Alison McGovern

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

The Government recognises the impact rising prices are having on businesses, including those in Wirral South, and is engaging with businesses across the UK to understand these challenges and explore ways to mitigate them.

­­

The Government has reversed the National Insurance rise, saving SMEs £4,200 on average, cut fuel duty for 12 months and brought in the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, which is shielding businesses across the country from soaring energy prices, saving some around half of their wholesale energy costs.

We have also announced £13.6 billion of support for businesses over the next five years, reducing the burden of business rates for SMEs.

The Government is fully committed to supporting businesses and creating the best conditions for enterprise so that everyone, whatever their background, has the means and know-how to start and grow a business.

We are supporting early-stage entrepreneurs from all backgrounds through the Start-Up Loans Company which provides funding and intensive support to new entrepreneurs. Since 2012, 40% of Start Up Loans have gone to women, worth over £341m and 20% of loans worth 183m have gone to Black, Asian, and Ethnic-minority business. (as at October 2022). 106 SMEs in Wirral South have received loans to the value of £1,014,500 as of October 2022.

In the UK in 2021, 19% of SMEs with employees (a three-percentage point increase on 2020) and 20% of firms with no employees (21% in 2020) were female-led. The government does not hold regional data relating to the proportion of female-led business.

The Rose Review is supported by the industry-led ‘Rose Review Council for Investing in Female Entrepreneurs’ that aims to coordinate industry-led action to increase investment into female-led businesses.

The Government has set an ambition to increase the number of female entrepreneurs by half by 2030, equivalent to 600,000 new entrepreneurs.

The Government recognises the impact rising prices are having on businesses, including those in Wirral South.

Businesses in Wirral South will have benefitted from the Government’s reversal of the National Insurance rise, saving SMEs on average £4,200, cut fuel duty for 12 months and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, to protect SMEs from high energy costs over the winter. The Employment Allowance was increased to £5,000 from April and we have continued to provide business rate relief worth over £7bn, freezing the business rates multiplier for a further year.

The Government is providing financial support - 106 SMEs in Wirral South have received Start Up Loans to the value of £1,014,500 as of October 2022.

BEIS publishes information on the number of households in receipt of ECO measures by Parliamentary Constituency in Table 4.5 accompanying the latest Household Energy Efficiency Statistics release.

The Government is committed to improving the energy performance of homes across the country, including in Wirral South.

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

The additional £6 billion of new Government funding, announced in the Autumn Statement, will be made available from 2025 to 2028.

The Government is supporting green jobs at a national level with the Green Jobs Delivery Group. This group has already supported 68,000 jobs nationally within the green economy. The Government is also working with the Green Jobs Delivery Group to explore how central Government, local Government and businesses can further support local areas to deliver a successful net zero labour market transition. Alongside this, BEIS is working with DfE and local partners to ensure green skills are considered through Local Skills Improvement Plans.

BEIS estimates that in Wirral South constituency, six Green Deal projects are live, meaning all measures have been installed, but no projects have been completed, meaning that not all measures have been paid off. Data covers the period from May 2013 to October 2022.

The Microgeneration Certification Scheme Installations Database shows that as of 31 October 2022, forty heat pump installations were registered in the Wirral South constituency.

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

At the end of October 2022, there were 698 domestic installations of solar panels recorded in Wirral South constituency.

BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)and Green Homes Grant (GHG) government schemes, around 500 cavity wall insulation measures, 400 loft insulation measures, 300 under floor insulation measures and 200 external wall insulation measures have been installed in Wirral South constituency.

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

BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)and Green Homes Grant (GHG) government schemes, around 500 cavity wall insulation measures, 400 loft insulation measures, 300 under floor insulation measures and 200 external wall insulation measures have been installed in Wirral South constituency.

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

BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)and Green Homes Grant (GHG) government schemes, around 500 cavity wall insulation measures, 400 loft insulation measures, 300 under floor insulation measures and 200 external wall insulation measures have been installed in Wirral South constituency.

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

BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)and Green Homes Grant (GHG) government schemes, around 500 cavity wall insulation measures, 400 loft insulation measures, 300 under floor insulation measures and 200 external wall insulation measures have been installed in Wirral South constituency.

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

This Government recognises the importance of the UK’s thriving cultural industries, and that is why it pushed for ambitious arrangements to make it easier for performers and artists to perform across Europe as part of the negotiations on our future relationship with the EU.

This Government proposed to the EU that musicians, and their technical staff, be added to the list of permitted activities for short-term business visitors in the entry and temporary stay chapter of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. This would have allowed musicians and their staff to travel and perform in the EU more easily, without needing work-permits.

The UK’s legal texts reflected this position, as the EU has now acknowledged. These texts are confidential negotiating documents and it is not appropriate for them to be published.

The Government welcomes the social responsibility that most businesses have shown in responding to the pandemic, including making their premises Covid-secure by using the Safer Working guidance led by Government. Groups such as Business in the Community are continuing to coordinate help for communities in need; and the CBI-backed Good Business Charter continues to promote corporate social responsibility.

The minimum wage rates are set on the expert and independent advice of the Low Pay Commission (LPC). This year, we asked the LPC to recommend the National Living Wage rate which should apply from April 2021 in order to reach two-thirds of median earnings by 2024, taking economic conditions into account.

The Government asks the Low Pay Commission to monitor the labour market and the impacts of the National Living Wage closely, advising on any emerging risks, to ensure that the lowest-paid workers continue to see pay rises without significant risks to their employment prospects.

We will announce the 2021 Minimum Wage rates in due course. A full Impact Assessment estimating the benefits and costs to employers and workers will be published alongside the legislation. We estimated that over 2 million workers benefitted from the increase earlier this year, which gave a full-time worker on the NLW an increase of £930 over the year.

We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to swimming pools, as swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. The responsibility of providing this access lies at Local Authority level, and the Government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.

At the Budget, we announced a dedicated £63 million support package for swimming pools, which is targeted at addressing cost pressures facing public swimming pool providers. It will also help provide investment in energy efficiency measures to reduce future operating costs and make facilities sustainable in the long-term. Sport England continues to support swimming, having invested over £12 million in swimming and diving projects since April 2019.

While the Government does not hold data on individual swimming clubs, data held by Sport England shows that in the North West, in June 2019, there were 228 Local Authority swimming pools, compared with 224 in June 2023.

We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to swimming pools, as swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. The responsibility of providing this access lies at Local Authority level, and the Government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.

At the Budget, we announced a dedicated £63 million support package for swimming pools, which is targeted at addressing cost pressures facing public swimming pool providers. It will also help provide investment in energy efficiency measures to reduce future operating costs and make facilities sustainable in the long-term. Sport England continues to support swimming, having invested over £12 million in swimming and diving projects since April 2019.

While the Government does not hold data on individual swimming clubs, data held by Sport England shows that in the North West, in June 2019, there were 228 Local Authority swimming pools, compared with 224 in June 2023.

We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to swimming pools, as swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. The responsibility of providing this access lies at Local Authority level, and the Government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.

At the Budget, we announced a dedicated £63 million support package for swimming pools, which is targeted at addressing cost pressures facing public swimming pool providers. It will also help provide investment in energy efficiency measures to reduce future operating costs and make facilities sustainable in the long-term. Sport England continues to support swimming, having invested over £12 million in swimming and diving projects since April 2019.

While the Government does not hold data on individual swimming clubs, data held by Sport England shows that in the North West, in June 2019, there were 228 Local Authority swimming pools, compared with 224 in June 2023.

This Government is a staunch supporter of women’s football and the Future of Women’s Football Review is the next step in driving forward momentum for women’s football in this country.

Officials from the Department form the secretariat of the Review alongside the FA. Officials are in near daily contact with the Chair of the Review, and speak at least twice weekly with the Chair to discuss progress and analyse evidence. To date officials have collaborated with the Chair on nine individual stakeholder evidence sessions, a roundtable with Women’s Super League Clubs, and a roundtable with Women’s Championship Clubs. Officials will work with the Chair on a further eight stakeholder roundtables covering the key themes of the review over the next two weeks.

Ministerial engagement will take place in tandem with planned stakeholder roundtables over the coming weeks. The results of the Review will be published in the Chair’s final report, which will be published in spring 2023.

This Government is a staunch supporter of women’s football and the Future of Women’s Football Review is the next step in driving forward momentum for women’s football in this country.

Officials from the Department form the secretariat of the Review alongside the FA. Officials are in near daily contact with the Chair of the Review, and speak at least twice weekly with the Chair to discuss progress and analyse evidence. To date officials have collaborated with the Chair on nine individual stakeholder evidence sessions, a roundtable with Women’s Super League Clubs, and a roundtable with Women’s Championship Clubs. Officials will work with the Chair on a further eight stakeholder roundtables covering the key themes of the review over the next two weeks.

Ministerial engagement will take place in tandem with planned stakeholder roundtables over the coming weeks. The results of the Review will be published in the Chair’s final report, which will be published in spring 2023.

We are determined to support more women and girls to get active and football is the most popular team sport in terms of participation for women and girls.

The Lionesses’ fantastic performance at the 2022 Women’s Euros has truly inspired the nation with a record breaking crowd of over 87,000 attending the final and 23.3m UK viewers tuning into the BBC’s coverage. It is essential that we take the opportunity to capitalise on and build on the success and legacy of the tournament and the team to secure a long lasting and sustainable future for the women’s game.

To raise the profile of facilities in the UK, and to commemorate the Lionesses, the Football Foundation is working with facility owners to name pitches/facilities in towns and cities that have a strong link to each tournament winning squad member. We will also continue to invest in grassroots sport to bring on the next generation of Lionesses and continue to work with the Department for Education to ensure girls have equal access to sports. The Prime Minister and the DCMS Secretary of State were delighted to meet the Lionesses earlier this month who are extraordinary ambassadors for sport. They reconfirmed their commitment to reviewing the barriers to girls accessing two hours of PE.

The recently announced Women’s Football Review will look at how to deliver bold and sustainable growth of the women’s game at elite and grassroots level. We would encourage all interested stakeholders and organisations to come forward and contribute views to Karen Carney’s review. It is vital that we hear from a variety of voices across the game.

Last year we quickly established one of the largest asymptomatic testing programmes in the world. We have now conducted over 90m lateral flow tests in England alone, finding nearly 200k cases. Home testing has been confirmed for some Events Research Programme (ERP) pilots only, and is not indicative of Step 4 policy decisions. ERP learnings will feed into wider policy making on step 4, and further details on broader testing policy will be released in due course. Current asymptomatic testing is available until 31 July, with further decisions on extending this to be taken in line with Step 4 of the Prime Minister's roadmap.

DCMS continues to work closely with other government departments, academic institutions and stakeholders to review evidence on the impact of ongoing restrictions within the live events industries.

Most of the financial support schemes do not end until September or after, in order to provide continuity and certainty for businesses.

Throughout this pandemic there has been over £400 billion of economic support, one of the most generous and comprehensive packages in the world.

Although there is no current plan to make a statement on financial situations of individual sectors/settings, our engagements have helped us to understand both the nature and scale of the impact that this particular industry has faced.

The Events Research Programme report was published on Friday 25 June and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/events-research-programme-phase-i-findings

The Events Research Programme is a joint programme between DCMS, DHSC, and BEIS overseen by an industry-led steering group co-chaired by Sir Nicholas Hytner and David Ross. Evidence from the pilot events is considered by the group to make recommendations to the Prime Minister and the Secretaries of State for DCMS, BEIS and DHSC on how restrictions could be safely lifted at Step 4 of the Roadmap.

The report has been subject to a comprehensive and rigorous coordination and approval process across departments, academic institutions and ERP governance boards, and takes into account the latest public health data.

The Events Research Programme report was published on Friday 25 June and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/events-research-programme-phase-i-findings

The Events Research Programme is a joint programme between DCMS, DHSC, and BEIS overseen by an industry-led steering group co-chaired by Sir Nicholas Hytner and David Ross. Evidence from the pilot events is considered by the group to make recommendations to the Prime Minister and the Secretaries of State for DCMS, BEIS and DHSC on how restrictions could be safely lifted at Step 4 of the Roadmap.

The report has been subject to a comprehensive and rigorous coordination and approval process across departments, academic institutions and ERP governance boards, and takes into account the latest public health data.

We recognise the challenging times facing all sectors currently, and continue to support them in line with the prime minister's roadmap to the full reopening of the economy.

Although we have no plans currently to publish an assessment, the Department has been working closely with stakeholders across large event settings throughout the pandemic, and this has helped us to understand both the nature and the scale of the impact this sector has faced.

Step 4 of The Prime Minister's roadmap allows large events to go ahead in Summer 2021 without restrictions. The roadmap sets out a cautious and gradual approach - led by data, not dates - and while we know there may be loss of some business as a result of the delay to step 4, public health must remain the government’s top priority.

The data capture system for the National Leisure Recovery Fund, Moving Communities, is now fully operational. The platform opened for data submissions at the start of April with 280 Local Authorities relating to c.1100 leisure facilities across England.

A series of headline national statistics will be released over the coming weeks with a fuller report available at the end of June. Local Authorities and the leisure service providers have been able to access their local data and interrogate through the filtering and dashboards available on the platform since the beginning of May.

The Government recognises that it is important that artists are fairly remunerated for their work. We are aware of the concerns that have been raised recently with regards to artists’ revenue from music streaming. The Government welcomes the DCMS Select Committee inquiry into the economics of music streaming, and we have provided evidence to inform the inquiry. We look forward to receiving the Committee’s recommendations, which we will respond to.

We will continue to encourage the ongoing dialogue between music creators, record labels, and streaming services on this issue. The Government has funded a 12-month industry-led research project investigating the flow of money from streaming to creators which is due to report this summer.

The Government has not made a specific assessment of the implications of what was set out in the letter from artists to the Prime Minister, but we are considering the issues relating to music streaming more generally.

We welcome the DCMS Select Committee inquiry into the economics of music streaming, and have provided evidence to inform the inquiry. We look forward to receiving the Committee’s recommendations, which we will respond to. We will also be happy to consider any meeting requests from interested stakeholders as appropriate.

The Government has funded a 12-month industry-led research project investigating the flow of money from streaming to creators which is due to report this summer. We will continue to encourage the ongoing dialogue between music creators, record labels, and streaming services on this issue.

The Government recognises that it is important that artists are fairly remunerated for their work. We are aware of the concerns that have been raised recently about artists’ revenue from music streaming.

We welcome the DCMS Select Committee inquiry into the economics of music streaming, and have provided evidence to inform the inquiry. We look forward to receiving the Committee’s recommendations, which we will respond to.

The Government has funded a 12-month industry-led research project investigating the flow of money from streaming to creators which is due to report this summer. We will continue to encourage the ongoing dialogue between music creators, record labels, and streaming services on this issue.

The Department continuously meets with a range of DCMS stakeholders to discuss matters, including the return of fans. However, neither Ministers nor officials met with representatives of Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City football clubs in advance of the Super League announcement.

The full list of Ministerial meetings can be found on gov.uk.

The Government is committed to tackling inequalities in sport and physical activity. Our strategy ‘Sporting Future’ sets out a clear ambition to increase levels of physical activity amongst under-represented groups. We are working closely with Sport England, DCMS’s arm’s length body for grassroots sport in England, to ensure that inequalities are being tackled effectively.

The £20 million Tackling Inequalities Fund (TIF) is an important part of the £270 million support package that Sport England has committed to directly reduce the negative impact COVID 19 and the widening of inequalities in sport and physical activity.

The fund is a focused approach to increasing physical activity for four under-represented groups: lower socio-economic groups, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, disabled people, and people with long-term health conditions. Currently, £13.5 million has been awarded, and £9.7m of this has already reached community organisations and groups directly through 42 Active Partnerships and 30 national partners across the country. As a result there are over 2,800 projects actively being delivered by trusted partners closer to the communities that have previously been unserved by more traditional delivery structures.

Tackling inequalities is also at the heart of Sport England’s recently launched new ten year strategy, ‘Uniting the Movement’, reinforcing their commitment to diversifying participation. DCMS will continue to work closely with Sport England to ensure that inequalities are addressed and tackled in sport and physical activity.

The National Leisure Recovery Fund sought to support eligible public sector leisure centres to reopen to the public, giving the sport and physical activity sector the best chance of recovery to a position of sustainable operation over the medium term. It was delivered in conjunction with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Sport England.

A total of £100 million was available as a biddable fund to eligible local authorities in England, which was allocated in a single funding round. Eligible local authorities include: those in England who hold responsibility for the provision of leisure services, those who have outsourced their leisure provision to an external body to and those whose outsourced leisure arrangements have ended since 20 March 2020 and services are now delivered as an in-house function. This is in addition to the wider financial support provided to councils throughout the pandemic.

As part of the National Leisure Recovery Fund, the government has set up a data capture system to show how the fund has supported the reopening of these vital community assets and the impact on the rate of participation across Local Authorities. Early information will be available at the end of the month and will help to inform future government policy in this space.

Sports and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health, and are a vital weapon against coronavirus. That’s why we have made sure that people can exercise throughout the national restrictions.

We know that high quality multi-use local green spaces can play a key role as sporting venues and as alternative settings for sport and healthy activity. Last month Sport England published its new strategy Uniting the Movement which sets out their 10 year vision to transform lives and communities through sport and physical activity. A key part of the strategy is creating and protecting the local places and spaces that make it easier for people to be active including encouraging walking and cycling.

Last year, Public Health England published Improving Access to Greenspace. The report highlights the strong evidence that regular physical activity supports both individual and community outcomes such as increasing educational attainment, improving self-esteem and reducing social isolation and that greenspace can support higher levels of physical activity.

The Government is committed to tackling inequalities in sport and physical activity. Our strategy ‘Sporting Future’ sets out a clear ambition to increase levels of physical activity amongst under-represented groups, working closely with the sector to achieve this. The Tackling Inequalities Fund is an important part of the £270 million support package that Sport England, DCMS’s arm’s length body for grassroots sport in England, has committed to directly support community sport clubs and exercise centres through COVID-19.

The £20 million Tackling Inequalities Fund aims to reduce the disproportionately negative impact of the pandemic on physical activity levels for four groups: lower socio-economic groups, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, disabled people, and people with long-term health conditions. Currently, £13.5 million has been awarded to partners, funding over 2,800 projects being delivered through 43 Active Partnerships and 30 national partners across the country.

Sport England’s recently launched new ten year strategy, Uniting the Movement, also reinforces their commitment to diversifying participation and tackling inequalities in sport and physical activity. DCMS will continue to work closely with Sport England to ensure that inequalities are addressed and tackled in sport and physical activity.

The National Leisure Recovery Fund sought to support eligible public sector leisure centres to reopen to the public, giving the sport and physical activity sector the best chance of recovery to a position of sustainable operation over the medium term.

A total of £100 million was available as a biddable fund to eligible local authorities in England, which was allocated in a single funding round. Eligible local authorities include: those in England who hold responsibility for the provision of leisure services, those who have outsourced their leisure provision to an external body to and those whose outsourced leisure arrangements have ended since 20 March 2020 and services are now delivered as an in-house function. This is in addition to the wider financial support provided to councils throughout the pandemic.

To help ensure an equitable distribution of the National Leisure Recovery Fund, a Notional Funding Allocation was calculated for each eligible local authority and funding awards were only made in excess of the Notional Funding Allocation in the most exceptional circumstances. The basis of the Notional Funding Allocation is a per capita allocation. This has then been adjusted to take into consideration physical activity levels, number of facilities and health outcome indicators.

Government has worked closely with the Local Government Association (LGA), ukactive, the District Councils' Network, Community Leisure UK, Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association and others to make sure the application and funding process is as fast and simple as possible.

The National Leisure Recovery Fund sought to support eligible public sector leisure centres to reopen to the public, giving the sport and physical activity sector the best chance of recovery to a position of sustainable operation over the medium term.

A total of £100 million was available as a biddable fund to eligible local authorities in England, which was allocated in a single funding round. Eligible local authorities include: those in England who hold responsibility for the provision of leisure services, those who have outsourced their leisure provision to an external body to and those whose outsourced leisure arrangements have ended since 20 March 2020 and services are now delivered as an in-house function. This is in addition to the wider financial support provided to councils throughout the pandemic.

To help ensure an equitable distribution of the National Leisure Recovery Fund, a Notional Funding Allocation was calculated for each eligible local authority and funding awards were only made in excess of the Notional Funding Allocation in the most exceptional circumstances. The basis of the Notional Funding Allocation is a per capita allocation. This has then been adjusted to take into consideration physical activity levels, number of facilities and health outcome indicators.

Government has worked closely with the Local Government Association (LGA), ukactive, the District Councils' Network, Community Leisure UK, Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association and others to make sure the application and funding process is as fast and simple as possible.

Sports and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health and have been shown to treat, manage and prevent a range of conditions including heart disease, cancers, diabetes, stress, depression or anxiety. It can also bring communities together and tackle issues such as loneliness.

Sport England’s Active Lives Adult and Children surveys provide information not only on activity levels but also on social outcomes such as physical and mental wellbeing too. The latest reports can be found here.

In September last year, Sport England published research (undertaken by Sheffield Hallam University) on the social impact and the economic importance of sport and physical activity in England. The findings of this research show that for every £1 spent on community sport and physical activity in England, an economic and social return on investment of £3.91 is generated. In addition, the combined economic and social value (SROI) of taking part in community sport and physical activity in England in 2017/2018 was £85.5 billion.

Furthermore, last month Sport England published its new strategy Uniting the Movement which sets out their 10 year vision to transform lives and communities through sport and physical activity. The strategy seeks to tackle the inequalities we have seen in sport and physical activity and provide opportunities to people and communities that have traditionally been left behind, helping to remove barriers to activity.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) engages regularly with representatives of the creative industries on the Covid-19 response, including on economic support and public health policy and guidance. This includes engagement through the working groups on Entertainment and Events and on Broadcasting, Film and Production, which were established with the DCMS Secretary of State’s Cultural Renewal Taskforce.

In addition, DCMS engages with creative industries stakeholders through roundtables and other meetings chaired by ministers, and ongoing, frequent engagement by DCMS officials. DCMS will continue to collaborate with creative industries organisations on the Government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has engaged with the creative sectors extensively throughout negotiations with the EU and since the announcement of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

At both a ministerial and official level, we hold roundtables to engage with the creative sectors on EU Exit and the UK-EU future relationship. We also engage directly with stakeholders together with Arm's-Length Bodies, on matters relating to EU Exit.

We are committed to continuing our close dialogue with the sectors to ensure they continue to have the support they need to navigate the changes to their ways of working resulting from the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

Ministers have regular discussions with their Cabinet Colleagues on a wide range of issues, including cross-border mobility with the EU for musicians and creative workers.

The Secretary of State had discussions with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster this week on the issues faced by creative workers and possible options to support the sectors.

The Government recognises the importance of touring for our world-leading cultural and creative sectors. We have been engaging extensively with the industry to assess impact and further understandings of new requirements for working in the EU. The Secretary of State held a very productive meeting with representatives from across the creative and cultural industries on Wednesday 20th January. Going forward, we are committed to continuing our close dialogue with the sector to ensure they have the support they need to thrive.

Definitions for professionals working in film and television production have been introduced in order to implement the limited exemption to the quarantine regime for the cast and crew of qualifying productions.

The Government is committed to supporting the continued production of film and television content during the ongoing Covid pandemic. As part of the new Health Protection Regulations, the Government has stated that people who cannot work from home should go to their place of work. This means that even in these circumstances film and television production can continue in line with any additional guidance provided. The Government has supported the sector to develop guidance to allow productions to operate safely, and introduced a limited exemption to the quarantine regime for the cast and crew of qualifying productions, in order to restart those productions which rely on international talent.

Football clubs are the bedrock of our local communities. Many public studies demonstrate the significant economic benefit that football clubs bring to towns across the country. These include EY’s Economic and Social Impact Assessment which estimates that the Premier League alone contributes £7.6bn to the UK's Gross Domestic Product.

That is why we have provided unprecedented support to businesses through tax reliefs, cash grants and employee wage support, which many football clubs have benefited from. Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund has also provided £210 million directly to support community sport clubs and exercise centres through this pandemic.

We have been clear that we expect the game - where it can at the top tiers - to support itself. The Government is focusing its support on those in the sector most in need as a result of the decision not to readmit spectators to stadia from 1 October. We therefore provided the National League with assurances that financial support from the Government will be forthcoming so they could start their season on 3rd October.

On 22 September it was announced that all sports pilot events currently ongoing would be paused with immediate effect, due to the sharp upward trajectory of Covid-19 cases nationally. A?s set out in our Roadmap, sports events pilots, and the full return of fans to stadia would only ever take place when it was safe to do so in this country.

We are committed to getting spectators back into stadiums as soon as it is safe to do so. We will continue to work closely with a whole range of sports to understand the latest thinking that might allow spectators to return. This includes the creation of a new Sports Technology Innovation Working Group of sporting bodies and health experts to analyse new technologies which might support this, and which will consider international best practice. This will supplement the draft government guidance, and the SGSA supplementary guidance to their Green Guide, which has been internationally welcomed and is now also available in French and Spanish translations.

If transmission rates decrease then we will of course take the opportunity to look again at getting spectators back into stadiums and remain mindful of international efforts to do the same

On 22 September it was announced that all sports pilot events currently ongoing would be paused with immediate effect, due to the sharp upward trajectory of Covid-19 cases nationally. A?s set out in our Roadmap, sports events pilots, and the full return of fans to stadia would only ever take place when it was safe to do so in this country.

We are committed to getting spectators back into stadiums as soon as it is safe to do so. We will continue to work closely with a whole range of sports to understand the latest thinking that might allow spectators to return. This includes the creation of a new Sports Technology Innovation Working Group of sporting bodies and health experts to analyse new technologies which might support this, and which will consider international best practice. This will supplement the draft government guidance, and the SGSA supplementary guidance to their Green Guide, which has been internationally welcomed and is now also available in French and Spanish translations.

If transmission rates decrease then we will of course take the opportunity to look again at getting spectators back into stadiums and remain mindful of international efforts to do the same

Our performing arts and sport guidance makes clear the need for organisers of cultural and sporting events to adhere to government requirements around the NHS Test and Trace system.

Organisers of events should assist the NHS Test and Trace service by keeping a temporary record of spectators for 21 days, in a way that is manageable for their business, and assist NHS Test and Trace with requests for that data if needed. This could help contain clusters or outbreaks.

The Government is continuing to engage with business and industry as we approach the end of the transition period and is working to ensure freelancers, organisations and businesses know what they need to do to prepare.

On 1st September 2020, the Government launched a comprehensive communications campaign to help the UK prepare for the end of the transition period. This includes guidance on customs and mobility procedures important to professionals in the live music industry, including freelance musicians and touring professionals. My department will continue to engage with the creative industries to understand further the specific issues they may face.

The Government is continuing to engage with business and industry as we approach the end of the transition period and is working to ensure freelancers, organisations and businesses know what they need to do to prepare.

On 1st September 2020, the Government launched a comprehensive communications campaign to help the UK prepare for the end of the transition period. This includes guidance on customs and mobility procedures important to professionals in the live music industry, including freelance musicians and touring professionals. My department will continue to engage with the creative industries to understand further the specific issues they may face.

The Government is continuing to engage with business and industry as we approach the end of the transition period and is working to ensure freelancers, organisations and businesses know what they need to do to prepare.

On 1st September 2020, the Government launched a comprehensive communications campaign to help the UK prepare for the end of the transition period. This includes guidance on customs and mobility procedures important to professionals in the live music industry, including freelance musicians and touring professionals. My department will continue to engage with the creative industries to understand further the specific issues they may face.

The Government is continuing to engage with business and industry as we approach the end of the transition period and is working to ensure freelancers, organisations and businesses know what they need to do to prepare.

On 1st September 2020, the Government launched a comprehensive communications campaign to help the UK prepare for the end of the transition period. This includes guidance on customs and mobility procedures important to professionals in the live music industry, including freelance musicians and touring professionals. My department will continue to engage with the creative industries to understand further the specific issues they may face.

DCMS Ministers and officials continue to engage extensively with representatives from across the cultural sector, including with musicians and music sector representative bodies, on the impact of the end of the transition period on musicians working in EU countries.

Over the coming months, as the transition period concludes, and beyond we will maintain our close dialogue with the sector to assess the challenges and support the opportunities that will arise as we enter into to new trading relationships with Europe and the rest of the world.

On 18th August, the Government amended its guidance to provide extra clarification for organisers of non-elite sports events to help them manage and admit spectators safely, adhering to social distancing.

This includes having a named person with responsibility for ensuring adherence with government guidelines and ensuring the facility is COVID-19 secure. This person should carry out and publish a risk assessment for the activity which limits the number of spectators and focuses on the need to maintain social distancing on arrival, for the duration of the activity, and on departure.

The Government will continue to monitor the admittance of spectators and the wider prevailing public health factors closely.

Football clubs form a vital part of our local communities and many have a great history. It is vital that they are protected during these difficult times.

The Government has provided unprecedented support to businesses throughout this period, including a comprehensive and sizable package of direct fiscal support for business through tax reliefs, cash grants and employee wage support. Many football clubs have benefited from these measures.

The Government is in regular dialogue with the football authorities to understand their financial position - but has been absolutely clear that it expects football to look first at how it can support itself through these difficult times.

The Government continues to liaise closely with the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) and sporting bodies whilst developing its guidance to support the safe return of spectators to stadia more widely from October 1st. As announced by the Prime Minister, this remains subject to successful pilots events, which will now be capped at 1,000 people, and wider prevailing public health factors.

Capacity limits and ticketing processes will vary based on individual venues and events. Pilots will still be required to receive all relevant local authorisations including their local Safety Advisory Group. Locations and attendance levels may change depending on the local Covid situation. Maximum safe capacity, as a consequence of social distancing guidance, can be calculated through the SGSA’s supplementary guidance to their Green Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds.

Sports and physical activity facilities play a crucial role in supporting adults and children to be active.

The Government is committed to reopening facilities as soon as it is safe to do so including indoor gyms and sports centres. The Sport Working Group, led by myself, feeds into the Secretary of State’s Cultural Renewal Taskforce and ensures strong sector and expert support for the co-development of guidelines and will help leisure facilities become Covid-secure and re-open as early as possible in July.

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

Sports and physical activity facilities play a crucial role in supporting adults and children to be active.

The Government is committed to reopening facilities as soon as it is safe to do so including indoor gyms and sports centres. The Sport Working Group, led by myself, feeds into the Secretary of State’s Cultural Renewal Taskforce and ensures strong sector and expert support for the co-development of guidelines and will help leisure facilities become Covid-secure and re-open as early as possible in July.

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

Sports and physical activity facilities play a crucial role in supporting adults and children to be active.

The Government is committed to reopening facilities as soon as it is safe to do so including indoor gyms and sports centres. The Sport Working Group, led by myself, feeds into the Secretary of State’s Cultural Renewal Taskforce and ensures strong sector and expert support for the co-development of guidelines and will help leisure facilities become Covid-secure and re-open as early as possible in July.

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

Sports and physical activity facilities play a crucial role in supporting adults and children to be active.

The Government is committed to reopening facilities as soon as it is safe to do so including indoor gyms and sports centres. The Sport Working Group, led by myself, feeds into the Secretary of State’s Cultural Renewal Taskforce and ensures strong sector and expert support for the co-development of guidelines and will help leisure facilities become Covid-secure and re-open as early as possible in July.

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

The Government has committed to investing an additional £550m into grassroots football facilities over the next 10 years. This will bring the government’s total investment over that period to £730m, and will support the bid for the 2030 Men’s FIFA Football World Cup.

The FA has produced, in partnership with the Premier League, Sport England and DCMS, the 'National Football Facilities Strategy' (NFSS), which is a coherent overarching shared strategy for capital investment in football over the next ten years.

As part of the NFFS, a 'Local Football Facilities Plan' is being produced for every Local Authority across the country to create a tailored local investment plan.

The Government is committed to supporting grassroots football. The established partnership with the Football Association and the Premier League sees a combined £70m go to new facilities delivered by the Football Foundation. All funding parties are represented on the Football Foundation board.

Government has committed to investing a further £550m into grassroots football facilities over the next 10 years to support plans to bid for the 2030 Men’s FIFA Football World Cup.

The FA has produced, in partnership with the Premier League, Sport England and DCMS, the 'National Football Facilities Strategy' (NFSS), which is a coherent overarching shared strategy for capital investment in football over the next ten years. This sets out the football facility requirements across the country and the intention to invest in 20,000 improved grass pitches and 1,000 3G facilities.

The Foundation has coverage across the whole country with funding reaching 98% of all local authorities and boroughs in England so far. As part of the NFFS, a 'Local Football Facilities Plan' is being produced for every Local Authority across the country to create a tailored local investment plan. This will help the Football Foundation prioritise its investment most efficiently and effectively.

The Government is committed to supporting grassroots football. The established partnership with the Football Association and the Premier League sees a combined £70m go to new facilities delivered by the Football Foundation. All funding parties are represented on the Football Foundation board.

Government has committed to investing a further £550m into grassroots football facilities over the next 10 years to support plans to bid for the 2030 Men’s FIFA Football World Cup.

The FA has produced, in partnership with the Premier League, Sport England and DCMS, the 'National Football Facilities Strategy' (NFSS), which is a coherent overarching shared strategy for capital investment in football over the next ten years. This sets out the football facility requirements across the country and the intention to invest in 20,000 improved grass pitches and 1,000 3G facilities.

The Foundation has coverage across the whole country with funding reaching 98% of all local authorities and boroughs in England so far. As part of the NFFS, a 'Local Football Facilities Plan' is being produced for every Local Authority across the country to create a tailored local investment plan. This will help the Football Foundation prioritise its investment most efficiently and effectively.

In addition to publicly available Government advice/guidance, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is holding weekly meetings with senior medical officials and sport representatives to discuss key issues around Covid-19 and communicates regularly with stakeholders across the sporting sector to share the latest advice. We will maintain these discussions as elite sport develops its plans to retain training and to restart competition.

The Government announced on 30 April that the Rugby Football League (RFL) will receive an emergency loan of £16 million to safeguard the immediate future of the sport for the communities it serves.

The Government recognises the impact that covid-19 is having on the sporting sector. The Chancellor has announced an unprecedented package of measures to help businesses in this period, including £330 billion worth of government-backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses across the UK.

Those support measures, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, and Self-Employed Income Support Scheme are open to businesses across the UK and in every sector, including Sport.

In addition, Sport England, has also announced £195 million of funding to help sport and physical activity organisations deal with the short and long term effects of the pandemic.

The RFL is fully engaged with the process and is ensuring that the sport as a whole is aware of the assistance available and how to access support. It is a matter for individual clubs to pursue the support appropriate for their situation.

We know this is a challenging period for all sports and we continue to work closely with the whole sector to understand the issues they face and how we can best support them through this difficult time.

I am having regular discussions with sector and industry bodies to understand the impact of COVID-19 on sport and how we can provide support. This includes chairing a fortnightly meeting with over 25 sporting organisations. Sport England, the arms-length body of government responsible for growing and developing grassroots sport, have been involved in these discussions. In addition to this, my officials maintain daily contact with the sector.

The Chancellor has already announced a host of measures to help businesses, with £330 billion worth of government backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses across the UK. In addition, Sport England, has also announced £195 million of funding to help sport and physical activity organisations deal with the short and long term effects of the pandemic.

The government is in regular contact with representatives of sports, including cricket, to discuss both the impact of Covid-19 on sports and to explore how and when grassroots sport can safely resume once lockdown restrictions start to ease. The government has asked individual sports to consider the steps that would need to be taken, and the conditions that would need to be met, for their activity to resume.

The government has been clear that any return to sport will need to be consistent with existing guidelines on public health and managed in a way that minimises risk.

The Government recognises the impact that covid-19 is having on the sporting sector. The Chancellor has announced an unprecedented package of measures to help businesses in this period, including £330 billion worth of government-backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses across the UK.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, and Self-Employed Income Support Scheme support measures are open to businesses across the UK and in every sector, including Sport.

In addition, Sport England, has also announced £195 million of funding to help sport and physical activity organisations deal with the short and long term effects of the pandemic.

The England and Wales Cricket Board is fully engaged with the process and is ensuring that the sport as a whole is aware of the assistance available and how to access support. It is a matter for individual clubs to pursue the support appropriate for their situation.

We know this is a challenging period for all sports and we continue to work closely with the whole sector to understand the issues they face and how we can best support them through this difficult time.

Football clubs form an integral part of this country and it is important they are given as much support as possible during these difficult times.

In light of this, the Government announced a comprehensive and sizable package of direct fiscal support for business through tax reliefs, cash grants and employee wage support.

It is also vital that the football community comes together at this time, and I welcomed the Premier League announcement to advance funds of £125 million to the EFL and National League to help clubs throughout the football pyramid. The EFL has also announced a £50m relief fund to help their clubs enduring immediate cash flow problems because of the coronavirus crisis.

The Government will continue to liaise closely with all the football authorities to further understand the difficulties clubs are experiencing.

Tackling the covid-19 outbreak is the Government’s top priority, and unfortunately the actions taken to do so have meant that sports events have had to be postponed or cancelled. We are in regular contact with the sport sector - including football clubs - on the financial consequences of this for organisations.

The Government has announced a comprehensive and sizable package of direct fiscal support for business through tax reliefs, cash grants and employee wage support.

It is also vital that the football community comes together at this time, and I welcomed the Premier League announcement to advance funds of £125 million to the EFL and National League to help clubs throughout the football pyramid.

We recognise the impact that covid-19 is having on the sport sector, and we are continuing to engage with sporting organisations to understand how it is affecting them and provide support.

The Chancellor has already announced a host of measures to help businesses, with £330 billion worth of government backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses across the UK. In addition, our national sports council, Sport England, has also announced £195 million of funding to help sport and physical activity organisations deal with the short and long term effects of the pandemic.

The National Careers Service provides free, up to date impartial information, advice and guidance on careers, skills and the labour market in England. The service is delivered by 765 careers advisers working in the community and supporting telephone and webchat channels. The service is available to young people and adults through the website and telephone helpline. Adults can also access face-to-face guidance through the local community-based service.

There are 121 full time equivalent professionally qualified careers advisers who are dedicated to work on the National Careers Service locally delivered telephone channel. These advisers primarily provide the service via telephone, but may also work in the community and support live webchat. The average length of telephone calls is shown below, split between Information and Advice calls (IA) and Information, Advice and Guidance calls (IAG):

• April 2023: IA Only Average Duration 00:09:33 and Full IAG Average Duration 00:38:53
• May 2023: IA Only Average Duration 00:08:57 and Full IAG Average Duration 00:44:25

Sources:

• Numbers of full-time equivalent careers advisers are taken from the internal workforce development survey which was carried out in March 2023.
• Timings of calls are taken from internal reports submitted from our prime contractors. They use the reporting database held by Inform Communications, the provider hosting the telephone channel, to extract this information.

The National Careers Service provides free, up to date impartial information, advice and guidance on careers, skills and the labour market in England. The service is delivered by 765 careers advisers working in the community and supporting telephone and webchat channels. The service is available to young people and adults through the website and telephone helpline. Adults can also access face-to-face guidance through the local community-based service.

There are 121 full time equivalent professionally qualified careers advisers who are dedicated to work on the National Careers Service locally delivered telephone channel. These advisers primarily provide the service via telephone, but may also work in the community and support live webchat. The average length of telephone calls is shown below, split between Information and Advice calls (IA) and Information, Advice and Guidance calls (IAG):

• April 2023: IA Only Average Duration 00:09:33 and Full IAG Average Duration 00:38:53
• May 2023: IA Only Average Duration 00:08:57 and Full IAG Average Duration 00:44:25

Sources:

• Numbers of full-time equivalent careers advisers are taken from the internal workforce development survey which was carried out in March 2023.
• Timings of calls are taken from internal reports submitted from our prime contractors. They use the reporting database held by Inform Communications, the provider hosting the telephone channel, to extract this information.

The government is investing over £87 million in 2023/24 in high-quality careers provision for all ages. This includes a grant of up to £29.7 million for The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) to support secondary schools and colleges to improve their careers programmes in line with the government’s careers framework, the Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance.

The vast majority of secondary schools and colleges are now voluntarily working with the CEC through accessing training for Careers Leaders, joining a Careers Hub, partnering with an Enterprise Adviser (business volunteer) and using Compass/Compass+ digital tools.

Over 90% (4,568) of schools and colleges in England are now part of a Careers Hub, benefiting 2.3 million students. 70% (3,520) are partnered with an Enterprise Adviser to support the development of career strategies and employer engagement plans.

The department is ensuring parity of esteem for technical and academic options. We strengthened the provider access legislation which came into force in January 2023 and specifies that schools must provide at least six opportunities for providers of technical education and apprenticeships to speak to all pupils, during school years 8 to 13.

The department is also putting £3.2 million into the Apprenticeship, Support and Knowledge programme which supports students in years 10 to 13 in schools and colleges, along with their parents/carers and teachers to understand and apply for apprenticeships, T Levels and traineeships.

The department’s approach is working with evidence pointing to improved outcomes for young people. Evidence from three cohorts of year 11 leavers (2016/17 – 2018/19) suggests that each of the eight Gatsby Benchmarks achieved reduces the likelihood of any young person being not in education, employment or training, or in an unknown destination by 1.1%. The relationship is twice as strong in the quarter of schools with the most economically disadvantaged intake, as measured by free school meal entitlement.

Career readiness grows as young people move through secondary school. In 2021/22, a CEC survey of 34,986 young people shows their career readiness improves as they progress through school, rising from 45% in year 7 to 67% in year 11 and 74% in year 13.

The department has an ambitious skills agenda, backed by £3.8 billion of investment. The department is using this to build a skills system that is employer focused, high quality, and fit for the future.

Our skills reforms provide a ladder of opportunity that enables young people and adults to attain good jobs and progress in their careers. This begins with the opportunities and social justice needed to access excellent education and skills training. This will help more people to achieve secure, sustained, and well-paid employment and provide opportunities for individuals to progress in their careers.

The department funds a range of programmes and services which help learners develop the skills that employers want, including:

• Skills Bootcamps: These are designed to support local regions and employers to fill in-demand vacancies and increase the skills set and opportunities open to adults. They have the potential to transform the skills landscape for adults and employers through upskilling adults with training that meets key sectoral skills gaps.
• Apprenticeships: Apprenticeship standards are developed by employers to address their sector skills needs. The knowledge, skills and behaviours in the standard describe the full competence required in the occupation and are developed to be transferable to a range of employers across the sector. The End Point Assessment also ensures that people completing apprenticeships are occupationally competent.
• Returnerships: In the Spring Budget 2023, the government announced Returnerships, which will provide a clear route back into work and encourage employers to hire older workers through raising awareness of three different pathways: Apprenticeships, Skills Bootcamps and Sector-Based Work Academies Programmes.
• Department for Work and Pension’s (DWP) sector-based work academy programme (SWAPs). Developed by Jobcentres in partnership with employers and training providers, SWAPs offer training, work experience and a guaranteed interview to fill jobs. SWAPs allow people to learn the skills and behaviours that employers in particular industries look for, with individual placements lasting up to six weeks.
• Careers guidance: The government expects all secondary schools to use the eight Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance to develop and improve their careers provision for young people, including providing them with encounters with employers and the world of work. The Careers & Enterprise Company supports schools and colleges to meet the Gatsby Benchmarks, including connecting them with employers and increasing young people’s awareness of the different pathways available and the types of skills employers are looking for. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gatsby.org.uk/education/focus-areas/good-career-guidance.
• Skills Taxonomy: The Unit for Future Skills has begun developing a UK-specific skills taxonomy that will provide a common language for skills and mappings between skills, qualifications, and occupations. The first part of the project will focus on developing a methodology for the taxonomy, and will involve engaging with potential users, to ensure the final product provides value across the skills system. It is during this phase of work that the scope of the taxonomy will be determined, including how the different types of skills (such as essential and technical) will be covered. Officials in the department have recently met with the Skills Builder Partnership to discuss this work. We are currently considering options for how the Skills Builder Universal Framework for Essential Skills, alongside other work in this area, might inform or be incorporated into our skills taxonomy.

The department has an ambitious skills agenda, backed by £3.8 billion of investment. The department is using this to build a skills system that is employer focused, high quality, and fit for the future.

Our skills reforms provide a ladder of opportunity that enables young people and adults to attain good jobs and progress in their careers. This begins with the opportunities and social justice needed to access excellent education and skills training. This will help more people to achieve secure, sustained, and well-paid employment and provide opportunities for individuals to progress in their careers.

The department funds a range of programmes and services which help learners develop the skills that employers want, including:

• Skills Bootcamps: These are designed to support local regions and employers to fill in-demand vacancies and increase the skills set and opportunities open to adults. They have the potential to transform the skills landscape for adults and employers through upskilling adults with training that meets key sectoral skills gaps.
• Apprenticeships: Apprenticeship standards are developed by employers to address their sector skills needs. The knowledge, skills and behaviours in the standard describe the full competence required in the occupation and are developed to be transferable to a range of employers across the sector. The End Point Assessment also ensures that people completing apprenticeships are occupationally competent.
• Returnerships: In the Spring Budget 2023, the government announced Returnerships, which will provide a clear route back into work and encourage employers to hire older workers through raising awareness of three different pathways: Apprenticeships, Skills Bootcamps and Sector-Based Work Academies Programmes.
• Department for Work and Pension’s (DWP) sector-based work academy programme (SWAPs). Developed by Jobcentres in partnership with employers and training providers, SWAPs offer training, work experience and a guaranteed interview to fill jobs. SWAPs allow people to learn the skills and behaviours that employers in particular industries look for, with individual placements lasting up to six weeks.
• Careers guidance: The government expects all secondary schools to use the eight Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance to develop and improve their careers provision for young people, including providing them with encounters with employers and the world of work. The Careers & Enterprise Company supports schools and colleges to meet the Gatsby Benchmarks, including connecting them with employers and increasing young people’s awareness of the different pathways available and the types of skills employers are looking for. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gatsby.org.uk/education/focus-areas/good-career-guidance.
• Skills Taxonomy: The Unit for Future Skills has begun developing a UK-specific skills taxonomy that will provide a common language for skills and mappings between skills, qualifications, and occupations. The first part of the project will focus on developing a methodology for the taxonomy, and will involve engaging with potential users, to ensure the final product provides value across the skills system. It is during this phase of work that the scope of the taxonomy will be determined, including how the different types of skills (such as essential and technical) will be covered. Officials in the department have recently met with the Skills Builder Partnership to discuss this work. We are currently considering options for how the Skills Builder Universal Framework for Essential Skills, alongside other work in this area, might inform or be incorporated into our skills taxonomy.

The department has an ambitious skills agenda, backed by £3.8 billion of investment. The department is using this to build a skills system that is employer focused, high quality, and fit for the future.

Our skills reforms provide a ladder of opportunity that enables young people and adults to attain good jobs and progress in their careers. This begins with the opportunities and social justice needed to access excellent education and skills training. This will help more people to achieve secure, sustained, and well-paid employment and provide opportunities for individuals to progress in their careers.

The department funds a range of programmes and services which help learners develop the skills that employers want, including:

• Skills Bootcamps: These are designed to support local regions and employers to fill in-demand vacancies and increase the skills set and opportunities open to adults. They have the potential to transform the skills landscape for adults and employers through upskilling adults with training that meets key sectoral skills gaps.
• Apprenticeships: Apprenticeship standards are developed by employers to address their sector skills needs. The knowledge, skills and behaviours in the standard describe the full competence required in the occupation and are developed to be transferable to a range of employers across the sector. The End Point Assessment also ensures that people completing apprenticeships are occupationally competent.
• Returnerships: In the Spring Budget 2023, the government announced Returnerships, which will provide a clear route back into work and encourage employers to hire older workers through raising awareness of three different pathways: Apprenticeships, Skills Bootcamps and Sector-Based Work Academies Programmes.
• Department for Work and Pension’s (DWP) sector-based work academy programme (SWAPs). Developed by Jobcentres in partnership with employers and training providers, SWAPs offer training, work experience and a guaranteed interview to fill jobs. SWAPs allow people to learn the skills and behaviours that employers in particular industries look for, with individual placements lasting up to six weeks.
• Careers guidance: The government expects all secondary schools to use the eight Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance to develop and improve their careers provision for young people, including providing them with encounters with employers and the world of work. The Careers & Enterprise Company supports schools and colleges to meet the Gatsby Benchmarks, including connecting them with employers and increasing young people’s awareness of the different pathways available and the types of skills employers are looking for. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gatsby.org.uk/education/focus-areas/good-career-guidance.
• Skills Taxonomy: The Unit for Future Skills has begun developing a UK-specific skills taxonomy that will provide a common language for skills and mappings between skills, qualifications, and occupations. The first part of the project will focus on developing a methodology for the taxonomy, and will involve engaging with potential users, to ensure the final product provides value across the skills system. It is during this phase of work that the scope of the taxonomy will be determined, including how the different types of skills (such as essential and technical) will be covered. Officials in the department have recently met with the Skills Builder Partnership to discuss this work. We are currently considering options for how the Skills Builder Universal Framework for Essential Skills, alongside other work in this area, might inform or be incorporated into our skills taxonomy.

The department has an ambitious skills agenda, backed by £3.8 billion of investment. The department is using this to build a skills system that is employer focused, high quality, and fit for the future.

Our skills reforms provide a ladder of opportunity that enables young people and adults to attain good jobs and progress in their careers. This begins with the opportunities and social justice needed to access excellent education and skills training. This will help more people to achieve secure, sustained, and well-paid employment and provide opportunities for individuals to progress in their careers.

The department funds a range of programmes and services which help learners develop the skills that employers want, including:

• Skills Bootcamps: These are designed to support local regions and employers to fill in-demand vacancies and increase the skills set and opportunities open to adults. They have the potential to transform the skills landscape for adults and employers through upskilling adults with training that meets key sectoral skills gaps.
• Apprenticeships: Apprenticeship standards are developed by employers to address their sector skills needs. The knowledge, skills and behaviours in the standard describe the full competence required in the occupation and are developed to be transferable to a range of employers across the sector. The End Point Assessment also ensures that people completing apprenticeships are occupationally competent.
• Returnerships: In the Spring Budget 2023, the government announced Returnerships, which will provide a clear route back into work and encourage employers to hire older workers through raising awareness of three different pathways: Apprenticeships, Skills Bootcamps and Sector-Based Work Academies Programmes.
• Department for Work and Pension’s (DWP) sector-based work academy programme (SWAPs). Developed by Jobcentres in partnership with employers and training providers, SWAPs offer training, work experience and a guaranteed interview to fill jobs. SWAPs allow people to learn the skills and behaviours that employers in particular industries look for, with individual placements lasting up to six weeks.
• Careers guidance: The government expects all secondary schools to use the eight Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance to develop and improve their careers provision for young people, including providing them with encounters with employers and the world of work. The Careers & Enterprise Company supports schools and colleges to meet the Gatsby Benchmarks, including connecting them with employers and increasing young people’s awareness of the different pathways available and the types of skills employers are looking for. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gatsby.org.uk/education/focus-areas/good-career-guidance.
• Skills Taxonomy: The Unit for Future Skills has begun developing a UK-specific skills taxonomy that will provide a common language for skills and mappings between skills, qualifications, and occupations. The first part of the project will focus on developing a methodology for the taxonomy, and will involve engaging with potential users, to ensure the final product provides value across the skills system. It is during this phase of work that the scope of the taxonomy will be determined, including how the different types of skills (such as essential and technical) will be covered. Officials in the department have recently met with the Skills Builder Partnership to discuss this work. We are currently considering options for how the Skills Builder Universal Framework for Essential Skills, alongside other work in this area, might inform or be incorporated into our skills taxonomy.

As part of education recovery and in response to the needs of the workforce following the COVID-19 pandemic, the department is investing up to £180 million in the early years sector. This will build a stronger workforce and enable providers to deliver high-quality teaching and help address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the youngest children, particularly those in the most disadvantaged areas.

The workforce investment includes two further phases of the early years professional development programme, building on an initial £20 million programme. This high quality, evidence-based programme is targeted at practitioners in disadvantaged areas. It will provide targeted support to early years staff in communication and language, maths, and personal, social, and emotional development.

In response to feedback from the sector, the department is supporting up to 5,000 early years staff and childminders to become qualified Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCo).

The department is also developing new early years training routes. Employer trailblazer groups have developed level 2 and 3 apprenticeships, and, in August 2021, the department launched a level 5 apprenticeship. From April 2021, free level 3 early years qualifications became available through the Lifetime Skills Guarantee.

The latest figures from the department’s education 'Providers’ finances: survey of childcare and early years providers', collected in 2021, show that 22% of staff aged 23 and over working in a private or voluntary setting, nursery class or maintained nursery school were paid at or below the statutory minimum of the National Living Wage, the survey can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/providers-finances-survey-of-childcare-and-ey-providers-2021.

At the time of the survey, the rate for both the National Living Wage (for those aged 23 and over) and for the National Minimum wage (for those of at least school leaving age) was £8.72 until April 2021 and £8.91 from April 2021.

Some 65% of childminders were paid below these rates. However, as childminders are self-employed, the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage do not apply.

The government is consulting on moving to the Scottish ratios for two-year-olds, from a ratio of one-to-four (one adult to four children) to one-to-five (one adult to five children). The government is also considering how we can provide greater flexibility within ratios for childminders.

Alongside this consultation, the department is running a bespoke survey of early years providers to help us understand how the proposed changes to staff to child ratios in early years settings might affect provision, including their intention to adopt any changes. The results of this survey will be published.

Our priority continues to be to provide safe, high quality early years provision for our youngest children. Throughout this consultation process we are engaging fully with the sector and parents and carers.

The department does not hold the average proportion of household income that families spent on childcare in each region of the UK and, therefore, cannot provide an estimate for this question.

The 2022 Coram Family and Childcare Survey outlines the average prices of childcare in Great Britain and does contain a regional breakdown. This information is available here: https://www.coram.org.uk/sites/default/files/resource_files/Coram%20Childcare%20Survey%20-%202022.pdf

The 2019 childcare and early years survey of parents provided some details around the average weekly costs of childcare in each region. This information is available on GOV.UK here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents-2019.

The table below splits out the mean and median family-level weekly payment for childcare by region. These payments are for families with a child aged 0 to 4, who paid a childcare provider (or providers) in a specific week for their children aged 0 to 14.

The survey also showed that the overall median weekly amount paid by families to childcare providers (including both formal and informal providers) was £45.00.

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

According to survey estimates, the mean hourly pay (calculated as gross weekly earnings divided by contracted weekly work hours) for people working in the early years sector in 2021 was as follows, by provider type:

Source: Table 12, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/providers-finances-survey-of-childcare-and-ey-providers-2021.

The government has spent over £3.5 billion in each of the past three years on the early education entitlements and continues to help families with their childcare bills through Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit.

On 4 July 2022, the department also announced further measures to increase take-up of childcare support and reduce the costs and bureaucracy facing providers. These reforms will help address the costs of childcare for thousands of working parents through a renewed drive to ensure parents access the support they are entitled to, ensuring government regulation is proportionate and providing greater flexibility for providers to be responsive to changing needs.

The government recognises the pressure on families relating to the cost of living and has announced £37 billion of support targeted at those most in need.

In March 2022, the department surveyed teachers and school leaders in the School and College Panel. The results of this survey revealed that 65% of primary schools that responded offered after-school childcare. When weighted to be nationally representative, this translates to around 11,000 primary schools.

The results of the survey are available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1087043/School_and_college_panel_March_2022_Report.pdf.

The department does not have an estimate of the total number of schools which provide a breakfast club. The ‘School and College Panel – March 2022 wave’ research report, published in June 2022, reported that 75% of schools ran breakfast club provision for pupils. The report is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1087043/School_and_college_panel_March_2022_Report.pdf.

The department has invested more than £3.5 billion in each of the last three years to deliver our early education entitlements.

The information requested is not held by the department but has been published previously by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in its Education at a Glance 2021 report.

The OECD publishes data on expenditure for Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP). This shows that the UK spent 0.3% of GDP on pre-primary education and care (ISCED 02)[1], compared to the OECD average of 0.6%. The differences on expenditure are largely explained by enrolment rates, legal entitlements, and the intensity of participation, as well as the different starting ages for primary education. The UK has one of the earliest primary school starting ages in the OECD, with most children starting at age 4. Therefore, the window for pre-primary education and spend is smaller than in many other OECD countries. This information is available at: https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/financing-of-early-childhood-education-and-care-isced-0-and-change-in-expenditure-2018_b62e6aba-en.

[1] ISCED 02 refers to the UNESCO pre-primary education term. A full definition is available at: http://uis.unesco.org/node/3674229.

According to data from the 2021 Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents, 21% of families with children aged 0 to 4 used grandparents to help provide childcare for their children.

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

In January and February 2021, reported to date, there have been 49,550 apprenticeship starts in England. The attached table contains breakdowns of these 49,550 starts by sector subject area and level.

The last publication of apprenticeship starts by region covers August 2020 to January 2021, reported to date, and can be found in the 'Geographical breakdowns' section of the 'Apprenticeships and traineeships' release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships-and-traineeships/2020-21.

The next update of apprenticeship starts by region will be published in July 2021.

In January and February 2021, reported to date, there have been 49,550 apprenticeship starts in England. The attached table contains breakdowns of these 49,550 starts by sector subject area and level.

The last publication of apprenticeship starts by region covers August 2020 to January 2021, reported to date, and can be found in the 'Geographical breakdowns' section of the 'Apprenticeships and traineeships' release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships-and-traineeships/2020-21.

The next update of apprenticeship starts by region will be published in July 2021.

Pupil counts by year group are published in the annual “Schools, pupils and their characteristics” statistical release. This includes pupils who are coming to the end of their secondary education in Year 11 and those in Years 12 to 14 in school sixth forms. Data relating to the 2020/21 academic year will be published in June 2021 at the following link: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes data on students enrolled in higher education (HE) in the UK.

The latest statistics on students graduating from HE refer to the academic year 2019/20. They are available in Figure 15 (https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/sb258/figure-15) of the HESA publication ‘Higher Education Statistics: UK’: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/news/27-01-2021/sb258-higher-education-student-statistics.

Statistics about students obtaining qualifications in the 2020/21 academic year will be published by the HESA in January 2022. The department does not hold an estimate of how many students are expected to graduate.

Apprenticeships will be more important than ever in helping businesses to recruit the right people and develop the skills they need to recover and grow. To help employers offer new apprenticeships, they are now able to claim £2,000 for every new apprentice they hire under the age of 25, in recognition of the particular impacts of COVID-19 on the employment prospects of this group, and £1,500 for new apprentices aged 25 and over. These incentive payments were announced as part of the government’s Plan for Jobs in July 2020 and the extension of the scheme (to the end of March 2021) was announced in the November Spending Review. Employers have been able to register to claim the incentive since 1 September 2020.

It is encouraging that employers continue to see the value apprentices can bring to their businesses; as of 1 December 2020 employers had so far claimed incentive payments for 11,520 apprentices. We do not hold figures for incentive payments by industry sector.

Updated figures will be published in the ‘Apprenticeships and traineeships: January 2021’ statistics publication on 28 January 2021, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/apprenticeships-and-traineeships-january-2021.

We are supporting the largest-ever expansion of traineeships, providing an additional 30,000 places in 2020/21 academic year, to ensure that more young people have access to high-quality training. To encourage this, we have introduced £1000 incentive payments for employers who offer traineeship work placement opportunities between 1 September 2020 and 31 July 2021. The new incentive payment will enable employers to apply for £1000 per learner, for up to 10 learners per region, in each of the 9 regions of England.

From 27 January, employers can register to claim this incentive payment and as such, we do not yet have data on the take-up of incentive payments. Employers will be able to claim the incentive payment for all completed traineeship work experience placements that take place between the 1 September 2020 and 31 July 2021 even if the traineeship started before the 1 September 2020. We will monitor the take-up of the new payments and will assess their impact on traineeships starts to ensure traineeships continue to provide the extra support required by young people for them to progress into work or onto an apprenticeship.

The continuing provision of free school meals to children from out of work families or those on low incomes is of the utmost importance to this government. Guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance-for-schools.

The department does not hold a contract with any provider to provide free school meals of lunch parcels to children. School catering contracts are agreed locally, and are held at school, academy trust, or local authority level. We have guidance in place allowing schools to decide the best approach for supporting free school meal pupils who are at home. This can be through lunch parcels, local vouchers or the national voucher scheme which was available from Monday.

The images circulating of poor-quality food parcels are unacceptable. On 13 January 2021, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, met with Chartwell’s and other leading school food suppliers and caterers to insist on urgent action to make sure lunch parcels meet the standards we expect. We are grateful to those firms who are working hard with schools to provide nutritious, balanced lunches for children.

If a parent is concerned about the standards of their lunch parcel, they should speak directly with their school. If a parent cannot resolve their concern through their school, they can contact the department. The department will make contact with suppliers where concerns are escalated, to ensure they are following the good practice guidance we have set out. We will also alert the school to confirm appropriate contract management arrangements are in place, so that immediate improvements are made.

The most recent statistics on apprenticeship starts by industry sector cover the academic years 2012/13 to 2018/19 and are published on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/apprenticeships-in-england-by-industry-characteristics

The following table shows the number of apprenticeship starts in the manufacturing industry in England between academic years 2012/13 and 2018/19.

Data previous to 2012/13 is unavailable and data for 2019/20 will be published in February 2021.

The department does not hold information on the income backgrounds of apprentices.

We publish breakdowns of apprenticeship starts by learner age:

• 2017/18 to 2019/20: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships-and-traineeships.
• 2010/11 to 2018/19: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/848350/Further-education-and-skills-November-2019-main-tables-final.xlsx.

We also publish breakdowns of apprenticeship starts by Indices of Multiple Deprivation of the learner’s home postcode from 2014/15 onwards: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships-and-traineeships.

We are not asking schools to open over the summer holidays. Teachers, support staff and head teachers deserve a break, to recharge and rest.

We are aware that some headteachers may be considering using their catch-up premium to provide summer school activities for their pupils. Where this is the case, they have the flexibility, discretion and autonomy to decide how they want to do this. To support schools in planning how to use the catch-up premium, the Education Endowment Foundation has produced a guide which includes advice on summer schools and contains a link to a Teach First toolkit specifically focused on summer schools, for schools that choose to do this.

Holiday clubs and out-of-school clubs for children will also be able to restart over the summer, with safety measures in place. These clubs will be part of Step 3 of the recovery strategy (from 4 July). We have published guidance for the sector on how to implement the protective measures necessary to open safely:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/protective-measures-for-out-of-school-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

Avanti West Coast has reported a total of 459 full cancelations compared to 11,325 planned services since 1 January 2023 attributed to staff shortages.

This information is publicly available through The Office of Rail and Road's data portal. It can be found at the following link:

https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/performance/passenger-rail-performance/.

The changes to The Highway Code aim to improve safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders.

The percentage of road users reporting to know either a little or a lot about the Highway Code changes increased from 36% in January 2022 to 58% in August 2022, with 83% of road users having heard of the changes by August.

There are no plans to increase the frequency of publication at this stage, though this will be reviewed based on any feedback from users of the statistics in future, in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics.

On 11 December Avanti West Coast (AWC) implemented major changes to its timetable, increasing services from four trains per hour to seven trains per hour, which is expected to lead to an improvement in reliability. The delivery of the new timetable has been restricted by strike action and, on non-strike days, bad weather and engineering works, which has meant that passengers are yet to see a sustained improvement.

The Department will review AWC’s operational performance over the term of the Emergency Measures contract as one of the important factors when considering the contractual arrangements for train services on the West Coast Main Line beyond 1 April 2023, recognising that not all factors are within AWC’s control. Whether there has been stable industrial relations and cooperation from Trade Unions will be taken into consideration.

The Government recognises the vital role public transport plays in getting people to and from work at all times of the day and night. The National Bus Strategy published last year, recognises the important role buses play in meeting local transport needs. The Strategy is clear that Partnership and franchising arrangements must deliver more comprehensive services, including those which are socially or economically necessary. This includes more services in the evenings and at weekends.

We have been clear through the National Bus Strategy that partnerships and franchising arrangements must deliver more comprehensive services, including those which are socially or economically necessary. As part of the Strategy the Government plans to issue new guidance on ‘socially necessary’ services, expanding the category to include ‘economically necessary’ services such as those supporting the night time economy.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to answer 95 per cent of hon. Members correspondence within eight working days. The impact of the pandemic and industrial action taken by the Public and Commercial Services union last year has resulted in delays in processing applications and a subsequent increase in correspondence. Correspondence relating to vehicle or enforcements work are all currently being answered within the timescale. Correspondence relating to drivers or drivers’ medical concerns are outside this target. For example in February 2022, the DVLA answered over 80 per cent of hon. Members correspondence in 20 working days.

The DVLA has allocated extra resource to the teams that deal with these enquiries and this is showing an improving picture. The DVLA also offers hon. Members a dedicated phone line for their use.

The quickest and easiest way to make an application to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is to use its extensive suite of online services. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their documents within a few days.

However, many people still choose or have to make a paper application and the DVLA receives around 60,000 items of mail every day. The DVLA has been working with a significantly reduced number of staff on site to ensure social distancing in line with Welsh Government requirements. Industrial action between April and the end of August by members of the Public and Commercial Services union and the current increased demand for the DVLA’s services has also contributed to delays with paper applications.

To help reduce waiting times for paper applications, the DVLA has introduced additional online services, recruited more staff, increased overtime working and has secured extra office space in Swansea and Birmingham. The DVLA has reconfigured its accommodation to safely maximise the number of staff on site and is working hard to process paper applications as quickly as possible. The latest information on turnaround times for paper driving licence applications can be found here.

These measures are having a positive impact. The queues are reducing, and customers will continue to see an improving picture in terms of turnaround times.

Contracted Employment is provided from 2017/18 to 2022/23:

The total includes estimated non-recurrent set up costs of approximately £3m.

The Trailblazer deals were developed alongside the combined authorities to help address local priorities.

Full details of the WMCA deal can be found here: West Midlands Combined Authority: “Trailblazer” deeper devolution deal - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Trailblazer deals present a genuinely new and different way of approaching employment support. Therefore, we have agreed the impacts and outcomes of the trailblazer approach will be evaluated.

Full details of the WMCA deal can be found here: West Midlands Combined Authority: “Trailblazer” deeper devolution deal - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Employment Data Lab is an external-facing service designed to evaluate employment support provided by external organisations and to share the findings publicly. The service does not evaluate jobcentres or the Department’s employment services and DWP’s wider approach to evaluation is set out in its Evaluation Strategy published on gov.uk (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-evaluation-strategy/dwp-evaluation-strategy). Further information can be found on the Employment Data Lab webpages on gov.uk (www.gov.uk/government/collections/employment-data-lab).

The Employment Data Lab is an external-facing service designed to evaluate employment support provided by external organisations. DWP would not be directly involved in funding decisions for these programmes.

The Department for Work and Pensions has agreed a deepened devolution deal with West Midlands Combined Authority and full details of the deal can be found here: West Midlands Combined Authority:“Trailblazer” deeper devolution deal - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The details of any data sharing requirements of labour market and skills programmes in the Trailblazer deals will be determined throughout the design process and will follow the usual processes. The DWP Employment Data Lab is a service aimed at organisations that are external to DWP and who work with people to help them into employment. For further information on the data lab, see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employment-data-lab-information-and-guidance/employment-data-lab-user-guide.

The next publication is planned for Winter 2023/24, subject to the outcome of quality assurance processes.

An alignment happens naturally within the working arrangements of the DWP and Local Authorities (LA). At present, the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and DWP align with 6 of the 7 LA’s within the Birmingham and Solihull and Black Country Districts.

Coventry, as part of Mercia District, is the 7^th LA. Whilst Mercia takes in the rural parts of the DWP West Midlands geography (Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin), Coventry is very much an integral part of the WMCA’s area and forms an important part of the wider and inclusive partnership working arrangements.

All parts of the WMCA fall within the wider DWP West Midlands Region and the accountability of the same Leadership Team.

DWP new entrant work coaches complete a comprehensive mandatory learning journey enabling them to treat each customer as an individual regardless of their circumstances.

The learning journey includes specific modules on claimant commitments and carers which provide the work coach with the knowledge and skills to tailor the commitment to individuals based on their needs.

We also provide work coaches with access to point of need learning about supporting lead carers, this can be accessed by both new and existing work coaches as and when they require additional support.

The department has no current plans to publish new guidance for Jobcentre work coaches on managing claimant commitments for lead carers of children aged between 3 and 12.

Source: Derived from the department’s Activity Based Model (ABM).

There is no formal methodology – each Written Parliamentary Question is judged on its own merits, including whether a response can reasonably be provided within the cost limit.

The department follows the guidance produced by the Cabinet Office in the following documents:

Guide to Parliamentary Work

2022-10-11 - Guide to Parliamentary Work (publishing.service.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab)

Guidance on drafting answers to Parliamentary Questions:

drafting-pq-responses.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

The Customer Satisfaction Measure (CSM) results of the Restart Scheme are not currently published; however, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) retains the right to do so in the future.

Department for Work and Pensions review the findings from the Restart Scheme customer satisfaction surveys quarterly and identify key themes or feedback and share these with providers, to improve performance.

If any specific issues are identified, DWP works with the relevant parties to address these at Contract Package Area or national level. Any participants with a health condition receive a tailored action plan which takes into consideration their individual needs. However, DWP has not received any feedback specific to this claimant group.

No formal assessment has been made of the impact of the Employment Data Lab service on the effectiveness of either jobcentres or existing employment services.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for getting people into work and making work pay.

We are driving forward significant recruitment to deliver on our Labour Market programmes to get more people off benefits and into work, which is fair stewardship of taxpayers money.

At Spring Budget, we introduced a range of measures providing extra support for people to move into work and progress into better-paid jobs, particularly disabled people and those with long-term health conditions, parents, over-50s, unemployed people and people on Universal Credit and working fewer than full-time hours. Along with increased employment support, this includes increased expectations for lead carers of children on Universal Credit, as well as increasing the AET.

We acknowledge the Youth Employment Group’s report calling for the Government to adopt a Young Person’s Guarantee and note the five recommended policy proposals.

The Government is committed to delivering targeted support for all young people, no matter what their start in life or the challenges they face, to give them the best chance of getting into work.

Within DWP, the Youth Offer provides individually tailored work coach support to young people aged 16-24 who are on the Universal Credit and searching for work. We have recently expanded Youth Offer support to enable more young people on Universal Credit to see a work coach in a Youth Hub or to benefit from the expertise of our Youth Employability Coaches.

By extending the Youth Offer to other Universal Credit claimants we are helping more young people not in education, employment or training who claim Universal Credit to access this essential support. Some Youth Hubs will also offer a drop-in facility where these young people who do not have a UC claim will be able to access support.

Lastly, we recognise that ensuring young people have the most appropriate support, education or training to enable them to enter sustained employment and progress in their careers requires a cross-government approach. In partnership with DfE and DCMS, we have established a new cross Government Forum on Youth Skills for Life and Work. The forum provides an opportunity for departments to identify and act on opportunities to work closer together on crosscutting youth issues and to equip young people with the skills for life and work that they will need to fulfil their potential and drive growth for the country.

We acknowledge the Youth Employment Group’s report calling for the Government to adopt a Young Person’s Guarantee and note the five recommended policy proposals.

The Government is committed to delivering targeted support for all young people, no matter what their start in life or the challenges they face, to give them the best chance of getting into work.

Within DWP, the Youth Offer provides individually tailored Work Coach support to young people aged 16-24 who are on the Universal Credit and searching for work. As published in PQ 202513, we have expanded Youth Offer support to enable more young people on Universal Credit to see a Work Coach in a Youth Hub or to benefit from the expertise of our Youth Employability Coaches.

By extending the Youth Offer to other Universal Credit claimants we are helping more young people not in education, employment or training who claim Universal Credit to access this essential support. Some Youth Hubs will also offer a drop-in facility where these young people who do not have a UC claim will be able to access support.

Lastly, we recognise that ensuring young people have the most appropriate support, education or training to enable them to enter sustained employment and progress in their careers requires a cross-government approach. In partnership with DfE and DCMS, we have established a new cross Government Forum on Youth Skills for Life and Work. The forum provides an opportunity for departments to identify and act on opportunities to work closer together on crosscutting youth issues and to equip young people with the skills for life and work that they will need to fulfil their potential and drive growth for the country.

We are fully committed to the delivery of Youth Hubs, which are an integral part of our wider DWP Youth Offer. Youth Hubs bring together Work Coach employment support and place-based services from local partnerships to help young people into work.

The Spring Budget 2023 committed to the extension of the Youth Offer until 2028, with funding beyond 2024/2025 to be determined by a future spending review. We published Youth Hub funding details in PQ 190112. Alongside this, we recently expanded eligibility for the Youth Offer allowing more young people on Universal Credit to see a Work Coach in a Youth Hub, receive intensive support at the start of their claim or to benefit from the expertise of our Youth Employability Coaches.

The Youth Offer, including Youth Hubs, is subject to a Process Evaluation. Early emerging findings are being shared internally and will inform any improvements or future changes to the Youth Offer policy. The process evaluation will continue until Spring 2024. We aim to publish the findings once complete.

All Employment Data Lab evaluations are published on gov.uk and so are available to all employment support providers and the public. There are currently no further plans to disseminate best practice.

There are no current plans to assess the potential impact of the Employment Data Lab service on the effectiveness of either jobcentres or existing employment services.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for getting people into work and making work pay.

A range of employment support is available to non-claimants, including Access to Work grants; Disability Confident, Intensive Personalised Employment Support; Work and Health Programme Pioneer; and the online information service – Support with Employee Health and Disability. The Government also works in partnership with health systems to deliver support including Employment Advisers in NHS Talking Therapies, and the Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) programme, delivered in health settings.

In addition, non-claimants are able to attend DWP jobs fairs, which connect jobseekers with employers. The enhanced digital Mid-life MOT is also open to everybody and easy to access.

The forecast spend for 2023/24 can be found in the 2023 Spring Budget publication.

Final spend for the year on measures funded at the Spring Statement will be reported in the Annual Report and Accounts.

The funding for 2023/24 and 2024/25 was confirmed at Spring Budget 2023. Spending beyond 2024/25 is subject to the outcomes of the next Spending Review. As such we have not made an estimate of how much and what proportion of the funding announced to increase Workforce Participation at the Spring Statement will be spent by the end of 2027/28.

The requested information is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The requested information is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The requested information is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) are set up in response to local job vacancies and labour-market demand. As such, SWAPs are generally marketed to employers through the Jobcentre Plus network. DWP’s National Employer and Partnership Team also regularly runs employer campaigns focused on different sectors to publicise SWAPs and the other support available to companies looking to recruit.

DWP also works directly with sector stakeholders to develop SWAP opportunities, such as the pilot launched in September, developed alongside UK Hospitality, to help potential employees gain a Hospitality Skills Passport. More widely, there is a guide to SWAPs on GOV.UK for employers, at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sector-based-work-academies-employer-guide.

We confirm that the 2023/24 for the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) budget has already been approved.

The Department regularly engages with individual employers and representative bodies and promotes its schemes. A summary of the help available is on gov.uk: Jobcentre Plus help for recruiters: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Employing people - Help to Grow.

Jobcentre Plus also engages directly with individual employers at national and local level to explain what services are available. Where schemes are delivered by third parties, they will have their own arrangements in place for promoting the help available to employers.

The Department regularly engages with individual employers and representative bodies and promotes its schemes. A summary of the help available is on gov.uk: Jobcentre Plus help for recruiters: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Employing people - Help to Grow.

Jobcentre Plus also engages directly with individual employers at national and local level to explain what services are available. Where schemes are delivered by third parties, they will have their own arrangements in place for promoting the help available to employers.

The average number of benefit claimants per Work Coach varies across our locations. In December 2019, the average number of claimants per Work Coach was 112 claimants. Whereas, in September 2023, the average number of claimants per Work Coach was 119 claimants.

The average number of benefit claimants per Work Coach varies across our locations. In December 2019, the average number of claimants per Work Coach was 112 claimants. Whereas, in September 2023, the average number of claimants per Work Coach was 119 claimants.

The Department for Work and Pensions engages with individual employers and representative bodies regularly in the development and promotion of its schemes. A summary of the help available for recruiters is published on Jobcentre Plus help for recruiters: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk), which includes information about the Work Trials Scheme. Jobcentre Plus also engages directly with individual employers at national and local level to explain what services are available.

The Department has also developed a range of leaflets, guides and videos to share with employers including the Jobcentre Plus support for employers quick guides, which include information on the Work Trials Scheme.

The total underspend Office of Nuclear Regulation reported for 2022-23 was £4.0m.

For now, the focus is on bringing together the information we hold about the Government estate into one place. This work is being coordinated by the Office for Government Property. Of the buildings where DWP has direct responsibility, two were found to have RAAC. One is being remedied but is currently unoccupied, one is being monitored annually as per the Institute of Structural Engineers guidance.

DWP also occupies several hundred buildings where it is the minor occupier or does not have responsibility for the fabric of the building however, we have pro-actively contacted these landlords.

One of these buildings has RAAC which is the landlord’s responsibility, and this is being managed by monitoring as per structural engineers’ guidance. The RAAC does not affect the part of the building that DWP occupies.

Universal Support is in the early stages of development. We have a commitment to transparency and are considering the information that will be published on Universal Support services.

The starting salary for an Executive Officer Work Coach would vary dependant on the location of their place of work. DWP has different pay scales that apply in different locations or pay zones.

For employees based within DWP’s National pay zone, the starting salary of an Executive officer Work Coach in December 2020 was £27,565, per annum full time equivalent.

For employees based within DWP’s Outer London pay zone, the starting salary of an Executive officer Work Coach in December 2020 was £29,285, per annum full time equivalent.

For employees based within DWP’s Inner London pay zone, the starting salary of an Executive officer Work Coach in December 2020 was £31,061, per annum full time equivalent.

New entrant work coaches into DWP undergo learning which starts with 59 hours of induction, onboarding and operational fundamental learning before moving into their official work coach specific technical learning.

In September 2020 the specific technical learning programme compromised 134 hours and 15 minutes of classroom learning, including Mental Health training. We provided an additional 112 hours and 30 minutes of supported consolidation of the learning in a live environment. In total this was 246 hours and 45 minutes.

New entrant work coaches into DWP undergo learning which starts with 59 hours of induction, onboarding and operational fundamental learning before moving into their official work coach specific technical learning.

Following transformation of our learning approach, the specific technical learning programme now compromises 94 hours and 15 minutes of classroom learning and includes 6 hours 45 minutes of Mental Health training. We provide an additional 45 hours of supported consolidation of the learning in a live environment. In total this is 139 hours and 15 minutes.

As part of our learning transformation, the initial technical learning programme is followed by bespoke individual learning paths. In partnership with their line manager an individual will continue to grow their skills and confidence through a variety of opportunities including self-serve and facilitator led refresher learning sessions.

The requirements any claimant is asked to meet will be clearly set out in their Claimant Commitment. All requirements are set in discussion with the claimant, tailored to their capability and circumstances, making them realistic and achievable.

For lead carers of children, individual circumstances are taken into account when tailoring work-related activity in the claimant commitment. This includes the age of the child, availability of childcare, any health conditions and travel time to and from work.

A part time carer on Universal Credit can receive individualised employment support through their Jobcentre Plus (JCP) work coach who can tailor work related requirements, such as searching for work, to fit their caring responsibilities.

For disabled claimants or claimants with health conditions who are required to look for and/or prepare for work, work coaches must consider the impact of the claimant’s health condition or disability and can limit the number of hours the claimant is required to be available for work, search for work and undertake other work-related requirements. Work coaches can also tailor type and location of work.

DWP records and archives covering the duration of training for a work coach are not held for 2015.

The requested information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Maintaining an effective Work Coach diary is a joint responsibility between a team leader and the Work Coach, and is reached collaboratively through regular discussion and agreement.

The duration of each appointment is determined by the appointment type, and the length of time the appointment is expected to take is recorded by our diary management tool. We do not hold information on the actual duration of an appointment, for example, whether the appointment was longer or shorter than the allocated time.

The Department explores Jobcentre operational views on site accessibility when reviewing the suitability of its existing Jobcentre sites in the context of considering network improvements. Good public transport links and accessibility also form part of our criteria when seeking new Jobcentre sites.

The Department is committed to reducing its Jobcentre estate back to pre-pandemic levels. Following any decision to close a temporary Jobcentre, local Jobcentre managers work closely with their teams to ensure that the workload is distributed appropriately, and our Work Coach caseloads continue to remain manageable.

The size of a Work Coach caseload will vary as it is dependent on several factors, including the level of customer support required, the needs of the local labour market and the experience and working pattern of each Work Coach.

The Department is committed to reducing its Jobcentre estate back to pre-pandemic levels by decommissioning Temporary Jobcentres (or the additional space in established Jobcentres) in a phased approach, where the increased capacity is no longer needed.

Phase 4 of this decommissioning was announced in a Written Statement on Wednesday 13 September. Subsequent phases of decommissioning will continue to follow throughout 2023 and 2024, including Temporary Jobcentres in the North West.

MPs will be contacted when a decision regarding the Jobcentre estate is made that could affect their constituents.

All Work Coaches deployed to a Temporary Jobcentre will return to an established local Jobcentre and there will be no reduction in the number of Work Coaches supporting customers as a result of the decommissioning of temporary sites.

The Department is committed to reducing its Jobcentre estate back to pre-pandemic levels by decommissioning Temporary Jobcentres (or the additional space in established Jobcentres) in a phased approach, where the increased capacity is no longer needed.

Phase 4 of this decommissioning was announced in a Written Statement on Wednesday 13 September. Subsequent phases of decommissioning will continue to follow throughout 2023 and 2024, including Temporary Jobcentres in the North West.

MPs will be contacted when a decision regarding the Jobcentre estate is made that could affect their constituents.

All Work Coaches deployed to a Temporary Jobcentre will return to an established local Jobcentre and there will be no reduction in the number of Work Coaches supporting customers as a result of the decommissioning of temporary sites.

We continually review our resourcing position and recruitment plans on a quarterly basis.

The number of work coaches being recruited through these plans is based on the absorption capacity into the business, ensuring recruits are effectively trained and supported through consolidation.

The number of work coaches being recruited is based on the absorption capacity into the business, ensuring recruits are effectively trained and supported through consolidation.

Yes, we are recruiting and training more work coaches.

We have no plans to undertake further research on sanctions.

Source: DWP’s internal Activity Based Model (ABM)

There are currently no plans to undertake further research.

The Claimant Commitment is agreed between the claimant and the Work Coach, and it is based on the claimant’s particular circumstances.

People are only sanctioned when they fail, without good reason, to meet the requirements set out in their Claimant Commitment.

Failure to attend or participate in a mandatory interview, as agreed in the Claimant Commitment, accounted for 98.5% of adverse decisions made between August 2021 and October 2022.

Monthly Universal Credit (full service) sanction rate statistics are published every three months. The latest statistics are available by age, from April 2019 to November 2022, on Stat-Xplore.

Total percentage of staff who took a leave of absence for reasons of mental ill health between 01/05/22 and 11/04/23 is 8.1%

Absence categories used

• Mental Health – Anxiety and Depression
• Mental Health – Other
• Stress

As part of the Government's trailblazer deeper devolution deal with West Midlands Combined Authority, the Department of Work and Pensions has committed to strengthened partnership working with new joint governance arrangements.

We have also committed to work together on the design of future contracted employment provision, including co-design and a delegated delivery model, aligned with the Combined Authority’s geographical footprint.

Full details of the West Midlands Combined Authority deal can be found here: West Midlands Combined Authority: West Midlands Combined Authority: “Trailblazer” deeper devolution deal - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

The trailblazer deals for Greater Manchester and West Midlands were developed alongside the combined authorities to help address local priorities, resulting in partly bespoke offers to each combined authority alongside joint commitments to both, aligned to the priorities of each area.

Full details of the WMCA deal can be found here: West Midlands Combined Authority: “Trailblazer” deeper devolution deal - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Department for Work and Pensions has agreed a deepened devolution deal with West Midlands Combined Authority and full details of the deal can be found here:

West Midlands Combined Authority: “Trailblazer” deeper devolution deal - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The details of any data sharing requirements of labour market and skills programmes in the Trailblazer deals will be determined throughout the design process and will follow the usual processes.

The Trailblazer deals do not set out a specific role for the National Audit Office in monitoring the employment support programmes.

There are 40,674 staff over the age of 50, this represents 47.5% of the total workforce.

The Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions was asked to lead work across Government to look in detail at the issue of participation in the labour market. As part of this work, the Department reviewed data to better understand the reasons behind economic inactivity. This included looking at students.

We have interpreted your question as being about the department’s ambition to access greater data from third parties to help tackle fraud and error.

Under current legislation, Authorised Officers from the DWP are able to obtain information from specified persons and organisations (this includes: banks, credit unions, friendly societies, industrial and provident societies) about their customers to help detect benefit fraud. Authorised Officers may use the powers when it is necessary and proportionate and in accordance with relevant legislation, to prevent, detect and secure evidence of benefit fraud.

The Government will legislate, when parliamentary time allows, for additional powers to require access to data from third parties, in particular banks, to enable the department to more proactively identify potential fraud, such as where claimants might have savings above the capital limit.

The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to setting Fraud and Error targets as set out in its response to the Treasury Minutes to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Twenty Sixth report of session 2022. This has a target implementation date of Summer 2023.

CP 781 – Treasury Minutes Government Response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Twenty-third to the Twenty-sixth reports from Session 2022-23 – January 2023 (publishing.service.gov.uk).

The Department has previously published evidence on the impact of Work Coach Support on Claimant outcomes including JSA Weekly Signing (2015) and the Intensive Activity Programme (2015) JSA Weekly Signing(opens in a new tab) (2015): Jobseeker’s Allowance signing trials (publishing.service.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab) Intensive Activity Programme(opens in a new tab) (2015): Intensive Activity Programme trial evaluation: evidence synthesis (publishing.service.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab).

There are 303 Case Managers (Advisors) in Access to Work (ATW), out of the 451 currently employed ATW colleagues.

The programme is delivered nationally, so covers all regions and colleagues are based across 5 sites:

• Barnsley;
• Bradford;
• Halifax;
• Harrow; and
• Salford.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to PQ 142681 on 24 February 2023.

The Spring Budget focused on the key groups considered in the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions review into workforce participation, including: disabled people and those with health conditions, the over-50s, parents and carers, people who are on UC and working fewer than full time hours.

The Spring Budget and Health and Disability White Paper set out a significant and wide-ranging package of measures designed to support people to enter work, increase their working hours and extend their working lives.

DWP Budget measures represent an investment of £3.5bn over 5 years to boost workforce participation.

The Employment Data Lab team consists of three analysts. There are no other ongoing costs associated with the Employment Data Lab.

The total number of colleagues employed by the department to process and support Access to Work applications is 451. A further 50 colleagues have been recruited and will join the team in March and April 2023.

By Autumn 2023, subject to complexity and the outcome of quality assurance processes.

a) Kickstart

Grants were awarded in response to the economy's demand for the creation of additional jobs. Almost immediately after Kickstart launched, the economic situation changed significantly, lowering immediate demand for the scheme.

The Department spend on Kickstart for 21/22 was £855.9m. Surplus funding of £96.9m was returned to HMT at year end. This is in line with the normal budgeting process.

The information not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

DWP’s flexible working policies are published on its internal Intranet for its employees, managers, and trade union representatives to use. There are currently no plans to publish them externally.

The recruitment of District Progression Leads is being completed in line with the roll out of the In Work Progression offer across the country. So far, 10 districts have gone live with the In Work Progression Voluntary offer and have a District Progression Lead in place and the remaining 27 districts will go live and recruit Progression Leads by the end of March 2023.

The Prime Minister has tasked the Secretary of State to look in detail at the issue of workforce participation, to identify and understand the barriers preventing people from joining the workforce or resulting in people leaving the workforce early.

The Department is working across government to identify and help address the causes of economic inactivity, building on the Government’s existing package of support to help people start, stay and succeed in work.

The Department has not commissioned forecasts of the number of future early retirees.

(a) 194 Temporary Jobcentre REEP (Rapid Estate Expansion Programme), 14 REEP sites are co-sited with permanent (established) Jobcentres.

(b) 639 Permanent (established) Jobcentres

Temporary Jobcentres: Regional level

Temporary Jobcentres: District level

Permanent (established) Jobcentres

The Prime Minister has tasked the Secretary of State to look in detail at the issue of workforce participation, to identify and understand the barriers preventing people from joining the workforce or resulting in people leaving the workforce early.

The Department is working across government to identify and help address the causes of economic inactivity, building on the Government’s existing package of support to help people start, stay and succeed in work.

The Prime Minister has tasked the Secretary of State to look in detail at the issue of workforce participation, to identify and understand the barriers preventing people from joining the workforce or resulting in people leaving the workforce early.

The Department is working across government to identify and help address the causes of economic inactivity, building on the Government’s existing package of support to help people start, stay and succeed in work.

The Prime Minister has tasked the Secretary of State to look in detail at the issue of workforce participation, to identify and understand the barriers preventing people from joining the workforce or resulting in people leaving the workforce early.

The Department is working across government to identify and help address the causes of economic inactivity, building on the Government’s existing package of support to help people start, stay and succeed in work.

The Department does not record and then collate the timing of every work coach’s interaction with every claimant. To do so would incur disproportionate cost.

The department does not account for Job Centre expenditure as a whole. Departmental Estates and IT costs are accounted for centrally and not charged to Job Centres. To provide it would incur disproportionate costs.

The cost of Work Coaches is provided below, where available;

Data for years prior to this is not available.

The Employment Data Lab have completed and published one evaluation to date. Two more evaluations are underway, and the team are actively engaged in on-going discussions with a further eight organisations regarding participation.

The £122m funding will enable the expansion of Employment Advisers in NHS Talking Therapies from the current 40% of England to the whole of England by Summer 2024. This joint programme by DWP, DHSC, and NHS England will see the recruitment of around an additional 700 employment advisers to support people with common mental health conditions to improve their mental health, whilst also helping them stay in, or find, work.

As the Employment Advisers programme is rolled out across England, we will be evaluating the impact on health and employment.

Evaluation of the trial of the service (across 40% of England) showed that Employment Advisers had a positive impact on mental health across all Talking Therapy client groups. Those who were out of work at entry to the service were 6 percentage points more likely to be in work at the end of treatment, compared to a matched comparison group which received IAPT support only.

As per the NAO report, the original estimated cost for Restart was £2.58bn, this has been revised to £1.68bn creating a £0.9m underspend.

The underspend is not expected to exceed £1.2bn. The original value of the contracts was £2.6bn. As explained in the accounting officer note in July 2022 and the NAO report, the lower numbers participating in the programme due to the better than anticipated labour market position means the spend is expected to be around £1.7bn – so the underspend is expected to be around £0.9bn. Payment is contingent on performance and that the Department retains options to refer more people and to extend the programme so we cannot yet confirm a final spend figure for the programme.

The department published statistics on the Restart Scheme on 15^th December 2022.

The review will identify and understand the barriers preventing people from joining the workforce and/or resulting in people leaving the workforce early. People with health conditions are a key focus of the review.

This review will build on the government’s existing package of support to help people with health conditions to start, stay and succeed in work.

The government is clear that increasing labour supply is a key priority.

The department is considering a wide range of factors in the review on workforce participation, we will build on the governments existing package of support to do this.

The review will identify and understand the barriers preventing people from joining the workforce and/or resulting in people leaving the workforce early. Early retirees are a key focus of the review.

This review will build on the government’s existing package of support to help older workers to start, stay and succeed in work.

The Prime Minister has tasked the Secretary of State to look in detail at the issue of workforce participation.

We will be looking to identify and understand the barriers preventing people from joining the workforce and/or resulting in people leaving the workforce early.

The work will focus on four cohorts: early retirees, those with a disability or health condition, unpaid carers, and students.

a) DWP are working with HMT to consider if there are potential links between pensions and economic activity.

b) DWP has worked with a range of government departments to understand the labour market impact of the furlough scheme. The available evidence on the labour impact of the furlough scheme will be reviewed where relevant to the four cohorts being focused on.