Andrew Gwynne

As outlined in my answer of 23 May 2022 to PQ 7958, Sir Lynton Crosby is not a Government Adviser; any assistance he may provide is in a party political capacity to the Conservative Party.

In relation to Government policy on tobacco control, I refer the Hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 9 June 2022, Official Report, HCWS87. In developing the new Tobacco Control Plan, I can confirm the Government will continue to follow WHO principles.

The Crown Prince and I discussed a wide range of matters. We regularly raise human rights issues with the Government of Bahrain and continue to engage with the Government of Bahrain to support its reform agenda.

Data on the number of staff across the Civil Service with epilepsy is not held centrally. The Annual Civil Service Employment Survey which is used to produce Civil Service Statistics, collects diversity information on Civil Servants including disability status but does not specify the type of disability.

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 11 January 2021 (HCWS692) made by my Hon Friend the Minister for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health. The Government will respond in full to the report later this year.

Throughout this crisis, the government has sought to protect people’s jobs and livelihoods while also supporting businesses and public services across the UK. We are aware of the challenges faced by the wholesale sector, and the foodservice wholesale sector in particular. Officials have been working closely with the wholesale sector to understand the scale of the challenge. The Government has made a range of support available to wholesalers, and continues to consider the needs of the sector.

Primary legislation states that the elections will go ahead in May 2021.

We continue to work closely with the electoral community, including electoral suppliers, and public health bodies to resolve challenges and ensure everyone will be able to cast their vote safely and securely - and in a way of their choosing.

Measures are planned to support absent voting at short notice. Guidance will be published in good time ahead of the polls and this matter will be kept under review. The House will be kept updated.

The Government has also engaged with the Parliamentary Parties Panel to ensure that views from political parties are taken on board.

For areas which move in future to a Tier 3 Level, we will work with local leaders to agree measures specific to that area’s situation.

The UK Government is of the view that it would not be appropriate to impose an all-postal vote for the local and mayoral elections in England, and the Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales, in May 2021. All-postal voting increases fraud risks, and removes choice from voters who wish to cast their vote in person.

Postal voting on demand already allows any registered elector to apply for a vote by post.

The Government is working with the electoral administrators and Public Health England to identify and resolve challenges involved in delivering the May 2021 elections, including ensuring polling stations are safe and covid-secure places to vote. People will be able participate in the polls safely, and in a way of their choice, whether by post, proxy or in-person.

This work is outlined in my recent letter to Electoral Returning Officers, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-from-chloe-smith-mp-to-returning-officers

I refer the Hon. member to the answer given to PQs 65138-65157 on 1 July 2020.

I refer the Hon. member to the answer given to PQs 57314, 57315, 57316 and 57317 on 15 June 2020.

As stated in 'Our Plan To Rebuild', the Government's COVID-19 Recovery Strategy, the Government is examining how to enable people to gather in slightly larger groups to better facilitate small weddings.

Ministerial responsibilities change for a variety of reasons, including following changes in appointments. Details of ministerial responsibilities can be found on the GOV.UK website.

Updates to the List of Ministerial Responsibilities document are made periodically to reflect the Government as it stands on the day of publication. An update will be published in due course.

Ministerial responsibilities change for a variety of reasons, including following changes in appointments. Details of ministerial responsibilities can be found on the GOV.UK website.

Updates to the List of Ministerial Responsibilities document are made periodically to reflect the Government as it stands on the day of publication. An update will be published in due course.

We do not cross-tabulate information relating to the year of graduation for candidates recommended for appointment. This could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The Civil Service does not have post-programme tracking by grade for completed Fast Streamers.

The next Civil Service Fast Stream Annual Report will be published in due course. This report will include indicators.

Further information can be found in previous reports.

We do not cross-tabulate information relating to the year of graduation for candidates recommended for appointment. This could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The Civil Service does not have post-programme tracking by grade for completed Fast Streamers.

The next Civil Service Fast Stream Annual Report will be published in due course. This report will include indicators.

Further information can be found in previous reports.

We do not cross-tabulate information relating to the year of graduation for candidates recommended for appointment. This could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The Civil Service does not have post-programme tracking by grade for completed Fast Streamers.

The next Civil Service Fast Stream Annual Report will be published in due course. This report will include indicators.

Further information can be found in previous reports.

We do not cross-tabulate information relating to the year of graduation for candidates recommended for appointment. This could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The Civil Service does not have post-programme tracking by grade for completed Fast Streamers.

The next Civil Service Fast Stream Annual Report will be published in due course. This report will include indicators.

Further information can be found in previous reports.

Further to my answer of 3rd March 2020 to PQ21909, the Government has no plans to introduce a specific publication target.

Ministerial responsibilities change for a variety of reasons, including following changes in appointments. An updated List of Ministerial Responsibilities will be published in due course.

The Government does not set targets for the publication of the list of Ministerial Responsibilities. However, details of Ministerial responsibilities can be found on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers).

The List of Ministerial Responsibilities document has been updated periodically to reflect the Government as it stood on the day of publication. The history of updates can be seen on the ‘Government Ministers and responsibilities’ page on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-ministers-and-responsibilities).

We have announced a package of support worth £9.1 billion, which will help over 28 million households. This includes a £150 Council Tax rebate for bands A-D, £144 million discretionary funding for local authorities and £200 energy bill reduction for every household.

Our Energy Price Cap remains in place, protecting millions of households from sudden price spikes. We are also supporting the most vulnerable and low-income households with the cost of fuel bills through initiatives such as the Warm Home Discount, Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments

The Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) is open to businesses requesting amounts of less than £50,000. The minimum facility size varies in the RLS, starting at £1,000 for asset and invoice finance, and £25,001 for term loans and overdrafts. As of 7 December 2021, the British Business Bank’s RLS portal showed that 29% of businesses had applied for a facility of less than £50,000. Note that the portal is continually updated and some lender data is still to be captured.

The Department is supporting the Government’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, as well as a range of research and innovation programmes to develop technologies that will have spill-over benefits in various markets, including the shipbuilding sector.

The Department is also supporting several green shipping projects, including hydrogen ferry trials in Orkney and a hydrogen refuelling port on Teesside,. Innovate UK is also facilitating the delivery of the Department for Transport’s £20 million Clean Maritime Demonstration Programme to bring forward green propulsion solutions for the maritime sector.

In addition, the Department is working closely with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to ensure that UK shipyards are aware of the organisation’s funded programmes and facilities, so that they have the opportunity to access these.

The Department has consulted on the reintroduction of a Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme as a potential contribution to a refreshed National Shipbuilding Strategy. The case for the scheme is under consideration at the current time and a final decision will be announced in due course.

The Government already offers a range of financial support instruments to businesses through the British Business Bank and through UK Export Finance.

The energy price cap will protect millions of domestic customers, including the residents of Denton and Reddish in the Northwest of England, this winter. The Government is also supporting low income and fuel poor households with their energy bills. The Warm Home Discount provides eligible households with a £140 rebate off their winter energy bills. The Winter Fuel and Cold Weather payments will help ensure those most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes over the colder months.

The Government recognise the impact rising energy price will have on businesses of all sizes. The Government and Ofgem, the independent regulator are in regular contact with business groups and energy suppliers to understand the challenges they face and explore ways to protect businesses.

A Government priority is the growth of offshore wind to 2030 and beyond. The Government is committed to supporting the development of floating offshore wind, as reflected in our ambitious target of 1GW of floating wind by 2030.

Floating offshore wind projects will be eligible to bid in the next Contract for Difference allocation round, which will open in December 2021. The Government recently announced a minimum allocation for floating offshore wind in this round. This approach will provide the foundation for investment in a sustainable, competitive UK based supply chain.

A Government priority is the growth of offshore wind to 2030 and beyond. The Government is committed to supporting the development of floating offshore wind, as reflected in our ambitious target of 1GW of floating wind by 2030.

Floating offshore wind projects will be eligible to bid in the next Contract for Difference allocation round, which will open in December 2021. The Government recently announced a minimum allocation for floating offshore wind in this round. This approach will provide the foundation for investment in a sustainable, competitive UK based supply chain.

Titan Electricity based in Birkenhead manufacture the geo-engine for extracting power from the heat in extracted natural gas. This low-carbon power can be used to separate carbon dioxide and other contaminants from the natural gas and return them underground for long term storage.

The geo-engine could help achieve the ambitious decarbonisation targets set in the North Sea Transition Deal for offshore gas published by BEIS in March. This commits the UK offshore oil and gas sector to a carbon dioxide production emission reduction of 10% in 2025, 25% in 2027, and 50% in 2030 compared to a 2018 baseline.

Geo-engine has benefited from innovation support in its development through UK Research and Innovation. For example, Innovate UK funded Croft Filters in conjunction with Titan Electricity to develop a gas filter which will withstand the extremely hostile conditions the geo-engine will operate within.

My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced an additional £425m will be made available via the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) meaning that more than £2bn has been made available to Local Authorities since November 2020.

Local Authorities are responsible for managing grants schemes locally and determining eligibility. Local Authorities can determine how much funding to provide to businesses from the discretionary Additional Restrictions Grant funding provided, and exactly which businesses to target. They may choose to target business who have not been mandated to close but have had their trade adversely affected. It is for Local Authorities to determine the best use of the Additional Restrictions Grant in their area, this is reflected in the guidance published on the 4^th March for both Local Authorities and Businesses.

The Government has introduced an unprecedented package of support for businesses that are required to close, or which are severely affected by the restrictions put in place to tackle Covid-19 and save lives. Local Authorities are responsible for managing grants schemes locally and determining eligibility.

The Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) continues to enable Local Authorities to put in place discretionary business support. Local Authorities are free to provide support that suits their local area including to support those businesses not required to close but which have had their trade severely affected by the restrictions and those businesses that fall outside the business rates system such as market traders.

This grant scheme forms part of a wider package of support, including business loans and the Coronavirus Job Support Scheme, to assist businesses during this unpresented time.

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

The discretionary Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) forms part of a wider package of support for business that have been mandated to close and also had their trade adversely affected by the Coivd-19 Restrictions. Local Authorities can determine how much funding to provide to businesses from the discretionary Additional Restrictions Grant funding provided, and exactly which businesses to target.

Levelling up is central to the Government’s agenda and we are working with local leaders to ensure every region, city and town will recover from Covid-19 and ultimately level up. The pandemic has rightly necessitated resources across Whitehall and in local government being re-allocated to tackling Covid-19 and on economic recovery. The Spending Review announced a £27 billion investment towards transport, energy and digital communications this year to level up the country.

The recognition of professional qualifications, including for mountain professionals, is important for individuals wishing to practise their chosen profession outside the jurisdiction in which they qualified. It is for this reason that UK negotiators worked hard to secure a best-in-class Free Trade Agreement with the EU, in which the recognition of professional qualifications is covered.

We have secured a framework under which regulators and professional bodies from across the UK and EU may agree arrangements on the recognition of professional qualification (such as Mutual Recognition Agreements) covering the UK and all 27 EU Member States. Once an arrangement is adopted by the Partnership Council under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, UK professionals will be able to use the terms outlined in the arrangement to secure recognition of their professional qualifications within EU Member States. The Department has set up a unit to assist regulators and professional bodies negotiating these arrangements.

Foot health practitioners, chiropodists and podiatrists can continue operating under the National Lockdown regulations.

The Christmas Support Payment was put in place specifically to help pubs without a significant food offering, whose businesses were severely impacted by the local restrictions over the festive period. The scheme eligibility period ended on 28 December 2020 and the closing date for applications is 12 January 2021.

There has been close engagement with the local government sector, including the Local Government Association, throughout the design and implementation of grant support for businesses since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

The Additional Restrictions Support Grant is a discretionary fund and local authorities are free to determine which support best fits their area.

Officials are in regular contact with Debenhams.

Whilst we cannot protect every job during this crisis, we continue to do everything we can to help people get through and back into work.

We know this continues to be a worrying time for their employees and families, and we stand ready to support them in any way we can.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme grants cannot be used to cover redundancy payments. The Government wants to ensure that employees do not lose out on their employment rights because they have been furloughed. New legislation which commenced on 31 July will ensure that pay received in relation to statutory redundancy pay, statutory notice pay, unfair dismissal compensation and pay for short-time working are based on an employee’s normal pay, rather than their furlough pay (potentially 80% of their normal wage).

During this difficult period, we urge employers to exercise discretion and not use the Job Retention Scheme to make someone redundant on less favourable terms than they would otherwise have received.

The provisions relating to calculation of redundancy and notice pay under the Employment Rights Act continue to apply when an individual is on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Employees who are dismissed due to redundancy and who satisfy certain qualifying conditions are statutorily entitled to a lump sum from their employer, based on their age, length of service and contractual weekly earnings, subject to a statutory upper limit, payable at, or soon after, the dismissal date.

Employees are also eligible for notice pay if they have worked for at least one month for their employers. The entitlements include one week’s notice if employed between one month and 2 years and an additional week’s notice for each year employed more than 2 years, capped at 12 weeks.

Following my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s announcement, all pubs, restaurants, bars, and cafes in England can begin to offer services to customers from Saturday 4 July as long as they follow the safer working guidelines.

Guidance is clear that venues should not permit indoor performances, including drama, comedy and music, to take place in front of a live audience.

Indoor performances or loud music can increase the risk of aerosol transmission from either the performer(s) or their audience.

Officials in the Department recently met with Greater Manchester Combined Authority and will continue discussions on plans for Tameside and the vision for the city region.

The Government has made funding available to support these types of scheme. This includes £663.4 million from the Government’s Local Growth Fund 1, 2 and 3 to Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership, of which £3.5 million went to the Tameside Minors project for highway and rail access improvements, as well as cycle links.

Tameside will soon have the opportunity to apply for further funding to support local regeneration. This includes a further round of the Future High Streets Fund to welcome proposals from local authorities to change their high streets. There are also plans to enable further places to benefit from the Towns Fund.

It is vital that we have well-resourced, efficient, and effective planning frameworks in place to unlock regeneration, investment, and business growth. Our ambitions build on the Government’s recent Planning White Paper, which aims to make the planning system clearer and more accessible. The White Paper includes options to introduce a new planning fee structure to ensure that planning authorities are resourced to improve the speed and quality of decisions.

Officials in the Department recently met with Greater Manchester Combined Authority and will continue discussions on plans for Tameside and the vision for the city region.

The Government has made funding available to support these types of scheme. This includes £663.4 million from the Government’s Local Growth Fund 1, 2 and 3 to Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership, of which £3.5 million went to the Tameside Minors project for highway and rail access improvements, as well as cycle links.

Tameside will soon have the opportunity to apply for further funding to support local regeneration. This includes a further round of the Future High Streets Fund to welcome proposals from local authorities to change their high streets. There are also plans to enable further places to benefit from the Towns Fund.

It is vital that we have well-resourced, efficient, and effective planning frameworks in place to unlock regeneration, investment, and business growth. Our ambitions build on the Government’s recent Planning White Paper, which aims to make the planning system clearer and more accessible. The White Paper includes options to introduce a new planning fee structure to ensure that planning authorities are resourced to improve the speed and quality of decisions.

Officials in the Department recently met with Greater Manchester Combined Authority and will continue discussions on plans for Tameside and the vision for the city region.

The Government has made funding available to support these types of scheme. This includes £663.4 million from the Government’s Local Growth Fund 1, 2 and 3 to Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership, of which £3.5 million went to the Tameside Minors project for highway and rail access improvements, as well as cycle links.

Tameside will soon have the opportunity to apply for further funding to support local regeneration. This includes a further round of the Future High Streets Fund to welcome proposals from local authorities to change their high streets. There are also plans to enable further places to benefit from the Towns Fund.

It is vital that we have well-resourced, efficient, and effective planning frameworks in place to unlock regeneration, investment, and business growth. Our ambitions build on the Government’s recent Planning White Paper, which aims to make the planning system clearer and more accessible. The White Paper includes options to introduce a new planning fee structure to ensure that planning authorities are resourced to improve the speed and quality of decisions.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister set out a roadmap in his speech on the 10 May outlining steps, or ‘phases’, to get people in the UK back to work in a way that is safe.

The roadmap sets out our ambition to reopen sections of the hospitality industry, including pubcs, in Step Three of our strategy, provided they are safe and enforce social distancing. Any decision to reopen this sector will be subject to the scientific advice at the time.

We are working at pace to develop safe ways for pubs to reopen at the earliest opportunity it is safe to do so, through our pubs and restaurants taskforce, and this work is progressing well.

We recognise the challenges facing this industry during this time. Our extensive package of support continues to be available, including our furlough scheme which has been extended until October, 100% business rates holidays, and tens of bullions of pounds’ worth of business loans and guarantees.

Information regarding the number of hospitality businesses which are currently unable to reopen is not in the public domain and is, therefore, classed as commercially sensitive information.

We are working with the sector at pace to develop guidance on how these businesses can reopen safely. The Pubs and Restaurants working level Technical Group comprised stakeholders from a cross-section of the sector, with representation from trade bodies to small and medium sized operators, unions, as well as the supply chain, Public Health England and the Health and Safety Executive. We consulted these stakeholders due to their expertise and real-life knowledge and experience of the challenges faced by the industry during the COVID-19 outbreak.

This Guidance will be published ahead of time to allow the sector to prepare.

The Government has no plans to make an assessment of the merits of decreasing the qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims to one year. The qualifying period aims to strike the right balance between fairness for employees and flexibility for employers.

There is a correlation between regulatory frameworks and how an economy performs but it is difficult to attribute a causal link to specific aspects of regulation within the UK’s labour market framework. The Government is committed to making the UK the best place in the world to work and grow a business. In the recent Queen’s Speech, we announced that we would bring forward an Employment Rights Bill to deliver the greatest reforms of workers’ rights in over 20 years.

At the time of increasing the qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims to two years, the policy intention was to increase business confidence in recruiting and retaining staff. The UK now has record levels of employment and the lowest rate of unemployment since 1975.

The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) provides a framework under which the UK and the EU may agree Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) on the recognition of professional qualification covering the UK and all 27 EU Member States. Once an arrangement is adopted under the TCA, UK professionals will be able to use the terms outlined in the arrangement to secure recognition for their professional qualifications within EU Member States.

Arrangements are implemented on a profession-by-profession basis and depend upon reciprocal cooperation from both the UK and EU Member States. The framework enables UK and EU professional bodies or authorities to make recommendations on MRAs to the Partnership Council.  Once an arrangement has been adopted, a professional qualified in the UK (e.g. an engineer) will be able to use the terms outlined in the arrangement to secure recognition of their qualifications within an EU Member State.

The Government continues to engage with stakeholders in the tourism sector to hear their priorities for the UK’s future relationship with the EU. Officials are currently engaging with the tourism trade bodies, including the British Association of International Mountain Leaders (BAIML) to gather feedback on priority regulators and qualifications for the tourism sector.

The government will provide help and guidance to UK regulatory authorities and professional bodies to help them benefit from these provisions as well as other recognition paths. Where visas apply, our agreement with the EU contains measures that will help ensure processes are as prompt and smooth as possible.

During the negotiation, the EU tabled a declaration accompanying their proposals on visa-free travel. The declaration identified which paid activities could be allowed as part of visa-free visits. However, these proposals would not have addressed the creative and cultural sectors’ concerns. The proposals were non-binding, did not include touring but only ‘ad hoc’ performances, did not include technical staff, and did not address work permits. The EU’s proposals were also part of a package on visa-free travel that was not consistent with the UK’s manifesto commitment to take back control of our borders.

The UK had proposed more comprehensive and binding provisions on touring musicians and their staff, which would have provided more flexibility and protection for musicians and staff than the EU proposals. These measures were developed following consultation with the UK’s creative industries and would have allowed musicians and their technical staff to travel and perform in the UK and the EU more easily, without needing work-permits. Regrettably, these proposals were rejected by the EU.

We have been engaging extensively with the sector to assess impact and are committed to continuing this close dialogue to ensure they have the support they need to thrive.

I refer the honourable member to the Secretary of State’s answer to Written Question 135862 on 14th January.

We hold regular discussions with Her Majesty’s Treasury and across Government regarding the significant impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the travel sector, including online travel agencies.

The Government has introduced a number of support measures for businesses and individuals through COVID-19, which online travel agencies can access. These include various government-backed loans, as well as the extended furlough and self-employed support schemes.

The Chancellor also announced that Local Authorities in England will be given an additional £594 million discretionary funding to support their local businesses. This builds on the £1.1 billion discretionary funding which local authorities in England have already received to support their local economies and help businesses impacted. The guidance for this funding encourages Local Authorities to develop discretionary grant schemes to help those businesses which - while not legally forced to close - are nonetheless severely impacted by the restrictions. We encourage local authorities to be sympathetic to applications from businesses such as online travel agents who may not have been eligible for other grants.

We continue to engage with relevant stakeholders, including UKInbound and the Association of British Travel Agents, to assess how we can best support the sector’s domestic and international recovery.

The Government recognises the importance of touring for UK musicians and other creative professionals. We acknowledge that there will be some additional processes for those in creative industries working across the EU now that the transition period has come to an end. However, our agreement with the EU contains Transparency and Procedural Facilitation measures that will help ensure visa processes are as prompt and smooth as possible.

During our negotiations with the EU, the UK proposed measures, reflecting the views of the music industry itself, that would have allowed musicians to travel and perform in the UK and the EU more easily, without needing work-permits. Specifically, we proposed to capture the work done by musicians, artists and entertainers, and their accompanying staff through the list of permitted activities for short-term business visitors.

In practice this would have delivered an outcome that is closer to the UK’s approach to incoming musicians, artists and entertainers from non-visa national countries, such as EU Member States and the US, who can come to perform in the UK without requiring a visa. Unfortunately, these proposals were repeatedly rejected by the EU.

The EU did not propose and wouldn’t accept a tailored deal for musicians, artists and their support staff to tour across the EU and UK.

Going forward, we will continue our close dialogue with the creative and cultural sectors to ensure that they have the support they need to thrive.The Government recognises the importance of touring for UK musicians and other creative professionals, and has engaged extensively with the creative industries and arts sector since the announcement of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement to ensure they are aware of the new requirements.

The Government recognises the importance of touring for UK musicians and other creative professionals. We acknowledge that there will be some additional processes for those in creative industries working across the EU now that the transition period has come to an end. However, our agreement with the EU contains Transparency and Procedural Facilitation measures that will help ensure visa processes are as prompt and smooth as possible.

During our negotiations with the EU, the UK proposed measures, reflecting the views of the music industry itself, that would have allowed musicians to travel and perform in the UK and the EU more easily, without needing work-permits. Specifically, we proposed to capture the work done by musicians, artists and entertainers, and their accompanying staff through the list of permitted activities for short-term business visitors.

In practice this would have delivered an outcome that is closer to the UK’s approach to incoming musicians, artists and entertainers from non-visa national countries, such as EU Member States and the US, who can come to perform in the UK without requiring a visa. Unfortunately, these proposals were repeatedly rejected by the EU.

The EU did not propose and wouldn’t accept a tailored deal for musicians, artists and their support staff to tour across the EU and UK.

Going forward, we will continue our close dialogue with the creative and cultural sectors to ensure that they have the support they need to thrive.The Government recognises the importance of touring for UK musicians and other creative professionals, and has engaged extensively with the creative industries and arts sector since the announcement of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement to ensure they are aware of the new requirements.

DCMS appreciates the important role that the live music sector plays in the UK’s cultural economy, and that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to many businesses operating in these sectors.

The Secretary of State announced a major £1.57 billion support package for cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of cultural and creative sectors. This support package will benefit the live music sector, including music venues and many other organisations in the Creative Industries that host live events, to stay open and continue operating.

From 15th August, and as part of the Government’s 5 stage roadmap to get performing arts and live entertainment sectors back up and running as soon as possible, venues and organisations have been able to put on live indoor performances in front of a socially-distanced audience. This is in addition to the earlier announcement that from 11 July we can all enjoy performances outdoors with social distancing.

We are committed to continuing to work with the live events sector to understand the difficulties they face and help them access support through these challenging times and through recovery.

To support the sustainability of the culture and arts sector during the covid-19 outbreak, DCMS has worked closely with Arts Council England (ACE) to provide a tailored package of financial support. In March, ACE announced a £160m emergency response package to complement the financial measures already announced by the Government and to ensure immediate resilience of this vital sector.

This includes £20 million of financial support for individuals and £140 million of support for organisations, so they can better sustain themselves, and their work, in the coming months. To date over 9000 individuals and organisations across the country have been successful in applying for this support. Over £9 million of ACE emergency response funds were awarded to 53 ACE National Portfolio Organisations (NPO) in the North of England, and over £14 million has been awarded in the region in the first two rounds of ACE’s emergency response funds for individuals and non-NPO organisations.

On 5 July, DCMS also announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of sectors, including performing arts and theatres, museums and galleries, heritage sites, live music venues and independent cinema.

We are aware that COVID-19 has significantly impacted multiple aspects of the events industry. My officials continue to gather intelligence from the sector and I regularly engage with events stakeholders to monitor the situation through the Visitor Economy Working Group, the Events Industry Board, and the Tourism Industry Emergency Response Group.

Government support for the events sector is set out in the International Business Events Action Plan, which was published in June 2019. We will continue to engage with stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support the sector’s recovery from COVID-19.

Businesses and workers in the events industry can access the Government’s comprehensive economic support package, including the recently extended the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Bounce Back Loans scheme.

The adequacy of a local authorities children’s social care is officially assessed by Ofsted’s inspecting local authority children’s services (ILACS) framework. Children’s social care services in Tameside were judged as Requires Improvement in the 2019 ILACS inspection, which was an improvement from the inspection in 2016 where services were found to be Inadequate. Focused Visits were carried out by Ofsted in May 2021 and April 2022 to monitor services, as per Ofsted’s inspection framework. The Focused Visit in April 2022 identified two Areas of Priority Action (APAs).

Following this, in line with the department’s early intervention policy, the department placed Tameside into intervention and issued an Improvement Notice. The department has continued to work closely with Tameside, carrying out formal 6 monthly reviews and tailoring effective support to target the APAs. An Improvement Adviser is in place to provide ongoing support and challenge to the service including early support to the Council in establishing an Improvement Board to provide the mechanism for corporate and political leadership to scrutinise and challenge the improvement journey.

In addition, the department has provided Tameside with targeted improvement funding and brokered support from Sector Led Improvement Partners as well as co-ordinating the Local Government Association to provide a package of leadership support for the senior leadership team and wider Council, including politicians.

The priority for the department’s intervention has been to oversee progress of the two APAs identified in Ofsted’s 2022 Focused Visit. Progress of improvement has relied on stability of senior leadership and capacity within the Council. The imminent Ofsted ILACS inspection will result in a graded judgement for Tameside’s children’s services and will clearly set out what is working well and where further improvements can be made, including what further steps are needed to achieve Good or Outstanding, if appropriate. The inspection will also determine the effectiveness of the Council’s response to the department’s intervention and support.

The department continues to monitor progress and provide support via the intervention policy and regular interactions with the Council. Should assessments indicate the Council is making insufficient progress, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, may choose to invoke her statutory powers of intervention (under s497A of the Education Act 1996) by issuing a Statutory Direction.

The adequacy of a local authorities children’s social care is officially assessed by Ofsted’s inspecting local authority children’s services (ILACS) framework. Children’s social care services in Tameside were judged as Requires Improvement in the 2019 ILACS inspection, which was an improvement from the inspection in 2016 where services were found to be Inadequate. Focused Visits were carried out by Ofsted in May 2021 and April 2022 to monitor services, as per Ofsted’s inspection framework. The Focused Visit in April 2022 identified two Areas of Priority Action (APAs).

Following this, in line with the department’s early intervention policy, the department placed Tameside into intervention and issued an Improvement Notice. The department has continued to work closely with Tameside, carrying out formal 6 monthly reviews and tailoring effective support to target the APAs. An Improvement Adviser is in place to provide ongoing support and challenge to the service including early support to the Council in establishing an Improvement Board to provide the mechanism for corporate and political leadership to scrutinise and challenge the improvement journey.

In addition, the department has provided Tameside with targeted improvement funding and brokered support from Sector Led Improvement Partners as well as co-ordinating the Local Government Association to provide a package of leadership support for the senior leadership team and wider Council, including politicians.

The priority for the department’s intervention has been to oversee progress of the two APAs identified in Ofsted’s 2022 Focused Visit. Progress of improvement has relied on stability of senior leadership and capacity within the Council. The imminent Ofsted ILACS inspection will result in a graded judgement for Tameside’s children’s services and will clearly set out what is working well and where further improvements can be made, including what further steps are needed to achieve Good or Outstanding, if appropriate. The inspection will also determine the effectiveness of the Council’s response to the department’s intervention and support.

The department continues to monitor progress and provide support via the intervention policy and regular interactions with the Council. Should assessments indicate the Council is making insufficient progress, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, may choose to invoke her statutory powers of intervention (under s497A of the Education Act 1996) by issuing a Statutory Direction.

The department is not responsible for the overall financial health of local authorities. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities provide authorities with an overall funding agreement which local authorities are then responsible for dispersing within their services, of which children’s services is a part of. It is therefore for the local authority to decide how funding is allocated to improve its children’s services.

The final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2023/24 makes available up to £59.7 billion for local government in England, an increase in Core Spending Power of up to £5.1 billion, or 9.4% in cash terms, in 2022/23. The majority of this funding is un-ringfenced, in recognition of local authorities being best place to understand local priorities.

A breakdown of the key element of annual funding for each local authority in England, including Tameside Council, since 2016/17, as announced at that year’s settlement, are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/key-information-for-local-authorities-final-local-government-finance-settlement-2023-to-2024.

The exercise referenced did not conclude as the Council re-directed the resource to concentrate on improvements. As a result, a formal report was not provided. However, the department has discussed the findings with the Council and are assured that the areas identified are embedded within the Council-owned Improvement Plan.

The majority of high needs funding from the department is allocated to local authorities, as they are responsible for allocating that funding to schools to support pupils with complex needs. The department has substantially increased high needs funding in recent years and has announced a further increase of £440 million for the 2024/25 financial year, which will bring the total high needs budget to over £10.5 billion, an increase of over 60% from the 2019/20 allocations. This funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Maintaining good ventilation creates a healthy indoor environment for staff and pupils and helps to improve alertness and concentration. Scientific evidence also shows that letting fresh air into indoor spaces can help remove virus particles and reduce the risk of respiratory illness, including COVID-19, flu, and Strep A. Evidence from Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) demonstrates that CO₂ monitoring is an effective method of identifying poor ventilation in multi occupant spaces. This is why the Department provided over 380,000 CO₂ monitors to cover approximately 50% of teaching spaces in England during the height of the pandemic through the first phase of the ventilation programme. The Department has since provided a further 320,000 CO₂ monitors to allow all eligible settings to have an assigned monitor for every teaching and childcare space.

In addition to CO₂ monitors, the Department has provided over 9,000 air cleaning units (ACUs) to over 1,300 settings that identified rooms with sustained high CO₂ readings. These units filter pollen, dust and microorganisms, including particles containing the COVID-19 and influenza virus, removing much of it from the air. The use of ACUs in poorly ventilated spaces is backed by SAGE’s Environmental Modelling Group (EMG) which advised that ACUs have limited benefit in spaces that are already adequately ventilated and should only be considered where the ventilation is inadequate and cannot be easily improved.

Maintaining adequate ventilation ultimately remains the responsibility of individual settings. The Department has recently published guidance to enable education settings to make the most out of their devices, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-co-monitors-and-air-cleaning-units-in-education-and-care-settings.

The Department is currently assessing applications for new free schools and is looking to approve up to 15 new schools in areas where they are likely to have the biggest effects on improving outcomes. The Department will prioritise proposals located in Education Investment Areas, where outcomes in literacy and numeracy are the poorest. Applications are assessed against the published criteria, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/free-school-application-guide/how-to-apply-to-set-up-a-mainstream-free-school. This is a competitive process and the successful applications will be announced before the summer.

No applications were received for Tameside and as such, it is difficult to advise on the suitability of the Two Trees site. Plans for future waves will be announced in due course. The free school presumption process is the route for Local Authorities to bring about the establishment of new schools where a Local Authority identifies the need for additional places. More information on this can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/844346/Free_school_presumption_051119.pdf.

The Regional Director’s office has been asked to contact the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish to meet and discuss this matter further, together with my noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the School System and Student Finance, who is responsible for free schools policy.

The Department is currently assessing applications for new free schools and is looking to approve up to 15 new schools in areas where they are likely to have the biggest effects on improving outcomes. The Department will prioritise proposals located in Education Investment Areas, where outcomes in literacy and numeracy are the poorest. Applications are assessed against the published criteria, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/free-school-application-guide/how-to-apply-to-set-up-a-mainstream-free-school. This is a competitive process and the successful applications will be announced before the summer.

No applications were received for Tameside and as such, it is difficult to advise on the suitability of the Two Trees site. Plans for future waves will be announced in due course. The free school presumption process is the route for Local Authorities to bring about the establishment of new schools where a Local Authority identifies the need for additional places. More information on this can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/844346/Free_school_presumption_051119.pdf.

The Regional Director’s office has been asked to contact the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish to meet and discuss this matter further, together with my noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the School System and Student Finance, who is responsible for free schools policy.

The 239 schools selected for the School Rebuilding Programme in December 2022, including Russell Scott Primary School, will start delivery at a rate of approximately 50 per year, over a five-year period. The Department is currently undertaking feasibility and due diligence on these schools prior to scheduling them. The Department met Responsible Bodies at information events in March 2023, where they were provided with an update on expected timescales. The Department will also be writing to all Responsible Bodies with an indicative timescale before the summer break.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has a statutory duty to make an academy order in respect of any maintained school judged as Inadequate by Ofsted, to enable it to become an academy and receive additional support from a sponsor.

The academy order was issued to the governing body of Denton Community College and Tameside Local Authority on 22 March 2023. The Regional Director for the North West, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, will take responsibility for ensuring that Denton Community College becomes a sponsored academy as swiftly as possible, including identifying the most suitable academy trust and brokering the new relationship between that academy trust and the school.

In accordance with the academy order made under Section 4(A1) or (1)(b) of the Academies Act 2010, the governing body and the Local Authority will be under a duty to facilitate Denton Community College’s conversion into an academy by taking all reasonable steps towards that end. During the interim period before the school re-opens as an academy, the Local Authority retains the responsibility for the school’s performance, including provision for school improvement.

Once the Regional Director has identified the academy trust for Denton Community College, the academy trust has a duty to communicate information to parents regarding their plans for improving that school, before it is converted into an academy.

The Regional Director’s office has been asked to contact the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish to meet and discuss this matter.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has a statutory duty to make an academy order in respect of any maintained school judged as Inadequate by Ofsted, to enable it to become an academy and receive additional support from a sponsor.

The academy order was issued to the governing body of Denton Community College and Tameside Local Authority on 22 March 2023. The Regional Director for the North West, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, will take responsibility for ensuring that Denton Community College becomes a sponsored academy as swiftly as possible, including identifying the most suitable academy trust and brokering the new relationship between that academy trust and the school.

In accordance with the academy order made under Section 4(A1) or (1)(b) of the Academies Act 2010, the governing body and the Local Authority will be under a duty to facilitate Denton Community College’s conversion into an academy by taking all reasonable steps towards that end. During the interim period before the school re-opens as an academy, the Local Authority retains the responsibility for the school’s performance, including provision for school improvement.

Once the Regional Director has identified the academy trust for Denton Community College, the academy trust has a duty to communicate information to parents regarding their plans for improving that school, before it is converted into an academy.

The Regional Director’s office has been asked to contact the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish to meet and discuss this matter.

The department is committed to ensuring that pupils with medical conditions are properly supported at school, so that they have full access to education.

In 2014, the department introduced a new duty on schools to support pupils with all medical conditions, including cancer. Statutory guidance for schools on how to support pupils with medical conditions has been published and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.

The guidance does not specify which medical conditions should be supported in schools. Instead, it focuses on how to meet the needs of each individual child and how their medical condition impacts school life.

Schools also have duties under the Equality Act 2010, to make reasonable adjustments and not to discriminate against disabled children, including those with cancer from the point of diagnosis, in relation to their access to education and associated services. Schools must make reasonable adjustments to their practices, procedures, and policies, to ensure that they are not putting such children at a substantial disadvantage.

Where a child cannot attend school due to health needs, and would not otherwise receive a suitable full-time education, the local authority is responsible for arranging provision under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996. Local authorities should ensure that a child receives “suitable education” in terms of their age, ability and aptitude, taking account of any special educational needs and keeping consistent with the provision that he or she would receive at their home school.

The Government recognises the additional cost of living pressures that have arisen this year and affected pupils and their families, including those in the Denton and Reddish constituency. The Department is working hard to manage the current pressures facing schools and continues to monitor the financial health of schools closely.

The 2022 Autumn Statement has provided an additional net increase in the core schools budget of £2 billion in the 2023/24 financial year and a further £2 billion in the 2024/25 financial year, over and above totals announced at the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021. This brings the core schools budget to a total of £58.8 billion in the 2024/25 financial year. This additional funding will enable head teachers to continue to concentrate funding in areas the Department knows has a positive effect on educational attainment, including high quality teaching and targeted support to the children who need it most.

Alongside this, from October 2022 to 31 March 2023, schools will benefit from the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, protecting them from excessively high energy bills over the winter period.

Denton and Reddish is part of the Tameside Education Investment Area (EIA), meaning substantial support is available to drive improvement. This includes priority for trust capacity funding to help trusts grow and improve underperforming schools in the area, which the Department is making up to £86 million available nationally. In EIAs the Department will also provide support for schools’ digital connectivity through £150 million investment in the Connect the Classroom programme. Tameside is also one of 24 Priority Education Investment Areas (PEIAs), and therefore is in receipt of further investment in addition to the significant support available to all EIAs.

Tameside has also benefited from over £160,000 of funding through the Opportunity Areas programme between 2017 and July 2022 helping to drive the attainment of all children across the area.

The Department is aware of the condition of Russell Scott Primary School. Departmental officials have been engaging with Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council to understand the Council’s capital maintenance programme for the school and advise on these issues. My Noble Friend, the Minister for the School System, also met with the hon. Member to discuss the school in June.

The Department provides local authorities with an annual School Condition Allocation (SCA) to invest in priorities across their maintained schools. The Department looks to local authorities to allocate these funds to what they identify to be the most urgent priorities across the school estate, ensuring schools are kept safe and operational.

For the 2022/23 financial year, Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council has been allocated £1,545,072 in SCA funding. In addition to annual condition funding, the Department has also launched a ten-year School Rebuilding Programme. The Department has announced the first 100 schools that will benefit from the programme as part of a commitment to 500 projects over the next decade. Russell Scott Primary School has been nominated for the School Rebuilding Programme under the exceptional route. Assessment is ongoing and further information will be available in due course.

The Department is aware of the condition of Russell Scott Primary School. Departmental officials have been engaging with Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council to understand the Council’s capital maintenance programme for the school and advise on these issues. My Noble Friend, the Minister for the School System, also met with the hon. Member to discuss the school in June.

The Department provides local authorities with an annual School Condition Allocation (SCA) to invest in priorities across their maintained schools. The Department looks to local authorities to allocate these funds to what they identify to be the most urgent priorities across the school estate, ensuring schools are kept safe and operational.

For the 2022/23 financial year, Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council has been allocated £1,545,072 in SCA funding. In addition to annual condition funding, the Department has also launched a ten-year School Rebuilding Programme. The Department has announced the first 100 schools that will benefit from the programme as part of a commitment to 500 projects over the next decade. Russell Scott Primary School has been nominated for the School Rebuilding Programme under the exceptional route. Assessment is ongoing and further information will be available in due course.

The Department is aware of the condition of Russell Scott Primary School. Departmental officials have been engaging with Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council to understand the Council’s capital maintenance programme for the school and advise on these issues. My Noble Friend, the Minister for the School System, also met with the hon. Member to discuss the school in June.

The Department provides local authorities with an annual School Condition Allocation (SCA) to invest in priorities across their maintained schools. The Department looks to local authorities to allocate these funds to what they identify to be the most urgent priorities across the school estate, ensuring schools are kept safe and operational.

For the 2022/23 financial year, Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council has been allocated £1,545,072 in SCA funding. In addition to annual condition funding, the Department has also launched a ten-year School Rebuilding Programme. The Department has announced the first 100 schools that will benefit from the programme as part of a commitment to 500 projects over the next decade. Russell Scott Primary School has been nominated for the School Rebuilding Programme under the exceptional route. Assessment is ongoing and further information will be available in due course.

I refer the hon. Member for East Ham, the hon. Member for Streatham and the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish, to the answer I gave on 16 June 2022 to Question 16901.

The department was pleased to announce the borough of Tameside, including Denton, as a Priority Education Investment Area (EIA) as part of the recent Schools White Paper.

The Schools White Paper sets out our vision for a school system that helps every child to fulfil their potential founded on achieving word-class standards of literacy and numeracy and confirmed our headline ambitions, including at key stage 4, to increase the GCSE average grade in English language and maths from 4.5 to 5.

In Priority EIAs, the department will offer intensive investment in addition to the significant support available to all EIAs, so that we can drive improvement further and faster. This has the potential to transform pupils’ outcomes at both primary and secondary school, by overcoming entrenched barriers to improvement and strengthening the school’s system in these areas.

In all 55 EIAs, the department will be taking steps to support underperforming schools to make the necessary improvements, build trust capacity, support improved digital connectivity in the schools that need this most and offer the Levelling Up premium, worth up to £3,000 tax free, to eligible teachers. Our additional support to Priority EIAs includes a share of around £40 million worth of funding to address local needs, such as those acting as a barrier to improvement at primary and priority access to a number of the department’s other programmes.

My noble Friend, the Minister for School System, has written to all Members of Parliament with Priority EIAs in their constituencies to update them on our next steps for the programme.

In line with the department’s intervention policy which is set out in its ‘Putting Children First’ guidance, whenever Ofsted finds children’s social care services to be inadequate, an adviser is provided to diagnose problems and support the local authority on its improvement journey. The guidance is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/554573/Putting_children_first_delivering_vision_excellent_childrens_social_care.pdf. The department would expect most of those local authorities to improve with support and challenge from experts.

If there is insufficient improvement in a local authority’s performance, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, may issue an improvement notice. The improvement notice requires the local authority to take steps to improve its services for children, such as putting an improvement plan in place to address areas of weakness identified by Ofsted. Improvement notices may be issued as a way of forewarning a local authority of a future statutory direction if there is no improvement in its performance.

Should the local authority be unwilling or unable to comply with an improvement notice, or if ministers are not satisfied with the local authority’s progress at any stage, the Secretary of State may choose to invoke his statutory powers of intervention (under Section 497A of the Education Act 1996) by issuing a statutory direction. The Secretary of State can issue directions to ensure that functions are performed to an adequate standard, such as directing the local authority to set up an improvement board or appointing a children’s services commissioner to work with the local authority to help secure improvement.

A children’s services commissioner is usually appointed when local authority failure is systemic (an inadequate rating across all three of Ofsted’s key judgments in one report) or has become persistent (two or more inadequate judgments within five years), to determine whether the local authority has the capacity and capability to retain and improve children’s social care services in a reasonable timeframe. If not, the Section 497A power can also be used to direct that children’s social care services will be removed from local authority control for a period of time and transferred to a different organisation, usually a trust, in order to secure sustainable improvement.

The department’s improvement programme also seeks to identify and work collaboratively with local authorities where children’s services have been judged ‘Requires Improvement’, providing targeted support to help them improve the services they provide to vulnerable children. The department has increased the amount of funded sector-led improvement activity that can be delivered from 2021 by expanding our cohort of strong performing local authorities to work as sector-led improvement partners.

The department publishes a wide range of GCSE attainment data for pupils at the end of key stage 4 in state-funded secondary schools in England. The latest information can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/key-stage-4-performance-revised/2020-21.

The latest data, for the academic year 2020/21, shows that the average Attainment 8 score for pupils in state-funded schools in Tameside is 48.5 and in Denton is 48.8. These are lower than the national average of 50.9.

Local authorities require my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education’s consent to dispose of their school playing field land under section 77 of The School Standards and Framework Act 1998, and Schedule 1 to the Academies Act 2010.

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council applied for consent to dispose of the Two Trees High School site in 2016. Officials sought clarification on a number of issues, but no formal response was received, and the application was closed down accordingly.

In November 2021, an application to dispose of non-playing field land was received. As the site includes playing field land, officials advised that a new application on the correct form was required. To date, no such application has been received.

There is no current application from Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council upon which the department can provide an update on. However, the Secretary of State will keep the hon. Member updated should the council re-apply for consent.

Local authorities require my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education’s consent to dispose of their school playing field land under section 77 of The School Standards and Framework Act 1998, and Schedule 1 to the Academies Act 2010.

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council applied for consent to dispose of the Two Trees High School site in 2016. Officials sought clarification on a number of issues, but no formal response was received, and the application was closed down accordingly.

In November 2021, an application to dispose of non-playing field land was received. As the site includes playing field land, officials advised that a new application on the correct form was required. To date, no such application has been received.

There is no current application from Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council upon which the department can provide an update on. However, the Secretary of State will keep the hon. Member updated should the council re-apply for consent.

Section 14 of the Education Act 1996 places the duty on local authorities to ensure that there are sufficient primary and secondary school places in their area. This is with a view to providing diversity in the provision of schools and increasing opportunities for parental choice. Where a school is an academy and wishes to make changes, including increasing the number of pupils, the academy will follow the department’s published guidance for making significant changes.

Where there is forecast growth in demand and a shortfall of places in an area, the Local Authority will meet this future demand, such as by expanding existing schools.

The Schools White Paper also confirmed our intention to seek proposals for new mainstream free schools in areas with the greatest need for more additional places, prioritising proposals in Priority Education Investment Areas such as Tameside. The department will set out further detail on the application process in due course. Separately, where a local authority thinks there is a demographic need for a new school in its area, it must seek proposals to establish a new free school.

In 2021, 85.1% of pupils were offered their first-choice secondary school in Tameside and 94.5% received offers from one of their top three choices. This compares to the national average where 81.1% of pupils were offered their first choice secondary school and 93.4% received offers from one of their top three choices.

Section 14 of the Education Act 1996 places the duty on local authorities to ensure that there are sufficient primary and secondary school places in their area. This is with a view to providing diversity in the provision of schools and increasing opportunities for parental choice. Where a school is an academy and wishes to make changes, including increasing the number of pupils, the academy will follow the department’s published guidance for making significant changes.

Where there is forecast growth in demand and a shortfall of places in an area, the Local Authority will meet this future demand, such as by expanding existing schools.

The Schools White Paper also confirmed our intention to seek proposals for new mainstream free schools in areas with the greatest need for more additional places, prioritising proposals in Priority Education Investment Areas such as Tameside. The department will set out further detail on the application process in due course. Separately, where a local authority thinks there is a demographic need for a new school in its area, it must seek proposals to establish a new free school.

In 2021, 85.1% of pupils were offered their first-choice secondary school in Tameside and 94.5% received offers from one of their top three choices. This compares to the national average where 81.1% of pupils were offered their first choice secondary school and 93.4% received offers from one of their top three choices.

The safety and wellbeing of vulnerable children and young people remains a priority. The decision to intervene in a local authority is not taken lightly, and it is important to base that decision on robust evidence of failure. The department acts quickly and decisively to intervene in local authorities found to be failing in their delivery of children’s social care and judged inadequate by Ofsted.

In line with the department’s intervention policy set out in ‘Putting Children First’, whenever Ofsted finds children’s social care services to be inadequate, an adviser is provided to diagnose problems and support the council on their improvement journey. The government would expect most of those councils to improve with support and challenge from experts.

A commissioner is usually appointed, when council failure is systemic or has become persistent, to determine whether the council has the capacity and capability to improve children’s social care services in a reasonable timeframe. If not, services will be removed from council control for a period of time and transferred to a different organisation (usually a Trust) in order to secure sustainable improvement.

Tameside Children’s Services are currently rated as ‘requires improvement’. The department’s improvement programme seeks to identify and work collaboratively with local authorities who require targeted support to help them improve the services they provide to vulnerable children. The government has increased the amount of funded sector-led improvement activity that can be delivered from 2021 by expanding our cohort of strong performing local authorities to work as sector-led improvement partners.

‘Putting Children First’ is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/putting-children-first-our-vision-for-childrens-social-care.

A full inspection of Tameside’s local authority children’s services was last completed in May 2019. The report was published on 1 July 2019 with a rating ‘requires improvement to be good’.

For local authorities judged ‘requires improvement’, like Tameside, up to two focused visits will be completed in between full inspections. Tameside has recently had a focused visit and the report is expected to be published on 6 June 2022.

In the Schools White Paper, the department has set out a list of the 24 areas where more intensive investment will take place. Tameside is one of these priority areas.

Officials will be meeting with local stakeholders to discuss the local needs for the young people of Tameside.

We are aware of the condition issues at Russell Scott Primary School and officials within the department have been engaging with Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council to understand and advise on these issues. The department has committed to review and discuss evidence from any further investigative work or surveys undertaken.

The department provides local authorities with an annual School Condition Allocation (SCA) to invest in improving the condition of their maintained schools. We expect local authorities to effectively prioritise this funding on what they identify to be the most urgent priorities across the school estate, ensuring schools are kept safe and operational.

For the financial year 2021-22, Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council has been allocated £1,328,013 in SCA funding. Allocations for the financial year 2022-23 will published in due course.

In addition to annual condition funding, the department has launched a ten-year School Rebuilding Programme. We have announced the first 100 schools that will benefit from the programme as part of a commitment to 500 projects over the next decade.

We recently consulted on how to prioritise future places on the programme. We plan to set out our response to the consultation and details of further rounds of the programme early this year.

The government has prioritised support for children and families in the Spending Review. The government has announced a £300 million package to transform services for parents and babies, carers and children in half of local authorities in England, helping to deliver our levelling up ambitions.

It includes funding to create a family hub network, for each local authority to publish their Start for Life offer, support for breast feeding, parent-infant relationships and parenting programmes. It also includes a smaller number of pilots to trial and evaluate innovative workforce models needed to support babies and families.

Family hubs are a way of joining up locally to improve access to services, the connections between families, professionals, services, and providers, and putting relationships at the heart of family help.

£50 million will be available for parenting support. The department will ensure online parenting programmes are available to new parents in the 75 selected local authorities, alongside additional targeted support to families most in need. The department will set out more detail in due course, including on which parenting programmes will be available in the selected local authorities.

The government has prioritised support for children and families in the Spending Review. The government has announced a £300 million package to transform services for parents and babies, carers and children in half of local authorities in England, helping to deliver our levelling up ambitions.

It includes funding to create a family hub network, for each local authority to publish their Start for Life offer, support for breast feeding, parent-infant relationships and parenting programmes. It also includes a smaller number of pilots to trial and evaluate innovative workforce models needed to support babies and families.

Family hubs are a way of joining up locally to improve access to services, the connections between families, professionals, services, and providers, and putting relationships at the heart of family help.

£50 million will be available for parenting support. The department will ensure online parenting programmes are available to new parents in the 75 selected local authorities, alongside additional targeted support to families most in need. The department will set out more detail in due course, including on which parenting programmes will be available in the selected local authorities.

The government has prioritised support for children and families in the Spending Review. The government has announced a £300 million package to transform services for parents and babies, carers and children in half of local authorities in England, helping to deliver our levelling up ambitions.

It includes funding to create a family hub network, for each local authority to publish their Start for Life offer, support for breast feeding, parent-infant relationships and parenting programmes. It also includes a smaller number of pilots to trial and evaluate innovative workforce models needed to support babies and families.

Family hubs are a way of joining up locally to improve access to services, the connections between families, professionals, services, and providers, and putting relationships at the heart of family help.

£50 million will be available for parenting support. The department will ensure online parenting programmes are available to new parents in the 75 selected local authorities, alongside additional targeted support to families most in need. The department will set out more detail in due course, including on which parenting programmes will be available in the selected local authorities.

The government has prioritised support for children and families in the Spending Review. The government has announced a £300 million package to transform services for parents and babies, carers and children in half of local authorities in England, helping to deliver our levelling up ambitions.

It includes funding to create a family hub network, for each local authority to publish their Start for Life offer, support for breast feeding, parent-infant relationships and parenting programmes. It also includes a smaller number of pilots to trial and evaluate innovative workforce models needed to support babies and families.

Family hubs are a way of joining up locally to improve access to services, the connections between families, professionals, services, and providers, and putting relationships at the heart of family help.

£50 million will be available for parenting support. The department will ensure online parenting programmes are available to new parents in the 75 selected local authorities, alongside additional targeted support to families most in need. The department will set out more detail in due course, including on which parenting programmes will be available in the selected local authorities.

The government has prioritised support for children and families in the Spending Review. The government has announced a £300 million package to transform services for parents and babies, carers and children in half of local authorities in England, helping to deliver our levelling up ambitions.

It includes funding to create a family hub network, for each local authority to publish their Start for Life offer, support for breast feeding, parent-infant relationships and parenting programmes. It also includes a smaller number of pilots to trial and evaluate innovative workforce models needed to support babies and families.

Family hubs are a way of joining up locally to improve access to services, the connections between families, professionals, services, and providers, and putting relationships at the heart of family help.

£50 million will be available for parenting support. The department will ensure online parenting programmes are available to new parents in the 75 selected local authorities, alongside additional targeted support to families most in need. The department will set out more detail in due course, including on which parenting programmes will be available in the selected local authorities.

The government has prioritised support for children and families in the Spending Review. The government has announced a £300 million package to transform services for parents and babies, carers and children in half of local authorities in England, helping to deliver our levelling up ambitions.

It includes funding to create a family hub network, for each local authority to publish their Start for Life offer, support for breast feeding, parent-infant relationships and parenting programmes. It also includes a smaller number of pilots to trial and evaluate innovative workforce models needed to support babies and families.

Family hubs are a way of joining up locally to improve access to services, the connections between families, professionals, services, and providers, and putting relationships at the heart of family help.

£50 million will be available for parenting support. The department will ensure online parenting programmes are available to new parents in the 75 selected local authorities, alongside additional targeted support to families most in need. The department will set out more detail in due course, including on which parenting programmes will be available in the selected local authorities.

The government has prioritised support for children and families in the Spending Review. The government has announced a £300 million package to transform services for parents and babies, carers and children in half of local authorities in England, helping to deliver our levelling up ambitions.

It includes funding to create a family hub network, for each local authority to publish their Start for Life offer, support for breast feeding, parent-infant relationships and parenting programmes. It also includes a smaller number of pilots to trial and evaluate innovative workforce models needed to support babies and families.

Family hubs are a way of joining up locally to improve access to services, the connections between families, professionals, services, and providers, and putting relationships at the heart of family help.

£50 million will be available for parenting support. The department will ensure online parenting programmes are available to new parents in the 75 selected local authorities, alongside additional targeted support to families most in need. The department will set out more detail in due course, including on which parenting programmes will be available in the selected local authorities.

The department recognises that the COVID-19 outbreak has been challenging for pupils and their families. The department has been regularly surveying parents and carers of school pupils throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. This has helped to inform our response on a range of issues and is also helping to shape our education recovery. The reports from these surveys were published on 29 October 2021 on gov.uk and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/parent-and-pupil-panel-omnibus-surveys.

The department also commissioned a bespoke sub-study as part of the Study of Early Education and Development (SEED) which explored the experiences of the children and their parents during the COVID-19 outbreak. This has helped to inform our response on a range of issues. It is important to note that while this report documents the experiences of children and their parents in the SEED study covered by the COVID-19 outbreak, the department cannot conclude from these analyses that their experiences were as a direct consequence of the COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, these findings cannot be used to evaluate specific government policies including those in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The report from this survey was published on 29 October 2021 on gov.uk and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-development-coronavirus-covid-19-study.

Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak the department has worked to help parents support their children’s education. The department has published guidance that sets out what they need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges. This guidance is updated regularly and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak. The guidance includes links to online resources to aid parents in supporting their child’s mental health and wellbeing as the department acknowledges that some children may be experiencing feelings of anxiety, stress or low mood as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

During periods of restricted attendance, schools have remained open to both vulnerable children and young people and the children of critical workers, ensuring that those parents who work in key sectors could continue to provide vital services. For those pupils learning from home the department recognises the challenges this has presented to parents and have published guidance which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/supporting-your-childrens-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19. To support access to remote education, the department has distributed over 1.35 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people as part of a £400 million investment. The department has ensured that children who usually receive benefits-related free school meals have had access to this support during periods of restricted attendance and provided a National Voucher Scheme to support eligible pupils required to stay at home. Over £450 million of voucher e-codes had been redeemed into supermarket gift cards for families during this period. The department has continued to ensure that eligible pupils are offered good quality lunch parcels when they are required to stay home.

Statistically, the department collects data on placement type, reason for placement change and three separate pieces of information in relation to the locality of placements. The location data includes:

• Information about the distance the child is placed away from their home postcode
• Whether the placement is located inside or outside their responsible local authority
• The country of the placement (England, UK or otherwise)

Figures on placements, distance from the home placement and the location of the placement, inside or outside the council boundary, were published in the underlying data, ‘National - children looked after at 31 March by placement type, distance of placement and locality of placement’ of the statistical release ‘Children looked after in England including adoption: 2019 to 2020’ at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions/2020.

It is the duty of the local authority to ensure placements are suitable for the young people in their care. Alongside this, Virtual School Heads have a statutory duty to promote the educational attainment of the children in their local authority's care, wherever they live or are educated. This includes children who are placed out of area. Virtual School Heads manage additional funding of £2,345 per looked-after child, that we have provided through the pupil premium plus.

This government is committed to making a real difference to the needs, experience and outcomes of those supported by children’s social care. To do this, we need to make fundamental changes to the current system. That is why we launched the bold, broad and independently led Care Review, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reform systems and services. The government will respond to the recommendations made by the review once it concludes.

There are two secondary schools in Denton, Greater Manchester: St Thomas More Roman Catholic College, a voluntary aided school, and Denton Community College, a local authority maintained school. Both are judged good by Ofsted. Attainment and progress at Denton Community College were below average for the three years up to 2019. At St Thomas More, attainment was above local and national averages for the three years up to 2019 and progress was at or above average for the three years up to 2019. Further detail is available at: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.

The latest published School Capacity Data (SCAP19) shows that Tameside has a 3% (456 place) surplus for the 2021/22 academic year. Forecasts suggests a growth in demand in the area with an estimated 2% (326 place) shortfall by academic year 2023/24. The council has confirmed to us that they intend meeting the future demand through expanding existing schools, and we are working with them on this.

There are currently no free schools in the pipeline in Tameside. Further free school waves will be considered as part of the next Comprehensive Spending Review.

Local authorities require the Secretary of State for Education’s consent to dispose of their school playing field land under section 77 of The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (SSFA) and Schedule 1 of the Academies Act 2010.

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (the Council) applied for consent to dispose of the Two Trees High School site in 2016. Officials sought clarification on several issues in August 2017. No formal response was received from the Council and there have been no recent discussions with the Council as to the use of the closed school site.

The Council’s 2016 application has now been closed and the Council would need to re-apply to seek consent to dispose of the site. The site was last used by a maintained school in May 2015 so the requirement for the Council to seek consent will expire in May 2023 (for consent under the Academies Act) and May 2025 (for consent under the SSFA).

Any new application under the SSFA would be considered by the School Playing Fields Advisory Panel, whose role is to provide an independent recommendation to the Secretary of State for Education. Sport England has an observer on the Panel and their comments would be considered as part of the decision-making process.

The department will keep the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish updated should the council re-apply.

Local authorities require the Secretary of State for Education’s consent to dispose of their school playing field land under section 77 of The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (SSFA) and Schedule 1 of the Academies Act 2010.

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (the Council) applied for consent to dispose of the Two Trees High School site in 2016. Officials sought clarification on several issues in August 2017. No formal response was received from the Council and there have been no recent discussions with the Council as to the use of the closed school site.

The Council’s 2016 application has now been closed and the Council would need to re-apply to seek consent to dispose of the site. The site was last used by a maintained school in May 2015 so the requirement for the Council to seek consent will expire in May 2023 (for consent under the Academies Act) and May 2025 (for consent under the SSFA).

Any new application under the SSFA would be considered by the School Playing Fields Advisory Panel, whose role is to provide an independent recommendation to the Secretary of State for Education. Sport England has an observer on the Panel and their comments would be considered as part of the decision-making process.

The department will keep the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish updated should the council re-apply.

Local authorities require the Secretary of State for Education’s consent to dispose of their school playing field land under section 77 of The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (SSFA) and Schedule 1 of the Academies Act 2010.

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (the Council) applied for consent to dispose of the Two Trees High School site in 2016. Officials sought clarification on several issues in August 2017. No formal response was received from the Council and there have been no recent discussions with the Council as to the use of the closed school site.

The Council’s 2016 application has now been closed and the Council would need to re-apply to seek consent to dispose of the site. The site was last used by a maintained school in May 2015 so the requirement for the Council to seek consent will expire in May 2023 (for consent under the Academies Act) and May 2025 (for consent under the SSFA).

Any new application under the SSFA would be considered by the School Playing Fields Advisory Panel, whose role is to provide an independent recommendation to the Secretary of State for Education. Sport England has an observer on the Panel and their comments would be considered as part of the decision-making process.

The department will keep the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish updated should the council re-apply.

Local authorities require the Secretary of State for Education’s consent to dispose of their school playing field land under section 77 of The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (SSFA) and Schedule 1 of the Academies Act 2010.

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (the Council) applied for consent to dispose of the Two Trees High School site in 2016. Officials sought clarification on several issues in August 2017. No formal response was received from the Council and there have been no recent discussions with the Council as to the use of the closed school site.

The Council’s 2016 application has now been closed and the Council would need to re-apply to seek consent to dispose of the site. The site was last used by a maintained school in May 2015 so the requirement for the Council to seek consent will expire in May 2023 (for consent under the Academies Act) and May 2025 (for consent under the SSFA).

Any new application under the SSFA would be considered by the School Playing Fields Advisory Panel, whose role is to provide an independent recommendation to the Secretary of State for Education. Sport England has an observer on the Panel and their comments would be considered as part of the decision-making process.

The department will keep the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish updated should the council re-apply.

The department has not made an assessment in this area. Where possible, local authorities should provide accommodation that is within their local area as moving a child away from their home area is not a decision to be taken lightly. There are clear statutory requirements in place to safeguard young people, and it is the responsibility of the placing local authority and Directors of Children’s Services who must approve all distant placements.

Statistically, the department collects data on placement type, reason for placement change and three separate pieces of information in relation to the locality of placements. The location data includes:

• information about the distance the child is placed away from their home postcode
• whether the placement is located inside or outside their responsible local authority
• the country of the placement (England, UK or otherwise).

Figures on placements, distance from the home placement and the location of the placement, inside or outside the council boundary, were published in the underlying data ‘National - children looked after at 31 March by placement type, distance of placement and locality of placement’ of the statistical release ‘Children looked after in England including adoption: 2019 to 2020’ at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions/2020.

Local authorities receive an annual School Condition Allocation to invest in capital maintenance and upgrades across the schools for which they are responsible. This funding should be used to ensure their schools are kept in safe, working order. The Department will always engage with those responsible for school buildings to discuss particular issues and provide support on a case by case basis, considering the relevant circumstances, including severity of need.

The Department has also launched a new School Rebuilding Programme with a commitment to 500 projects over the next decade. The Department is currently consulting on how to prioritise future places on the programme and expects that there will be opportunities for evidence of severe condition, including structural issues, to be submitted for consideration. Further details and the criteria for prioritisation will be set out in due course.

The Department is in ongoing discussions with Tameside Council regarding the condition of a primary school in Denton and Reddish.

Local authorities receive an annual School Condition Allocation to invest in capital maintenance and upgrades across the schools for which they are responsible. This funding should be used to ensure their schools are kept in safe, working order. The Department will always engage with those responsible for school buildings to discuss particular issues and provide support on a case by case basis, considering the relevant circumstances, including severity of need.

The Department has also launched a new School Rebuilding Programme with a commitment to 500 projects over the next decade. The Department is currently consulting on how to prioritise future places on the programme and expects that there will be opportunities for evidence of severe condition, including structural issues, to be submitted for consideration. Further details and the criteria for prioritisation will be set out in due course.

The Department is in ongoing discussions with Tameside Council regarding the condition of a primary school in Denton and Reddish.

Local authorities receive an annual School Condition Allocation to invest in capital maintenance and upgrades across the schools for which they are responsible. This funding should be used to ensure their schools are kept in safe, working order. The Department will always engage with those responsible for school buildings to discuss particular issues and provide support on a case by case basis, considering the relevant circumstances, including severity of need.

The Department has also launched a new School Rebuilding Programme with a commitment to 500 projects over the next decade. The Department is currently consulting on how to prioritise future places on the programme and expects that there will be opportunities for evidence of severe condition, including structural issues, to be submitted for consideration. Further details and the criteria for prioritisation will be set out in due course.

The Department is in ongoing discussions with Tameside Council regarding the condition of a primary school in Denton and Reddish.

Local authorities receive an annual School Condition Allocation to invest in capital maintenance and upgrades across the schools for which they are responsible. This funding should be used to ensure their schools are kept in safe, working order. The Department will always engage with those responsible for school buildings to discuss particular issues and provide support on a case by case basis, considering the relevant circumstances, including severity of need.

The Department has also launched a new School Rebuilding Programme with a commitment to 500 projects over the next decade. The Department is currently consulting on how to prioritise future places on the programme and expects that there will be opportunities for evidence of severe condition, including structural issues, to be submitted for consideration. Further details and the criteria for prioritisation will be set out in due course.

The Department is in ongoing discussions with Tameside Council regarding the condition of a primary school in Denton and Reddish.

All children have had their education disrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak, but it is likely that disadvantaged and vulnerable groups will have been hardest hit.

Since 2011 we have spent more than £20 billion to provide Pupil Premium funding for school leaders to use, based on the needs of their disadvantaged pupils. Between 2011 and 2019, the attainment gaps between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils narrowed by 13% at age 11 and 9% at age 16.

On top of this funding, we increased core schools funding by £2.6 billion last year and are increasing core schools funding by £4.8 billion and £7.1 billion in 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively, compared to 2019-20.

In addition, over the past year we have made three major interventions to support education recovery, totalling over £3 billion additional spend: £1 billion in June 2020, a further £700 million in February 2021 and our latest £1.4 billion package announced in June 2021.

Recovery programmes have been designed to allow early years, school and college leaders the flexibility to support those pupils most in need, including the most disadvantaged. The latest announcement expands our reforms in two areas where the evidence is clear our investment will have a significant impact for disadvantaged children, high quality tutoring and great teaching.

We are providing over £1.5 billion for tutoring programmes, including an expansion of the National Tutoring Programme (NTP), an ambitious scheme that supports schools to access targeted tutoring intervention for disadvantaged pupils who have missed out on learning due to school closures. We will also provide greater flexibility to schools to make it easier for them to take on local tutors or use existing staff to supplement those employed through the NTP. This new blended offer ensures that the NTP works for all disadvantaged children, giving schools the flexibility to choose what type of approach best suits their needs and those of individual pupils.

The £302 million Recovery Premium has been weighted so that schools with more disadvantaged pupils receive more funding and includes £22 million to scale up proven approaches to reduce the attainment gap.

We have also invested more than £400 million to provide internet access and over 1.3 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people.

Since 17 May all out of school settings, which would include youth residentials and summer camps, have been able to undertake residential visits for children. These settings can currently do so in groups of six, or two households, including at least one member of staff. From 21 June these settings will be able to do so in groups of 30 children, in line with the position for school residential visits. The Department has provided updated guidance on ‘Protective measures for holiday or after-school clubs and other out-of-school settings for children’, which sets out how providers can conduct residential visits safely. The guidance can be found here: 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.

Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, the Government has received advice from the scientific community, in particular from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and its subgroups, when taking decisions on the best way to tackle the outbreak. Gathering in larger groups, including as part of residential visits, does increase the risk of transmission. COVID-19 spreads more easily indoors, especially over prolonged periods, for example, in shared sleeping arrangements, which increases the risk of residential visits. The Department continues to keep these restrictions under constant review and will ensure they remain proportionate to the threat to public health posed by COVID-19.

As new evidence or data emerges, the Government will act accordingly to ensure that all settings have the right safety measures in place.

The advice on residential visits will be reviewed again in advance of Step 4 of the roadmap out of lockdown.

We want all students to progress to the next stage of their lives, including students taking the Access to Higher Education qualification. Calculated grades are not being used for awarding any qualifications this year and given the wide range and diverse nature of qualifications, one approach to awarding cannot be taken for all qualifications.

Assessments for Access to Higher Education qualifications are continuing where possible and will continued to be marked and graded by tutors. However, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education recognises that in some exceptional circumstances the assessments may need to be adapted to meet the needs of students and are allowing the diploma to be awarded using alternative evidence.

Tougher legal measures to strengthen free speech and academic freedom at universities in England have been announced by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, on 16 February, to stamp out unlawful ‘silencing’ on campuses. The new measures set out in the February 2021 policy paper will ensure that our universities are places where free speech can thrive.

We engaged with other government departments on the policy paper prior to being laid in parliament. Officials and ministers will continue to work together to ensure that government commitments are met.

The temporary regulations introduced in April 2020 contain provisions allowing school admission appeal hearings to be heard by telephone or video conference, or to be decided based on written submissions only.

The regulations were due to expire on 31 January 2021. However, due to the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 outbreak and the continuation of social distance rules, we have introduced another set of temporary regulations (The School Admissions (England) (Coronavirus) (Appeals Arrangements) (Amendment) Regulations 2021) which extend the temporary provisions until 30 September 2021.

These will come into force on 31 January 2021 and updated guidance will be published. We will keep the temporary arrangements under review.

The temporary regulations and guidance only apply where it is not reasonably practicable to comply with the School Admission Appeals Code for a reason relating to the incidence or transmission of COVID-19. This means the temporary arrangements are available to use when they are needed – when they are not, the duty to comply with the The Schools Admission (Appeal Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2012 and the School Admission Appeals Code remains.

Temporary regulations to amend the school admission appeals process were introduced in April 2020 to address the fact that the COVID-19 outbreak meant admission appeals could not go ahead in line with the existing statutory requirements.

Due to the ongoing nature of COVID-19 and the continuation of social distancing rules, we have introduced another set of temporary regulations which will extend the temporary provisions until 30 September 2021.

We will continue to monitor and review the impact of the temporary arrangements and will take account of feedback from local authorites, schools and parents when considering whether there is scope for wider reform of the appeals process in the longer term. Any proposals for permanent changes would require changes to legislation which would include a full public consultation and all changes would be subject to parliamentary approval.

The Government recognises the value that wraparound and holiday childcare providers offer, in particular with supporting vulnerable children and supporting our critical workers to continue to work. That is why we have ensured these providers can continue to remain open for the duration of the national lockdown for all vulnerable children and young people; and for all children of critical workers, where it is to enable their parents or carers to work, search for work, to undertake training or education, or to attend a medical appointment or address a medical need.

We recognise that the wrapround childcare sector, like many sectors, is facing unprecedented financial challenges as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. It is for this reason why the Government has made a range of financial packages available, throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, to support private businesses, who have been adversely affected by COVID-19; details of which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder. Depending on their circumstances, businesses may be eligible for tax relief, loans or cash grants through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme or the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. In addition, as part of the £4.6 billion in new lockdown grants to support businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors recently announced by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Government is making a discretionary fund of £594 million available for local authorities and the devolved administrations to support businesses that might be affected by the new lockdown restrictions, but that are not part of the retail, hospitality or leisure sectors. Wraparound childcare providers should apply to their local authorities to determine if they are eligible for this funding.

Given the importance of ensuring that vulnerable children and critical workers can access the support and childcare that they need, I also wrote to Directors of Children’s Services in all local authorities in England in December to strongly encourage them to consider whether wraparound childcare providers can be supported using grants that have been made available to local authorities. This includes the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, a £220 million fund to be delivered through grants to local authorities, and which will be expanded to reach all local authority areas over the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays this year. Local authorities will be able to use these grants to arrange childcare provision through a range of settings, providing valuable support to families on lower incomes and giving them the opportunity to access rewarding activities alongside healthy meals over the school holidays.

The department does not hold a central register of all wraparound provision and so does not routinely collect data on the number of providers in operation.

However, ensuring sufficiency of childcare provision for critical worker parents and carers remains a government priority. This is why we have ensured that wraparound childcare providers, and other providers of out-of-school activities, can continue to remain open for the children of critical workers during the current national lockdown to allow critical worker parents or carers to work or to search for work, to undertake training or education, or to attend a medical appointment or address a medical need.?? Vulnerable children and young people can also continue to access wraparound childcare and other out-of-school settings during the national lockdown. The guidance on protective measures for holiday and after-school clubs, and other out of school settings during the COVID-19 outbreak will shortly be updated to outline the measures providers should put in place to ensure they are operating as safely as possible if they continue to offer face-to-face provision during the national lockdown. It is available here: 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.

Schools may also continue to open up or hire out their premises for use by external wraparound childcare providers, such as after-school or holiday clubs, that offer provision to children of critical workers and/ or vulnerable children. We have also ensured that schools that operate their own breakfast and after school clubs can continue to run wraparound provision for those attending school full-time. Doing so, will support critical workers to undertake their jobs, and help to safeguard the health and wellbeing of vulnerable children and young people. We are encouraging schools that can, to maintain their wraparound childcare provision for this reason, and we will be publishing guidance to support them in doing so shortly.

The department has engaged and met with representatives from the wraparound childcare sector on a regular basis, since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, to discuss the impacts of COVID-19 and protective measures on the sufficiency of childcare provision, and will continue to do so. In addition, our Real-time assessment of community transmission (REACT) teams , comprising education and social care staff from both the Department for Education and Ofsted, are working closely with local authorities and will act as a valuable source of intelligence on the sufficiency of wraparound childcare places for the children of critical workers, and for vulnerable children and young people during the current national lockdown.

The department does not hold a central register of all wraparound provision and so does not routinely collect data on the number of providers in operation.

However, ensuring sufficiency of childcare provision for critical worker parents and carers remains a government priority. This is why we have ensured that wraparound childcare providers, and other providers of out-of-school activities, can continue to remain open for the children of critical workers during the current national lockdown to allow critical worker parents or carers to work or to search for work, to undertake training or education, or to attend a medical appointment or address a medical need.?? Vulnerable children and young people can also continue to access wraparound childcare and other out-of-school settings during the national lockdown. The guidance on protective measures for holiday and after-school clubs, and other out of school settings during the COVID-19 outbreak will shortly be updated to outline the measures providers should put in place to ensure they are operating as safely as possible if they continue to offer face-to-face provision during the national lockdown. It is available here: 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.

Schools may also continue to open up or hire out their premises for use by external wraparound childcare providers, such as after-school or holiday clubs, that offer provision to children of critical workers and/ or vulnerable children. We have also ensured that schools that operate their own breakfast and after school clubs can continue to run wraparound provision for those attending school full-time. Doing so, will support critical workers to undertake their jobs, and help to safeguard the health and wellbeing of vulnerable children and young people. We are encouraging schools that can, to maintain their wraparound childcare provision for this reason, and we will be publishing guidance to support them in doing so shortly.

The department has engaged and met with representatives from the wraparound childcare sector on a regular basis, since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, to discuss the impacts of COVID-19 and protective measures on the sufficiency of childcare provision, and will continue to do so. In addition, our Real-time assessment of community transmission (REACT) teams , comprising education and social care staff from both the Department for Education and Ofsted, are working closely with local authorities and will act as a valuable source of intelligence on the sufficiency of wraparound childcare places for the children of critical workers, and for vulnerable children and young people during the current national lockdown.

The department does not hold a central register of all wraparound provision or routinely collect data on closures of providers. The department does not, therefore, have a recent assessment of the effect of closures on the learning and development of children.

However, we recognise that before and after-school provision plays an important role in providing enriching activities for children and promoting their wellbeing, as well as being an important source of additional childcare for working parents and carers. That is why we have sought exemptions for this sector in The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (All Tiers) (England) Regulations 2020 to ensure that wraparound childcare is able to remain open at all tiers, and that parents can continue to access this provision for their children as normal. We have published further updated guidance for providers who run before and after-school clubs, tuition and other out-of-school settings for children on the protective measures that should be in place to ensure they are operating as safely as possible. The guidance is available here: 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.

We have also been encouraging schools to resume their breakfast and after-school club provision, where possible, since the start of the autumn term. As part of our guidance to schools on full opening, we have provided them with guidance to support them in reopening this valuable provision. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#wraparound-provision-and-extra-curricular-activity.

In addition, our REACT teams, comprising education and social care staff from both the Department for Education and Ofsted, are working closely with local authorities and will act as a valuable source of intelligence on the sufficiency of wraparound childcare places in local areas. We have also been in close communication with several wraparound providers since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak and we will continue this communication over the coming months.

The government is working closely with partners across the education sector, and with higher education providers, to minimise the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and the disruption it has caused to young people’s education, including for those who will be taking exams and applying to university next year.

Universities understand the unprecedented difficulties that students have faced this year. Whilst, as autonomous institutions, they are in charge of their own admissions arrangements, the government has asked that universities be as flexible as possible. We will continue to make every effort to minimise the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on young people’s education, so that they are well placed to progress to the next stage of their lives, wherever they live and whatever choices they make.

The bursaries offered for initial teacher training (ITT) are reviewed before the start of the annual recruitment cycle. In doing this, several factors are considered, including forecast economic conditions, previous recruitment, and teacher supply needs in each subject. Being able to change bursary amounts gives flexibility in responding to the need to attract new teachers and ensures money is spent where it is needed most.

In the academic year 2019/20, the postgraduate ITT targets in history (127% of target), geography (119% of target) and English (110% of target) were exceeded. Teaching remains an attractive proposition for graduates, including those in arts, English and humanities subjects. As a result, the Department has decided to focus the bursaries for the academic year 2021/22 on subjects where it is expected that it will be hardest to attract sufficient applicants.

Trainee teachers on tuition fee-funded ITT routes can apply for a tuition fee loan so they do not have to pay the fee upfront. They can also apply for a maintenance loan to support their living costs. Additional funding is also available depending on individual circumstances, such as the Childcare Grant.

The Department reviews the bursaries that we offer for initial teacher training (ITT) before the start of the annual recruitment cycle. In doing this, we take account of a number of factors including forecast economic performance, the number of graduates, and teacher supply need in each subject. Being able to change bursary amounts gives us the flexibility to respond to the need to attract new teachers and means we are spending money where it is needed most.

In academic year 2019/20 we exceeded the postgraduate ITT targets in history (127 per cent of target), geography (119 per cent of target) and English (110 per cent of target). Final recruitment figures for 2020/21 are not yet available but between February and September this year there has been a 32 per cent increase in applications for those looking to enter the classroom compared to the equivalent period last year: https://www.ucas.com/data-and-analysis/ucas-teacher-training-statistical-releases.

Teaching remains an attractive proposition for all graduates, including those in arts, English and humanities subjects. As a result, we have decided to focus the bursaries we are offering for academic year 2021/22 on subjects where we expect it will be hardest to attract sufficient applicants.

On 2 July the Department published guidance to help schools prepare for all pupils, in all year groups, to return to school full time from the beginning of the autumn term. This guidance is kept under review and updated as necessary. The guidance can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

The guidance includes information on school workforces and the public health advice schools must follow to minimise the risks of COVID-19 transmission. The public health advice in the guidance makes up a Public Health England endorsed ‘system of controls’, building on the hierarchy of protective measures that have been in use throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. When implemented in line with a revised risk assessment, these measures create an inherently safer environment for children and staff where the risk of transmission of infection is substantially reduced.

Shielding measures were paused from 1 August. Clinically vulnerable and extremely clinically vulnerable staff are able to return to school. While in school they should follow the advice in the Department’s guidance to minimise the risks of transmission. This includes taking particular care to observe good hand and respiratory hygiene, minimising contact and maintaining social distancing where possible.

The Department recommends that school leaders discuss any concerns individuals may have around their particular circumstances and reassure staff about the protective measures in place.

The Government intends all pupils, in all year groups, to return to school full-time from the beginning of the autumn term. On 2 July we published guidance to help schools prepare for this. The guidance can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

As stated in our guidance, schools should use their existing resources when making arrangements to welcome all children back for the autumn. There are no plans at present to reimburse additional costs incurred as part of that process.

Schools have been able to claim additional funding for exceptional costs incurred due to COVID-19, between March and July 2020, such as additional cleaning required due to confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases and increased premises costs to keep schools open for priority groups during the Easter and summer half term holidays. Schools have also continued to receive their core funding allocations throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. Following last year’s Spending Round, school budgets are rising by £2.6 billion in 2020-21, £4.8 billion in 2021-22 and £7.1 billion in 2022-23, compared to 2019-20.

We have worked closely and have regular conversations with the HM Treasury on support for nurseries, pre-schools and childminders during what must be a worrying and uncertain time.

On 17 March, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, confirmed the government will continue to pay funding to local authorities for the free entitlements for two-, three- and four-year-olds, providing reassurance for early years settings in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.

A package of support is available for individuals and businesses which will benefit childcare providers, including a business rates holiday, business interruption loans, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and help for the self-employed. Details of support available for childcare providers are available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures#funding.

On 24 May 2020, we published a planning guide for early years and childcare settings. The guidance sets out considerations for settings as they prepared to open to more children and the protective measures to put in place to limit the transmission of COVID-19. It was developed in consultation with early years sector bodies and providers from a variety of different settings and is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-early-years-and-childcare-settings-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-early-years-and-childcare-settings.

We are continuing to work with the sector to understand how the early years sector can best be supported to ensure that sufficient safe, appropriate and affordable childcare is available for those returning to work now, and for all families who need it in the longer term.

We know this is a challenging time for many businesses.

I am in continual contact with early years sector organisations through regular meetings and working groups and are feeding those messages right into the heart of government.

This year we plan to pay £3.6 billion into early years entitlements.

We will continue to ensure that early years providers get the best possible support from the numerous government schemes.

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

From the week commencing 15 June, the Department has asked schools with sixth forms and further education providers, which includes sixth form colleges, to offer some face-to-face support to pupils in Year 12 and to 16-19 students in the first year of a two-year study programme. Remote education should, however, remain the predominant mode of education for these students at this time. This applies schools in all parts of England.

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

Our priority is to ensure that sixth form students can progress as planned, including starting university, moving into apprenticeships or securing a job.

We have published a planning guide for secondary schools (including those with sixth forms) to help school leaders to prepare and decide arrangements, which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-secondary-schools.

We have also published guidance for further education providers, which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-further-education-provision/maintaining-education-and-skills-training-provision-further-education-providers.

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) continues to be in regular dialogue with all sixth form colleges in Greater Manchester to establish their plans to continue to support sixth form learners.

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

From the week commencing 15 June, the Department has asked schools with sixth forms and further education providers, which includes sixth form colleges, to offer some face-to-face support to pupils in Year 12 and to 16-19 students in the first year of a two-year study programme. Remote education should, however, remain the predominant mode of education for these students at this time. This applies schools in all parts of England.

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

Our priority is to ensure that sixth form students can progress as planned, including starting university, moving into apprenticeships or securing a job.

We have published a planning guide for secondary schools (including those with sixth forms) to help school leaders to prepare and decide arrangements, which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-secondary-schools.

We have also published guidance for further education providers, which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-further-education-provision/maintaining-education-and-skills-training-provision-further-education-providers.

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) continues to be in regular dialogue with all sixth form colleges in Greater Manchester to establish their plans to continue to support sixth form learners.

Ministers and officials in the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care are meeting regularly to discuss the effect of the changes to education and how to provide support for mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.

We are aware that there is emerging evidence that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals can be more severely affected than the general population by COVID-19. We also know that people from BAME backgrounds are more at risk of experiencing mental health and wellbeing issues and that they access mental health care less than people from white backgrounds.

NHS England and Improvement is working closely with BAME experts, health professionals, Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) partners and others to support rapid knowledge and information sharing to encourage timely access to NHS mental health services, and just as importantly, good BAME experiences within those services.

In May, the Department of Health and Social Care announced £4.2 million for mental health charities, including Young Minds to enable them to continue to support people experiencing mental health challenges at this time. The department then provided a further £5 million of additional funding for mental health charities to support adults and children, including charities that offer some support to children and young people from BAME communities, such as the What? Centre, which supports young people with furthering their understanding of race, culture and identity in relation to mental health.

The Department for Education has been working closely with health partners to provide resources and update guidance to support and promote all children and young people’s mental health during the outbreak and to prepare for the return of pupils and students. We have encouraged schools to focus on mental wellbeing as pupils return and published a list of resources to help those supporting children at home, which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources/online-science-pe-wellbeing-and-send-resources-for-home-education#mental-wellbeing.

All NHS mental health trusts have been asked to ensure that there are 24/7 open access telephone lines to support people of all ages. Public Health England and Health Education England have also developed advice and guidance for parents and professionals on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-supporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing.

Guidance on safeguarding in education settings includes specific information on mental health and is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers.

Guidance and for parents and carers to support their children’s education during the COVID-19 outbreak is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/supporting-your-childrens-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19.

As pupils return, schools will need to be especially sensitive to the needs and wellbeing of BAME members of staff, BAME parents and BAME pupils. The department’s guidance to schools sets out that they should ensure they have considered the impact on staff and pupils with protected characteristics, including race and disability, in developing their approach.

As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.

The Department for Education has published guidance on implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings to prevent the spread of coronavirus, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings.

The Department has also provided information on planning what to teach, and how, in the case of a phased return of some children into mainstream primary schools: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-primary-schools#planning-what-to-teach-and-how.

It sets out that the priorities for young children at this time should be resocialisation into school routines; speaking and listening, and regaining momentum in particular with early reading.

Hedgerows are one of the most important ecological building blocks in our farmed landscape. They maintain the distinctive character of our countryside, providing crucial habitats and food for wildlife. The trees that appear in hedgerows and outgrown hedges are defined as 'linear features in the National Forest Inventory', which details all tree cover in Britain. Forest Research's ' Tree Cover Outside Woodland in Great Britain', 2017, reported the last comprehensive inventory and is due to be updated again in 2022/23. This will act as the proposed target's baseline for trees outside woodlands, including hedgerow trees, and both losses and gains from that baseline will be accounted for.

Along with the proposed tree target, the Environment Act 2021 requires us to set a world leading target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030, alongside other biodiversity targets we are consulting on. The species abundance target will require creating more, better joined up habitats, which will include hedgerows to help tackle the causes of decline and drive actions to deliver nature recovery. We also propose that hedgerows should be one of the wildlife-rich habitats in our proposed legally binding target to create or restore in excess of 500,000 hectares of a range of wildlife-rich habitat outside protected sites by 2042.

Following information received through further reports of pollution at Wilson brook, Hyde Park on Thursday 17 March 2022, the Environment Agency (EA) attended Hyde Park to investigate. The pollution was traced to a point upstream of a local industrial estate. The EA investigation into this incident is ongoing, and it will be attending the location again this week to further progress its investigation. Should this uncover further lines of enquiry, further investigations to understand the source, pathway, cause and nature of the pollution will commence.

If the EA identifies any offences attributable to a suspect, then enforcement action will be taken in line with its offence response options available here:

Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR) offences - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Taking into consideration alongside its Enforcement and Sanctions Policy:

Environment Agency enforcement and sanctions policy - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The EA has also been in contact with local businesses in that area to ensure they are acting responsibly.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and Border Force (BF) teams do not have a Service Level Agreement in place. AHPA and BF have an operational agreement for the Port of Dover.

Dover BF officers continue to make referrals to the APHA officers. There has been one change to the operational agreement. This change means that Dover BF will no longer hold the vehicle/consignment for more than 30 minutes. If APHA is unable to deploy staff to attend within 30 minutes the vehicle/consignment will be released. Details of the vehicle, person responsible for the animals and the consignment will be provided to APHA to follow up retrospectively.

If APHA attend within 30 minutes and identify non-compliance, UK Dover will not support this part of the process. APHA will be required to request assistance to manage any issues as required from the Port of Dover Police or Kent Police, if they are not present.

Defra and the Environment Agency (EA) are working with academia, National Highways, and the UK water industry to improve our understanding of the scale of the microplastic pollution problem, to identify the key sources, and to evaluate the efficiency of different wastewater treatment processes in removing microplastics from wastewater effluent before it is discharged to the water environment.

My officials met with Professor Jamie Woodward earlier this year to discuss his latest study on microplastics in the River Tame. We will consider the outcomes of this study, alongside other new and emerging research in this field, when developing policy options for tackling microplastic pollution.

The EA has made no assessment of the level of microplastic pollution in the River Tame specifically. There is currently no statutory requirement for the EA to undertake this activity. However, in 2018 the EA undertook an investigation on the River Tame to identify whether there were any permitted activities based in the Tame catchment with the potential to discharge microplastics or plastic into the watercourse, which led to recommendations to an operator in the catchment. This operator has since surrendered its permit and relocated.

I invite the hon. Member to write to me with regard to meeting to discuss microplastic pollution in the River Tame.

Defra and the Environment Agency (EA) are working with academia, National Highways, and the UK water industry to improve our understanding of the scale of the microplastic pollution problem, to identify the key sources, and to evaluate the efficiency of different wastewater treatment processes in removing microplastics from wastewater effluent before it is discharged to the water environment.

My officials met with Professor Jamie Woodward earlier this year to discuss his latest study on microplastics in the River Tame. We will consider the outcomes of this study, alongside other new and emerging research in this field, when developing policy options for tackling microplastic pollution.

The EA has made no assessment of the level of microplastic pollution in the River Tame specifically. There is currently no statutory requirement for the EA to undertake this activity. However, in 2018 the EA undertook an investigation on the River Tame to identify whether there were any permitted activities based in the Tame catchment with the potential to discharge microplastics or plastic into the watercourse, which led to recommendations to an operator in the catchment. This operator has since surrendered its permit and relocated.

I invite the hon. Member to write to me with regard to meeting to discuss microplastic pollution in the River Tame.

Defra and the Environment Agency (EA) are working with academia, National Highways, and the UK water industry to improve our understanding of the scale of the microplastic pollution problem, to identify the key sources, and to evaluate the efficiency of different wastewater treatment processes in removing microplastics from wastewater effluent before it is discharged to the water environment.

My officials met with Professor Jamie Woodward earlier this year to discuss his latest study on microplastics in the River Tame. We will consider the outcomes of this study, alongside other new and emerging research in this field, when developing policy options for tackling microplastic pollution.

The EA has made no assessment of the level of microplastic pollution in the River Tame specifically. There is currently no statutory requirement for the EA to undertake this activity. However, in 2018 the EA undertook an investigation on the River Tame to identify whether there were any permitted activities based in the Tame catchment with the potential to discharge microplastics or plastic into the watercourse, which led to recommendations to an operator in the catchment. This operator has since surrendered its permit and relocated.

I invite the hon. Member to write to me with regard to meeting to discuss microplastic pollution in the River Tame.

Defra and the Environment Agency (EA) are working with academia, National Highways, and the UK water industry to improve our understanding of the scale of the microplastic pollution problem, to identify the key sources, and to evaluate the efficiency of different wastewater treatment processes in removing microplastics from wastewater effluent before it is discharged to the water environment.

My officials met with Professor Jamie Woodward earlier this year to discuss his latest study on microplastics in the River Tame. We will consider the outcomes of this study, alongside other new and emerging research in this field, when developing policy options for tackling microplastic pollution.

The EA has made no assessment of the level of microplastic pollution in the River Tame specifically. There is currently no statutory requirement for the EA to undertake this activity. However, in 2018 the EA undertook an investigation on the River Tame to identify whether there were any permitted activities based in the Tame catchment with the potential to discharge microplastics or plastic into the watercourse, which led to recommendations to an operator in the catchment. This operator has since surrendered its permit and relocated.

I invite the hon. Member to write to me with regard to meeting to discuss microplastic pollution in the River Tame.

The Animal Health Certificate (AHC) format is mandated by the EU, and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has taken steps to help Official Veterinarians (OVs) complete them including by developing a model AHC together with accompanying printable guidance and associated training. APHA has publicised the availability of the training relating to completing AHCs. The model AHC is easily available on-line and can be accessed by all qualified OVs at any time.

We have been engaging with the British Veterinary Association to develop additional guidance to support vets in completing and issuing AHCs. This includes the development of a 'checklist', which can be used in addition to the comprehensive guidance already available to vets, and an explainer video that will guide vets through a worked-up AHC example.

The number of Official Veterinarians (working in private practice) who are able to issue AHCs is currently 7,896. Defra does not hold information on the related number of veterinary practices that are able to issue AHCs.

The United Kingdom (UK) has now been formally ‘listed’ as a ‘Part 2’ third country for the purposes of the EU pet travel regulations, which means that new rules now apply to pet movements from Great Britain (GB) to the EU and Northern Ireland (NI). These rules are governed by the EU Pet Travel Scheme, including those relating to certification for travel to the EU and NI.

Defra has been clear that there are no animal health or biosecurity justifications for these additional rules to travel to the EU or NI. We will continue to press the EU Commission in relation to securing ‘Part 1’ listed status, recognising that achieving this would alleviate some of the new requirements for pet owners and assistance dog users travelling, including the requirement for an Animal Health Certificate (AHC).

Our advice for pet owners and users of assistance dogs travelling is that they should continue to contact their vet at least one month in advance to ensure their pet has the correct vaccinations and paperwork to travel abroad. The costs of completing and issuing an AHC are commercial decisions, set by individual veterinary practices.

APHA has publicised the availability of the required training course and has made it easily available on-line. As of 13 July 2021, there are 7,387 Official Veterinarians in Great Britain authorised by APHA to issue Animal Health Certificates. COVID travel restrictions have previously decreased demand for AHCs to allow pets to travel with their owners from January this year; however, we are not aware of any concerns about there being insufficient numbers of authorised OVs to meet expected demand for AHCs in the future as travel restrictions continue to lift.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Swansea East on 25 January 2021, PQ 138473.

The welfare of companion animals remains a priority for Defra throughout the coronavirus pandemic. My department continues to work closely with the companion animal welfare sector to understand the concerns of the sector and address how organisations that work with companion animals have been affected by Covid-19.

The Government has announced various measures to help businesses and charities cope in these strained times whilst remaining completely focussed on managing and eradicating the virus. Organisations can apply for the full range of COVID-19 support measures that the government has made available:

www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support.

There has been a change to the eligibility criteria for the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). The CBILS requirement for a small to medium-size enterprise to generate more than 50% of its income from trading has been removed for registered charities.

The Charity Commission has also issued comprehensive guidance on running a charity during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Details can be found at: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-the-charity-sector. This includes advice for Trustees on managing financial difficulties with respect to use of reserves, restricted funds and provisions to help businesses continue operating and avoid insolvency during this period of economic uncertainty.

In addition to this, we have worked closely with the sector through the Canine and Feline Sector Group and National Equine Welfare Council to agree and update guidance to animal rescue and rehoming organisations, and other animal charities and businesses. This has enabled them to undertake core operations as far as possible, whilst maintaining compliance with the social distancing rules and need for hygiene precautions to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Defra remains committed to continued engagement with the sector to understand the longer-term impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, monitor the animal welfare implications of this and offer appropriate advice.

The Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse sets out statutory standards for the removal of litter and refuse from relevant land and highways. It also sets out advisory standards for local authorities for graffiti removal, but there are no statutory requirements to remove graffiti.

Damaging property by leaving graffiti is an offence of criminal damage. Neither Highways England nor Network Rail has enforcement powers in respect of either littering or graffiti.

In 2018, Defra commissioned an independent survey of roadside litter on those parts of the Strategic Road Network (SRN) where Highways England is responsible for maintenance but the local authority is responsible for clearing litter. The results have been shared with relevant local authorities and will be used in policy development.

The Department for Transport published the Road Investment Strategy (RIS2) in March of this year, which sets out the Government’s long-term ambition for the SRN. The RIS2 includes a litter performance indicator in which Highways England will be required to report on the percentage of the SRN covered by Highways England’s Asset Delivery contracts where litter is graded at B or above under the Litter Code of Practice. Highways England performance on this metric will be reported to the Office for Road and Rail and Highways England will publish the data annually. This will ensure that there is an increased level of transparency for road users.

The Government’s Litter Strategy for England was developed by Defra, the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, in consultation with other Government departments and guided by the Litter Strategy Advisory Group, of which Highways England and Network Rail were members. Defra and DfT officials have recently discussed the challenges of roadside litter on the strategic road network but there have been no recent Ministerial discussions.

DfT published the Road Investment Strategy 2 (RIS2) in March of this year, which sets out the Government’s long-term ambition for the Strategic Road Network (SRN). The RIS2 includes a litter performance indicator in which Highways England will be required to report on the percentage of the SRN covered by Highways England’s Asset Delivery contracts where litter is graded at B or above under the Litter Code of Practice[1]. Highways England’s performance on this metric will be reported to the Office for Road and Rail and Highways England will publish the data annually. This will ensure that there is an increased level of transparency for road users.

We recognise that litter and graffiti are an ongoing problem on our road and rail networks and Defra officials continue to work with Highways England and Network Rail to support them to deliver on their commitments in the strategy, along with our own. The second annual report on delivery of the Litter Strategy was published in September last year and is available at:

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/836953/litter-strategy-annual-report-2018-2019a.pdf.

The Secretary of State for Transport is clear that graffiti on the railways is a matter that should be addressed as effectively as possible, and recognises the wider impacts associated with anti-social behaviour such as graffiti and trespass.

Addressing visible signs of crime and anti-social behaviour such as graffiti helps to create an environment of respect for the law. This helps to prevent more serious crimes on and around the railway network, thereby promoting passenger safety, such as the closely linked issue of trespass which can have extremely serious consequences for individuals’ safety and cause significant delays.

Network Rail currently spends around £3.5 million annually on tackling graffiti across the network. This expenditure is planned for and is part of Network Rail’s current five-year funding settlement which runs to 2024. In addition, each railway operator must ensure that its rolling stock and stations are kept to a high standard of condition and presentation.

Network Rail also works closely with the British Transport Police on hardening the rail network to unlawful incursions. This work by the British Transport Police is carried out with other interested parties, such as train operating companies and local authorities, and highlights the series of interlinked issues behind graffiti.

DfT is leading ongoing work across industry to assess the effectiveness of current anti-graffiti measures and develop long-term solutions to better produce a clean and more efficient railway network.

[1] www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-on-litter-and-refuse

The Government’s Litter Strategy for England was developed by Defra, the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, in consultation with other Government departments and guided by the Litter Strategy Advisory Group, of which Highways England and Network Rail were members. Defra and DfT officials have recently discussed the challenges of roadside litter on the strategic road network but there have been no recent Ministerial discussions.

DfT published the Road Investment Strategy 2 (RIS2) in March of this year, which sets out the Government’s long-term ambition for the Strategic Road Network (SRN). The RIS2 includes a litter performance indicator in which Highways England will be required to report on the percentage of the SRN covered by Highways England’s Asset Delivery contracts where litter is graded at B or above under the Litter Code of Practice[1]. Highways England’s performance on this metric will be reported to the Office for Road and Rail and Highways England will publish the data annually. This will ensure that there is an increased level of transparency for road users.

We recognise that litter and graffiti are an ongoing problem on our road and rail networks and Defra officials continue to work with Highways England and Network Rail to support them to deliver on their commitments in the strategy, along with our own. The second annual report on delivery of the Litter Strategy was published in September last year and is available at:

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/836953/litter-strategy-annual-report-2018-2019a.pdf.

The Secretary of State for Transport is clear that graffiti on the railways is a matter that should be addressed as effectively as possible, and recognises the wider impacts associated with anti-social behaviour such as graffiti and trespass.

Addressing visible signs of crime and anti-social behaviour such as graffiti helps to create an environment of respect for the law. This helps to prevent more serious crimes on and around the railway network, thereby promoting passenger safety, such as the closely linked issue of trespass which can have extremely serious consequences for individuals’ safety and cause significant delays.

Network Rail currently spends around £3.5 million annually on tackling graffiti across the network. This expenditure is planned for and is part of Network Rail’s current five-year funding settlement which runs to 2024. In addition, each railway operator must ensure that its rolling stock and stations are kept to a high standard of condition and presentation.

Network Rail also works closely with the British Transport Police on hardening the rail network to unlawful incursions. This work by the British Transport Police is carried out with other interested parties, such as train operating companies and local authorities, and highlights the series of interlinked issues behind graffiti.

DfT is leading ongoing work across industry to assess the effectiveness of current anti-graffiti measures and develop long-term solutions to better produce a clean and more efficient railway network.

[1] www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-on-litter-and-refuse

The Government’s Litter Strategy for England was developed by Defra, the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, in consultation with other Government departments and guided by the Litter Strategy Advisory Group, of which Highways England and Network Rail were members. Defra and DfT officials have recently discussed the challenges of roadside litter on the strategic road network but there have been no recent Ministerial discussions.

DfT published the Road Investment Strategy 2 (RIS2) in March of this year, which sets out the Government’s long-term ambition for the Strategic Road Network (SRN). The RIS2 includes a litter performance indicator in which Highways England will be required to report on the percentage of the SRN covered by Highways England’s Asset Delivery contracts where litter is graded at B or above under the Litter Code of Practice[1]. Highways England’s performance on this metric will be reported to the Office for Road and Rail and Highways England will publish the data annually. This will ensure that there is an increased level of transparency for road users.

We recognise that litter and graffiti are an ongoing problem on our road and rail networks and Defra officials continue to work with Highways England and Network Rail to support them to deliver on their commitments in the strategy, along with our own. The second annual report on delivery of the Litter Strategy was published in September last year and is available at:

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/836953/litter-strategy-annual-report-2018-2019a.pdf.

The Secretary of State for Transport is clear that graffiti on the railways is a matter that should be addressed as effectively as possible, and recognises the wider impacts associated with anti-social behaviour such as graffiti and trespass.

Addressing visible signs of crime and anti-social behaviour such as graffiti helps to create an environment of respect for the law. This helps to prevent more serious crimes on and around the railway network, thereby promoting passenger safety, such as the closely linked issue of trespass which can have extremely serious consequences for individuals’ safety and cause significant delays.

Network Rail currently spends around £3.5 million annually on tackling graffiti across the network. This expenditure is planned for and is part of Network Rail’s current five-year funding settlement which runs to 2024. In addition, each railway operator must ensure that its rolling stock and stations are kept to a high standard of condition and presentation.

Network Rail also works closely with the British Transport Police on hardening the rail network to unlawful incursions. This work by the British Transport Police is carried out with other interested parties, such as train operating companies and local authorities, and highlights the series of interlinked issues behind graffiti.

DfT is leading ongoing work across industry to assess the effectiveness of current anti-graffiti measures and develop long-term solutions to better produce a clean and more efficient railway network.

[1] www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-on-litter-and-refuse

The Government’s Litter Strategy for England was developed by Defra, the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, in consultation with other Government departments and guided by the Litter Strategy Advisory Group, of which Highways England and Network Rail were members. Defra and DfT officials have recently discussed the challenges of roadside litter on the strategic road network but there have been no recent Ministerial discussions.

DfT published the Road Investment Strategy 2 (RIS2) in March of this year, which sets out the Government’s long-term ambition for the Strategic Road Network (SRN). The RIS2 includes a litter performance indicator in which Highways England will be required to report on the percentage of the SRN covered by Highways England’s Asset Delivery contracts where litter is graded at B or above under the Litter Code of Practice[1]. Highways England’s performance on this metric will be reported to the Office for Road and Rail and Highways England will publish the data annually. This will ensure that there is an increased level of transparency for road users.

We recognise that litter and graffiti are an ongoing problem on our road and rail networks and Defra officials continue to work with Highways England and Network Rail to support them to deliver on their commitments in the strategy, along with our own. The second annual report on delivery of the Litter Strategy was published in September last year and is available at:

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/836953/litter-strategy-annual-report-2018-2019a.pdf.

The Secretary of State for Transport is clear that graffiti on the railways is a matter that should be addressed as effectively as possible, and recognises the wider impacts associated with anti-social behaviour such as graffiti and trespass.

Addressing visible signs of crime and anti-social behaviour such as graffiti helps to create an environment of respect for the law. This helps to prevent more serious crimes on and around the railway network, thereby promoting passenger safety, such as the closely linked issue of trespass which can have extremely serious consequences for individuals’ safety and cause significant delays.

Network Rail currently spends around £3.5 million annually on tackling graffiti across the network. This expenditure is planned for and is part of Network Rail’s current five-year funding settlement which runs to 2024. In addition, each railway operator must ensure that its rolling stock and stations are kept to a high standard of condition and presentation.

Network Rail also works closely with the British Transport Police on hardening the rail network to unlawful incursions. This work by the British Transport Police is carried out with other interested parties, such as train operating companies and local authorities, and highlights the series of interlinked issues behind graffiti.

DfT is leading ongoing work across industry to assess the effectiveness of current anti-graffiti measures and develop long-term solutions to better produce a clean and more efficient railway network.

[1] www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-on-litter-and-refuse

The emergency food parcels are a standardised package designed to be suitable for the majority of people. They contain a basic selection of food and other essential items. The contents of the food parcels have been reviewed by nutritionists and are based on, and broadly in line with, the national food model, the Eatwell Guide. We are currently working with nutritionists to make recommendations as to how to improve the nutritional content of these, and increase variety in any future food parcels.

The Government has well-established ways of working with the food industry during disruption to supply situations. The Government has regular engagement across the industry including the delivery to home sector and the industry continues to monitor the situation closely, taking the necessary steps to address issues where they arise. Following a significant spike in consumer demand, we have now seen stock levels in supermarkets improve. To support the food sector, the government temporarily relaxed competition law and regulations relating to driver hours and delivery times so that the sector could work together to keep putting food on the shelves.

We are working quickly to support those who need help getting essential food supplies, and we are working with retailers and the voluntary sector to ensure that people are supported to shop for others safely. We welcome the actions that industry is taking, including hiring more staff, and prioritising delivery slots and shopping times for those that need them most. We are grateful for the extensive support and positive collaboration that the industry has shown.

The announcement on 4 October launching Network North represents a significant new £36bn programme of transport investment across the country. Regarding services through Stockport, following this announcement, we are in the early stages of planning next steps, including delivery timelines for these schemes and are working closely with Network Rail.

Regarding future orbital Tram-Train services along the Stockport-Stalybridge line and the merits of upgrading Heaton Norris Junction, the Department has received a Restoring your Railway bid to upgrade the existing line between Stockport and Ashton-under-Lyne.

The Manchester Taskforce includes representatives from organisations such as Transport for Greater Manchester and Transport for the North to ensure local views are considered. They will continue to work closely with Transport for Greater Manchester as the promoter for the Restoring Your Railway bid to upgrade the existing line between Stockport and Ashton-under-Lyne.

The Manchester Task Force, which brings together DfT, Network Rail and local partners, will consider the Junction whilst looking at options to enhance the route between Piccadilly and Stockport.

No decisions have been made on the train service that will run when HS2 opens. These will be made in due course and be subject to consultation, taking advice from the industry.

No decisions have been made on the train service that will run when HS2 opens. These will be made in due course and be subject to consultation, taking advice from the industry.

No decisions have been made on the train service that will run when HS2 opens. These will be made in due course and be subject to consultation, taking advice from the industry. These considerations will include passenger and freight services available on the West Coast Mainline from released capacity.

No decisions have been made on the train services that will run when HS2 opens, including for Stockport Station. These decisions will be made in due course and be subject to consultation, taking advice from the industry.

This Government has committed £593m to improve reliability and capacity in Manchester which passengers are now benefiting from. The Manchester Task Force will consider capacity improvements on the Castlefield corridor and other parts of the network including the areas you list.

The Department challenges National Highways on its overall performance on litter collection at national level. In addition, as one of the performance indicators in the Road Investment Strategy, it is subject to monitoring by the Office for Rail and Road as independent Highways Monitor. It would not be proportionate for the Department to routinely assess or challenge the outcome of litter inspections by National Highways at individual locations across the country. The Department is, however, happy to take up with National Highways any specific local littering issues relating to the Strategic Road Network that are raised by Honourable members or other members of the public.

The second Road Investment Strategy (2020-25) includes a litter performance indicator which measures the percentage of the SRN where litter is graded at B or above under the Litter Code of Practice. Both the Department and the independent Highways Monitor (the Office for Rail and Road) regularly monitor performance against this litter indicator and discuss with National Highways how performance can continuously be improved. National Highways is committed to reporting annually against this indicator and the performance for 22/23 will be known in the Summer. The Department does not challenge National Highways on specific outcomes of individual inspections.

The second Road Investment Strategy (2020-25) includes a litter performance indicator. National Highways is committed to reporting the percentage of the Strategic Road Network on which National Highways hold litter clearance responsibility, that had no litter, refuse or detritus, or was predominately free of litter, refuse or detritus apart from some small items in line with the Code of practice on litter and refuse published by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The Department, alongside the independent Highways Monitor (Office for Rail and Road) regularly monitor performance against this litter indicator and discuss with National Highways how performance can continuously be improved.

We are developing the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) and continue to explore potential metrics for inclusion in RIS3 performance specification, as well as possible improvements to existing metrics such as litter. We are working to ensure that the targeted metrics in RIS3 – the Key Performance Indicators focus on the things that are most important to road users and contribute to wider government priorities. This process will involve considering the responses to the forthcoming public consultation on National Highways’ Strategic Road Network Initial Report.

National Highways will be happy meet the honourable Member for Denton and Reddish to discuss litter on the Strategic Roads in his constituency.

I am committed to tackling the amount of litter deposited on our roads and I agree that there is more we can all do to keep the Strategic Road Network, roads and streets clear of litter, therefore I would be happy to meet with the honourable Member for Denton and Reddish to discuss how we can best tackle litter on the roads in his constituency.

Three separate litter picks have been undertaken on this section of the M60 since the beginning of February with 65 bags of litter and 8 large pieces of debris removed. National Highways’ most recent assessment of cleanliness within this area was made on 18 April 2023 with another planned for 25 April 2023.

The second Road Investment Strategy (2020-25) includes a litter performance indicator, in line with the Code of practice on litter and refuse published by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). National Highways is committed to reporting against this performance indicator and the Department, alongside the independent Highways Monitor (Office for Rail and Road), regularly monitor performance against this litter indicator and discuss with National Highways how performance can continuously be improved. Performance is monitored at a national level across the whole of the Strategic Road Network rather than a focus on any specific region.

Avanti West Coast has started to increase its service levels, targeting additional trains every day where they are most needed and train crew resources allow, but the current service remains insufficient. The issues experienced on Avanti West Coast are exactly why we need to modernise the railways, to ensure passengers get a reliable timetable no matter when they travel and are not relying on drivers working overtime in order to run a full service.

We assess the majority of UK licence holders in Spain registered their intent to exchange, as they were advised to, before 31 December 2020. They are therefore unaffected.

UK licences holders resident in Spain and currently unable to drive primarily fall in three groups:

• UK licence holders who are long-term residents in Spain and did not exchange or register their intent to exchange, as advised, before the end of the transition period (31 December 2020).
• UK licence holders who did register their intent to exchange before the end of the transition period, but did not complete the exchange process by 30 April 2022
• UK licence holders who have arrived as residents in Spain after 31 December 2020 and have been residents in Spain for longer than 6 months.

Negotiations with the Spanish Government are ongoing.

The lack of a driving licence exchange agreement with Spain primarily affects three groups:

• UK licence holders who are long-term residents in Spain and did not exchange or register their intent to exchange, as advised, before the end of the transition period (31 December 2020).
• UK licence holders who did register their intent to exchange before the end of the transition period, but did not complete the exchange process by 30 April.
• UK licence holders who have arrived as residents in Spain after 31 December 2020 and have been resident Spain for longer than 6 months.

The Department for Transport does not hold information on the number of people affected in each group.

The UK and Spain have rapidly accelerated talks on driving licence exchange since the Secretary of State for Transport discussed the issue with Spanish ministers on 29 April 2022.

We have provided unprecedented support for local transport during the pandemic. For bus, operators and local authorities have received funding through the £1.5bn Coronavirus Bus Service Support Grant, and the ongoing £226.5m Bus Recovery Grant.

We recognise the ongoing challenges faced by operators and Local Transport Authorities and discussions on how best to support them are underway.

To assist in the short term, the Department is making available an additional £29m in recovery funding this financial year, on top of the previously announced £226.5m. This will be provided through the Bus Recovery Grant in the form of an uplift to recipients, including operators and LTAs. This will assist the sector in maintaining high service levels.

We have provided unprecedented support for local transport during the pandemic. For bus, operators and local authorities have received funding through the £1.5bn Coronavirus Bus Service Support Grant, and the ongoing £226.5m Bus Recovery Grant.

We recognise the ongoing challenges faced by operators and Local Transport Authorities and discussions on how best to support them are underway.

To assist in the short term, the Department is making available an additional £29m in recovery funding this financial year, on top of the previously announced £226.5m. This will be provided through the Bus Recovery Grant in the form of an uplift to recipients, including operators and LTAs. This will assist the sector in maintaining high service levels.

We have provided unprecedented support for local transport during the pandemic. For bus, operators and local authorities have received funding through the £1.5bn Coronavirus Bus Service Support Grant, and the ongoing £226.5m Bus Recovery Grant.

We recognise the ongoing challenges faced by operators and Local Transport Authorities and discussions on how best to support them are underway.

To assist in the short term, the Department is making available an additional £29m in recovery funding this financial year, on top of the previously announced £226.5m. This will be provided through the Bus Recovery Grant in the form of an uplift to recipients, including operators and LTAs. This will assist the sector in maintaining high service levels.

The Department has conducted analysis on current service levels and future passenger trends, informed by input of stakeholders such as the Confederation of Passenger Transport and the Urban Transport Group. We are currently discussing with HMT the costs and benefits of extending the Bus Recovery Grant scheme.

The Secretary of State for Transport frequently has discussions with the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on a wide range of issues. In July 2021 we published the Transport Decarbonisation Plan – the first such Plan in the world – which sets the transport sector on the path to net zero by 2050. Commitments set out in the plan include ending the sale of all new non zero emission road vehicles by 2040, delivering the supporting charging infrastructure network, delivering the National Bus Strategy, which will improve services and support the delivery of zero emission buses and required infrastructure, and investing £2bn in active travel with the aim of half of all journeys in our towns and cities being cycled or walked by 2030.

The Department is supporting licensing authorities to make use of their extensive existing powers through the Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards issued last year and is supporting a Private Members’ Bill (Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Safeguarding and Road Safety) Bill) which would further enhance the protection the licensing regime provides to the public. A consultation on updated best practice guidance for licensing authorities will be launched shortly.

The Government is committed to introducing legislation, when Parliamentary time allows, to reform the regulation of the sector.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) wheel clamping contractor covers the whole of the UK and visits different areas on a daily basis. Officials will bring the vehicle mentioned to their attention and ask them to visit the area specified as soon as possible.

However, the removal of abandoned vehicles is the responsibility of the relevant local authority. At times an overlap in enforcement activity may occur as an abandoned vehicle may also be unlicensed.

The Hon Member will have seen that we announced outcomes to the third round of the Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund in the Autumn Budget, and that his bid for Ashton to Stockport has been successful.

I would like to congratulate the Hon Member on his successful bid to the Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund for restoring passenger services on the rail line from Ashton-under-Lyne to Stockport. The Department has not made a detailed assessment of the economic impacts of improving connectivity in the area at this stage, though I look forward to working with Transport for Greater Manchester to explore these issues as they develop the case further.

The Government is allocating funding under its Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition to projects including on shore power, and will consult this year on the appropriate steps to support and, if needed, mandate the uptake of shore power in the UK.

The Spending review launched on 7 September by the Chancellor of the Exchequer will conclude alongside an Autumn Budget on 27 October. It would be premature for me to comment on any plans for further investment in maritime decarbonisation before a settlement has been agreed.

To date the Department for Transport has funded a £1.5m competition for innovation in clean maritime and provided £93,897 in grant support through the 2019 Department’s Transport Technology Research Innovation Grant (TRIG) Programme to early stage research projects related to clean maritime. In 2020 the TRIG programme provided almost £90,000 to clean maritime projects. Under this programme the Department will allocate up to £400,000 this year to 13 projects in zero emission shipping.

In March this year Government launched a Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) to decarbonise the maritime sector. The CMDC will allocate up to £23m in R&D funding to 55 projects comprising of feasibility studies and trials in zero emission shipping technologies, accelerating the development of zero emission technology and infrastructure in the UK.

The Government has carefully considered all industry submissions, including the proposals published by Maritime UK. The Spending review launched on 7 September by the Chancellor of the Exchequer will conclude alongside an Autumn Budget on 27 October. It would be premature for me to comment on any plans for further investment in maritime decarbonisation before a settlement has been agreed.

The Department has made no assessment of the level of economic development that Government funding for maritime decarbonisation may provide to the UK’s coastal communities. However, in 2019, alongside the Clean Maritime Plan, the Department published an assessment which identified that low and zero emissions shipping could result in potential economic benefits to the UK of around £360-£510 million per year by the middle of the century.

Maritime UK has published its views that investment in maritime decarbonisation could in future create jobs in all four nations of the United Kingdom, particularly in coastal communities with a tradition of maritime economic activity, including shipbuilding.

Industry research estimates that in 2017 the UK maritime sector as a whole directly supported more than 220,000 jobs for UK employees.

To date the Department for Transport has funded a £1.5m competition for innovation in clean maritime and provided £93,897 in grant support through the 2019 Department’s Transport Technology Research Innovation Grant (TRIG) Programme to early stage research projects related to clean maritime. In 2020 the TRIG programme provided almost £90,000 to clean maritime projects. Under this programme the Department will allocate up to £400,000 this year to 13 projects in zero emission shipping.

In March this year Government launched a Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) to decarbonise the maritime sector. The CMDC will allocate up to £23m in R&D funding to 55 projects comprising of feasibility studies and trials in zero emission shipping technologies, accelerating the development of zero emission technology and infrastructure in the UK.

The Government has carefully considered all industry submissions, including the proposals published by Maritime UK. The Spending review launched on 7 September by the Chancellor of the Exchequer will conclude alongside an Autumn Budget on 27 October. It would be premature for me to comment on any plans for further investment in maritime decarbonisation before a settlement has been agreed.

The Department has made no assessment of the level of economic development that Government funding for maritime decarbonisation may provide to the UK’s coastal communities. However, in 2019, alongside the Clean Maritime Plan, the Department published an assessment which identified that low and zero emissions shipping could result in potential economic benefits to the UK of around £360-£510 million per year by the middle of the century.

Maritime UK has published its views that investment in maritime decarbonisation could in future create jobs in all four nations of the United Kingdom, particularly in coastal communities with a tradition of maritime economic activity, including shipbuilding.

Industry research estimates that in 2017 the UK maritime sector as a whole directly supported more than 220,000 jobs for UK employees.

To date the Department for Transport has funded a £1.5m competition for innovation in clean maritime and provided £93,897 in grant support through the 2019 Department’s Transport Technology Research Innovation Grant (TRIG) Programme to early stage research projects related to clean maritime. In 2020 the TRIG programme provided almost £90,000 to clean maritime projects. Under this programme the Department will allocate up to £400,000 this year to 13 projects in zero emission shipping.

In March this year Government launched a Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) to decarbonise the maritime sector. The CMDC will allocate up to £23m in R&D funding to 55 projects comprising of feasibility studies and trials in zero emission shipping technologies, accelerating the development of zero emission technology and infrastructure in the UK.

The Government has carefully considered all industry submissions, including the proposals published by Maritime UK. The Spending review launched on 7 September by the Chancellor of the Exchequer will conclude alongside an Autumn Budget on 27 October. It would be premature for me to comment on any plans for further investment in maritime decarbonisation before a settlement has been agreed.

The Department has made no assessment of the level of economic development that Government funding for maritime decarbonisation may provide to the UK’s coastal communities. However, in 2019, alongside the Clean Maritime Plan, the Department published an assessment which identified that low and zero emissions shipping could result in potential economic benefits to the UK of around £360-£510 million per year by the middle of the century.

Maritime UK has published its views that investment in maritime decarbonisation could in future create jobs in all four nations of the United Kingdom, particularly in coastal communities with a tradition of maritime economic activity, including shipbuilding.

Industry research estimates that in 2017 the UK maritime sector as a whole directly supported more than 220,000 jobs for UK employees.

There is no two-yearly training requirement for driver certificates of professional competence. New lorry drivers obtain driver certificates of professional competence in a testing process alongside HGV driving tests. In order for professional drivers to retain their entitlements, they are required to complete 35 hours (five days’ worth) of periodic training every five years. The requirements are in legislation. The Department is considering this issue alongside taking other measures in the context of the lorry driver workforce.

There are no current plans to provide funding or waive the charge of a theory test for those whose theory test certificates have expired, given that candidates will have already received the service for which they paid.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) pays its contractor, Pearson, per theory test delivered. If candidates were exempted from having to pay for a retake then the DVSA and in turn other fee payers would incur these costs. This would be unfair to fee payers who would not benefit from the arrangement.

In addition, applications for a re-test would need to be validated and systems amended to remove the requirement for payment in these cases. The DVSA’s focus should rightly be on developing solutions to address the backlog of practical driving tests that has arisen as a result of the pandemic.

Pursuant to the Answers to Questions and 131200 and 131201, the Department has no plans to ask Highways England to implement historic county boundary signs on the Strategic Road Network (SRN).

Pursuant to the answer to Questions 127499, 127500 and 127501, the Department has no plans to ask Highways England to implement historic county boundary signs on the Strategic Road Network (SRN).

The Department for Transport has permitted the use of historic county boundary signs through the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016. Guidance is provided to local authorities in DfT Circular 01/2016 and in Chapter 7 of the Traffic Signs Manual. Decisions on whether to place such signs are for local authorities.

DfT Circular 01/2016 is available at

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/traffic-signs-regulations-and-general-directions-2016-an-overview

The Traffic Signs Manual is available at

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/traffic-signs-manual

The £1 Million fund for Control Period 6 (1 April 2019 – 31 March 2024) is specifically for the upkeep of the Stockport Rail Viaduct, including brick repair, de-vegetation work and maintenance of rainwater goods (downpipes, weep pipes and troughing along the construction joints).

The decision on whether to mark historic county boundaries on road signs is for each local highway authority, or, in the case of the Strategic Road Network, for Highways England, to consider. Highways England has no plans to install any such signs.

The decision on whether to mark historic county boundaries on road signs is for each local highway authority, or, in the case of the Strategic Road Network, for Highways England, to consider. Highways England has no plans to install any such signs.

The decision on whether to mark historic county boundaries on road signs is for each local highway authority, or, in the case of the Strategic Road Network, for Highways England, to consider. Highways England has no plans to install any such signs.

Stockport Viaduct is a vital part of the railway infrastructure and Network Rail take seriously the responsibility to maintain it in safe working order. They carry out detailed examinations of the structure and address any defects or problems these highlight. This year Network Rail have spent £50k on repairing the brick work in areas highlighted by their examinations.

Network Rail have a specific £1m fund for Control Period 6 (1 April 2019- 31 March 2024) to be used on brick repair and de-vegetation work on the viaduct.

Network Rail look to manage any graffiti on the viaduct in accordance with their policies and will review any specific areas of concern and will take action where appropriate.

No recent discussions have taken place with Network Rail on the condition of the Stockport rail viaduct.

Stockport Viaduct is a vital part of the railway infrastructure and Network Rail take seriously the responsibility to maintain it in safe working order. They carry out detailed examinations of the structure and address any defects or problems these highlight. This year Network Rail have spent £50k on repairing the brick work in areas highlighted by their examinations.

The main vegetation growth on the viaduct is buddleia which is challenging to manage as it grows so quickly. Network Rail have a specific £1m fund for Control Period 6 (1 April 2019- 31 March 2024) to be used on brick repair and de-vegetation work on the viaduct.

The viaduct is a listed structure in recognition of its importance to Stockport’s industrial heritage. Network Rail look to manage any graffiti on the viaduct in accordance with their policies and will review any specific areas of concern and will take action where appropriate.

Highways England aims to remove from sight the graffiti currently on its structures in Stockport within the next three months.

Highways England is working closely with the Department to tackle the issue of graffiti on structures along the strategic road network in England. Graffiti on these structures is removed from sight within twenty-four hours of being reported if it is offensive, obscene, blasphemous or racist. Non-offensive graffiti, as appears along the M60 through Stockport, would normally be removed from sight at a later date, when Highways England is undertaking other works in the area in order to minimise disruption to road users, or as part of Highways England’s regular cycle of clean and sweep activity.

My officials have been in contact with colleagues in Network Rail who, in turn, I understand, have been in touch with your office. Network Rail apologise that this issue took so long to rectify.

I can confirm that the local maintenance team visited the site and cleaned the graffiti over the weekend of 12/13 December 2020.

Network Rail colleagues have confirmed they have updated your office of actions taken.

Payments to Greater Manchester Combined Authority and associated bodies (Transport for Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority and Greater Manchester Public Transport Executive) over the last 10 years amount to £1.709.5bn.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has paid £883,925,106 (£884M) directly to Transport for London over the last 10 years. DfT has made payments directly to Transport for Greater Manchester totalling £347.6m in the last 10 years. DfT also makes payments to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority who then pay Transport for Greater Manchester for their required transport needs.

The Department is supporting licensing authorities to make use of their extensive existing powers through the recently issued Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards and will consult on updated best practice guidance on other matters later this year.

The layout of zebra crossings is prescribed in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (TSRGD). Under TSRGD, a zebra crossing must consist of black and white stripes, give-way lines, zig-zag markings and yellow globes. TSRGD also requires a driver or cyclist to give way to anyone on the crossing.

Installation of zebra crossings is the responsibility of the local traffic authority. A zebra crossing consisting only of black and white stripes, as proposed by Transport for Greater Manchester, would not meet the requirements of TSRGD, and as such pedestrians would have no right of way when using it.

The Department is aware that Transport for Greater Manchester have been carrying out some research to support their suggestion to introduce simplified zebra crossings at side roads in Manchester, but this has been paused during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Zebra crossings have been in use for a long time in this country, they are widely recognised and understood, and have a good road safety record, and the Department has no plans to change their design.

Our approach to travel corridors has been guided by the science and we have worked closely with health and policy experts from across government to ensure the steps we are taking will minimise the risk of importing COVID-19 cases, while helping to open our travel and tourism sector. The Joint Biosecurity Centre, in close consultation with Public Health England (PHE) and the Chief Medical Officer, has developed an approach to assessing the public health risk associated with inbound travel from specific countries and territories. The resulting categorisation methodology has been informed by a number of factors including an estimate of the proportion of the population that is currently infectious in each country, trends in virus incidences and deaths, transmission status and international epidemic intelligence. We have also considered issues such as the testing capacity of each country and the quality of the data available.

Although Madeira was not included in the travel corridors announced on 3 July, the Health Regulations relating to the self-isolation requirements remain under constant review. The next formal review will be on 27 July 2020.

We are working across Government, including with Highways England, and with local authorities, to deliver our 2017 Plan for Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations and achieve compliance as quickly as possible, without recourse to fines.

We are working across Government, including with Highways England, and with local authorities, to deliver our 2017 Plan for Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations and achieve compliance as quickly as possible, without recourse to fines.

We are working across Government, including with Highways England, and with local authorities, to deliver our 2017 Plan for Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations and achieve compliance as quickly as possible.

The Mottram Moor link road and A57(T) to A57 link road, which Highways England is due to start construction on in the current road period, will contribute to improvements in air quality in the area.

The Pollution Climate Mapping model is used alongside measurements from the Automatic Urban and Rural Network to assess levels of air pollutants for major urban roads across the UK and report compliance with legal limits for nitrogen dioxide. One, local authority managed, section of road in Tameside, has been identified as exceeding legal nitrogen dioxide limits in the latest national modelling. Five sections of road in Stockport, one Highways England managed and four local authority managed, have been identified as exceeding legal nitrogen dioxide limits in the latest national modelling. As set out in response to Question 72845/72846 we are working across Government, including with Highways England, and with local authorities, to deliver our 2017 Plan for Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations and achieve compliance as quickly as possible.

For purpose of the air quality Directive (2008/50/EC), DEFRA on behalf of the Government are the competent authority. In 2017 the Government published its Plan for Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations (The Plan) which set out plans to achieve compliance as quickly as possible.

Highways England is legally required, under the Infrastructure Act 2015 and its Licence, to comply with (or have due regard to) relevant Government policy, which includes the Government’s plans and policies on air quality, and has been commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT) to deliver its part of The Plan. The Infrastructure Act also obliges Highways England to comply with DfT’s Road Investment Strategy (RIS). The current (second) RIS sets out DfT’s expectations for environmental outcomes to be in line with (but not limited to) The Plan, and sets key performance indicators in relation to air quality, including compliance with legal nitrogen dioxide limits as soon as possible. The Office of Rail and Road monitors Highways England’s compliance with its obligations as set out in the RIS and Licence, and has enforcement powers in respect of these obligations.

The second Road Investment Strategy, published in March, commissioned Highways England to carry out a study into the role of the strategic road network in urban areas. This study will consider the merits of changes in road ownership as well as other options to improve coordination of urban road networks such as that in Greater Manchester.

The Department has regular discussions with the Mayors of Combined Authorities including Greater Manchester Combined Authority. To help fund measures such as pop-up cycle lanes, the Department has allocated Greater Manchester Combined Authority £3,174,000 from tranche 1 of the Emergency Active Travel Fund and indicatively allocated £12,697,000 from tranche 2. The Department also issued new network management duty guidance to all local authorities in May with advice on measures to reallocate road space, both to encourage active travel and to enable social distancing.

Pursuant to the answer to Question 60714, Highways England intends to commence survey work on the bridge between July and December 2020. Enabling works, including opening the closed section of St Anne’s Road to allow implementation of the diversion route, are intended to start in April 2021. Highways England will start main demolition and construction work in October 2021, with construction lasting for two years. It has no further update on the proposed works at this time.

The government and Highways England continue to work with Greater Manchester authorities to finalise their plans to improve air quality as set out in the 2017 UK plan for tackling roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations. We have no current plans to include any parts of the Strategic Road Network in a charging clean air zone.

Local authorities are responsible for ensuring any changes to their road networks are made with regard to the statutory Network Management Duty guidance published on 9 May. This sets out the steps Government expects local authorities to take to reallocate road space to cycling and walking in response to Covid-19. The Department is not responsible for policing what local authorities implement on their roads.

Alongside the guidance, the Department announced emergency active travel funding of £225 million, to help local authorities make changes to their roads to enable more walking and cycling, and to enable social distancing. Any bids for this funding that are not in line with the statutory guidance will not be granted.

The Secretary of State for Transport has had no such discussions with Highways England on removing litter at Junction 2 on-slip road to the M67 in Denton.

Highways England have confirmed that any restoration measures are required to take place within the timescales set out in the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse. This states that any areas with special circumstances that falls below grade B, such as carriageways, verges and central reservations of motorways and trunk roads, must be restored back to grade A standard within twenty-eight days or as soon as reasonably practicable. Highways England expect to remove litter from the entry slip road within the next three weeks.

The timing of the delivery of the project is subject to a number of factors involving other parties. Highways England intends to commence survey work between July and December 2020.

Enabling works, including opening the closed section of St Anne’s Road to allow implementation of the diversion route, are intended to start in April 2021.

The aim is to start the main demolition and construction work in October 2021, with construction lasting for two years.

In December 2021, the Department of Health and Social Care and UK Health Security Agency released guidance on COVID-19: guidance for people whose immune system means they are at higher risk . This included advice to work from home if possible. If a person is unable to work from home, they should speak to their employer about what temporary arrangements they can make to reduce that person’s risk.

In order to inform employers of this, the Health and Safety Executive updated it’s guidance Protect vulnerable workers - Working safely during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to include a section on workers who are immunosuppressed and the advice mentioned above.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19^th January to question number 104377.

The Department has no plans to change either Universal Credit assessment periods or payment structures. They are fundamental parts of the design, reflecting payment patterns in the world of work, where the majority of people are paid monthly. Ensuring similarities between paid employment and receiving benefits eliminates an important barrier which could prevent claimants from adjusting to paid employment.

The Court of Appeal judgment in the case of Johnson and others, handed down on 22 June 2020, ruled that the way the Department calculated Universal Credit awards involving earnings in an assessment period was a correct application of the regulations, but that the Department’s position of not considering the impact on the small number of specific cases of those paid calendar monthly who are affected by ‘a non-banking day salary shift’ should change.

The Court of Appeal Judgment was narrowly focussed on calendar monthly paid claimants who are affected by a ‘non-banking day salary shift’ resulting in two payments being counted in one assessment period, none in another and the loss of a work allowance. The legislation changes we made to remedy these cases came into force on 16^th November 2020 and allow us to move one of these monthly payments to the assessment period where there is none. Moving an additional four-weekly payment from the assessment period with two payments would not have the same effect, but would simply mean there would be two payments in a different assessment period.

The State Pension is the foundation of support for older people. Under this Government, the full yearly amount of the basic State Pension is now over £2,050 higher than in 2010.

The Secretary of State is required by law to conduct a review of applicable benefit and pension rates each year. The review is on-going and decisions will be announced shortly.

International comparisons are misleading due to differences in the pension systems as there are many factors to take into account.

Under this Government, the full yearly amount of the basic State Pension is now over £2,050 higher than in 2010. For future pensioners, auto-enrolment into workplace pensions has transformed pension saving for millions of workers and our 50 plus: choices agenda aims to maximise the labour market opportunities for people to earn and save for longer.

Auto-Enrolment has been especially transformative for women, low earners and young people, who have historically been poorly served by or excluded from workplace pensions. Between 2012 and 2020 participation for private sector eligible women increased from 40% to 86% (equal to men) and double what it was in 2012.

The Reforms to the State Pension in 2016 put measures in place to improve State Pension outcomes for most women. Over three million women stand to receive an average of £550 more per year by 2030 as a result.

Pension Credit also provides invaluable financial support for the most vulnerable pensioners. We are undertaking a range of actions to raise awareness and increase take up.

Universal Credit is a means-tested benefit and the amount of Universal Credit paid each monthly assessment period will reflect, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household in that assessment period, including any earnings reported by the employer. As Universal Credit is paid monthly, those who are also paid their earnings on a monthly basis will normally get one payment in each assessment period. For those who are paid differently such as four weekly the frequency of their pay will impact on the amount of Universal Credit they will receive.

Those who are paid four-weekly will normally get one payment in each assessment period and their Universal Credit will reflect the four weekly amount they are paid. For one assessment period a year they will receive two four-weekly payments. This is because there are 12 assessment periods a year and those who are paid four-weekly will receive 13 payments a year. As their income rises in that assessment period, Universal Credit is reduced and this is in line with the long standing general principle of means-tested benefits. However, whilst the Universal Credit amount will reduce in the assessment period where the household has received two payments of four-weekly earnings, they will still have the benefit of the higher income from their earnings.

The Universal Credit assessment period and payment structure are fundamental parts of its design. Universal Credit reflects payment patterns in the world of work. Ensuring similarities between paid employment and claiming benefits eliminates an important barrier which could prevent claimants from adjusting to paid employment.

This information is only available at disproportionate cost to The Department for Work & Pensions.

The number of State Pension claims awaiting processing increased as a result of Pandemic and its consequences.

We are prioritising any State Pension claims that are currently overdue and claims where the customer is close to their date of entitlement.

We send an SMS text message to customers to let them know that their claim has been received and is being processed, with written confirmation of their award by post.

For the majority of cases made under the SRTI, people are given three year awards. This approach is based on a recommendation from an expert advisory group, initially for DLA, but later adopted in other benefits. The three year awards given to SRTI claims strikes a balance that recognises making a prognosis is not an exact science and that people who do live longer than expected should continue to receive the support provided to them by benefit system, while also enabling those who live for much longer than expected, to be looked at afresh in light of their circumstances as they come towards the end of their award. The majority of claims made under the special rules sadly do not reach three years but for those that do, we want to ensure that people are receiving the right level of support.

As part of the health and Disability Green Paper consultation, we are consulting on reform of assessments and seeking views on policy proposals. Following the consultation, detailed proposals will then be brought forward in a White Paper next year, setting out how we can better enable people to take up work and live more independently, and outline the changes we want to make to the benefits system to better address structural and delivery challenges.

Normal service will be resumed by the end of October 2021.

The Department is working hard to clear backlogs which have occurred by reason of the Covid Pandemic and staffing issues which have now been rectified.

Hundreds of additional staff are currently being redeployed.

All Ombudsman are independent of government. It would be inappropriate to comment while the PHSO investigation is ongoing.

There have been no discussions on the Canadian Government’s request for a reciprocal social security agreement.

The UK has not had any recent discussions with the Government of Canada on reciprocal pensions uprating agreements.

Government’s Plan for Jobs provides new funding to ensure more people, including those with health conditions get tailored Jobcentre Plus support to help them find work and to build the skills they need to get into work. This includes £895m for 13,500 additional Work Coaches who have been successfully recruited. The Restart Programme will support individuals who have been unemployed for over 12 months and through regular, personalised support providers will work with participants to identify the best way to support them into sustained employment.

From April 2021, the Disability Employment Advisors (DEA) Direct Support will be strengthened to include an element of Direct Support to customers with health condition or disability who require additional support over and above the ESA and Universal Credit core offer. DEA Direct Support will deliver work focussed bespoke support to move individuals with a disability or health condition towards a work outcome.

If employees with epilepsy need workplace support beyond the cost of reasonable adjustment, Access to Work can help. Access to Work is supporting thousands more people with disabilities and health conditions than ever before. In 2019, Access to Work funded tailored and flexible support for 43,000 people, a 20% increase on the previous year.

We also, through Disability Confident, provide employers with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to attract, recruit, retain and develop disabled people in the workplace.

The Payment Exception Service is available in limited circumstances when customers are unable to provide us with bank account, building society, credit union, internet based or basic bank account details. Information about this service is publicised on https://www.gov.uk/payment-exception-service.

The department is supporting people of all ages back in to work. The Government’s Plan for Jobs provides new funding to ensure more people, including those aged 50 and over, get tailored Jobcentre Plus support to help them find work and to build the skills they need to get into work. This includes £895m to recruit an additional 13,500 Work Coaches which DWP is on track to achieve by Quarter 1 of 2021/22; a £150m increase in the Flexible Support Fund which will also boost the capacity of the Rapid Response Service to help those facing redundancy move into other jobs; and £10m for a new online support through the Job Finding Support Service which will provide tailored one-to-one job finding support to the recently unemployed.

The Government aims to increase the number of Sector based Work Academy programme placements, supporting unemployed claimants of all ages through training, work experience and a guaranteed interview for a real job. We are also investing £238m into Job Entry: Targeted Support (JETS) to offer new support to those who have been made unemployed for three months.

To support the long term unemployed, £2.9 billion is being invested in the Restart Programme, which is due to go live from summer 2021. The Restart Programme will support individuals who have been unemployed for 12 months plus and through regular, personalised support providers will work with participants to identify the best way to support them into sustained employment.

The Department also has a network of 50 PLUS Champions (formerly Older Claimants Champions) throughout all of the 34 Jobcentre Plus districts. These Jobcentre Plus staff work collaboratively with Work Coaches to raise the profile of over 50s claimants, highlighting the benefits of employing them and sharing best practice.

Further, Government recognises the importance of planning effectively for the future and in encouraging productive workplace conversations. We therefore launched a webpage in 2019 to promote the mid-life MOT, which offers support from the National Careers Service, Public Health England and Money and Pensions Service to those considering a change in career by encouraging them to take stock across the key areas of skills, health and financial planning.

The Department for Education continues to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) (£1.34bn in 2019/20 and 2020/21). The principal purpose of the AEB is to engage adults and provide the skills and learning they need to equip them for work, an apprenticeship or further learning. It enables more tailored programmes of learning to be made available, which do not need to include a qualification, to help those furthest from learning and in the workplace.

Government is providing £2.5 billion (£3 billion when including Barnett funding for devolved administrations) for the National Skills Fund to help adults learn valuable skills and prepare for the economy of the future, which will start in financial year 2021/22. The National Skills Fund will support adults to learn and reach their potential in the labour market. It will complement other provision available for adults, such as through the Adult Education Budget and other recent reforms to adult skills provision and funding.

The Skills Bootcamps, which are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving adults aged 19 and over the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer. Skills Bootcamps have the potential to transform the skills landscape for adults and employers.

These were launched in West Midlands, Greater Manchester and Lancashire, and Liverpool City Region in September 2020, initially focusing on digital skills such as software development, digital marketing, and data analytics. Registrations opened in December 2020 for the Skills Bootcamps in the Leeds City Region, Heart of South West (Devon and Somerset) and Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, with delivery set to begin in early 2021.

As throughout the Covid-19 outbreak, we are committed to ensuring that people can access financial support through Personal Independence Payment in a timely manner. We always aim to make an award decision as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to review all available evidence.

We are currently operating within expected levels. Average clearance times from initial claim to a decision being made for new claims are currently 16 weeks (October 2020).

It would not be appropriate to comment on the possible implications of an ongoing Ombudsman’s investigation.

No discussions have taken place.

The department is supporting people of all ages back in to work. The Government’s recently announced Plan for Jobs provides new funding to ensure more people, including older workers, get tailored Jobcentre Plus support to help them find work and to build the skills they need to get into work. This includes £895m to double the number of Work Coaches in Jobcentre Plus by March 2021; a £150m increase in the Flexible Support Fund which will also boost the capacity of the Rapid Response Service to help those facing redundancy move into other jobs; £40m for a new online support service will provide tailored one-to-one job finding support to the recently unemployed.

The Government also aims to triple the number of sector-based work academy programme placements, supporting unemployed claimants of all ages through training and work experience to find a job. A further £95m will expand the Work and Health programme to offer new support to those who have been made unemployed.

Research into the long-term health symptoms and impacts of COVID-19 is ongoing. However, it is clear that for some of those who have survived, the virus and the treatment they have received to combat it will have a lasting impact on their health.

Employers have particular responsibilities towards disabled workers including making reasonable adjustments to avoid disabled workers being put at a disadvantage. DWP’s new Employer Help site provides advice on employment of disabled people, explaining how Access to Work and Disability Confident can help businesses to ensure their practices are fair and inclusive.

The law is clear: to discriminate directly, or indirectly, against anyone because of a protected characteristic such as age, sex or disability, race or ethnicity is unlawful. All equality and discrimination laws and obligations continue to apply during the coronavirus pandemic.

I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN:78723.

In July 2019, the then DWP Secretary of State announced an in-depth evaluation of how the benefits system supports people nearing the end of their life and those with the most severe conditions.

The evaluation included three strands of research:

• hearing directly from claimants, clinicians and charities about their first-hand experiences;
• considering international evidence to find out what works in other nations and the support they provide; and
• reviewing current Departmental performance to better understand how the Special Rules for Terminal Illness and severe conditions processes operate and perform.

The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Data exists in the system that would require matching across a number of data sets, which is a substantial piece of work. The required information is therefore not all readily available to analysts in a format that would enable them to undertake the analysis and quality assure the figures, to answer this PQ in the timescales.

DWP is engaging cross-government to understand supply & demand across the labour market throughout and beyond the COVID-19 crisis.

We are in discussions with other Government Departments and a range of stakeholders to explore all options to ensure the right support is in place for individuals who have been adversely impacted by COVID that will meet the needs of the individual as well as local priorities.

I refer the Rt.Hon./hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 May 2020 to Question UIN 41931:

https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2Clords&uin=41931

On average, since January 2023, 1,956 patients per week, with a length of stay of 14 days or over in a community hospital, no longer met the criteria to reside but had not been discharged. Data is not available on the proportion of beds occupied by those that no longer meet the criteria to reside in a community hospital.

As in 2022/23, the 2023/24 Adult Social Care Discharge Fund has been pooled via the Better Care Fund and divided between local authorities and integrated care boards. We began distributing the 2023/24 funding to local authorities in equal monthly instalments in April 2023, along with other adult social care grants. The integrated care board component was distributed by NHS England in a single instalment at the start of the financial year.

It is not possible to provide data of how many and what proportion of patients are admitted to a specialist stroke bed within 72 hours of a stroke, as that metric is not measured by NHS England.

NHS England Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme showed that between January to March 2023 showed that 96.8% or 14,759 patients arrived at hospital within 72 hours of onset of symptoms of stroke. The median time from onset of symptoms to arrival at a stroke unit was 11 hours and eight minutes.

91.9% of patients went to a stroke unit as the first admitting ward, being admitted with a median of four hours and 55 minutes from arrival at the hospital.

Policy options based on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice on a potentially expanded respiratory syncytial virus vaccination programme are being developed. If policy is approved, only then will Government announce its plans.

The Department does not hold this data centrally as a variety of ‘Stop Smoking Services’ models are delivered by local authorities throughout England.

Policy options based on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice on a potentially expanded respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programme are being developed. This includes consideration of the impact of RSV on health services.

Policy options based on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice on a potentially expanded respiratory syncytial virus vaccination programme are being developed as fast as is feasible, including consideration for maternal, infant and/or adult programmes. This includes working with UK Health Security Agency and NHS England on potential implementation timetables, with NHS England leading on delivery.

Policy options based on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice on a potentially expanded respiratory syncytial virus vaccination programme are being developed as fast as is feasible, including consideration for maternal, infant and/or adult programmes. This includes working with UK Health Security Agency and NHS England on potential implementation timetables, with NHS England leading on delivery.

Evidence on excess mortality attributable to non-COVID-19 related causes implies that it is likely due to a combination of factors. This may include disruption to routine care during the first two years of the pandemic, lifestyle factors and disruption to emergency care and urgent elective procedures.

The Government is taking action to reduce pressure on NHS cardiovascular care services by: supporting local authorities to recover NHS Health Checks, England’s national cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention programme; investing nearly £17 million for the development and roll-out of an innovative new digital NHS Health Check that will enable more people to have a check and free up NHS staff time; rolling out free blood pressure checks to people over the age of 40 in community pharmacies to detect thousands more people living with hypertension earlier. CVD will form a part of the Government’s Major Conditions Strategy which will focus on conditions that contribute most to morbidity and mortality across the population in England. The Strategy will set out a strong and coherent policy agenda that underpin a shift to integrated, whole-person care, building on measures that we have already taken forward through the NHS Long Term Plan. Interventions set out in the Strategy will aim to alleviate pressure on the health system, as well as support the government’s objective to increase healthy life expectancy and reduce ill-health related labour market inactivity.

Between March 2020 and May 2023 cardiovascular disease was a significant contributor to excess deaths. That is why we are going further to empower and support people to manage their heart health risks through the development of a digital NHS Health Check, and have appointed Professor Deanfield to lead work to develop an ambitious approach to personalised prevention. We will consider the implications of the British Heart Foundation’s findings for policy through the development of the Government’s forthcoming Major Conditions Strategy.

NHS England is working closely with local health systems and supporting integrated care boards (ICBs) to develop service delivery plans which ensure continued timely access to assessment and treatment for COVID-19 that meet the needs of their local populations. To support the transition away from pandemic-specific arrangements NHS England is regularly engaging with charities, patient groups and other stakeholders to understand where national and local action may be required to ensure transition readiness. The NHS will continue to communicate to people most vulnerable to COVID-19 about available clinical interventions, including vaccination and treatments, as well as testing and public health advice.

ICBs are responsible for the continued delivery of COVID-19 treatments, including where appropriate transitioning the delivery of community-based COVID-19 treatments away from COVID-19 Medicine Delivery Units to routine care pathways by the end of this month. ICBs have the flexibility to create a routine patient access pathway that best meets local needs and circumstances, including for immunocompromised patients.

ICBs are responsible for their own plans and commissioning schedules. This information is not held centrally by the department.

NHS England is working closely with local health systems and supporting integrated care boards (ICBs) to develop service delivery plans which ensure continued timely access to assessment and treatment for COVID-19 that meet the needs of their local populations. To support the transition away from pandemic-specific arrangements NHS England is regularly engaging with charities, patient groups and other stakeholders to understand where national and local action may be required to ensure transition readiness. The NHS will continue to communicate to people most vulnerable to COVID-19 about available clinical interventions, including vaccination and treatments, as well as testing and public health advice.

ICBs are responsible for the continued delivery of COVID-19 treatments, including where appropriate transitioning the delivery of community-based COVID-19 treatments away from COVID-19 Medicine Delivery Units to routine care pathways by the end of this month. ICBs have the flexibility to create a routine patient access pathway that best meets local needs and circumstances, including for immunocompromised patients.

ICBs are responsible for their own plans and commissioning schedules. This information is not held centrally by the department.

NHS England is working closely with local health systems and supporting integrated care boards (ICBs) to develop service delivery plans which ensure continued timely access to assessment and treatment for COVID-19 that meet the needs of their local populations. To support the transition away from pandemic-specific arrangements NHS England is regularly engaging with charities, patient groups and other stakeholders to understand where national and local action may be required to ensure transition readiness. The NHS will continue to communicate to people most vulnerable to COVID-19 about available clinical interventions, including vaccination and treatments, as well as testing and public health advice.

ICBs are responsible for the continued delivery of COVID-19 treatments, including where appropriate transitioning the delivery of community-based COVID-19 treatments away from COVID-19 Medicine Delivery Units to routine care pathways by the end of this month. ICBs have the flexibility to create a routine patient access pathway that best meets local needs and circumstances, including for immunocompromised patients.

ICBs are responsible for their own plans and commissioning schedules. This information is not held centrally by the department.

The Government has published guidance to ensure public bodies continue to prevent industry interference into health policy. This will be monitored, including through the United Kingdom’s rank on the Global Tobacco Index which has been consistently high. Breaches will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

No specific assessment has been made on the regional availability of allergy care in England as the majority of these services are commissioned locally by integrated care boards (ICBs). ICBs have a statutory responsibility to provide a comprehensive health service to their local populations subject to local prioritisation and funding, including access to specialist medical services for people with allergy where appropriate.

The HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group is currently working to develop a roadmap, based on the PrEP Access and Equity Task and Finish group’s recommendations, to help guide our efforts to improve equitable access to PrEP for key populations. We will consider our response to the recommendations in due course.

Ministerial meetings with external organisations are routinely published on gov.uk.

No specific assessment has been made. Current trends show that Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE) is stalled. In the period from 2018 to 2020, HLE at birth in the United Kingdom for males was 62.8 years and 63.6 years for females, showing no significant change since 2015 to 2017.

In England in 2019, the conditions responsible for the greatest share of premature death (measured as years of life lost) were cancers (35%) and cardiovascular diseases (26%). The conditions responsible for the greatest proportion of ill-health (measured as years lived with disability) were musculoskeletal disorders (21%) and mental health conditions (15%), which are also the most cited conditions causing economic inactivity. Around one in four adults in England live with two or more long-term conditions.

The Major Conditions Strategy will tackle conditions that contribute most to morbidity and mortality across the population in England including, cancers, cardiovascular disease, including stroke and diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, dementia, mental ill health and musculoskeletal conditions.

There is no official data on whether local authorities have a specialist stop smoking service open to all smokers.

Novo Nordisk was informed about the pilots, under embargo, on Tuesday 6 June 2023.

The start date is still to be determined. The aim is to be ready to start the pilots as close as possible to when these weight loss drugs are launched in the United Kingdom.

This is still to be determined. Further details will be shared in due course.

Medicine supply issues are caused by a wide range of factors as the production of medicines is complex and highly regulated and materials and processes must meet rigorous safety and quality standards. The Department has well-established processes in place to manage disruption to supply.

There are supply issues with GLP-1 receptor agonists, including semaglutide (Ozempic and Rybelsus), dulaglutide (Trulicity) and liraglutide (Victoza) in the United Kingdom, which are licensed for treating patients with type 2 diabetes. The Department has issued Medicine Supply Notifications for Ozempic (semaglutide injection) and Trulicity (dulaglutide injection), advising healthcare professionals not to initiate new patients and to use these medicines for their licensed indications. Additional Medicine Supply Notifications will also be issued soon for Victoza (liraglutide injection) and Rybelsus (semaglutide tablets) advising healthcare professionals on how to manage patients requiring these medicines.

There is a supply disruption affecting Tresiba FlexTouch (insulin degludec) pens in the UK, which are licensed for the treatment of diabetes mellitus in adults, adolescents and children from the age of one years old. The Department has issued a Medicine Supply Notification, advising healthcare professionals not to initiate new patients on Tresiba FlexTouch pens and to use Tresiba Penfill cartridges as an alternative.