis. The regulatory changes will be kept under continuous review and will expire on 25 September 2020 unless they are extended.

Our latest guidance on supporting vulnerable children is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings.

Identifying and supporting vulnerable children is a top priority for the government.

Attending school is a strong protective factor for many vulnerable children and young people. This is why educational establishments remain open for these children. We are closely monitoring the attendance of vulnerable children and encouraging attendance where that would be in their best interests. My right Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education has written to all education settings and Directors of Children’s Services in England to encourage attendance for these children. Around 58,000 vulnerable children were attending an educational setting in the week ending 1 May, compared to about 50,000 the previous week.

The Secretary of State for Education has also stressed the need for schools, local authorities and social workers to maintain contact and supporting services for vulnerable children and young people throughout this period. Officials from the Department for Education (DfE) and re-deployed Ofsted inspection teams are working with local authorities directly to ensure the systems and processes for maintaining contact with vulnerable children are robust in every local authority in England. DfE has issued detailed guidance explaining how education providers can support vulnerable children, including to monitor and encourage attendance.

Where vulnerable children and young people are not attending a nursery, school or further education setting, we have asked local authorities and educational settings to ensure every vulnerable child knows that their setting is there to support them and that systems are in place to keep in touch with those children who are unable to attend.

The government is providing an additional £3.2 billion for local authorities to manage pressure arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, including within children’s social care. The government has also announced £750 million in funding to support frontline charities during the pandemic, including those supporting vulnerable children. We are meeting regularly with the leading children’s charities to ensure they are able to continue to deliver frontline services. We are also continuing to support Childline and have provided an additional £1.6 million to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children for them to expand and promote their adult helpline, so more adults will be able to raise concerns and seek advice about the safety and wellbeing of any child that they are worried about.

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

Our latest guidance on supporting vulnerable children is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings.

Identifying and supporting vulnerable children is a top priority for the government.

Attending school is a strong protective factor for many vulnerable children and young people. This is why educational establishments remain open for these children. We are closely monitoring the attendance of vulnerable children and encouraging attendance where that would be in their best interests. My right Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education has written to all education settings and Directors of Children’s Services in England to encourage attendance for these children. Around 58,000 vulnerable children were attending an educational setting in the week ending 1 May, compared to about 50,000 the previous week.

The Secretary of State for Education has also stressed the need for schools, local authorities and social workers to maintain contact and supporting services for vulnerable children and young people throughout this period. Officials from the Department for Education (DfE) and re-deployed Ofsted inspection teams are working with local authorities directly to ensure the systems and processes for maintaining contact with vulnerable children are robust in every local authority in England. DfE has issued detailed guidance explaining how education providers can support vulnerable children, including to monitor and encourage attendance.

Where vulnerable children and young people are not attending a nursery, school or further education setting, we have asked local authorities and educational settings to ensure every vulnerable child knows that their setting is there to support them and that systems are in place to keep in touch with those children who are unable to attend.

The government is providing an additional £3.2 billion for local authorities to manage pressure arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, including within children’s social care. The government has also announced £750 million in funding to support frontline charities during the pandemic, including those supporting vulnerable children. We are meeting regularly with the leading children’s charities to ensure they are able to continue to deliver frontline services. We are also continuing to support Childline and have provided an additional £1.6 million to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children for them to expand and promote their adult helpline, so more adults will be able to raise concerns and seek advice about the safety and wellbeing of any child that they are worried about.

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

Our latest guidance on supporting vulnerable children is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings.

Identifying and supporting vulnerable children is a top priority for the government.

Attending school is a strong protective factor for many vulnerable children and young people. This is why educational establishments remain open for these children. We are closely monitoring the attendance of vulnerable children and encouraging attendance where that would be in their best interests. My right Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education has written to all education settings and Directors of Children’s Services in England to encourage attendance for these children. Around 58,000 vulnerable children were attending an educational setting in the week ending 1 May, compared to about 50,000 the previous week.

The Secretary of State for Education has also stressed the need for schools, local authorities and social workers to maintain contact and supporting services for vulnerable children and young people throughout this period. Officials from the Department for Education (DfE) and re-deployed Ofsted inspection teams are working with local authorities directly to ensure the systems and processes for maintaining contact with vulnerable children are robust in every local authority in England. DfE has issued detailed guidance explaining how education providers can support vulnerable children, including to monitor and encourage attendance.

Where vulnerable children and young people are not attending a nursery, school or further education setting, we have asked local authorities and educational settings to ensure every vulnerable child knows that their setting is there to support them and that systems are in place to keep in touch with those children who are unable to attend.

The government is providing an additional £3.2 billion for local authorities to manage pressure arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, including within children’s social care. The government has also announced £750 million in funding to support frontline charities during the pandemic, including those supporting vulnerable children. We are meeting regularly with the leading children’s charities to ensure they are able to continue to deliver frontline services. We are also continuing to support Childline and have provided an additional £1.6 million to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children for them to expand and promote their adult helpline, so more adults will be able to raise concerns and seek advice about the safety and wellbeing of any child that they are worried about.

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

Our latest guidance on supporting vulnerable children is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings.

Identifying and supporting vulnerable children is a top priority for the government.

Attending school is a strong protective factor for many vulnerable children and young people. This is why educational establishments remain open for these children. We are closely monitoring the attendance of vulnerable children and encouraging attendance where that would be in their best interests. My right Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education has written to all education settings and Directors of Children’s Services in England to encourage attendance for these children. Around 58,000 vulnerable children were attending an educational setting in the week ending 1 May, compared to about 50,000 the previous week.

The Secretary of State for Education has also stressed the need for schools, local authorities and social workers to maintain contact and supporting services for vulnerable children and young people throughout this period. Officials from the Department for Education (DfE) and re-deployed Ofsted inspection teams are working with local authorities directly to ensure the systems and processes for maintaining contact with vulnerable children are robust in every local authority in England. DfE has issued detailed guidance explaining how education providers can support vulnerable children, including to monitor and encourage attendance.

Where vulnerable children and young people are not attending a nursery, school or further education setting, we have asked local authorities and educational settings to ensure every vulnerable child knows that their setting is there to support them and that systems are in place to keep in touch with those children who are unable to attend.

The government is providing an additional £3.2 billion for local authorities to manage pressure arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, including within children’s social care. The government has also announced £750 million in funding to support frontline charities during the pandemic, including those supporting vulnerable children. We are meeting regularly with the leading children’s charities to ensure they are able to continue to deliver frontline services. We are also continuing to support Childline and have provided an additional £1.6 million to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children for them to expand and promote their adult helpline, so more adults will be able to raise concerns and seek advice about the safety and wellbeing of any child that they are worried about.

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

The number of pupils[1] entered[2] for music GCSE[3],[4] and GCE A Level[5],[6] in Rother Valley and Yorkshire and the Humber for the academic year 2018/19 is shown in the table below:

The national figure for GCSE entries can be found under ‘Subject data’ from:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/key-stage-4-performance-2019-revised.

The national figure for GCE A Level entries can be found under ‘Underlying data: 2019 Revised’ and selecting ‘REVISED_A_Level_Results_by_LA_and_Region’ from:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/a-level-and-other-16-to-18-results-2018-to-2019-revised

Please note that we have not provided figures for pupils studying music at primary and secondary school overall. This is because music is part of the national curriculum and is a compulsory subject between Key Stages 1 and 3. Therefore, all pupils are required to study music during these stages.

[1] Includes attempts and achievements by these pupils at the end of their year of study.

[2] Counts are for pupils who have entered exams. We do not hold data for the number of pupils who study the subject.

[3] In line with discounting rules, only one attempt is counted.

[4] Counts are for pupils with exam entries only.

[5] Represents the number of exam entries, which will differ slightly from initial registration in a subject.

[6] GCSE information is based on final data, A level data is based on revised figures.

[7] Local Authority and Region figures cover achievements in state-funded schools only. They do not include pupils recently arrived from overseas and so will not match with state-funded figures in the published data.

The Government believes that music is an important subject and that all pupils should receive a high quality music education, at least up to age 14. That is why the subject is compulsory in the national curriculum and why this government provided funding of over £300 million for Music Education Hubs between 2016 and 2020 and in January 2020 I announced a further £80 million investment by the Government in these hubs for 2020-21.

In 2011 the Government published ‘The Importance of Music: A National Plan for Music Education’, available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-importance-of-music-a-national-plan-for-music-education.

The document set out a vision for how music education should look up to 2020 and introduced the plans for the music education hubs. The vision is to enable children from all backgrounds to have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, to make music with others, to learn to sing, and to have the opportunity to progress to the next level of excellence. In January 2019, the Government committed to refreshing the Plan to ensure music remains at the forefront of school life and made clear that the Plan would be refreshed.

At the same time to ensure all pupils are able to enjoy high quality lessons it was announced that schools are to receive a new model music curriculum created by an independent panel of experts. As well as ensuring all pupils can benefit from knowledge rich and diverse lessons, it is hoped that the curriculum will make it far easier for teachers to plan lessons and help to reduce workload.

In the same period the Government also funded the Music and Dance Scheme with £120 million. The aim of the scheme is to help identify, and assist, children with exceptional potential, regardless of their personal circumstances, to benefit from world-class specialist training as part of a broad and balanced education.

Although the Department has not commissioned any recent studies, a Call for Evidence on music education was launched on 9 February 2020, and closed on 13 March 2020, the findings from which will inform the development of proposals for the refreshed Plan. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the refresh of the Plan is currently on hold but will be published in due course.

In terms of individual music tuition, in addition to support provided through the hubs, the Government also invests in organisations that help young people learn about different styles of music and to support the next generation of musicians. These programmes are:

• In Harmony
• National Youth Music Organisations (NYMOs)
• Music for Youth.

The Government believes that music is an important subject and that all pupils should receive a high quality music education, at least up to age 14. That is why the subject is compulsory in the national curriculum and why this government provided funding of over £300 million for Music Education Hubs between 2016 and 2020 and in January 2020 I announced a further £80 million investment by the Government in these hubs for 2020-21.

In 2011 the Government published ‘The Importance of Music: A National Plan for Music Education’, available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-importance-of-music-a-national-plan-for-music-education.

The document set out a vision for how music education should look up to 2020 and introduced the plans for the music education hubs. The vision is to enable children from all backgrounds to have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, to make music with others, to learn to sing, and to have the opportunity to progress to the next level of excellence. In January 2019, the Government committed to refreshing the Plan to ensure music remains at the forefront of school life and made clear that the Plan would be refreshed.

At the same time to ensure all pupils are able to enjoy high quality lessons it was announced that schools are to receive a new model music curriculum created by an independent panel of experts. As well as ensuring all pupils can benefit from knowledge rich and diverse lessons, it is hoped that the curriculum will make it far easier for teachers to plan lessons and help to reduce workload.

In the same period the Government also funded the Music and Dance Scheme with £120 million. The aim of the scheme is to help identify, and assist, children with exceptional potential, regardless of their personal circumstances, to benefit from world-class specialist training as part of a broad and balanced education.

Although the Department has not commissioned any recent studies, a Call for Evidence on music education was launched on 9 February 2020, and closed on 13 March 2020, the findings from which will inform the development of proposals for the refreshed Plan. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the refresh of the Plan is currently on hold but will be published in due course.

In terms of individual music tuition, in addition to support provided through the hubs, the Government also invests in organisations that help young people learn about different styles of music and to support the next generation of musicians. These programmes are:

• In Harmony
• National Youth Music Organisations (NYMOs)
• Music for Youth.

The Government believes that music is an important subject and that all pupils should receive a high quality music education, at least up to age 14. That is why the subject is compulsory in the national curriculum and why this government provided funding of over £300 million for Music Education Hubs between 2016 and 2020 and in January 2020 I announced a further £80 million investment by the Government in these hubs for 2020-21.

In 2011 the Government published ‘The Importance of Music: A National Plan for Music Education’, available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-importance-of-music-a-national-plan-for-music-education.

The document set out a vision for how music education should look up to 2020 and introduced the plans for the music education hubs. The vision is to enable children from all backgrounds to have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, to make music with others, to learn to sing, and to have the opportunity to progress to the next level of excellence. In January 2019, the Government committed to refreshing the Plan to ensure music remains at the forefront of school life and made clear that the Plan would be refreshed.

At the same time to ensure all pupils are able to enjoy high quality lessons it was announced that schools are to receive a new model music curriculum created by an independent panel of experts. As well as ensuring all pupils can benefit from knowledge rich and diverse lessons, it is hoped that the curriculum will make it far easier for teachers to plan lessons and help to reduce workload.

In the same period the Government also funded the Music and Dance Scheme with £120 million. The aim of the scheme is to help identify, and assist, children with exceptional potential, regardless of their personal circumstances, to benefit from world-class specialist training as part of a broad and balanced education.

Although the Department has not commissioned any recent studies, a Call for Evidence on music education was launched on 9 February 2020, and closed on 13 March 2020, the findings from which will inform the development of proposals for the refreshed Plan. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the refresh of the Plan is currently on hold but will be published in due course.

In terms of individual music tuition, in addition to support provided through the hubs, the Government also invests in organisations that help young people learn about different styles of music and to support the next generation of musicians. These programmes are:

• In Harmony
• National Youth Music Organisations (NYMOs)
• Music for Youth.

The number of pupils[1] entered[2] for music GCSE[3],[4] and GCE A Level[5],[6] in Rother Valley and Yorkshire and the Humber for the academic year 2018/19 is shown in the table below:

The national figure for GCSE entries can be found under ‘Subject data’ from:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/key-stage-4-performance-2019-revised.

The national figure for GCE A Level entries can be found under ‘Underlying data: 2019 Revised’ and selecting ‘REVISED_A_Level_Results_by_LA_and_Region’ from:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/a-level-and-other-16-to-18-results-2018-to-2019-revised

Please note that we have not provided figures for pupils studying music at primary and secondary school overall. This is because music is part of the national curriculum and is a compulsory subject between Key Stages 1 and 3. Therefore, all pupils are required to study music during these stages.

[1] Includes attempts and achievements by these pupils at the end of their year of study.

[2] Counts are for pupils who have entered exams. We do not hold data for the number of pupils who study the subject.

[3] In line with discounting rules, only one attempt is counted.

[4] Counts are for pupils with exam entries only.

[5] Represents the number of exam entries, which will differ slightly from initial registration in a subject.

[6] GCSE information is based on final data, A level data is based on revised figures.

[7] Local Authority and Region figures cover achievements in state-funded schools only. They do not include pupils recently arrived from overseas and so will not match with state-funded figures in the published data.

The number of pupils[1] entered[2] for music GCSE[3],[4] and GCE A Level[5],[6] in Rother Valley and Yorkshire and the Humber for the academic year 2018/19 is shown in the table below:

The national figure for GCSE entries can be found under ‘Subject data’ from:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/key-stage-4-performance-2019-revised.

The national figure for GCE A Level entries can be found under ‘Underlying data: 2019 Revised’ and selecting ‘REVISED_A_Level_Results_by_LA_and_Region’ from:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/a-level-and-other-16-to-18-results-2018-to-2019-revised

Please note that we have not provided figures for pupils studying music at primary and secondary school overall. This is because music is part of the national curriculum and is a compulsory subject between Key Stages 1 and 3. Therefore, all pupils are required to study music during these stages.

[1] Includes attempts and achievements by these pupils at the end of their year of study.

[2] Counts are for pupils who have entered exams. We do not hold data for the number of pupils who study the subject.

[3] In line with discounting rules, only one attempt is counted.

[4] Counts are for pupils with exam entries only.

[5] Represents the number of exam entries, which will differ slightly from initial registration in a subject.

[6] GCSE information is based on final data, A level data is based on revised figures.

[7] Local Authority and Region figures cover achievements in state-funded schools only. They do not include pupils recently arrived from overseas and so will not match with state-funded figures in the published data.

The number of pupils[1] entered[2] for music GCSE[3],[4] and GCE A Level[5],[6] in Rother Valley and Yorkshire and the Humber for the academic year 2018/19 is shown in the table below:

The national figure for GCSE entries can be found under ‘Subject data’ from:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/key-stage-4-performance-2019-revised.

The national figure for GCE A Level entries can be found under ‘Underlying data: 2019 Revised’ and selecting ‘REVISED_A_Level_Results_by_LA_and_Region’ from:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/a-level-and-other-16-to-18-results-2018-to-2019-revised

Please note that we have not provided figures for pupils studying music at primary and secondary school overall. This is because music is part of the national curriculum and is a compulsory subject between Key Stages 1 and 3. Therefore, all pupils are required to study music during these stages.

[1] Includes attempts and achievements by these pupils at the end of their year of study.

[2] Counts are for pupils who have entered exams. We do not hold data for the number of pupils who study the subject.

[3] In line with discounting rules, only one attempt is counted.

[4] Counts are for pupils with exam entries only.

[5] Represents the number of exam entries, which will differ slightly from initial registration in a subject.

[6] GCSE information is based on final data, A level data is based on revised figures.

[7] Local Authority and Region figures cover achievements in state-funded schools only. They do not include pupils recently arrived from overseas and so will not match with state-funded figures in the published data.

The Department is committed to ensuring that children can continue to learn at home in these very difficult circumstances. We recognise that many schools and colleges have already shared resources for children who are at home, and we are grateful for this.

The higher education regulator in England, the Office for Students, has produced guidance on practical ways in which university students can complete their studies whilst ensuring quality and standards are upheld.

The Government is working closely with the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education to ensure students continue to leave university with qualifications that have real value, reflect their hard work and allow people to progress.

The Department has issued guidance for schools which signposts to an initial list of free online resources identified by educational experts and teachers. Many other suppliers have also helpfully made their resources available for free. The guidance is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources.

The Department has also issued information, guidance and support to parents and carers of children who at home, which is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/supporting-your-childrens-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19.

Leading state schools have collaborated to open The Oak National Academy, which was launched online on 20 April. This new initiative is led by 40 teachers who have assembled video lessons and resources for any teacher in the country to make use of if they wish to do so. 180 video lessons will be provided each week, across a broad range of subjects, for every year group from Reception through to Year 10. Additionally, the BBC has developed resources for families as part of a comprehensive new education package, which is now available on TV and online.

Devices will be ordered for the most disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in Year 10, for those who receive support from a social worker, and for care leavers.

Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and children in Year 10 do not have internet connections, we are working to provide 4G connectivity to them so that they can study at home.

Local authorities, trusts and other relevant organisations overseeing schools have been given guidance on how to place online orders for Government-funded and allocated devices for eligible children and young people.

The Department is also working with major telecommunications providers to exempt certain educational resources from data charges, so that this does not add to household expense.

The government has set out specific measures to support childcare providers during the COVID-19 outbreak:

• Funding for the government’s early years entitlements will continue during any periods of nursery, preschool or childminder closures or when children cannot attend
• To support private nurseries at this time, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has also announced that they will be eligible for a business rates holiday for one year from 1 April

Childcare providers will also benefit from the wider measures the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced to support the people and businesses of the UK:

• A three-point plan announced in the Budget providing £12 billion of support for public services, individuals and businesses whose finances are affected by the outbreak
• A package to provide additional support for businesses and individuals totalling £350 billion
• The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help firms continue to keep people in employment. This means that businesses can put workers on temporary leave and the government will pay them cash grants of 80% of their wages up to a cap of £2,500, providing they keep the worker employed

• A scheme to help the UK’s self-employed who are affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The new Self-Employed Income Support Scheme will enable those eligible to receive a cash grant worth 80% of their average monthly trading profit over the last three years. This covers 95% of people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment
• On 28 March, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma, announced that the government will also temporarily suspend the wrongful trading provisions to give company directors greater confidence to use their best endeavours to continue trading during this pandemic emergency, without the threat of personal liability should the company ultimately fall into insolvency

The government is also providing the following additional support:

• deferral of Self-Assessment income tax payments due in July 2020 and VAT payments due between 20 March 2020 and 30 June 2020
• grants for businesses that pay little or no business rates
• increased amounts of Universal Credit
• the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

The latest guidance from the department for early years and childcare providers can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures.

The government has set out specific measures to support childcare providers during the COVID-19 outbreak:

• Funding for the government’s early years entitlements will continue during any periods of nursery, preschool or childminder closures or when children cannot attend
• To support private nurseries at this time, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has also announced that they will be eligible for a business rates holiday for one year from 1 April

Childcare providers will also benefit from the wider measures the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced to support the people and businesses of the UK:

• A three-point plan announced in the Budget providing £12 billion of support for public services, individuals and businesses whose finances are affected by the outbreak
• A package to provide additional support for businesses and individuals totalling £350 billion
• The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help firms continue to keep people in employment. This means that businesses can put workers on temporary leave and the government will pay them cash grants of 80% of their wages up to a cap of £2,500, providing they keep the worker employed

• A scheme to help the UK’s self-employed who are affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The new Self-Employed Income Support Scheme will enable those eligible to receive a cash grant worth 80% of their average monthly trading profit over the last three years. This covers 95% of people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment
• On 28 March, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma, announced that the government will also temporarily suspend the wrongful trading provisions to give company directors greater confidence to use their best endeavours to continue trading during this pandemic emergency, without the threat of personal liability should the company ultimately fall into insolvency

The government is also providing the following additional support:

• deferral of Self-Assessment income tax payments due in July 2020 and VAT payments due between 20 March 2020 and 30 June 2020
• grants for businesses that pay little or no business rates
• increased amounts of Universal Credit
• the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

The latest guidance from the department for early years and childcare providers can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families on 28 January 2020 to 5550.

The Department for Education is working with Public Sector Buying Organisations and the Crown Commercial Service to understand and try to address supply chain issues. At this time, the supply chain has flagged that for some products there are reduced volume deliveries and less frequent deliveries which means some items may be rationed. They are seeking to find alternatives to any products which are out of stock.

The Department for Education is working with Public Sector Buying Organisations and the Crown Commercial Service to understand and try to address supply chain issues. At this time, the supply chain has flagged that for some products there are reduced volume deliveries and less frequent deliveries which means some items may be rationed. They are seeking to find alternatives to any products which are out of stock.

In 2018/19, there were 59,970 apprenticeship starts in the Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies sector subject area, of which 7.9% were female.

In the first quarter of the 2019/20 academic year (covering August to October 2019), there have been 24,440 starts reported to date, of which 7.8% were female.

There is no single apprenticeship called ‘energy engineering’, however there are a number of engineering-related apprenticeships that may relate to the ‘energy’ sector, a number of which are shown in the attached table.

The demand for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills is growing, particularly for sectors such as engineering, construction and manufacturing. To support this, the Government has made substantial spending commitments for mathematics, digital and technical education. The Government is also encouraging more students into STEM, from primary school to higher education.

Mathematics, science and computing are compulsory subjects in all state-maintained schools, which pupils will study at least until age 16. State-maintained schools must teach the national curriculum programmes of study for these subjects in full, which ensures that all pupils gain a thorough and rigorous grounding in each discipline. Academies and free schools are also required to teach mathematics and science as part of a broad and balanced curriculum, using the national curriculum as an exemplar.

At GCSE, the majority of pupils enter mathematics and science, and entries to computer science continue to rise. Entries to STEM A-levels are also rising, with a 26% increase between 2010 and 2019. The Government is funding programmes to increase the take-up of mathematics (such as the Advanced Maths Premium), computing and physics, and to support better teaching of mathematics, science and computing in schools. This includes a new £84 million programme to improve computing teaching. This also includes focused action to address existing gender imbalances in STEM, which are more pronounced in subjects such as physics, computing and mathematics.

The Government has committed to improving STEM careers advice in schools in the Department’s careers strategy, including for sectors such as energy. The Department is also raising awareness of the range of careers that STEM qualifications offer, through programmes such as STEM ambassadors.

The percentage of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 in all state-funded schools[1] achieving grades 9-4 or A*-C in English and mathematics GCSEs in Rother Valley constituency over the last four years are presented in the table attached.

Further data at institution level for schools in Rother Valley from 2014 to 2019 can be accessed from the download data section of the school performance tables website at: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/.

[1] State-funded schools include academies, free schools, city technology colleges, further education colleges with provision for 14- to 16-year-olds and state-funded special schools. They exclude independent schools, independent special schools, non-maintained special schools, hospital schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision. Alternative provision includes academy and free school alternative provision.

In January 2019 the Department launched the Government’s first ever integrated strategy to recruit and retain more teachers in schools – developed alongside and welcomed by teachers, education unions and leading professional bodies.

The Department recognises that some schools and local areas have greater issues with recruitment and retention than others. The Department is making every effort to refocus national teacher recruitment and retention programmes to ensure they address local variations in teacher supply, so that more schools can benefit from tried and tested programmes.

In January 2019 the Department also announced that we will introduce the Early Career Framework early in three local authority areas, including Doncaster, in September 2020. The Early Career Framework is a two-year package of development and support that will transform support for early career teachers, rolling out nationally from September 2021. From September 2020, early career teachers and their mentors in early roll-out areas will be eligible to start benefitting early from improved support to their early career teachers, including high-quality training and support.

There are a number of financial incentives to join and remain in the profession that teachers in Rother Valley may be eligible for. Mathematics and Physics teachers in the Rotherham and Doncaster local authority areas of Rother Valley who are in the first five years of their career may be eligible for a £2,000 retention payment after tax. In addition to this, teachers who completed their initial teacher training from 2013 onwards may be eligible for Teacher Student Loan reimbursement, and Mathematics teachers who started their initial teacher training from 2018 onwards may be eligible early career payments up to £7,500. Both of these schemes are available to teachers in the Doncaster local authority area.

In addition to this, the Department is currently delivering a £30 million investment in tailored support for struggling schools designed to help schools improve existing plans, join national programmes, build local partnerships or fund new initiatives. One school in Rother Valley is receiving this support.

As at November 2018 (the latest year for which information is available), there were 378 full time equivalent (FTE) primary school teachers, and 510 FTE teachers in secondary schools in Rother Valley.

The information requested can be derived from school level data on teachers numbers published as part of School Workforce in England, 2018. This is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-workforce-in-england-november-2018.

We are always keen to consider improvements to the system and a post-implementation review of the law that regulates compulsory microchipping of dogs – The Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015 - will be carried out this year. This will include a review of how the current database system is working in practice.

The Government takes the issue of pet theft very seriously and is concerned by suggestions that occurrences are on the rise. The department is in contact with the police about crime prevention advice and the enforcement of the law around pet theft.

We are always keen to consider improvements to the system and a post-implementation review of the law that regulates compulsory microchipping of dogs – The Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015 - will be carried out this year. A public consultation on compulsory microchipping and scanning of cats and dogs closed on 17 February. Among the questions being posed, the Government asked whether veterinarians should be required to scan cats and dogs upon first presentation. The Government will respond to this consultation once responses have been considered.

It is best practice for vets to check ownership details of pets brought to their practices for the first time in order to satisfy themselves that the pet has not been listed as stolen.

The Government takes the issue of pet theft very seriously and I urge all owners of pets to be aware that their pet could be targeted by thieves. This includes when owners of dogs are out exercising their dogs or when pets may be out of sight. Helpful advice about how to reduce the risk of having your pet stolen is available online, including on animal welfare organisations sites and insurance sites. It is best practice for vets to check ownership details of pets brought to their practices for the first time in order to satisfy themselves that the pet has not been listed as stolen. My department is in contact with the police about crime prevention advice and the enforcement of the law around pet theft.

We have launched a public consultation on our proposals for the interim licensing of game bird releasing which includes the use of a general licence. We are committed to achieving an interim licensing regime which is both effective and workable for users.

I can confirm that it is the Government's policy to introduce an interim licensing regime for the 2021 releases of common pheasant and red-legged partridge within European protected sites and within a 500m buffer zone around the sites. A consultation has been launched that sets out the proposals.

The cost to the public purse of reviewing gamebird releasing on European protected sites has not been specifically calculated or compared to other outdoor pursuits.

I can confirm that it is the Government's policy to introduce an interim licensing regime for the 2021 releases of common pheasant and red-legged partridge within European protected sites and within a 500m buffer zone around the sites. A consultation has been launched that sets out the proposals.

The cost to the public purse of reviewing gamebird releasing on European protected sites has not been specifically calculated or compared to other outdoor pursuits.

My Department continues to work closely with the Canine and Feline Sector Group who have issued advice for pet businesses, including dog trainers and dog groomers, on how to operate safely within the new restrictions; this includes a protocol for the handover of pets. The advice may be found online at https://www.cfsg.org.uk/repository/360/.

The Canine and Feline Sector Group have issued advice for pet businesses, including dog groomers, on how to operate safely within the new restrictions. The advice may be found online at https://www.cfsg.org.uk/repository/360/.

Dog owners are permitted to take their dog to be groomed by appointment where this is necessary for the animal’s welfare and not simply for aesthetic reasons. Defra cannot advise on whether it is appropriate to take animals to be groomed in individual cases. Owners should carefully consider whether grooming is necessary for animal welfare reasons, in discussion with their vet if needed.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply previously given on 25 January 2021, PQ 138473.

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2021-01-15/138473

Lead is highly toxic and most of its uses are regulated to prevent exposure to humans and the environment. Between 50,000 and 100,000 wildfowl are estimated to die each year in the UK due to lead poisoning from spent gunshot. Lead poisoning can also have a negative effect on other wildlife, especially scavenging raptors. That is why, in England, the use of lead shot is prohibited for shooting certain species of wildfowl and for use over certain sites of special scientific interest by the Environmental Protection (Restriction on Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999 (as amended).

Recently the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Committee, which addresses the production and use of chemical substances and their potential impacts on human health and the environment, has proposed an amendment of the current EC regulation on the use of lead in gunshot over wetlands. The Government will consider the evidence review recently undertaken by the European Chemicals Agency and the proposal from the REACH Committee before deciding if any changes to UK regulations are required. The availability and effectiveness of alternatives to lead ammunition, such as steel and copper, will form part of the consideration.

On 24 February 2020, nine shooting organisations issued a joint statement calling for the end of using lead and single-use plastics in ammunition for live quarry shooting with shotguns over five years. We welcome this voluntary move and applaud these organisations for reaching this decision. It is a significant step for both wildlife and the wider environment.

The Government continues to support shooting activities which benefit the rural economy and the environment, including wildlife and habitat conservation.

Lead is highly toxic and most of its uses are regulated to prevent exposure to humans and the environment. Between 50,000 and 100,000 wildfowl are estimated to die each year in the UK due to lead poisoning from spent gunshot. Lead poisoning can also have a negative effect on other wildlife, especially scavenging raptors. That is why, in England, the use of lead shot is prohibited for shooting certain species of wildfowl and for use over certain sites of special scientific interest by the Environmental Protection (Restriction on Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999 (as amended).

Recently the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Committee, which addresses the production and use of chemical substances and their potential impacts on human health and the environment, has proposed an amendment of the current EC regulation on the use of lead in gunshot over wetlands. The Government will consider the evidence review recently undertaken by the European Chemicals Agency and the proposal from the REACH Committee before deciding if any changes to UK regulations are required. The availability and effectiveness of alternatives to lead ammunition, such as steel and copper, will form part of the consideration.

On 24 February 2020, nine shooting organisations issued a joint statement calling for the end of using lead and single-use plastics in ammunition for live quarry shooting with shotguns over five years. We welcome this voluntary move and applaud these organisations for reaching this decision. It is a significant step for both wildlife and the wider environment.

The Government continues to support shooting activities which benefit the rural economy and the environment, including wildlife and habitat conservation.

Lead is highly toxic and most of its uses are regulated to prevent exposure to humans and the environment. Between 50,000 and 100,000 wildfowl are estimated to die each year in the UK due to lead poisoning from spent gunshot. Lead poisoning can also have a negative effect on other wildlife, especially scavenging raptors. That is why, in England, the use of lead shot is prohibited for shooting certain species of wildfowl and for use over certain sites of special scientific interest by the Environmental Protection (Restriction on Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999 (as amended).

Recently the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Committee, which addresses the production and use of chemical substances and their potential impacts on human health and the environment, has proposed an amendment of the current EC regulation on the use of lead in gunshot over wetlands. The Government will consider the evidence review recently undertaken by the European Chemicals Agency and the proposal from the REACH Committee before deciding if any changes to UK regulations are required. The availability and effectiveness of alternatives to lead ammunition, such as steel and copper, will form part of the consideration.

On 24 February 2020, nine shooting organisations issued a joint statement calling for the end of using lead and single-use plastics in ammunition for live quarry shooting with shotguns over five years. We welcome this voluntary move and applaud these organisations for reaching this decision. It is a significant step for both wildlife and the wider environment.

The Government continues to support shooting activities which benefit the rural economy and the environment, including wildlife and habitat conservation.

Lead is highly toxic and most of its uses are regulated to prevent exposure to humans and the environment. Between 50,000 and 100,000 wildfowl are estimated to die each year in the UK due to lead poisoning from spent gunshot. Lead poisoning can also have a negative effect on other wildlife, especially scavenging raptors. That is why, in England, the use of lead shot is prohibited for shooting certain species of wildfowl and for use over certain sites of special scientific interest by the Environmental Protection (Restriction on Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999 (as amended).

Recently the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Committee, which addresses the production and use of chemical substances and their potential impacts on human health and the environment, has proposed an amendment of the current EC regulation on the use of lead in gunshot over wetlands. The Government will consider the evidence review recently undertaken by the European Chemicals Agency and the proposal from the REACH Committee before deciding if any changes to UK regulations are required. The availability and effectiveness of alternatives to lead ammunition, such as steel and copper, will form part of the consideration.

On 24 February 2020, nine shooting organisations issued a joint statement calling for the end of using lead and single-use plastics in ammunition for live quarry shooting with shotguns over five years. We welcome this voluntary move and applaud these organisations for reaching this decision. It is a significant step for both wildlife and the wider environment.

The Government continues to support shooting activities which benefit the rural economy and the environment, including wildlife and habitat conservation.

Lead is highly toxic and most of its uses are regulated to prevent exposure to humans and the environment. Between 50,000 and 100,000 wildfowl are estimated to die each year in the UK due to lead poisoning from spent gunshot. Lead poisoning can also have a negative effect on other wildlife, especially scavenging raptors. That is why, in England, the use of lead shot is prohibited for shooting certain species of wildfowl and for use over certain sites of special scientific interest by the Environmental Protection (Restriction on Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999 (as amended).

Recently the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Committee, which addresses the production and use of chemical substances and their potential impacts on human health and the environment, has proposed an amendment of the current EC regulation on the use of lead in gunshot over wetlands. The Government will consider the evidence review recently undertaken by the European Chemicals Agency and the proposal from the REACH Committee before deciding if any changes to UK regulations are required. The availability and effectiveness of alternatives to lead ammunition, such as steel and copper, will form part of the consideration.

On 24 February 2020, nine shooting organisations issued a joint statement calling for the end of using lead and single-use plastics in ammunition for live quarry shooting with shotguns over five years. We welcome this voluntary move and applaud these organisations for reaching this decision. It is a significant step for both wildlife and the wider environment.

The Government continues to support shooting activities which benefit the rural economy and the environment, including wildlife and habitat conservation.

Lead is highly toxic and most of its uses are regulated to prevent exposure to humans and the environment. Between 50,000 and 100,000 wildfowl are estimated to die each year in the UK due to lead poisoning from spent gunshot. Lead poisoning can also have a negative effect on other wildlife, especially scavenging raptors. That is why, in England, the use of lead shot is prohibited for shooting certain species of wildfowl and for use over certain sites of special scientific interest by the Environmental Protection (Restriction on Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999 (as amended).

Recently the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Committee, which addresses the production and use of chemical substances and their potential impacts on human health and the environment, has proposed an amendment of the current EC regulation on the use of lead in gunshot over wetlands. The Government will consider the evidence review recently undertaken by the European Chemicals Agency and the proposal from the REACH Committee before deciding if any changes to UK regulations are required. The availability and effectiveness of alternatives to lead ammunition, such as steel and copper, will form part of the consideration.

On 24 February 2020, nine shooting organisations issued a joint statement calling for the end of using lead and single-use plastics in ammunition for live quarry shooting with shotguns over five years. We welcome this voluntary move and applaud these organisations for reaching this decision. It is a significant step for both wildlife and the wider environment.

The Government continues to support shooting activities which benefit the rural economy and the environment, including wildlife and habitat conservation.

Defra produces annual estimates of the UK’s carbon footprint. The latest data was published on 4 May 2020: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uks-carbon-footprint. These are consumption-based emissions and include the emissions embedded in imported products. However, consumption emissions are officially categorised as “experimental statistics” because of inherent uncertainties in the estimates produced. The UK’s greenhouse gas emissions statistics used for the purposes of measuring progress against the net zero target are calculated in line with the standard international accounting approach for measuring emissions as established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The Environment Agency (EA) regulates ‘Watson’s Tip’, also known as Droppingwell Landfill, under an environmental permit issued to Grange Landfill Limited (GLL).

Historically, this landfill has received a range of waste types. Landfilling was suspended in the late 1990s as it could not fully comply with the new environmental standards under the European Landfill Directive. Although the operator decided to suspend further waste disposal, the environmental permit was not surrendered and remained in force.

In 2015, GLL applied to the EA to vary the existing permit to enable the disposal of inert wastes only. Inert wastes, for example soil and stone, are defined as materials that do not undergo any significant physical, chemical or biological transformation. As part of its application, GLL was required to demonstrate that the new activity would meet the requirements of the Landfill Directive. GLL was also required to submit a detailed risk assessment to identify potential effects on nearby receptors and to propose any necessary mitigation. The EA has thoroughly assessed the risk assessments submitted in support of the permit application and is satisfied that all aspects that could affect the environment and human health have been addressed to a satisfactory standard.

After due consideration of the application, the EA issued the permit variation on 23 March 2016. The varied permit takes account of all legislative requirements under the Landfill Directive and includes a number of pre-operational conditions that must be complied with before waste disposal can resume. This includes a requirement to put additional measures in place to monitor for potential impacts from the site on the local environment. Monitoring boreholes have therefore been installed to monitor groundwater and gas levels around the historic landfill area (referred to as Phase 1).

The EA is aware of two assessments that have been undertaken to determine baseline contamination levels within the historically deposited landfill area (Phase 1). An initial assessment was carried out on 18 May 1990 by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC) Department of Environmental Health. This showed that samples taken from the surface of the historic landfill (Phase 1) were heavily contaminated with a wide range of materials. In January 2017 an assessment was undertaken requiring analysis of composite soil samples taken from each of the in-waste monitoring boreholes installed within the historic landfill area (Phase 1). This also identified the presence of elevated levels of hazardous substances in the historic waste.

It is important to note that there will be no excavation into, or disturbance of, the historically deposited waste in the Phase 1 area when landfilling resumes with inert wastes.

The EA has met the Chief Executive of RMBC and her team a number of times regarding this landfill. The EA continues to work together with RMBC to share information with residents about the landfill. The EA attended RMBC’s Overview and Scrutiny Management Board on 28 January 2020 to answer questions about the landfill from local councillors and members of the public. Given the widespread interest in this site, the EA has placed regular updates on its public portal (citizen space) and has continually liaised with the hon. Member for Rotherham in whose constituency the landfill sits, as well as the local community action group.

The Environment Agency (EA) regulates ‘Watson’s Tip’, also known as Droppingwell Landfill, under an environmental permit issued to Grange Landfill Limited (GLL).

Historically, this landfill has received a range of waste types. Landfilling was suspended in the late 1990s as it could not fully comply with the new environmental standards under the European Landfill Directive. Although the operator decided to suspend further waste disposal, the environmental permit was not surrendered and remained in force.

In 2015, GLL applied to the EA to vary the existing permit to enable the disposal of inert wastes only. Inert wastes, for example soil and stone, are defined as materials that do not undergo any significant physical, chemical or biological transformation. As part of its application, GLL was required to demonstrate that the new activity would meet the requirements of the Landfill Directive. GLL was also required to submit a detailed risk assessment to identify potential effects on nearby receptors and to propose any necessary mitigation. The EA has thoroughly assessed the risk assessments submitted in support of the permit application and is satisfied that all aspects that could affect the environment and human health have been addressed to a satisfactory standard.

After due consideration of the application, the EA issued the permit variation on 23 March 2016. The varied permit takes account of all legislative requirements under the Landfill Directive and includes a number of pre-operational conditions that must be complied with before waste disposal can resume. This includes a requirement to put additional measures in place to monitor for potential impacts from the site on the local environment. Monitoring boreholes have therefore been installed to monitor groundwater and gas levels around the historic landfill area (referred to as Phase 1).

The EA is aware of two assessments that have been undertaken to determine baseline contamination levels within the historically deposited landfill area (Phase 1). An initial assessment was carried out on 18 May 1990 by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC) Department of Environmental Health. This showed that samples taken from the surface of the historic landfill (Phase 1) were heavily contaminated with a wide range of materials. In January 2017 an assessment was undertaken requiring analysis of composite soil samples taken from each of the in-waste monitoring boreholes installed within the historic landfill area (Phase 1). This also identified the presence of elevated levels of hazardous substances in the historic waste.

It is important to note that there will be no excavation into, or disturbance of, the historically deposited waste in the Phase 1 area when landfilling resumes with inert wastes.

The EA has met the Chief Executive of RMBC and her team a number of times regarding this landfill. The EA continues to work together with RMBC to share information with residents about the landfill. The EA attended RMBC’s Overview and Scrutiny Management Board on 28 January 2020 to answer questions about the landfill from local councillors and members of the public. Given the widespread interest in this site, the EA has placed regular updates on its public portal (citizen space) and has continually liaised with the hon. Member for Rotherham in whose constituency the landfill sits, as well as the local community action group.

The Environment Agency (EA) regulates ‘Watson’s Tip’, also known as Droppingwell Landfill, under an environmental permit issued to Grange Landfill Limited (GLL).

Historically, this landfill has received a range of waste types. Landfilling was suspended in the late 1990s as it could not fully comply with the new environmental standards under the European Landfill Directive. Although the operator decided to suspend further waste disposal, the environmental permit was not surrendered and remained in force.

In 2015, GLL applied to the EA to vary the existing permit to enable the disposal of inert wastes only. Inert wastes, for example soil and stone, are defined as materials that do not undergo any significant physical, chemical or biological transformation. As part of its application, GLL was required to demonstrate that the new activity would meet the requirements of the Landfill Directive. GLL was also required to submit a detailed risk assessment to identify potential effects on nearby receptors and to propose any necessary mitigation. The EA has thoroughly assessed the risk assessments submitted in support of the permit application and is satisfied that all aspects that could affect the environment and human health have been addressed to a satisfactory standard.

After due consideration of the application, the EA issued the permit variation on 23 March 2016. The varied permit takes account of all legislative requirements under the Landfill Directive and includes a number of pre-operational conditions that must be complied with before waste disposal can resume. This includes a requirement to put additional measures in place to monitor for potential impacts from the site on the local environment. Monitoring boreholes have therefore been installed to monitor groundwater and gas levels around the historic landfill area (referred to as Phase 1).

The EA is aware of two assessments that have been undertaken to determine baseline contamination levels within the historically deposited landfill area (Phase 1). An initial assessment was carried out on 18 May 1990 by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC) Department of Environmental Health. This showed that samples taken from the surface of the historic landfill (Phase 1) were heavily contaminated with a wide range of materials. In January 2017 an assessment was undertaken requiring analysis of composite soil samples taken from each of the in-waste monitoring boreholes installed within the historic landfill area (Phase 1). This also identified the presence of elevated levels of hazardous substances in the historic waste.

It is important to note that there will be no excavation into, or disturbance of, the historically deposited waste in the Phase 1 area when landfilling resumes with inert wastes.

The EA has met the Chief Executive of RMBC and her team a number of times regarding this landfill. The EA continues to work together with RMBC to share information with residents about the landfill. The EA attended RMBC’s Overview and Scrutiny Management Board on 28 January 2020 to answer questions about the landfill from local councillors and members of the public. Given the widespread interest in this site, the EA has placed regular updates on its public portal (citizen space) and has continually liaised with the hon. Member for Rotherham in whose constituency the landfill sits, as well as the local community action group.

It is essential that when church buildings reopen for public worship or private prayer by members of the public, that it is done safely. In the meantime, churches across the country are holding virtual services and offering support to the vulnerable and elderly. Where they are unable to do this locally national resources are available such as the national church service on a Sunday and the Daily Hope phone line.

The Church is adapting and rising to the challenge of supporting their community physically and spiritually during this medical emergency. The Church is regularly reviewing the medical advice and is in regular conversation with the Government. What is needed is a wide range of detailed protocols and practices to be established to ensure that church buildings and services do not represent risks for renewed transmission of the virus.

The Church of England is currently preparing for the reopening of church buildings, but it must be recognised that not all churches and clergy may be able to satisfy all the necessary criteria, especially in the early stages of the recovery phase. This has been the experience in other jurisdictions such as Germany where the Government has advised that churches can be reopened for public worship.

The Government has put in place measures to ensure that those identified by the NHS as being extremely clinically vulnerable and who are without a support network of friends and family receive basic food and essential supplies. We have passed the data of these individuals (in line with data protection regulations) to supermarkets, who are placing these customers at the front of the queue for online delivery slots. Currently, customers must be registered with a supermarket to be prioritised in this way, but we are working with supermarkets to agree a process to allocate customers who are not registered for support.

We are working quickly to support people who do not fall into the category of being clinically vulnerable, but still need help getting essential food supplies. We are working with industry, charities, other Government departments and Devolved Administrations to ensure whatever support is needed is delivered in a coordinated and consistent manner. We welcome measures that supermarkets have put in place to support the elderly and other vulnerable groups, including prioritising them for online delivery slots.

Many people are already being well supported by their friends, families, neighbours and local communities. We are working with retailers and the voluntary sector to ensure that people are supported to shop for others safely.

Most supermarkets offer protected in-store shopping hours for key workers, including NHS staff and care workers, the elderly and other vulnerable groups.

I refer my honourable Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Barnsley Central on 2 March 2020, Parliamentary Question UIN 23628 [https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2020-03-02/23628/].

The Government’s objective is to secure the swift removal of unjustified measures on exports of steel and aluminium. The Government has rolled over EU rebalancing tariffs in response to the ‘Section 232’ measures, and will launch a consultation to ensure these tariffs are shaped to UK interests and tailored to the UK economy. We want to de-escalate the conflict and come to a negotiated settlement so we can deepen our trading relationship with the US.

Somalia will benefit from the United Kingdom’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP), which was announced on 10^th November. The Least Developed Countries Framework will give duty-free quota-free access to all 47 countries classified by the UN as Least Developed Countries, which includes Somalia. Furthermore, the United Kingdom-funded Trade and Investment Advocacy Fund 2 Plus Programme (TAF2+) is in discussions with Somalia about providing advisory support towards their WTO accession.

Somalia will benefit from the United Kingdom’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP), which was announced on 10^th November. The Least Developed Countries Framework will give duty-free quota-free access to all 47 countries classified by the UN as Least Developed Countries, which includes Somalia. Furthermore, the United Kingdom-funded Trade and Investment Advocacy Fund 2 Plus Programme (TAF2+) is in discussions with Somalia about providing advisory support towards their WTO accession.

The value of UK Trade with Somalia in 2019 was £81 million. This comprised £48 million UK exports to Somalia and £33 million UK imports from Somalia.

UK trade with Somaliland is captured within the figures for Somalia and cannot be separately identified.

I refer my Hon. Friend, the Member for Rother Valley, to the answer that my Rt. Honourable Friend, Minister Jayawardena, gave to the Honourable Member for Buckingham on 19 November 2020 to Question UIN 909006.

The United Kingdom and Israel have a strong and important trading relationship, and we are committed to strengthening it further.

That’s why, to promote international collaboration on Science and Innovation, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office jointly funded our Science and Innovation Network (SIN), based in over 40 countries around the world. The priorities for British engagement with Israel are set by Industry Strategy and the United Kingdom-Israel Science Council, a group of 30 leading scientist and policymakers from both countries, chaired by the British Ambassador in Israel.

Further, through the UK-Israel tech hub, the UK-Israel Dangoor Healthcare Initiative was established to create a pipeline of the best Israeli healthcare innovations for the United Kingdom’s healthcare sector. Information on its most recent projects can be found here.

As my Rt Hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary, stated during his recent visit to the region, the relationship between the United Kingdom and Israel is strong. We wish to strengthen it further.

We are working with Israeli officials to explore opportunities for expanding and deepening the United Kingdom-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement – and we will work with our Israeli counterparts to reinstate plans to host a United Kingdom-Israel Trade and Investment conference in London too.

We welcome Israel’s normalisation of relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. As a friend to all three countries, we welcome the opportunities for increased trade and investment that this will provide.

As my Rt Hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary, stated during his recent visit to the region, the relationship between the United Kingdom and Israel is strong. We wish to strengthen it further.

We are working with Israeli officials to explore opportunities for expanding and deepening the United Kingdom-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement – and we will work with our Israeli counterparts to reinstate plans to host a United Kingdom-Israel Trade and Investment conference in London too.

We welcome Israel’s normalisation of relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. As a friend to all three countries, we welcome the opportunities for increased trade and investment that this will provide.