Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Make LGBT conversion therapy illegal in the UK
Gov Responded - 21 May 2020 Debated on - 8 Mar 2021 View Alicia Kearns's petition debate contributionsI would like the Government to:
• make running conversion therapy in the UK a criminal offence
• forcing people to attend said conversion therapies a criminal offence
• sending people abroad in order to try to convert them a criminal offence
• protect individuals from conversion therapy
These initiatives were driven by Alicia Kearns, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
It is important that people are able to have open and explorative conversations that allow them to come to the right decision for themselves. People who are transgender or are exploring their transgender status, including under 18s, will remain able to access the support they need from qualified health professionals without change. Our proposed approach to banning conversion therapy will complement the existing clinical regulatory framework and not override the independence of clinicians to offer support in line with professional obligations. We will work with the relevant authorities to ensure that our legislative interventions operate effectively, with no unintended impact on clinical practitioners.
The UK Government is working closely with all Overseas Territories, and UK officials regularly meet with representatives from the Overseas Territories to ensure that their perspectives are accurately represented. We are currently developing the policy for those who will be included under the COP26 UK delegation based on precedent and this will be communicated in due course.
We are following through with our commitment to end conversion therapy in the UK and will bring forward plans to do so shortly. We have undertaken research to understand practices, experiences and impacts associated with conversion therapy and will publish this in due course. Officials are also in discussion with international policy counterparts, to fully understand the detail and impact of other jurisdictions’ measures, in order to inform the UK’s next steps.
Alongside this work, officials are reviewing the current legislative framework and engaging a number of relevant departments across Whitehall. We have engaged experts and survivors to understand how Government action may impact them and continue to engage with key stakeholders.
The Government is working at pace on ending conversion therapy and will outline in due course how it intends to proceed with an effective response.
As has been the case under successive administrations, it is not government policy to comment on the security arrangements of government buildings. Specific details regarding the make and model of security systems are withheld on national security grounds.
The Government has committed to ensuring that the administration of Government is less London-centric through the relocation of 22,000 civil service roles to locations across the United Kingdom.
Departments are taking into account a range of factors including their operating model, workforce and location analysis to assess possible locations for roles. The department will select places that they judge to have the skills, transport links and capacity to meet their needs and flourish in their chosen locations as well as ensuring locations are suitable for the long term success and sustainability of the civil service.
Places for Growth was established to contribute towards the government’s levelling up aims and commits to relocating 22,000 civil service roles from central London to the regions and nations of the UK by the end of the decade.
Departments will decide on their locations taking into account a range of factors including their specific operating models, workforce and location analysis. Departments will select places that they judge to have the skills, transport links and capacity to meet their needs and flourish in their chosen locations as well as ensuring locations are suitable for the long term success and sustainability of the civil service.
This information is not held centrally.
Records of central government contracts above £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search
The Government recognises the need to preserve the UK’s arable farmland. Planning guidance prioritises effective land use and encourages deploying large solar on previously developed land. The Government also supports solar co-located with other functions, such as agriculture, Projects should be designed to avoid, mitigate, and compensate for impacts.
Solar is a cheap, effective, and versatile technology that works better at cooler temperatures and can generate large amounts of electricity even on cloudy days and from indirect sunlight. Solar generation is predictable and can be part of grid balancing to complement other energy sources.
The Government worked with Charis Grants to set up the Park Homes Warm Home Discount scheme seven years ago, which is open to mobile or park home residents who pay for their bills through pitch fees or to their site owner. The scheme is funded by energy suppliers through Warm Home Discount Industry Initiatives. Around £400,000 in funding was available for the Park Homes Warm Home Discount this year (2021/22), with over 2,600 park home residents across Great Britain receiving £140 towards their energy bills through the scheme.
Existing park homes are eligible for support under the Home Upgrade Grant and the Local Authority Delivery Scheme. Constituents should contact their local authority to make enquiries. Park home residents also benefit from energy efficiency measures under the Energy Company Obligation.
Park homes may also be eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme provided that the property has an Energy Performance Certificate with no outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation. For full eligibility criteria, please refer to the draft regulations for the scheme.
Grid-scale lithium-ion battery energy storage systems are covered by a robust regulatory framework which requires manufacturers to ensure products are safe before they are placed on the market, that they are installed correctly, and that any safety issues found after products are on the market or after installations are dealt with.
In 2018, BEIS set up an industry-led Storage Health and Safety Governance Group responsible for ensuring that an appropriate, robust, and future-proofed health and safety framework is sustained as the industry develops.
The supply of heating oil is subject to UK competition law and consumer protection through a regulatory scheme under the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). If residents are off the gas grid, but on a default tariff for their electricity supply, they will still be protected by the Energy Price Cap which continues to protect 15 million households.
In the longer term, improving the energy efficiency of our homes and buildings is vital to keeping household energy costs down and reducing carbon emissions, which is why the Government is driving £6 billion into making homes more energy efficient over the next ten years.
Due to its proposed size (over 50MW), the Mallard Pass Solar Farm will be a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State will therefore be the decision-maker for the application for development consent for the Mallard Pass Solar Project.
The Government recognises that solar projects can affect the local environment. The developers of all large solar projects must complete an Environmental Impact Assessment Statement as part of their planning application, which will include an assessment of the impacts on biodiversity. Well-designed solar farms have been shown to enhance biodiversity.
Due to its proposed size (over 50MW) Mallard Pass solar farm will be a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. It is currently at the pre-application stage. When the application is ready it will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate. The Inspectorate will evaluate whether the application meets the necessary legal requirements. If it does, the Inspectorate will undertake a formal examination of the project in which the public will be able to participate and then provide a report to the Secretary of State to inform his decision-making.
The Government recognises that in some cases solar farms can affect the local environment. Applicants must complete an Environmental Statement as part of their planning application, which will include an assessment of the impacts on biodiversity. Well-designed solar projects have been shown to enhance biodiversity.
When we laid the Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay Regulations in January, the policy received extensive coverage across broadcast, print and digital media. This announcement will have reached thousands of parents.
Ahead of Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay coming into force, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will publish guidance on GOV.UK to help parents and their employers to understand the new entitlement. We have ensured that employers are aware of Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay by including regular articles in the HM Revenue and Customs Employer Bulletin and Agent Update publications about this. We are also working closely with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) to reflect the introduction of the new entitlement in their employer support guidance. We will also continue to work closely with bereavement support organisations such as Cruse Bereavement Care, Child Bereavement UK and SANDS to ensure that they are able to support bereaved parents to use the new entitlement.
To qualify for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal recipients must be in an eligible public sector role in a frontline emergency service accessed via a call to the 999 emergency telephone number, or equivalent, and this does not include St John Ambulance volunteers.
The Government’s approach to data policy is set out in the National Data Strategy. The strategy is ambitious and pro-growth, placing the availability of data and confidence in its use at its heart, and positioning the UK as a global data champion.
Data sovereignty, including improving data use and access in the UK and controlling our own data laws and regulations, presents a major opportunity for economic growth, strategic innovation as well as boosting our national security and defence capabilities. We have published priority areas for where the government will take action on increasing data access and availability in the National Data Strategy Mission 1 Policy Framework. The Government has also recently consulted on an ambitious package of data reforms to create a new pro-growth and innovation-friendly data protection regime that underpins the trustworthy use of data. We will be setting out next steps shortly.
The UK will also continue to champion the international flow of data and support open data and improved data quality and data standards, while working with like-minded international partners to ensure that global data governance supports better outcomes for us all.
Commercial delivery of gigabit broadband is extending rapidly and according to the independent website www.thinkbroadband.com over 35% of premises in the Rutland and Melton constituency now have access to gigabit broadband. Approximately 95% have access to superfast broadband with speeds of at least 30 Mbps.
Alongside further commercial roll-out of gigabit broadband, premises in Rutland and Melton which are not within the scope of commercial coverage will be eligible for support through the £210 million Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) or through Project Gigabit procurements.
The Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme provides a micro-grant of up to £1,500 for residents and up to £3,500 for businesses towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband. It enables households and businesses to club together to increase the total subsidy of a project to cover most, or all, of the costs for installation to eligible areas. Further information on the scheme is available on the GBVS website.
Premises within the constituency of Rutland and Melton are covered by three separate Project Gigabit procurement processes:
Most of the constituency falls within Lot 11 which covers Leicestershire and Warwickshire, with some further premises in Lot 10 which focuses on Nottinghamshire and the West of Lincolnshire. These areas are both anticipated to commence procurement between November 2022 and January 2023, before an estimated contract start date of between October 2023 and December 2023.
Most of the remaining premises are covered by Lot 5 which covers Cambridgeshire and adjacent areas. This area is currently in procurement with an estimated contract start date of between November and December this year.
A small number of premises are included within Lot 23 which is focused on Lincolnshire and East Riding. This procurement is targeted to commence between May and July 2023, before an estimated contract start date of between April and June 2024.
The £45m Discover England Fund supports the development of internationally marketed tourism products, including food tourism experiences. The Gourmet Garden Trails project, for example, promotes a range of regional culinary-themed itineraries.
VisitBritain has created a number of Food and Drink Tourism Hubs to showcase food and drink experiences available across the UK. VisitBritain also includes the Melton Mowbray pork pie in its guide to English food and drink in the East Midlands.
The department is not able to ban the use of surveillance cameras made by Hikvision and Dahua in schools. Any decision to install CCTV in schools should be taken after careful consideration by the headteacher and governors and after appropriate consultation with pupils and parents. Any CCTV installation must comply with all laws relating to its use.
In January, the government announced the provision of new guidance and support for UK public sector bodies, which will include schools, to exclude suppliers where there is sufficient evidence of human rights violations in any of their supply chains.
As has been the case under successive administrations, it is not government policy to comment on the security arrangements of government buildings. Specific details regarding the make and model of security systems are withheld on national security grounds.
The government has asked all English higher education (HE) providers registered with the Office for Students (OfS) to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. The IHRA definition is an important tool in tackling antisemitism. Adopting this widely recognised definition sends a strong signal that HE providers take these issues seriously. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, wrote to HE leaders most recently in October 2020 to reiterate the importance of the definition and to urge all providers to consider adopting it.
The government is pleased to report that at least 91 providers have now adopted the definition, of which 13 are further education colleges , with many more preparing to adopt the definition. The decision on adoption of the definition rests with individual providers. However, the government will continue to urge them to adopt the definition and will ensure that HE is a genuinely fulfilling and welcoming experience for everyone.
I am proud that so many providers have taken a positive step towards eradicating antisemitism by adopting the IHRA definition, but further progress is still needed to stamp it out. This is why, in the Secretary of State’s most recent strategic guidance letter to the OfS, the government asked the OfS to undertake a scoping exercise to identify providers who are reluctant to adopt the definition. The letter asked providers to consider introducing mandatory reporting of antisemitic incident numbers by providers, with the aim of ensuring a robust evidence base, which the OfS can then use to effectively regulate in this area.
The Secretary of State also asked the OfS to ensure that, if antisemitic incidents do occur at a provider, they should consider if it is relevant in a particular case whether the provider has adopted the IHRA definition when considering which sanctions, including monetary penalties, would be appropriate to apply.
We will continue to work across the government to ensure that racism and religious hatred of any kind is not tolerated anywhere, including in our world-leading universities.
During an emergency situation, responsibility and liability for school buildings remains with the responsible body, whether that be the local authority or academy trust. The local authority (no matter the governance of the school(s) impacted) also has the responsibility to ensure that sufficient pupil places are made available for children in the area.
Whilst responsibility sits with those bodies, the Department for Education has a clear interest in the safety of pupils and staff and ensuring that the education system functions appropriately. In emergency situations, the department works with responsible bodies to understand what support or advice is needed on an individual basis.
Responsible bodies will need to contact their own insurers to understand the financial support available to them in the first instance. The department also provides an alternative to commercial insurance via the Risk Protection Arrangement and we have been able to support many schools through this.
Risks to national security in the UK are a matter for the Home Office.
The department has made no assessment of the potential risk to radicalisation of the UK of the European Institute for Human Sciences. The department works with national and local partners to monitor risks of extremism and radicalisation in education. It has mechanisms in place to investigate extremism concerns linked to the sector and where substantiated, take appropriate action to safeguard children and young people from harm.
In regard to whether degrees or diplomas issued by the European Institute for Human Sciences are accredited:
a) With UCAS and higher education, the institute is not an Office for Students registered higher education provider. The government is therefore not able to answer questions regarding its accreditation.
b) The Institute is not a recognised awarding organisation, so would not be regulated by Ofqual. The government is therefore equally not able to answer questions regarding its accreditation.
c) We have no information as to whether the British Accreditation Council accredits the institutes’ degrees and diplomas, as the council is an independent accrediting body for independent further and higher education providers in the UK.
The government recognises that the COVID-19 outbreak is bringing significant financial challenges to the higher education (HE) sector, and we have been working closely with the sector to monitor the likely impacts including on short-term liquidity.
On 4 May 2020, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced a package of measures to ensure sustainability in HE at a time of unprecedented uncertainty.
We have stabilised the admissions system and will pull forward tuition fee payments, expected to be worth £2.6 billion, for providers so that they receive more cash in the first term of the 2020/21 academic year. This will have no impact on students but will allow providers to better manage financial risks over the autumn. This will be available to all providers across the UK. In reprofiling these payments, we are clear in our expectation that providers should use the cashflow benefits appropriately, taking significant steps to improve efficiencies and manage their finances in order to avoid cashflow problems in the future. Reprofiling in this way is a one-off intervention for the autumn term only, to help providers take all necessary steps now to prepare for the future.
In England, we will also be bringing forward £100 million of quality-related research funding for providers to the current academic year to help to address some of the immediate pressures faced by university research activities.
The department will consider purchasing land and buildings where they can be used for new or expanding schools and colleges in England. This will take place as part of existing programmes and using established procedures. This financial year (across purchases from all suitable vendors, including but not limited to HE providers), we have budgeted up to £100 million to acquire sites for planned projects in England. Details are available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-support-package-for-universities-and-students.
The government has also confirmed that providers are eligible to apply for its support packages, including business loan support schemes. The Office for Students (OfS), the regulator in England, estimates that this could be worth at least £700 million to the sector. We will only intervene further where we believe there is a case to do so and where we believe intervention is possible and appropriate and as a last resort.
In such instances, we will work with providers to review their circumstances and assess the need for restructuring and any attached conditions. The department will be working with HM Treasury and other government departments to develop this restructuring regime, as well as with the devolved administrations.
EU and non-EU students make an invaluable contribution to the UK’s higher education sector, socially, culturally and financially. The UK Government will continue to welcome international students, working towards the ambition set out in our International Education Strategy, to host 600,000 international students per year by 2030.
The latest data from UCAS's 2019 report shows an increase in international applicants, with EU-domicile applicants increasing by 1% and non-EU-domiciled applicants increasing by 8% from 2018.
Undergraduate and postgraduate students will be covered by the points-based immigration system. This will improve on the current system by simplifying and streamlining the student route for both students and sponsors.
To ensure the UK higher education sector remains internationally attractive, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister announced the new Graduate Route in September 2019. This will offer an opportunity for international students who have passed their degree to stay and work in the UK for two years post-study.
This announcement enables higher education providers to recruit for the 2020/21 academic year on the basis that their students will be eligible for the graduate route, and ensures that all existing students who meet the requirements, and have Tier 4 leave at the point that the route is introduced will be able to benefit.
I meet Cabinet colleagues, including my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education, to discuss equalities issues as appropriate.
It is unlawful for a school to discriminate against a pupil by treating them less favourably in a number of respects because of their sex. This applies to all schools, including maintained and independent faith schools.
Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) are a new service and one of the major commitments made jointly by the Department for Education with the Department for Health and Social Care and the National Health Service (NHS) partners to implement proposals set out in the Green Paper ‘Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Provision’, which is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision-a-green-paper.
Funded through the NHS, MHSTs are designed to help meet the mental health needs of children and young people in primary, secondary and further education (primarily for ages 5 to 18).
My right hon. Friends, the Secretary of State for Education and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care both continue to monitor closely the progress made in this area.
MHSTs will be established in 20% to 25% of the country by 2023, delivering interventions to help children and young people with mild to moderate mental health issues, supporting development of whole-school or college approaches to mental health, and helping children and young people to get the right support and stay in education.
The first 2018-19 trailblazer sites in England, delivering 59 MHSTs, are all expected to be fully operational in early 2020 following completion of their training. A further 123 MHSTs will be delivered through the 2019-20 recruitment wave. Each MHST will work with schools and colleges supporting an estimated 8,000 children and young people.
There are currently no recorded MHSTs in Rutland and Melton constituency, however, recruitment of 2020-21 MHST sites was launched on 10 January 2020 and is open until 16 March 2020. NHS England have invited expressions of interest to establish new MHSTs from all Clinical Commissioning Group(s) in England.
We are very aware of the significant turbulence in international commodity markets following Russian’s invasion of Ukraine and are closely monitoring the market situation.
Agricultural commodity prices have always been strongly correlated to the price of energy. Farmers face the challenge of rising inputs costs, particularly fertiliser costs, due to the sharp increase in the price of gas. The solution will require us to pioneer new technologies to manufacture more organic based fertiliser products, and to rediscover more older, more established techniques such as using nitrogen fixing legumes and clovers as an alternative to fertiliser.
We are also seeing high costs for inputs including red diesel and animal feed. We are working with the industry to identify where mitigations are available and continue to keep the situation under review.
As set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan, the Government is a great supporter of the health and wellbeing benefits that access to the countryside can bring.
Support for increasing access into the countryside will be made through existing schemes and support mechanisms already in place, such as Countryside Stewardship which saw a 40% increase in uptake last year. We are still considering our approach to support for increasing and maintaining access to the countryside in our future schemes, including our environmental land management schemes.
To boost investment in the meantime, we have launched a new Farming in Protected Landscapes programme in National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty - this includes funding for farmers and land managers to provide more opportunities for people to explore, enjoy and understand the countryside.
The Government has committed to ensuring that the administration of Government is less London-centric through the relocation of 22,000 civil service roles to locations across the United Kingdom.
Defra is taking into account a range of factors including our operating model, workforce and location analysis to assess possible locations for our roles. The department will select places that we judge to have the skills, transport links and capacity to meet our needs and flourish in our chosen locations as well as ensuring locations are suitable for the long term success and sustainability of the civil service.
Relocations under Places for Growth represent better value for money due to the lower costs of estates and salaries outside of London. The majority of moves will involve roles becoming available through natural turnover or churn rather than moving people.
The number of offices located outside London is 126.
The proportion of those located in settlements D1, D2, E1, E2, F1 and F2 are as follows:
Classification | % |
D1 | 5.6% |
D2 | 2.4% |
E1 | 7.1% |
E2 | 0.0% |
F1 | 6.3% |
F2 | 0.0% |
The Government has committed to recycle 65% of municipal waste by 2035, with less than 10% municipal waste going to landfill. We set out measures to achieve this target in our 2019 Resources and Waste Strategy and the Environment Bill.
From the combined impacts of consistent recycling collection, Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging and a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers, we estimate that we will meet this commitment. These three reforms are estimated to deliver over 30 million tonnes of CO2 emissions savings between 2023-2035.
We have also published plans for monitoring and evaluating progress on the Resources and Waste Strategy and will publish annual statistics of recycling as now.
Defra is working with the Department for International Trade on supporting the development of more recycling infrastructure within the UK to reduce the need to export wastes to other countries.
Our Environment Bill will enable us to significantly change the way that we manage our waste. We have recently concluded consultations on using powers in the Bill such as for a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers, an Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for packaging, and proposals for greater consistency in household and business recycling. These measures will increase the quality and quantity of wastes collected for recycling, drive up demand for recycled materials and provide an incentive for industry to invest in UK reprocessing infrastructure.
We are also taking action to reduce the volume of waste generated in the first place. Our approach is focused on encouraging greater uptake of reusable alternatives and increasing supply and demand for secondary materials to be recycled in the UK. The Resources and Waste Strategy also sets out the Government's plans to reduce, reuse, and recycle more than we do now.
Where the UK cannot currently recycle materials economically, exports can help ensure those materials are recycled rather than landfilled. Recycling one tonne of plastics reduces emissions by 1.1 - 3.0 tonnes of CO2e, compared to producing the same tonne of plastics from virgin fossil feedstock.
The UK Government is committed to banning the export of plastic waste for recycling or disposal to countries that are not members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). We currently plan to consult before the end of 2022 on options to deliver the proposed ban.
We will consult this year on introducing regulations to make the public reporting of food waste volumes mandatory for certain businesses of an appropriate size. By ensuring businesses are measuring and publicly reporting their food waste, we expect to drive action to reduce it.
Due to the ongoing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on food and drink businesses, we postponed the launch of this consultation. Some businesses will require time to embed measurement techniques and build confidence in their data. This needs to be balanced alongside the need to continue reducing our food waste, increasing redistribution of surplus and measuring more accurately to understand the scale of the problem. We therefore propose that reporting starts at least one year after regulations are passed. This will offer businesses time to seek guidance and implement measurement techniques within their operations.
Subject to the consultation responses we therefore would be requiring businesses to report food waste in 2024, for food waste measured in the 2023/2024 financial year. This will ensure data is readily available which in turn will allow for comparison and assessment against our national and international targets.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund provides grants through its National Lottery Grants for Heritage, which can support communities to protect, share and enjoy their local natural environment. Since 1994, the Fund has invested more than £1.5bn into projects focused on England’s natural heritage.
Defra’s Countryside Stewardship scheme provides financial incentives for farmers, woodland owners, foresters and land managers to look after and improve the environment through agricultural or woodland land management. It also provides funding for educational access, allowing groups such as school pupils to visit farms to learn, understand and engage with farming and the environment. Among agreement holders in the scheme are a number of charities and organisations who own and manage nature reserves for wildlife.
Defra’s £80m Green Recovery Challenge Fund has kick-started a pipeline of nature-based projects to restore nature, tackle climate change and connect people with the natural environment. For example, a project led by Gasworks Dock Partnership will deliver extensive habitat creation and restoration while establishing Cody Dock, in Newham, as a flagship centre for community led citizen science and academic ecology studies.
The UK has successfully signed a number of trade agreements which provide continued protection for iconic UK geographical indications in foreign markets, including with the Andean Community, Canada, Switzerland, Ukraine and Singapore. The UK-Japan Comprehensive Partnership Agreement will also offer new protection for additional UK geographical indications.
We continue to seek the best deal for UK geographical indications in all of our ongoing negotiations with international trading partners and through multilateral trade bodies such as the World Trade Organisation.
Whilst the Government has not undertaken an assessment of the impact of geographical indications (GI) on local economies, we are aware from industry partners that they play an important role in retaining jobs and historically important skills in rural areas. For example, we understand that the Cornish Pasty (protected GI) industry employs 2,000 people and contributes over £65 million to the local economy. The Scotch Whisky Association estimates that more than 10,000 people are directly employed in the Scotch Whisky industry in Scotland and over 40,000 jobs across the UK are supported by the industry which provides £5.5bn in gross value added to the UK economy.
Defra is committed to playing its part in the levelling up agenda and strengthening the Union through a growing presence across the UK. The Department is already geographically dispersed, with over three-quarters of Defra civil servants based outside London, including in our policy hubs in York and Bristol, and 85% of all staff in Defra Group including arms-length bodies. The Department will play its part in the Government’s commitment to move 22,000 civil servant posts outside London by 2030, and base half of all senior civil servant posts outside London by 2030.
In the East Midlands, Defra has 880 staff. We are committed to joining the new Government hub in Peterborough from next year
Auctions of livestock or agricultural equipment have been permitted through the present lockdown; however, these auctions should be carried out virtually or by telephone where possible. If an auction cannot go ahead virtually or by telephone, then auction houses should only admit people who need to be there for business purposes, work purposes or if another permitted exemption applies.
The Government has set out its intention to ease the rules on in-person attendance at auctions, no earlier than 12 April. At Step 2, people should only visit indoor auction houses with people from their own household or support bubble, unless they are there for business purposes, work purposes or if another permitted exemption applies. People can visit outdoor auctions, which includes those held on farm premises, in groups of up to six people or with one other household.
Outdoor gatherings must be limited to 6 people or 2 households, and no indoor mixing will be allowed unless otherwise exempt. This does not limit a permitted event to a maximum of 6 people or 2 households in total, it solely limits people from attending the event in a group of larger than 6 people or 2 households.
At Step 3, no earlier than 17 May, people will be able to visit indoor auction houses in a group of up to six or with one other household. Further information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reopening-businesses-and-venues-in-england/reopening-businesses-and-venues.
At all Steps, auction houses should take the necessary measures to ensure they are Covid-19 Secure: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close/closing-certain-businesses-and-venues-in-england.
Fly-tipping is a crime which blights local communities and the environment, and we are committed to tackling this unacceptable behaviour.
Enforcement against fly-tipping is mainly carried out by local authorities, and we expect them to investigate all incidents of fly-tipping, including those incidents on private land. In recent years we have bolstered local authorities’ powers to tackle fly-tipping, such as by introducing the power to issue fixed penalty notices and to stop and seize vehicles of suspected fly-tippers. Our 2018 Resources and Waste Strategy set out our strategic approach to prevent, detect and deter waste crime.
Defra chairs the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group, which includes representatives from the police force, local authorities, and organisations representing landowners, such as the National Farmers Union, National Trust, and Country Land and Business Association. The National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group shares a common aim to help prevent and tackle fly-tipping and share best practice.
The Environment Bill includes several measures to help tackle waste crime. The Bill will ensure agencies and authorities can work more effectively to combat waste crime through better access to evidence and improved powers of entry. These new powers will help ensure waste criminals, such as illegitimate waste operators reliant on fly-tipping for income, are held accountable for their actions
The Government recognises that there can be particular challenges in responding to rural crime, and so to drive down crime in rural and urban areas, we are recruiting an additional 20,000 officers over the next three years, with 4,000 of these officers already on our streets. To aid with the biggest recruitment drive in decades and to ensure that the criminal justice system can deal with the results, we are investing £85 million in the Crown Prosecution Service.
We also welcome the rural affairs strategy published by the National Police Chiefs’ Council in July 2018. This sets out the operational and organisational policing priorities for local police forces in respect of tackling crimes that predominantly affect rural communities.
Local authorities reported 975,631 incidents of fly-tipping in England in 2019/20, this was an increase of 2% from the 957,157 incidents reported in 2018/19. These statistics are available online: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fly-tipping-in-england. Waste is a devolved matter and I can therefore only comment on incidents of fly-tipping in England.
We have shared the UK GI logo requirements, and guidance on how to add these to packaging, to UK GI producers, retailers, and wider industry groups, to ensure that they are aware of their new responsibilities. We are now providing further advice and responding to queries on the logos on an individual basis.
To support the adoption of the logos, Defra hosted a webinar in November 2020 to answer technical questions on the UK schemes and logos, which was attended by over 120 stakeholders. In addition, we have provided information on the logos at various Defra forums, such as the SME and retailer forums, to ensure that we are reaching as many stakeholders as possible.
Since 2012 Darwin Plus has contributed £10.7 million to 49 projects working on aquatic biodiversity across the UK Overseas Territories. Of these projects three have focused on coral preservation and protection to a total of £0.46 million. One of these projects successfully established a coral nursery in Little Cayman and saw coral nursery guidelines being incorporated into national policy in the Cayman Islands. There have not been any Darwin Plus projects working on disease prevention and eradication.
Producers and retailers whose products are required to bear the new UK Geographical Indication (GI) logos have until 1 January 2024 to adopt them. However, we are aware that some would like to make that change soon and are working with industry to support their early adoption.
Defra is also communicating the benefits of the new logos across industry to encourage uptake, including publishing research which shows support from consumers and GI producers for the new design.
As we develop our plans to expand and market the new UK Geographical Indication (GI) schemes, we look forward to new food and drink products joining the ranks of Scotch whisky and Melton Mowbray pork pies.
Defra has published guidance setting out how the new schemes work, including how to apply for UK GI status. As part of our plans to promote UK food and drink both at home and overseas, we are engaging with businesses across the food and drink sector to see whether GI protection is right for their product.
For existing GIs, Defra is encouraging producers and retailers to adopt the new GI logos as soon as possible to support our efforts to grow consumer recognition of the schemes. We will also be engaging with regional food groups to encourage more local businesses to take advantage of existing GI protection, to improve the benefits of the GI schemes for local communities.
The Government is developing a promotional strategy to boost the sales of UK GI products. To do this, we will focus on raising awareness of the UK GI schemes and products among consumers, retailers and hospitality. We have recently funded research to understand how to better promote GIs to consumers which will support any consumer promotional campaigns.
The Government will also aim to encourage high quality domestic applications to the UK schemes. We are publishing guidance on applying to the UK schemes and will liaise with applicants throughout the process.
Defra is working closely with the Department for International Trade to promote UK GIs internationally and to encourage producers of UK GIs to export their products, for example to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the recently agreed UK-Japan trade deal. UK GIs with high export value are also promoted in other countries through the well-established Food is GREAT campaign.
The UK Government’s new geographical indications (GI) schemes will enter into force at the end of the transition period at 11pm on 31 December 2020. The schemes will welcome applications from applicants from then. They will provide automatic protection for all existing UK GIs (and any new UK GIs registered in the EU on or prior to 31 December 2020).
The new domestic logos (and detailed guidance on usage requirements and best practice) will be made available to GI producers and retailers prior to the end of the transition period. Use of the EU logos will no longer be required on products from 1 January 2021. Producers will still be able to use the EU GI logos on products (both when on sale in the UK and the EU) should they wish to do so.
Detailed guidance on the UK Government’s new GI schemes will be made available to GI producers and retailers prior to the end of the transition period. Until 31 December 2020, EU rules on GIs will continue to apply in the UK.
Using powers in the Agriculture Bill we will provide grants to farmers, foresters and growers so that they can invest in equipment, technology, and infrastructure that will help their businesses to prosper while improving their productivity and enhancing the environment. The grants will help producers to focus on more efficient production methods that will reduce costs, improve yields and give them a better return. We will also support farmers who want to process and add value to their products, create new products, or sell their produce directly to customers.
We want all food producers to get a fair price for their produce and are committed to tackling the unfairness that can exist in the agri-food supply chain.
Through the Government’s Agriculture Bill, introduced on 12 September, we will launch a range of initiatives to improve the position of primary producers. We will introduce and enforce statutory codes of practice to address unfair trading practices which can occur between food producers and purchasers. We will also introduce measures to increase transparency throughout the agri-food supply chain, using strengthened powers to collect and share data.
The UK is concerned about the food security outlook in 2020. At the end of last year, 135 million people were facing acute food insecurity in 55 countries. This is set to increase this year, driven in part by the COVID-19 pandemic and the desert locust outbreak. Fragile and conflict affected states (FCAS) will be amongst the most impacted.
We are working with international partners to closely monitor the situation and take action. As a leading donor to the COVID-19 response and one of the biggest humanitarian actors, we are ensuring essential supplies reach those who need it the most. We have also adapted our social protection, agriculture and food security programmes to support the most vulnerable.
The UK is committed to spending 0.7% of national income on development. Our work in FCAS is a vital part of this and we have consistently spent at least 50% of our Official Development Assistance in these contexts between 2015 to 2017. Figures for 2018 will be published in due course. We continue to look at how UK aid can be deployed most effectively in our national interest including through the Integrated Review, which will report in the Autumn and inform the new department’s priorities.
The UK Government is committed to supporting people in conflict settings and displaced persons. The UK played a leading role in the development of the G20 Action Plan – ‘Supporting the Global Economy through the Covid-19 Pandemic’. This includes ensuring the Plan has a strong emphasis and clear commitments on helping the poorest countries - many of which are conflict settings with high numbers of displaced people. We will continue to work closely with G20 members and other partners to ensure robust implementation of the Plan’s commitments and to support people and countries most vulnerable to the economic impact of COVID-19.
Following the UK’s calls for international action, an EU sponsored independent review of Palestinian textbooks is currently underway. The EU has contracted the Georg Eckert Institute, a specialist textbook analysis centre, to lead this review.
To ensure the review could begin immediately on the signing of the contract, the UK commissioned the Georg Eckert Institute to produce an inception report to establish its methodology in advance.
We understand from the EU that an interim report covering grade 8 – 10 books will be completed in Spring 2020, with the full report covering all the books due later in the year. DFID is part of the steering committee for this review, and we will continue to engage with the EU to press for this timetable to be met.
The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) conducts trade remedy investigations, including on the circumvention of existing anti-dumping or countervailing measures. The UK did not transition the EU’s anti-dumping measure on solar glass, due to a lack of evidence that it was necessary. As there is no existing measure in place on solar products from China, the TRA cannot launch a similar circumvention review.
The TRA can undertake new reviews, so if domestic industry have concerns that they are being impacted by dumping, including on the dumping of solar products, they can contact the TRA’s pre-application office at contact@traderemedies.gov.uk
It is not government policy to comment on security procedures in government buildings.
The Department for International Trade (DIT) recognises that higher education is a significant export for the United Kingdom, bringing value in the collaboration and partnerships they foster, and helping to forge deep global relationships. These underpin opportunities for the United Kingdom and our international partners to develop, trade and work together.
HM Government is exploring to what extent our trade negotiations could support trade in education services. This may include collaboration in science, research and innovation as appropriate. DIT will continue to work across government and with other interested parties to make sure our trade negotiations represent the sector’s interests.
The £500m Restoring Your Railway Fund is supporting over 45 schemes at different stages of development with funding and advice. The Department received a Strategic Outline Business Case for the Melton Mowbray to Nottingham proposal in August 2021. The Secretary of State for Transport and I are considering next steps for projects, including Melton Mowbray to Nottingham, with a decision on the next tranche to progress anticipated soon.
During the pandemic, the Government has provided unprecedented levels of financial support to the bus sector through its emergency and recovery support packages. Over £1.7bn has been provided to operators and Local Transport Authorities to date since March 2020. This is in addition to £200 million of Bus Services Operator’s Grant (BSOG) paid by the Department directly to operators, and £43 million of BSOG paid directly to LTAs so that they can subsidise socially necessary bus services.
Our National Bus Strategy is explicit about seeking to ensure that the needs of rural transport users are given equal consideration to those in urban environments. The Government recognises that the transport needs of communities in rural areas differ from those in urban environments for a variety of reasons including demographics, lower population density and travel distances. All English Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) have had the opportunity to set out their requirements and needs in Bus Service Improvement Plans.
The Department for Transport does not hold data on the volume of freight that is carried on any specific route within the UK. The Department for Transport collects and publishes detailed information about domestic freight activity via the Continuing Survey of Road Goods Transport. However, while this survey asks the origin and destination of freight journeys, in order to minimise the burden on hauliers, it does not ask drivers to specify the route they have taken.
Operational systems and IT platforms are a commercial matter for the ports concerned, and the Department for Transport does not hold records of the systems used by each port or assessments of systems available for procurement by ports. The Department for Transport regulates transport Operators of Essential Services under the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations 2018 to improve standards of cyber security and resilience and is supported by technical advice and guidance from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), as the UK’s national technical authority.
Of the 32 “RIS3 Pipeline” projects listed in the second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2), 31 are each at a different stage of development by Highways England. We expect to receive Highways England’s advice on the options for each project over the next two years, helping to inform our investment decisions for the third Road Investment Strategy that will cover the Road Period starting in 2025. Only those projects that are affordable, deliverable and secure strategic objectives will be funded for construction.
The remaining Pipeline project listed in RIS2, the A21 Safety Package, has been accelerated for delivery in the current Road Period (2020-25). Candidates for further Pipeline projects will be considered on their merits as they emerge, taking account of resources available for their development.
Ministers and officials from DfT and HMT meet regularly to discuss a wide range of issues. The Government’s £220 million Better Deal for Bus Users package provides new funding to transform bus services and includes a National Bus Strategy, which will detail measures to improve bus services. £20 million of this is to support demand responsive services in rural and suburban areas. The package also includes an extra £30 million for local authorities in 2020/21.
If Leicestershire County Council complete statements of intent demonstrating how they will meet the funding requirements, it will be provided with an additional allocation of £556,627. This would be in addition to the £534,721 Leicestershire County Council received in 2018/19 from the annual Bus Service Operators Grant
More widely, the Government also announced £5billion of new funding on 11th February to overhaul bus and cycle links outside London. This investment will support measures to boost bus services including higher frequency services, new priority schemes to make routes more efficient, more affordable simpler fares and at least 4,000 new Zero Emission Buses. Leicestershire may be open to benefit from this.
Furthermore, East Midland Railway’s (EMR) December 2020 timetable consultation, which has just closed, sought passenger and stakeholders view on changes to services. The changes focussed on EMR’s Midland Main Line services with proposals for Leicester which included more services, faster journey times and at consistent departure times throughout the day to and from London St Pancras International. EMR is now in the process of reviewing the feedback to help to form their December 2020 timetable. The majority of changes on EMRs Regional services which serve Leicester will happen in December 2021, and EMR plan to consult with passengers and stakeholders later this year on those changes.
There are no current plans to do so. Gestational age is measured in weeks, from the first day of the woman's last menstrual cycle to the current date. Pregnant women are offered an ultrasound scan at approximately 10 to 14 weeks of pregnancy. One of the purposes of this scan is to confirm the gestational age of the baby and the estimated date of delivery. Most babies are born between 37 weeks and 41 weeks of pregnancy. Those born at 37 to 38 weeks are considered to be ‘early-term’ and those born at 39 to 40 weeks are considered to be ‘full-term’.
Antenatal surveillance of fetal growth is an essential part of good maternity as fetal growth restriction is directly associated with stillbirth and perinatal morbidity. The Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle includes an element on ‘Risk assessment and management of babies at risk of fetal growth restriction’. This stipulates that maternity care providers may choose to use uterine artery Doppler assessment, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Green-Top Guideline 31: The Investigation and Management of the Small for Gestational Age Fetus, or the Growth Assessment Protocol, which uses growth charts customised for constitutional variation such as ethnic origin, maternal size and parity, to monitor standardised fundal height and estimated fetal weight.
The National Health Service is establishing pilot gender dysphoria clinics under a new delivery model for this service. Pilot clinics have already opened in London, Cheshire and Merseyside, Manchester and the East of England and a further clinic in Sussex is planned later this year. These clinics are due to begin an evaluation to establish the viability of the new clinical models. This will reduce waiting times for patients and ensure the availability of these services.
During the 2021/22 flu season, over 3.8 million school-aged children had been vaccinated by the end of January 2022. We have begun planning for the 2022/23 flu season to further increase uptake. We are working with regional commissioning teams, school-aged providers, schools and primary care providers, in addition to collaborating with COVID-19 vaccination teams to consider where those successes can be applied to the seasonal flu programme. In addition to the targeted work of locally commissioned services to meet the needs and challenges of their local populations, communications will be developed to reach all eligible groups.
During the pandemic, NHS England and NHS Improvement have set activity thresholds for dentists which secures protection of practice National Health Service income. Access to free personal protective equipment will continue until 31 March 2023 or until infection prevention and control guidance is revised or withdrawn. Where data has indicated practices can achieve more activity safely, thresholds have been gradually increased to help improve access for patients. The current threshold is set at 85%. NHS dental practices have been asked to meet as many prioritised needs as possible, focussing first on urgent care and care for vulnerable groups, including children followed by overdue appointments.
Hikvision CCTV and equipment is used in the core Departmental estate.
The NHS Long Term Plan, supported by the Government, commits to a record level of additional annual investment in primary medical and community care of an extra £4.5 billion in real terms by 2023/24. Additionally, the Government and NHS England and NHS Improvement have committed to at least an additional £1.5 billion cash for general practice from 2020 - 2024 to deliver the manifesto commitments. In response to additional pressures due to the pandemic, we have also made available an additional £270 million funding from November 2020 until September 2021 to ensure general practice can continue to support all patients.
Since 2016 we have invested £800 million in improving primary care estate and technology, on top of ‘business as usual’ infrastructure funding. Further funding for NHS infrastructure, including how it will be allocated, will be confirmed after the next Spending Review.
The information is not held in the format requested.
The Government Information Cell (GIC) has been established specifically to support the UK's response to Russian disinformation relating to their invasion of Ukraine. The GIC works in partnership with all relevant parts of Government, including the Counter Disinformation Unit based in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. It has been established as a surge team, with a view to its work informing the Government's longer-term approach to countering disinformation.
We are clear that any sanctions must not impede humanitarian delivery. To guard against the unintentional humanitarian impact of sanctions, the UK's sanctions on Russia provide for a range of humanitarian licensing grounds to facilitate humanitarian activity. New sanctions policies will consider possible humanitarian impact and we continue to consider all options available to mitigate this, including general licences and humanitarian exceptions where appropriate. We have called on Russia to enable humanitarian access and safe passage for civilians to flee the violence and we have worked tirelessly with partners to ensure the demand for Russia to comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law is clear.
The UK is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and we will use our position to raise any atrocity acts to the attention of the UN. Our focus is always on securing an end to violence and protecting civilians.
The UK remains committed to ensuring peace and upholding international law in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). We support the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo, including though the secondment of UK staff officers, who are building the capacity of the BiH Armed Forces. At the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Riga in December, the Foreign Secretary took part in discussions about how best to support stability in BiH. We are in close contact with our NATO colleagues who are actively working to increase staffing in BiH. Through NATO, as well as our bilateral relationship, the UK will continue to support BiH in implementing domestic reforms and tackling challenges to peace and security.
Sanctions are an important part of the UK toolkit for the Western Balkans, for both corruption and destabilising activities. Experience has shown they work best when used in close coordination with our partners, and we are actively discussing with partners, including the US, how best to use these tools to target both the leaders of these moves, and those around them who help and facilitate. We keep all evidence and potential designations under close review. We will consider targets, guided by the objectives of the relevant sanctions regime and the evidence. It would not be appropriate to speculate about future sanctions targets as to do so could reduce their impact.
The UK is an active member of the United Nations Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) which leads the international response to the use of child soldiers and child protection. This includes pressing those parties to conflict listed in the UN Secretary-General's annual report on CAAC, to enter into concrete action plans with the UN to verify and release any child soldiers associated with armed groups and forces and to prevent re-recruitment. We apply diplomatic pressure to listed governments and armed groups, and fund projects to help protect and rehabilitate vulnerable children.
The FCDO has established a new Conflict Centre, which will focus on developing a more integrated UK approach to conflict and instability, harnessing conflict expertise from across FCDO, HMG, and beyond, and applying these where the UK can make the most difference. It will identify and develop capabilities where the UK has a comparative advantage, and work bilaterally and with international partners to increase our impact in preventing, managing and resolving conflict. The Conflict Centre will continue to ensure that the children and armed conflict agenda is reflected in this work.
The UK is an active member of the United Nations Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) which leads the international response to the use of child soldiers and child protection. This includes pressing those parties to conflict listed in the UN Secretary-General's annual report on CAAC, to enter into concrete action plans with the UN to verify and release any child soldiers associated with armed groups and forces and to prevent re-recruitment. We apply diplomatic pressure to listed governments and armed groups, and fund projects to help protect and rehabilitate vulnerable children.
The FCDO has established a new Conflict Centre, which will focus on developing a more integrated UK approach to conflict and instability, harnessing conflict expertise from across FCDO, HMG, and beyond, and applying these where the UK can make the most difference. It will identify and develop capabilities where the UK has a comparative advantage, and work bilaterally and with international partners to increase our impact in preventing, managing and resolving conflict. The Conflict Centre will continue to ensure that the children and armed conflict agenda is reflected in this work.
The FCDO provides project and programme funding to the British Council, BBC World Service and the GREAT Challenge Fund (GCF) to support UK soft power. As the Integrated Review states, our soft power is central to our international identity as an open, trustworthy and innovative country, and helps to build positive perceptions of the UK, create strong people-to-people links and familiarity with our values. The FCDO is providing the British Council with £189 million of funding for 2021-22. We will be providing £94.4 million to the World Service for 2021-22, through our BBC World2020 programme, including an £8 million uplift to expand programming to tackle disinformation and develop digital platforms. Through the GCF, our Overseas Network is able to deliver projects which promote the UK's cultural credentials in their local markets. This year the GCF will be dedicated to a range of projects which support cultural and soft power activities.
The FCDO's new conflict centre will support a more integrated HMG approach to conflict prevention, management and resolution, including working with teams across FCDO and HMG to support the wide range of interconnected agendas aimed at building inclusive and stable environments and preventing possible atrocities. A core part of the centre's role will be to draw on expertise from across HMG and beyond to support the UK's work on conflict, including from civil society, academia, and the private sector, and through cooperation with bilateral partners and multilateral organisations.
FCDO and MOD have worked together to deliver supplies of Covid-19 vaccine to over 30,000 people at more than 200 posts around the world since the end of February. This distribution is aligned to the UK national programme covering staff and dependants for whom the UK Government has duty of care. FCDO staff in the UK have access to the NHS programme in the same way as everyone else.
Our assessment is that the coup in Myanmar may increase the risks faced by the Rohingya population. We are in close contact with networks on the ground in Rakhine to monitor risks of atrocities, human rights abuses and deterioration in the humanitarian and health situation in camps and villages.
We continue to regularly raise the challenges facing the Rohingya diplomatically. Most recently in the UN Security Council Presidential Statement agreed on 10 March. The UK has provided over £44 million to all communities in Rakhine since 2017, including over £25 million for the Rohingya.
COVAX is the key multilateral mechanism for delivering global equitable access to vaccines, and hopes to deliver two billion doses to 192 countries in less than a year. It has been working with its members - including Bosnia and Herzegovina - on distribution and roll-out plans, and has recently announced the first tranche of vaccine allocations, which will provide protection to the most vulnerable across the globe. We understand Bosnia and Herzegovina will receive both Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccines in the coming months as part of this first tranche. It is for members to work with COVAX directly, where appropriate involving relevant partners such as regional bodies, on procurement, delivery and distribution of doses. The UK will continue to put equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines at the heart of our international approach. We remain a leading supporter of COVAX and, having already contributed £548 million, I am pleased to say we are one of the largest donors to its Advanced Market Commitment, which provides donor-funded vaccine doses to the 92 most vulnerable countries.
We continue to provide the Kurdish Peshmerga with technical and military support to enhance their capacity and capability to tackle the threat from Daesh. To date, the UK has trained over 9,100 Peshmerga fighters. During my (Minister Cleverly's) visit to Erbil in December, I discussed the need to continue supporting Peshmerga reform with the Kurdistan Regional Government, in order to ensure a unified and modernised Peshmerga. To this aim, the UK and other multi-national partners are, in concert with the global Coalition and the Kurdistan Regional Government, working closely on a Peshmerga Reform Programme.
We continue to provide the Kurdish Peshmerga with technical and military support to enhance their capacity and capability to tackle the threat from Daesh. To date, the UK has trained over 9,100 Peshmerga fighters. During my (Minister Cleverly's) visit to Erbil in December, I discussed the need to continue supporting Peshmerga reform with the Kurdistan Regional Government, in order to ensure a unified and modernised Peshmerga. To this aim, the UK and other multi-national partners are, in concert with the global Coalition and the Kurdistan Regional Government, working closely on a Peshmerga Reform Programme.
Since 2012, the Government's Darwin Plus Programme has committed £22 million towards 122 individual projects across the Overseas Territories, supporting conservation in marine, terrestrial and freshwater environments, this has included funding for 15 projects in the Turks and Caicos Islands. In the most recent round of Darwin Plus, there were three successful projects working exclusively in the Turks and Caicos Islands, totalling over £800,000, including a project to improve the evidence base on marine and coastal assets in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) has also supported the drafting of territory specific biosecurity legislation, which has included funding for specific legal expertise.
The United Kingdom is an active partner to Bosnia and Herzegovina, supporting its transition to a peaceful, functional and multi-ethnic state, and its Euro-Atlantic future. We are using our political influence and programme assistance to help bring about reforms in the rule of law and justice, defence and security, democracy, human rights and the economy. We work together on tackling COVID-19 and building back stronger. Our COP26 Presidency positions us to advocate for real action on climate change. We champion reconciliation and a focus on a shared future which encourages the disillusioned to stay; and we call out the ethnic division which looks backwards. In this we engage with the authorities at all levels, but also civil society organisations, youth and women, the media, business and academia. Working with international partners is key to achieving progress. This includes the Office of the High Representative, which continues to have the United Kingdom's full support.
The UK plays an active role across the world in support of LGBT rights. We work through our embassies and high commissions and through international organisations, including the UN, Council of Europe, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Commonwealth, to promote non-discrimination towards LGBT people, and to address discriminatory laws. In our role as co-chair of the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) with Argentina, we are ambitious about what we can achieve through delivery of the ERC's first UK led strategy that seeks to shape, guide and re-energise the ERC's work to advance LGBT equality.
Due to its highly sensitive and sometimes dangerous nature, it would not be appropriate to specify the countries our LGBT programmes operate in, but we have consistently committed funding to LGBT rights programme work. In addition to funding through our UK Aid Connect Programme and International Programme Fund, in October, we announced £3.2m of new funding to continue the work we announced during the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in 2018 that works with civil society to support countries seeking legislative reform. We also prioritised £800,000 of funding for The Commonwealth Equality Network (TCEN) to support civil society work to advance LGBT equality.
The UK plays an active role across the world in support of LGBT rights. We work through our embassies and high commissions and through international organisations, including the UN, Council of Europe, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Commonwealth, to promote non-discrimination towards LGBT people, and to address discriminatory laws. In our role as co-chair of the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) with Argentina, we are ambitious about what we can achieve through delivery of the ERC's first UK led strategy that seeks to shape, guide and re-energise the ERC's work to advance LGBT equality.
Due to its highly sensitive and sometimes dangerous nature, it would not be appropriate to specify the countries our LGBT programmes operate in, but we have consistently committed funding to LGBT rights programme work. In addition to funding through our UK Aid Connect Programme and International Programme Fund, in October, we announced £3.2m of new funding to continue the work we announced during the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in 2018 that works with civil society to support countries seeking legislative reform. We also prioritised £800,000 of funding for The Commonwealth Equality Network (TCEN) to support civil society work to advance LGBT equality.
The UK plays an active role across the world in support of LGBT rights. We work through our embassies and high commissions and through international organisations, including the UN, Council of Europe, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Commonwealth, to promote non-discrimination towards LGBT people, and to address discriminatory laws. In our role as co-chair of the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) with Argentina, we are ambitious about what we can achieve through delivery of the ERC's first UK led strategy that seeks to shape, guide and re-energise the ERC's work to advance LGBT equality.
Due to its highly sensitive and sometimes dangerous nature, it would not be appropriate to specify the countries our LGBT programmes operate in, but we have consistently committed funding to LGBT rights programme work. In addition to funding through our UK Aid Connect Programme and International Programme Fund, in October, we announced £3.2m of new funding to continue the work we announced during the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in 2018 that works with civil society to support countries seeking legislative reform. We also prioritised £800,000 of funding for The Commonwealth Equality Network (TCEN) to support civil society work to advance LGBT equality.
The UK is providing technical advice and support to the Overseas Territories, including the Turks and Caicos Islands, to increase their capacity in dealing with the very real threats posed by invasive non-native species affecting biodiversity and endemic species such as the barking gecko and Turks and Caicos rock iguana.
Through the Darwin Plus funding scheme, UK funding has been used to support a project protecting the critically endangered Turks and Caicos rock iguana. This project addresses the need for effective biosecurity plans for two offshore islands in the Turks and Caicos Islands where there is an urgent need to protect threatened native wildlife, particularly globally important reptile populations, against invasive species. One of the project's key achievements is the stabilisation of the iguana population, leading to the reptile being downlisted on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List from Critically Endangered to Endangered in 2019.
The UK continues to work closely with both the Government of Iraq (GoI) and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in order to support ongoing political, economic, and security cooperation. The UK has frequent Ministerial and official engagement with GoI and KRG leadership on this matter. Most recently, the UK's Defence Senior Advisor for the Middle East and HM Ambassador to Iraq met with both GoI and KRG leadership on 18-19 November to discuss the need for ongoing security and economic cooperation.
The UK continues to support Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organisations where statehood is not a prerequisite. This includes the World Health Organization (WHO), where Taiwan can make a valuable contribution. The UK recently worked alongside likeminded countries to lobby the WHO at official level to issue an invitation to Taiwan to observe this month's World Health Assembly and continues to lobby the WHO to allow Taiwan to participate in all relevant WHO technical meetings. Lessons learnt from Taiwan's effective tackling of the COVID-19 pandemic adds significant value to the international fight against the virus.
We are concerned by any action which raises tensions in the region and risks destabilising the status quo. HMG considers the Taiwan issue one to be settled by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue.
The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund does not operate in China. The Government nevertheless remains committed to promoting the human rights of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. On 30 June, the UK read out a statement on behalf of 27 countries at the 44th session of the UN Human Rights Council highlighting concerns about arbitrary detention, widespread surveillance and restrictions in Xinjiang. On 9 March, the Foreign Secretary raised the same concerns with his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi.
The UK is concerned about reports of Russian Wagner Group personnel and other external actors operating in Libya. We take seriously violations of International Humanitarian Law and breaches of sanctions, including the UN arms embargo. We continue to stress to all states the necessity of complying with and enforcing international law. The UK carefully considers all reports of sanctions breaches, including the reports of the UN Panel of Experts, and regularly reviews sanctions measures.
The process of amending the Cayman Islands Constitution is not yet complete. All elements of the constitutional reform package have been extensively reviewed to ensure that human rights in the Cayman Islands are protected and that the UK Government's ability to uphold its international law commitments is maintained.
The Government sets the Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAPs) rates to minimise administrative burdens. AMAP rates aim to reflect running costs including fuel, servicing and depreciation. Depreciation is estimated to constitute the most significant proportion of the AMAP rate.
Employers are not required to use the AMAPs rates. Instead, they can agree to reimburse the actual cost incurred, where individuals can provide evidence of the expenditure, without an Income Tax or National Insurance charge arising.
Alternatively, they can choose to pay a different mileage rate that better reflects their care workers’ circumstances. However, if the payment exceeds the amount due under AMAPs, and this results in a profit for the individual, they will be liable to pay Income Tax and National Insurance contributions on the difference.
The Government keeps this policy under review.
At Budget 2021, the Chancellor announced that the Government’s new economic campus will be located in Darlington. There will be at least 750 roles based there, across teams from HM Treasury, the Department for International Trade, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Office for National Statistics. The Places for Growth relocation strategy prioritises skills and local talent over cost reductions, providing better value for money for the taxpayer. This is just one part of the Government’s Places for Growth programme which will relocate Civil Servants and public bodies, functions and departmental activities outside of London and the South East.
HM Treasury Ministers have regular discussions with Ministers at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The financial sustainability of local authorities remains a core priority for this Government. The 2020-21 local government finance settlement, which was approved by the House of Commons on the 24th February, will deliver the biggest year-on-year real terms increase in councils’ spending power for a decade. The future funding of local authorities is a matter for the next Spending Review.
The Government is working closely with police and industry partners to do everything we can collectively to drive down acquisitive crime, including theft of diesel.
The Home Office funded the set-up of the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership (NICRP), which ensures national co-ordination of policing and law enforcement partners to tackle crime affecting rail networks, utility, agricultural and construction companies. Reports of fuel theft are being mapped through this Partnership to provide insights on the scale of these thefts and potential preventative measures.
Fuel users who store any type of diesel in tanks or in vehicles and machinery on their site(s) should continue to take steps to ensure this is stored securely. Practical crime prevention advice is published on the Secured by Design website, developed by the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives: https://www.securedbydesign.com/guidance/crime-prevention-advice/fuel-theft.
The Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy affirms the Government’s commitment to ensuring there are no safe spaces for offenders to abuse and exploit vulnerable children.
The criminal law is clear: any sexual activity with a child under 16 is a criminal offence, regardless of whether consent is given. Any non-consensual sexual activity is also a crime, whatever the age of the victim and whatever the relationship between the victim and perpetrator.
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 also contains a number of offences which criminalise sexual activity with a child under the age of 18 by people who hold a “position of trust” in respect of that young person even if such activity is consensual, effectively raising the age of consent from 16 to 18 in those circumstances.
We are committed to protecting children and young people from sexual abuse. That is why, following a review of the law in this area, we are including measures in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill introduced on 9 March, to widen the current offences which prevent adults in a position of trust from engaging in sexual relationships with young people under the age of 18, bringing sports coaches and religious leaders in line with other occupations such as teachers and doctors.
We have also strengthened law enforcement capacity and capability through funding for projects like the police Vulnerability Knowledge and Practice Programme and have given police a range of powers to respond to people who pose a risk to children. We have further committed within the Tackling Child Sexual Abuse strategy to strengthen civil orders used to manage the risk posed by sex offenders and those who pose a risk of sexual harm, once a suitable legislative opportunity arises.
The UKPPS provides protection to those judged to be at risk of serious harm where the protection arrangements required are not available to the local police or referring Agency.
UKPPS works with international partners as appropriate and as required, within the UKs judicial framework.
Prevent works closely with local people and organisations to stop vulnerable people being drawn into terrorism. Any indication that an individual or organisation is radicalising others is investigated and, if substantiated, appropriate multi-agency action is taken to address it. There are tried and tested mechanisms in place to address extremism in the charity sector.
The risks posed to the UK from hostile states have both grown and diversified and we have to ensure that we have the necessary powers to meet current and evolving threats to the UK, both domestically and overseas.
The Home Office is reviewing the legislation relating to hostile state activity to assess whether additional powers are required to clamp down on the activities of hostile states which threaten the UK.
The Treason Acts along with other relevant Acts are being considered as part of the Home Office’s ongoing wider review of legislation. This work is ongoing and has not reached conclusions yet.
The Government carefully considers its support to Defence exports given the range of opportunities they can provide to support the UK industrial base and expand our global economic and security partnerships. Export licences are granted only in accordance with the UK’s robust Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, which provide a thorough risk assessment framework and require us to consider the possible impact of providing equipment and capabilities. We do not issue licences where we determine there is a clear risk that the items would, overall, undermine peace and security.
The Government carefully considers its support to Defence exports given the range of opportunities they can provide to support the UK industrial base and expand our global economic and security partnerships. Export licences are granted only in accordance with the UK’s robust Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, which provide a thorough risk assessment framework and require us to consider the possible impact of providing equipment and capabilities. We do not issue licences where we determine there is a clear risk that the items would, overall, undermine peace and security.
As has been the case under successive Governments, it is not Defence policy to comment on the security arrangements of our establishments and sites. Specific details regarding the make and model of security systems are withheld on national security grounds.
The Government announced last year that it would not proceed with the implementation of the Review of Relative Needs and Resources (formerly the Fair Funding Review) and 75% Business Rates Retention in 2021-22. This decision was broadly welcomed by the sector as it has allowed both the government and councils to focus on meeting the immediate public health challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Once the pandemic is through, we will take stock of the demands faced by councils and the resources available to meet them and will decide on the timetable for future funding reform. Final decisions will be taken in the context of the upcoming Spending Review.
The Department uses a wide range of qualitative and quantitative information to assist with policy making.
All local authorities are required by law to deliver a balanced budget and secure value for money in spending decisions. The “best value duty” (Local Government Act 1999) requires continuous improvement, combining economy, efficiency and effectiveness.
Local authorities are also required to publish annual accounts which must be certified by independent auditors. The Redmond Review recommends a new, simple to understand Value for Money Statement to improve accessibility to taxpayers and to ensure local authority decisions can be properly scrutinised by the electorate.
The Government is committed to directing resources to the highest priority areas and giving councils increased flexibility in balancing the contribution of national and local taxpayers in funding local services. Within the time horizons of a one-year Spending Review, our aim has also been to offer as much stability as we can through our approach to funding allocations for 2021-22.
Looking beyond 2021-22, we will revisit the priorities for financial reform ahead of the Spending Review later this year. When we re-examine the reform programme, we will consider the relative needs of local authorities, the resources local authorities are able to generate locally, and how we can encourage local authorities to run services efficiently.
The Government is committed to directing resources to the highest priority areas and giving councils increased flexibility in balancing the contribution of national and local taxpayers in funding local services. Within the time horizons of a one-year Spending Review, our aim has also been to offer as much stability as we can through our approach to funding allocations for 2021-22.
Looking beyond 2021-22, we will revisit the priorities for financial reform ahead of the Spending Review later this year. When we re-examine the reform programme, we will consider the relative needs of local authorities, the resources local authorities are able to generate locally, and how we can encourage local authorities to run services efficiently.
Faith-based organisations and faith-based giving play an important role in our society. Their contributions play an integral role in supporting our most vulnerable in communities and tackling a number of social challenges.
Faith-based Institutions and organisations registered as a charity (with an income of over £25,000) and as other not for profit entities, either through the Charity Commission or Companies House, are required to produce and submit annual returns, reports and accounts to their relevant regulatory body. All returns, reports and accounts required by law must be made available on request by the registering body or is made accessible via a public register.
Some religious charities are ‘excepted’ from charity registration and are not required to register or submit annual returns. They are still charities, and are subject to charity law.
This government encourages greater transparency across the charity sector as a matter of good practice and it is our assessment that the current level of legal transparency, regarding sources of funding for charities, is appropriate. It is right that charities are not legally required to publicly disclose the identity of individual donors because donor anonymity can be an important factor in giving people the confidence to donate to charitable causes they care about.
The Government takes funding for rural communities very seriously. Our Fair Funding Review will take a robust, evidence-based approach to assessing the costs of delivering services in all areas.
Violence against our hardworking staff will not be tolerated and any prisoner who commits an act of violence will be held to account.
Currently, data is not held centrally on the number of convictions for crimes committed by a prisoner against prison employees. This is being reviewed with the aim to collate data from all establishments for all crimes committed in prison, whilst also creating guidance on how to appropriately refer crimes committed in prison to the police.
The ‘Crime in Prison Referral Agreement’ was created in May 2019 and sets out the agreement between Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The aim is to ensure that acts of criminality that occur in prison are appropriately addressed within the Criminal Justice System.
In line with the Crime in Prison Referral Agreement, assaults against members of staff will be referred to the police for investigation and consideration for prosecution. Less serious assaults, where there is little or no injury, are more appropriately dealt with by the prison disciplinary system.
The courts retain the discretion to decide whether sentences should be served concurrently or consecutively, based on the facts of the case. The Sentencing Council’s Totality guideline provides courts with guidance on whether sentences should be served concurrently or consecutively. Where the individual is serving a determinate sentence and commits another offence after the original sentence was imposed, the new sentence will generally be consecutive to the original sentence.
Our Assaults on Emergency Workers Act increased the maximum penalty for to 12 months and we recently announced we will double the penalty further to two years.
Please see the attached table showing the number of prisoner assaults on staff, by offence of prisoner, 2016 to 2019 and January to September 2020 and the number of assaults on staff for 2015.
Violence against our hard-working prison officers is unacceptable and will never be tolerated, and we work closely with the police and Crown Prosecution Service to bring the perpetrators to justice. Additionally, as outlined in our Sentencing White Paper, we will double the maximum sentence for assaulting an emergency worker from 12 months to two years.
We are also giving officers tools like PAVA pepper spray and body-worn cameras to make their jobs safer, as well as access to post incident care teams, occupational health support and counselling for those who need it. More widely, we are spending £100 million to bolster prison security, clamping down on the weapons, drugs and mobile phones that fuel violence and crime behind bars. This is funding tough measures including X-ray body scanners, drug dogs and phone-blocking technology.
The Government takes this issue very seriously and fundamentally disagrees with attempts to forcibly change someone’s sexuality. I am working with colleagues across Government on this issue, and we will outline plans to end its practice in due course.
As part of ongoing engagement with healthcare stakeholders and other Government Departments, GEO officials have been reviewing all relevant statements, including the 2014 statement and more recent developments, in order to inform thinking around future proposals.
We are aware of the developments that have been made in Germany, Canada and elsewhere. Officials are in discussion with international policy counterparts, in order to fully understand the detail around their measures, and to inform the UK’s next steps.
Prison Officers are some of our finest public servants, and we do not underestimate the challenges faced by everyone working in prisons. We are committed to making prisons a safe place to work and providing prison officers with the right support, training and tools to empower them to do their jobs.
We provide post-incident care teams, occupational health support and counselling for members of staff who are assaulted while doing their job and we are currently rolling out TRiM (Trauma Risk Management), a trauma-focused peer support system designed to help people who have experienced a traumatic event.
We are rolling out body worn cameras, police-style restraints and PAVA incapacitant spray to prison officers to help them do their job more safely.
We have recruited more than 4,200 new prison officers over the past four years and we’re investing £2.75 billion to transform the estate, to make prisons safer and cut crime behind bars.
Prisoners who assault staff should feel the full force of the law. We are working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure prosecutions of prisoners who assault staff along with the strongest possible punishment being imposed. The Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act increases sentences for those who assault prison officers.
Prosecutions, convictions and sentencing outcomes up to the year ending December 2018 are available in the ‘Principal offence proceedings and outcomes by Home Office offence code data tool’, available at the following link:
To identify prosecutions, convictions and sentences for the above offences, filter ‘Offence code’ by
(a) ‘12522’ for trespass on land under section 61.
(b) ‘12533’ for aggravated trespass on land under section 68 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
In each case, the number of individuals prosecuted, convicted and sentenced can be found in rows 31, 32, and 33, respectively.