Andrew Percy

Our farmers and food producers produce world-class food and drink. We are rightly proud of our high environmental, food safety and animal welfare standards, and we have the opportunity to increase overseas demands for our fantastic products.

With regards to opening new markets, exports are an important driver of growth in the food and drink sector, allowing it to become more resilient, competitive and profitable. Defra's 'Food is GREAT' campaign is raising the profile and reputation of British food and drink overseas, by building global demand and increasing positive perceptions of the UK's food and drink products. For example, the campaign showcased British beef and English Sparkling Wine to Japanese consumers, trade and media in events coinciding with the Rugby World Cup in Japan in 2019.

In 2019, the UK also signed an agreement with Japan that opened the Japanese market to UK exports of lamb and beef for the first time in two decades. This market opening is estimated by industry to be worth £127 million in the first 5 years of access. Further UK export success in 2019 included the export of £822 million of salmon an increase of 27% from 2018, whilst in March this year we agreed the market opening of UK exports of wheat to Mexico.

With the Department for International Trade and representatives of the food and drink sector, Defra will be setting out future export ambitions for the sector. This will include the support that we offer in-market.

As set out in the Government’s election manifesto, we have ambitious goals for British trade. The Government aims to have 80 per cent of UK trade with countries covered by free trade agreements within the next three years, starting with the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, which will further present new routes to market for British farmers.

Defra has reviewed a range of evidence to understand the effectiveness of networks for peer-to-peer advice and support for farmers to promote and share best practice of nature-friendly farming. There is an increasing recognition in the agriculture sector of the value of peer-to-peer learning and there are already several initiatives that encourage these practices. Defra is considering a range of different models for the provision of advice and support in the Environmental Land Management scheme, including peer-to-peer learning.

The Government is committed to supporting farmers to deliver environmental outcomes. Our Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme is the cornerstone of our new agricultural policy. Founded on the principle of “public money for public goods”, the ELM scheme is intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, while supporting our rural economy.

The ELM scheme is due to be in place from 2024. Farmers and other land managers may enter into agreements to be paid for delivering the following public goods:

• Clean and plentiful water
• Clean air
• Thriving plants and wildlife
• Reduction in and protection from environmental hazards
• Adaptation to and mitigation of climate change
• Beauty, heritage and engagement with the environment

Farmers and land managers will be able to decide for themselves how they deliver environmental benefits from their businesses and their land, and how they integrate this into their food, timber and other commercial activities.

Meanwhile, Countryside Stewardship (CS) provides a stepping stone to the future scheme, paying for environmental enhancements now as area-based payments are phased out.

CS supports Defra’s strategic objective of “a cleaner, healthier environment, benefitting people and the economy”. Through the scheme, farmers can apply for funding to improve their local environment – from restoring wildlife habitats and creating woodlands to managing flood risk.

We know that soil is an essential natural asset and that its careful management can lead to multiple public goods. Having soil specifically named in the Agriculture Bill will mean we can help farmers to protect soil and improve its quality. Soils and food security and production are being considered as part of the development of the ELM scheme. Both clean and plentiful water, and mitigation of and adaptation to climate change have been identified as two of the public goods that the ELM scheme will pay for. We are in the process of determining exactly what actions we will pay for under ELM.

Nature-friendly farming is fundamental to our new approach to England’s agricultural system. We want to create new business opportunities alongside producing the great British food we all rely on, by paying farmers to adopt more environmentally sustainable farming practices and enhance our natural capital. [45117]

Our Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme will be the cornerstone of our new agricultural policy. Founded on the principle of “public money for public goods”, ELM is intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, while supporting our rural economy.

Farmers and other land managers may enter into agreements to be paid for delivering the following public goods set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan:

• clean air;
• clean and plentiful water;
• thriving plants and wildlife;
• protection from and mitigation of environmental hazards;
• mitigation of and adaptation to climate change;
• beauty, heritage and engagement with the natural environment.

Where nature-based solutions contribute towards the delivery of these public goods, they may be funded by ELM. We will determine in more detail what ELM will pay for as we further develop the scheme and are engaging with stakeholders to inform this.

The ELM scheme is being designed collaboratively with stakeholders. We are considering how more environmentally-sustainable farming approaches, including organic farming and agro-ecological approaches, may fit within ELM where these contribute towards the delivery of environmental public goods.

Meanwhile, Countryside Stewardship (CS) provides a stepping stone to the future scheme, paying for environmental enhancements now as area-based payments are phased out.

CS supports Defra’s Strategic Objective of ‘a cleaner, healthier environment, benefitting people and the economy’. Through the scheme, farmers can apply for funding to improve their local environment – from restoring wildlife habitats and creating woodlands to managing flood risk.

We will continue to offer CS agreements in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

However, because CS is insufficient in scale to deliver the ambitious goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan, it will eventually be replaced with the new ELM scheme.

Those signed up to CS who secure a place in the ELM pilot, or join the scheme when it is fully rolled out, will be able to leave their agreements at agreed exit points, without penalty. [45118]

a) The merits of agro-ecology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions:

The Government is committed to taking action to mitigate climate change and to adapt to its impact. Defra is looking at ways to reduce agricultural emissions controlled directly within the farm boundary, considering a broad range of measures including improvements in on-farm efficiency.

One of the public goods incentivised by ELM will be mitigation and adaption to climate change. ELM is about giving farmers and land managers an income stream for the environmental public goods they provide. We are considering how more environmentally-sustainable farming approaches, including organic farming and agro-ecological approaches, may fit within ELM.

Additionally, agroforestry can play an important role in addressing some of the key issues of climate and land use change in England, through the ecosystem services it provides. Tree planting can provide significant carbon storage benefits.

b) The merits of agro-ecology to the UK’s food and farming industry:

Our new approach to the English agricultural system will create new income opportunities for farmers and land managers, by rewarding them for providing public goods and adopting more environmentally-sustainable farming practices.

We know that environmentally-friendly farming and food production can go hand in hand.

c) The merits of agro-ecology to support a healthy rural economy:

Our new ELM scheme is intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, while supporting our rural economy.

We are committed to co-designing the ELM scheme with stakeholders to produce the best outcomes for both the environment and our farmers and managers.

As we continue to design ELM, we will assess the impact of our proposals on a wide range of things such as the environment, our rural economies, and on England’s ability to continue to produce food. [45119]

Nature-friendly farming is fundamental to our new approach to England’s agricultural system. We want to create new business opportunities alongside producing the great British food we all rely on, by paying farmers to adopt more environmentally sustainable farming practices and enhance our natural capital. [45117]

Our Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme will be the cornerstone of our new agricultural policy. Founded on the principle of “public money for public goods”, ELM is intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, while supporting our rural economy.

Farmers and other land managers may enter into agreements to be paid for delivering the following public goods set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan:

• clean air;
• clean and plentiful water;
• thriving plants and wildlife;
• protection from and mitigation of environmental hazards;
• mitigation of and adaptation to climate change;
• beauty, heritage and engagement with the natural environment.

Where nature-based solutions contribute towards the delivery of these public goods, they may be funded by ELM. We will determine in more detail what ELM will pay for as we further develop the scheme and are engaging with stakeholders to inform this.

The ELM scheme is being designed collaboratively with stakeholders. We are considering how more environmentally-sustainable farming approaches, including organic farming and agro-ecological approaches, may fit within ELM where these contribute towards the delivery of environmental public goods.

Meanwhile, Countryside Stewardship (CS) provides a stepping stone to the future scheme, paying for environmental enhancements now as area-based payments are phased out.

CS supports Defra’s Strategic Objective of ‘a cleaner, healthier environment, benefitting people and the economy’. Through the scheme, farmers can apply for funding to improve their local environment – from restoring wildlife habitats and creating woodlands to managing flood risk.

We will continue to offer CS agreements in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

However, because CS is insufficient in scale to deliver the ambitious goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan, it will eventually be replaced with the new ELM scheme.

Those signed up to CS who secure a place in the ELM pilot, or join the scheme when it is fully rolled out, will be able to leave their agreements at agreed exit points, without penalty. [45118]

a) The merits of agro-ecology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions:

The Government is committed to taking action to mitigate climate change and to adapt to its impact. Defra is looking at ways to reduce agricultural emissions controlled directly within the farm boundary, considering a broad range of measures including improvements in on-farm efficiency.

One of the public goods incentivised by ELM will be mitigation and adaption to climate change. ELM is about giving farmers and land managers an income stream for the environmental public goods they provide. We are considering how more environmentally-sustainable farming approaches, including organic farming and agro-ecological approaches, may fit within ELM.

Additionally, agroforestry can play an important role in addressing some of the key issues of climate and land use change in England, through the ecosystem services it provides. Tree planting can provide significant carbon storage benefits.

b) The merits of agro-ecology to the UK’s food and farming industry:

Our new approach to the English agricultural system will create new income opportunities for farmers and land managers, by rewarding them for providing public goods and adopting more environmentally-sustainable farming practices.

We know that environmentally-friendly farming and food production can go hand in hand.

c) The merits of agro-ecology to support a healthy rural economy:

Our new ELM scheme is intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, while supporting our rural economy.

We are committed to co-designing the ELM scheme with stakeholders to produce the best outcomes for both the environment and our farmers and managers.

As we continue to design ELM, we will assess the impact of our proposals on a wide range of things such as the environment, our rural economies, and on England’s ability to continue to produce food. [45119]

Nature-friendly farming is fundamental to our new approach to England’s agricultural system. We want to create new business opportunities alongside producing the great British food we all rely on, by paying farmers to adopt more environmentally sustainable farming practices and enhance our natural capital. [45117]

Our Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme will be the cornerstone of our new agricultural policy. Founded on the principle of “public money for public goods”, ELM is intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, while supporting our rural economy.

Farmers and other land managers may enter into agreements to be paid for delivering the following public goods set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan:

• clean air;
• clean and plentiful water;
• thriving plants and wildlife;
• protection from and mitigation of environmental hazards;
• mitigation of and adaptation to climate change;
• beauty, heritage and engagement with the natural environment.

Where nature-based solutions contribute towards the delivery of these public goods, they may be funded by ELM. We will determine in more detail what ELM will pay for as we further develop the scheme and are engaging with stakeholders to inform this.

The ELM scheme is being designed collaboratively with stakeholders. We are considering how more environmentally-sustainable farming approaches, including organic farming and agro-ecological approaches, may fit within ELM where these contribute towards the delivery of environmental public goods.

Meanwhile, Countryside Stewardship (CS) provides a stepping stone to the future scheme, paying for environmental enhancements now as area-based payments are phased out.

CS supports Defra’s Strategic Objective of ‘a cleaner, healthier environment, benefitting people and the economy’. Through the scheme, farmers can apply for funding to improve their local environment – from restoring wildlife habitats and creating woodlands to managing flood risk.

We will continue to offer CS agreements in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

However, because CS is insufficient in scale to deliver the ambitious goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan, it will eventually be replaced with the new ELM scheme.

Those signed up to CS who secure a place in the ELM pilot, or join the scheme when it is fully rolled out, will be able to leave their agreements at agreed exit points, without penalty. [45118]

a) The merits of agro-ecology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions:

The Government is committed to taking action to mitigate climate change and to adapt to its impact. Defra is looking at ways to reduce agricultural emissions controlled directly within the farm boundary, considering a broad range of measures including improvements in on-farm efficiency.

One of the public goods incentivised by ELM will be mitigation and adaption to climate change. ELM is about giving farmers and land managers an income stream for the environmental public goods they provide. We are considering how more environmentally-sustainable farming approaches, including organic farming and agro-ecological approaches, may fit within ELM.

Additionally, agroforestry can play an important role in addressing some of the key issues of climate and land use change in England, through the ecosystem services it provides. Tree planting can provide significant carbon storage benefits.

b) The merits of agro-ecology to the UK’s food and farming industry:

Our new approach to the English agricultural system will create new income opportunities for farmers and land managers, by rewarding them for providing public goods and adopting more environmentally-sustainable farming practices.

We know that environmentally-friendly farming and food production can go hand in hand.

c) The merits of agro-ecology to support a healthy rural economy:

Our new ELM scheme is intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, while supporting our rural economy.

We are committed to co-designing the ELM scheme with stakeholders to produce the best outcomes for both the environment and our farmers and managers.

As we continue to design ELM, we will assess the impact of our proposals on a wide range of things such as the environment, our rural economies, and on England’s ability to continue to produce food. [45119]

Nature-based solutions are key to tackling societal challenges, such as climate change, while simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits. The Government is deploying such solutions to improve our natural environment.

We have received representations on including certain types of nature-based solutions in the Agriculture Bill. However, clause 1(1) of the Bill is broadly drafted and already enables the Secretary of State to support the delivery of environmental outcomes through nature-based solutions. For example, we will use the powers in the Agriculture Bill to introduce our ambitious new Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme, which is intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan. Under the ELM, farmers and land managers may enter into agreements to be paid for delivering a range of public goods. This could include nature based solutions that contribute towards reducing the instances of, and provide protection from, environmental hazards such as flooding.

Likewise, the Environment Bill introduces a powerful package of new policies and tools to support nature's recovery. Biodiversity net gain, Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs), conservation covenants and a strengthened biodiversity duty on public authorities will work together to drive local action on the ground, creating or restoring rich habitats to enable wildlife to recover and thrive.

Notably our net gain measures create an approach to development which means that habitats for wildlife must be left in a measurably better state than they were in pre-development. These measures will be supported by LNRSs to guide smooth and effective delivery of mandatory biodiversity net gain. They will help local authorities to best understand where investment in new habitat creation or restoration will achieve best outcomes for biodiversity and wider environmental benefits.

We will continue to engage with a wide range of stakeholders as we move towards implementing these measures.

The Government is investing £2.6 billion between 2015 and 2021 to deliver more than 1,000 flood defence projects to better protect 300,000 homes by 2021.This is on top of £1 billion to maintain flood defence assets between 2015 and 2020. This includes investing in developing technology and direct maintenance work such as managing drainage systems, inspecting assets and carrying out repairs. This is a real-terms increase when compared with the average annual capital investment of £812 million over the previous five years. Defra will continue to work with the Environment Agency to consider future investment needs ahead of the Budget announcement on future floods funding on 11 March 2020.

The Government is investing £2.6 billion between 2015 and 2021 to deliver more than 1,000 flood defence projects to better protect 300,000 homes by 2021.This is on top of £1 billion to maintain flood defence assets between 2015 and 2020. This includes investing in developing technology and direct maintenance work such as managing drainage systems, inspecting assets and carrying out repairs. This is a real-terms increase when compared with the average annual capital investment of £812 million over the previous five years. Defra will continue to work with the Environment Agency to consider future investment needs ahead of the Budget announcement on future floods funding on 11 March 2020.

Mott MacDonald were commissioned by the Department for Transport to support the Integrated Rail Plan by assessing strategic alternatives to the previously planned HS2 Eastern Leg. I intend to publish the report soon and will place a copy of this report in the Library.

Within the £96bn set out in the Integrated Rail Plan, up to £3.5 billion has been allowed for upgrading the East Coast Main Line (within the East Core Network figure)

The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is enhancing rail infrastructure from Manchester to York. However, it will provide better connectivity across the Pennines for a range of centres beyond these points, by reducing journey times and providing room for extra trains. This includes doubling the frequency of direct trains on the Hull to Leeds route from one to two trains per hour. The Integrated Rail Plan published last week sets out further benefits for the region through other projects.

The Department will soon publish its Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) which will look at how best to deliver Northern Powerhouse Rail, alongside other major rail investments in the North and Midlands including HS2 Phase 2b, so that the benefits of these investments are delivered to passengers and communities more quickly.

Department for Transport ministers and/or officials have met with Canadian counterparts on several occasions this year to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic and the safe, sustainable resumption of international travel. These discussions have been fruitful and we welcome further exchanges as we seek to cautiously balance the reopening of international travel with managing the public health risks.

The Secretary of State for Transport has discussed the resumption of trans-Atlantic travel with his US counterpart Secretary Pete Buttigieg, including at the UK-chaired G7 Transport Ministerial meeting on 5 May 2021.

The Prime Minister and President have also agreed to form the joint UK-US Experts’ Working Group, which will share expertise and provide recommendations to leaders on the return of safe and sustainable trans-Atlantic travel.

The Government has announced a range of measures available to support UK businesses, including coach operators. These include the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), and I am pleased to note that there has been a high uptake of this scheme across the coach sector.

We continue to work closely with representatives from the coach sector to understand the ongoing risks and issues the sector faces and how these can be addressed.

The Government has announced several measures available to UK businesses, including the coach sector, to support them through this challenging time, and launched a ‘support finder’ tool to help businesses quickly and easily determine what financial support is available to them during the coronavirus pandemic.

As of 2 December, councils in Tier 2 and Tier 3 areas of England are receiving funding to provide grants to closed businesses and run local discretionary grant schemes to support affected businesses. These grants could be available to businesses that supply the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, including coaches. These allocations will be published shortly and are in addition to the £2.3 billion already provided to local councils since the start of the pandemic. Local Authorities will administer this scheme and determine on a case-by-case basis where to allocate funding.

There have been no changes to consumer law, and airlines are expected to abide by this and honour consumer rights. We have been clear with industry that when consumers are entitled to a refund and ask for one, refunds must be paid in a timely manner, and the process should not be unduly difficult for consumers.

My department is working to consider the impacts of COVID-19 on the ATOL Scheme, proposals for vouchers, and the payment of refunds for cancelled holidays and flights. We are working to reach a position on this issue that balances the need to protect consumer rights whilst recognising the continuing pressure on industry.

The Civil Aviation Authority are responsible for enforcing European Regulation 261/2004. My department works closely with the Civil Aviation Authority and has regular discussions with them about the range of issues that have arisen from the COVID-19 crisis – including issues relating to enforcement action in respect of refund payments.

On 1 July 2020 the Civil Aviation Authority provided an update on its website about its review into the refund policies of airlines during the coronavirus pandemic. They are reviewing the refund policies of all UK airlines, as well as a number of international airlines that operate flights to and from the UK. The review is considering how airlines are handling refunds for flight-only bookings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There have been no changes to consumer law, and airlines are expected to abide by this and honour consumer rights. We have been clear with industry that when consumers are entitled to a refund and ask for one, refunds must be paid in a timely manner, and the process should not be unduly difficult for consumers.

My department is working to consider the impacts of COVID-19 on the ATOL Scheme, proposals for vouchers, and the payment of refunds for cancelled holidays and flights. We are working to reach a position on this issue that balances the need to protect consumer rights whilst recognising the continuing pressure on industry.

The Civil Aviation Authority are responsible for enforcing European Regulation 261/2004. My department works closely with the Civil Aviation Authority and has regular discussions with them about the range of issues that have arisen from the COVID-19 crisis – including issues relating to enforcement action in respect of refund payments.

On 1 July 2020 the Civil Aviation Authority provided an update on its website about its review into the refund policies of airlines during the coronavirus pandemic. They are reviewing the refund policies of all UK airlines, as well as a number of international airlines that operate flights to and from the UK. The review is considering how airlines are handling refunds for flight-only bookings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There have been no changes to consumer law, and airlines are expected to abide by this and honour consumer rights. We have been clear with industry that when consumers are entitled to a refund and ask for one, refunds must be paid in a timely manner, and the process should not be unduly difficult for consumers.

My department is working to consider the impacts of COVID-19 on the ATOL Scheme, proposals for vouchers, and the payment of refunds for cancelled holidays and flights. We are working to reach a position on this issue that balances the need to protect consumer rights whilst recognising the continuing pressure on industry.

The Civil Aviation Authority are responsible for enforcing European Regulation 261/2004. My department works closely with the Civil Aviation Authority and has regular discussions with them about the range of issues that have arisen from the COVID-19 crisis – including issues relating to enforcement action in respect of refund payments.

On 1 July 2020 the Civil Aviation Authority provided an update on its website about its review into the refund policies of airlines during the coronavirus pandemic. They are reviewing the refund policies of all UK airlines, as well as a number of international airlines that operate flights to and from the UK. The review is considering how airlines are handling refunds for flight-only bookings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There have been no changes to consumer law, and airlines are expected to abide by this and honour consumer rights. We have been clear with industry that when consumers are entitled to a refund and ask for one, refunds must be paid in a timely manner, and the process should not be unduly difficult for consumers.

My department is working to consider the impacts of COVID-19 on the ATOL Scheme, proposals for vouchers, and the payment of refunds for cancelled holidays and flights. We are working to reach a position on this issue that balances the need to protect consumer rights whilst recognising the continuing pressure on industry.

The Civil Aviation Authority are responsible for enforcing European Regulation 261/2004. My department works closely with the Civil Aviation Authority and has regular discussions with them about the range of issues that have arisen from the COVID-19 crisis – including issues relating to enforcement action in respect of refund payments.

On 1 July 2020 the Civil Aviation Authority provided an update on its website about its review into the refund policies of airlines during the coronavirus pandemic. They are reviewing the refund policies of all UK airlines, as well as a number of international airlines that operate flights to and from the UK. The review is considering how airlines are handling refunds for flight-only bookings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the 9^th May the Government published fast-tracked statutory guidance to local authorities on reallocating road space to encourage cycling and walking and enabling social distancing. The guidance highlights the importance of consultation and engaging with local businesses. There are no plans to provide any additional powers.

We are working with Northern Trains Ltd to identify the improvements for rail services and performance. Work is also underway to consider the impact of passenger demand due COVID-19, which is currently subject to a great deal of uncertainty.

Under the new agreement with Northern Trains Ltd, there is no longer a formal Service Options Fund to help capture the aspirations for additional services however the operator is required to continue this development work through its ongoing discussions with stakeholders. Aligned with this is the work to understand passenger demand as a result of COVID-19. Although there is a great deal of uncertainty surrounding this, we always welcome suggestions to help better connect our towns and cities.

The Restoration and Renewal Programme has conducted preliminary assessments of the potential benefits of promoting biodiversity as part of the restoration works, including the introduction of swift bricks and bird boxes, and the desirability of such measures will be subject to the requirements of both Houses. The potential inclusion of beehives will require more careful consideration, including the health and safety implications, while other measures could include ensuring that all planting is pollinator friendly. The Sponsor Body has also agreed a strategic objective for the Programme to optimise the environmental impacty of the Palace in its construction and operation, which has been endorsed by the Commissions of both Houses and will be kept under review as the Programme progresses.

The General Medical Council’s revised guidance ‘Decision making and consent’ came into effect in November 2020. The guidance specifies that doctors must give patients the information, time and support needed to make an informed decision about their treatment.

As part of its consultation on the reform of medical device regulation in the United Kingdom, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is currently considering what information should be provided to the patient at the point of consent and on receipt of the implant. The new regulatory approach is not yet finalised but the information considered includes warnings, precautions or measures to be taken by the patient or a healthcare professional and a caution that risk may emerge during use of an implantable device, including, where appropriate, on autoimmune disease and fibromyalgia. More information on the outcome of the consultation is expected to be published in early 2022.

The Department is putting in place mechanisms to ensure that the patient voice is routinely heard. This includes the creation of a statutory role of the Patient Safety Commissioner.

The Department currently has no plans to hold a consultation on the health effects of implanted materials in patients. However, we are ensuring that the patients’ voice is routinely heard. This includes the creation of a statutory role of the Patient Safety Commissioner to promote the safety of patients in the use of medicines and medical devices and the importance of the views of patients and the public on the safety of medicines and medical devices.

From 22 November, the United Kingdom will recognise vaccines listed on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Emergency Use Listing for quarantine free travel to the UK. Sputnik V Gamaleya is not currently on the WHO’s Emergency Use List.

We continue to explore the expansion of our inbound vaccination policy to more countries and territories where it is safe to do so.

The Janssen vaccine - the commercial name of the Johnson and Johnson manufactured vaccine - was authorised for use by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on 28 May 2021.  At the time of authorisation, no supply was available and none was expected until the end of the year. On 30 October 2021 the Government announced that it would donate all 20 million Janssen vaccines doses it had ordered to COVAX.

Given the maturity of the United Kingdom vaccination programme and strength of existing supplies to meet domestic requirements, the Government was able to identify the Janssen vaccine supply for donation, to be distributed to those most in need overseas. We remain confident that existing stocks of authorised vaccines meet the current requirement for National Health Service and care workers for both the primary course and booster vaccinations.

The Department’s guidance is clear that blanket bans on visiting in care homes are not acceptable. All care home residents can choose to nominate an essential care giver who may visit the home to attend to essential care needs, with no limits to the number of named visitors a resident can nominate.

If a resident or their family have concerns that a care home is not following visiting guidance appropriately, it should be raised with the home in the first instance. The Care Quality Commission can also investigate complaints where providers do not appropriately support people to have access to visits.

We have recently reviewed our guidance on visiting care homes and expect to publish updated guidance shortly. The guidance will help care home providers ensure visits can take place over the winter months.

The third Infection Control and Testing fund, announced in October, will provide £388.3 million to support infection prevention and control and testing in adult social care. We have made available more than £2.5 billion for adult social care during the pandemic. We have also provided free personal protective equipment and testing to care home staff, residents and visitors and will continue to do so throughout the winter.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s (JCVI) assessment of including people under the age of 50 years old in the COVID-19 vaccine booster programme is ongoing. On 14 September 2021, the JCVI advised that individuals who received COVID-19 vaccinations in phase one of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in priority groups one to nine should be offered a booster vaccine. This includes those aged 16 to 49 years old with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19.

The JCVI has advised that it will continue to review data as it emerges and consider further advice on booster vaccinations in younger adult age groups, children aged 12 to 16 years old with underlying health conditions and women who are pregnant.

The Department is working with stakeholders to assess the need for strengthened safeguards around the regulation of providers who offer invasive non-surgical cosmetic procedures. We continue to explore whether restrictions on the supply and administration of dermal fillers are necessary to safeguard the public.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is working to develop a robust, world-leading regulatory regime for medical devices that prioritises patient safety. It plans to run a formal public consultation on future medical device regulation this summer which will cover whether the scope of United Kingdom medical device regulations should be extended to cover certain devices with a non-medical purpose, such as dermal fillers.

In England cosmetic surgery may only be performed by doctors registered with the General Medical Council. Providers of surgery must also register with the Care Quality Commission and meet its fundamental standards of safety and quality.

The Government is evaluating the existing education and qualification frameworks for practitioners of non-surgical cosmetic procedures operating in England and assessing options for improving standards. This includes consideration of whether increased oversight of practitioners performing some of the most invasive non-surgical procedures is needed and how to achieve a proportionate system of practitioner regulation that protects the public.

Public Health England (PHE) has made no such assessment. Due to the time taken to develop antibodies after vaccination, PHE does not yet hold data to determine the ability to transmit COVID-19 by people who have been vaccinated against it.

The National Respiratory Programme is a sub-programme of the wider Cardiovascular Disease and Respiratory programme. The Cardiovascular Disease and Respiratory Programme was allocated NHS Long Term Plan funding as follows:

- 2019/20: £8.4 million; and

- 2020/21: £15 million.

During the initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic all national programmes were asked to prioritise their programmes to ensure they reflected the needs of patients with COVID-19 and to adapt work projects for the new infection control measures.

To support and strengthen respiratory services, an investment of £2 million was made to establish respiratory clinical networks for the first time in England and £46,000 was also used to contribute to the development of the Your COVID-19 Recovery online platform. The Cardiovascular Disease and Respiratory programme also reprioritised £3.5 million to support people recovering from long COVID-19.

We remain committed to delivering the core proposals of the children and young people’s mental health Green Paper, including the introduction of senior leads in mental health and mental health support teams in schools and colleges, as well as the piloting of a four-week waiting time for specialist NHS services.

The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health set a target of at least 35% of children and young people with a diagnosable mental health condition receiving treatment from an NHS-funded community mental health service by 2020/21. We are currently meeting this target with 36.8% of children and young people with such a need accessing treatment in 2019/20.

We are committed to expanding all age-mental health services through the NHS Long Term Plan – this includes services for children and young people.

Through the Long Term Plan, we are investing at least £2.3 billion of extra funding a year into all age mental health services by 2023/24. This funding underpins our aim for an additional 345,000 children and young people every year to access support through National Health Service-funded services or school- and college-based mental health support teams, if they need it.

We remain committed to implementing the core proposals of the children and young people’s mental health Green Paper, including the introduction of senior leads in mental health and mental health support teams in schools and colleges, and the piloting of a four-week waiting time for specialist NHS services.

From 1 January 2021, under the Withdrawal Agreement some groups will be entitled to a United Kingdom issued European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for travel in the European Union. These include:

- UK state pensioners living in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland at the end of Transition Period,

- Individuals who are frontier workers at the end of the Transition Period, for as long as they continue to be covered by the Agreement, and

- EEA or Swiss nationals residing in the UK by the end of the Transition Period.

UK nationals already living in the EU who hold a Member State EHIC may use this when accessing healthcare within the EU and UK.

For people not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, the future of reciprocal healthcare arrangements between the UK and EU are subject to negotiations, which are ongoing.

NHS Digital does not hold any data on COVID-19 patients outside hospital settings.

NHS Digital advises that within Hospital Episode Statistics data it is not possible to determine if a patient that was admitted with COVID-19 also went on to develop malnutrition.

Respiratory disease is a clinical priority within the NHS Long Term Plan. The respiratory interventions proposed in the NHS Long Term Plan include early and accurate diagnosis of respiratory conditions, which help prevents avoidable emergency admissions.

The following table shows the data for bronchial asthma and respiratory (non-asthma) related hospital episodes for each month since April 2019.

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS Digital. This data is provisional and may be incomplete or contain errors for which no adjustment have yet been made.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) delivery statistics are published online at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ppe-deliveries-statistics-england-weekly-reports

This is updated on a weekly basis. The total number of PPE items distributed for use by health and social care services (which includes National Health Service trusts) has been published as part of this statistics release since 30 June. These are experimental statistics that the United Kingdom Government continues to develop in line with the requirements of those using the data.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) delivery statistics are published online at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ppe-deliveries-statistics-england-weekly-reports

This is updated on a weekly basis. The total number of PPE items authorised for release to local resilience forums has been published as part of this statistics release since 14 July. These are experimental statistics that the United Kingdom Government continues to develop in line with the requirements of those using the data.

The UK Government has raised the issue of LGBT rights repeatedly with the Russian Government and made clear that Russia must abide by its international human rights obligations.

The FCDO monitors closely the situations in Tibet and Xinjiang. We are deeply concerned by the human rights situation in Tibet, including reports of severe restrictions on freedom of religion of belief, Tibetans dying in custody, coercive control, and labour transfer schemes.

We also have serious concerns about the human rights violations occurring in Xinjiang, including the extra-judicial detention of over a million Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in "political re-education camps" since 2017, systematic restrictions on Uyghur culture and the practice of Islam, and extensive and invasive surveillance targeting minorities.

The UK Government continues to raise concerns about the human rights situation in China directly with the Chinese authorities at the highest levels. Most recently, the Prime Minister did so in a telephone call with President Xi on 29 October, as did the Foreign Secretary in her introductory call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on 22 October. I personally raised the situation with the Chinese Ambassador to London in our meeting on 15 December.

The UK is a long-term supporter of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). We are working with UNRWA to improve their financial viability. This includes broadening UNRWA's donor base, encouraging the full disbursement of pledges and encouraging support through multi-year funding. I reiterated this at the International Conference on UNRWA on 16 November.

We strongly condemn all forms of violence and incitement to violence. We accompany our support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) with stringent attention to implementation of their neutrality policy, including how they apply this to textbooks and other learning material to ensure they reflect UN values. In Gaza and the West Bank, UNRWA uses the PA's curriculum in their schools after rigorously reviewing that it is in line with UN values.

The UK and France regularly discuss military and security cooperation in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. As chair of the G7 the Foreign Secretary invited colleagues from Australia, the Republic of Korea and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to join our meeting in Liverpool 11-12 December. We reaffirmed our strong engagement and co-operation in the region and discussed regional and security issues, in addition to maritime cooperation and state behaviour in cyberspace.

The UK supports freedom of expression as both a human right in and of itself, and as an essential element for the enjoyment of other human rights. Following the May 2020 local elections in Benin, we were concerned at the low rate of participation and that only one opposition party took part. This was despite the provisional ruling of the African Court of Human and People's Rights that the Government of Benin should take steps to avoid the exclusion of opposition parties. The UK was also concerned to see the violence that marked the presidential elections in April 2021.

Freedom of expression is an essential quality of any functioning democracy; people must be allowed to discuss and debate issues freely, to challenge their governments, and to make informed decisions. The UK hopes President Talon's recent dialogue with his predecessor Thomas Boni Yayi in September 2021 will lead to a formal dialogue with opposition parties in Benin.

The UK supports freedom of expression as both a human right in and of itself, and as an essential element for the enjoyment of other human rights. Following the May 2020 local elections in Benin, we were concerned at the low rate of participation and that only one opposition party took part. This was despite the provisional ruling of the African Court of Human and People's Rights that the Government of Benin should take steps to avoid the exclusion of opposition parties. The UK was also concerned to see the violence that marked the presidential elections in April 2021.

Freedom of expression is an essential quality of any functioning democracy; people must be allowed to discuss and debate issues freely, to challenge their governments, and to make informed decisions. The UK hopes President Talon's recent dialogue with his predecessor Thomas Boni Yayi in September 2021 will lead to a formal dialogue with opposition parties in Benin.

The UK is committed to the principle of non-discrimination on any grounds, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Human rights are universal and should apply equally to all people. We continue to raise human rights and respect of individual freedoms as part of our bilateral discussions with Brunei. In my meeting with the Foreign Minister of Brunei on 9 December I discussed LGBT+ issues, including in the context of the implementation of Brunei's Sharia Penal Code Order. The Foreign Minister of Brunei welcomed discussions on these areas.

The UK and Solomon Islands have a strong bilateral relationship with shared priorities including security, stability, economic development and tackling climate change. Bilateral relations between China and Solomon Islands are a matter for those two countries.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has been supporting the Overseas Territories since the outset of the pandemic. This includes the provision of vaccines which have been provided on a population proportionate basis with the United Kingdom. The UK Overseas Territories have some of the highest vaccination rates globally and the roll out of booster vaccines began in October 2021. To date, eleven (Anguilla, Ascension Island, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, St Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and the Turks & Caicos Islands Overseas Territories) have received booster vaccines. Plans are in hand to deliver boosters to the remaining three Overseas Territories (Pitcairn, Tristan da Cunha and staff at the British Antarctic Territory) in early 2022.

The UK is committed to the principle of non-discrimination on any grounds, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Human rights are universal and should apply equally to all people. We continue to raise human rights and respect of individual freedoms as part of our bilateral discussions with Brunei. I discussed LGBT rights in my meeting with Foreign Minister II Erywan on 9 December.

The UK is deeply concerned at the deteriorating political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The Foreign Secretary met BiH Foreign Minister Turkovic at the OSCE Ministerial meeting on 1 December, and High Representative Schmidt in London on 2 December.

The UK remains committed to ensuring peace and stability in BiH, and upholding its sovereignty and state integrity. We continue to work closely with political parties, civil society, and community leaders in BiH to support reconciliation efforts, tackle legacy issues, and build common purpose around a brighter future for all citizens.

The UK has consistently supported implementation of the 2001 Bougainville Peace Agreement. This includes sharing our experience of conflict resolution and devolution, and providing almost £200,000 to UN programmes supporting the non-binding 2019 independence referendum and subsequent consultations on Bougainville’s final political status. We will continue to support international efforts to help the Governments of Papua New Guinea and Bougainville reach an agreed settlement.

The UK Government acknowledges the importance of Papua New Guinea's rich cultural and linguistic diversity, with almost 850 spoken languages. In partnership with the Leverhulme Trust and British Library, we are funding a three year project - True Echoes - to connect communities in Papua New Guinea with the earliest recordings of their local languages and song, dating from 1898 to 1918, and to make the archive available online for all, including Papua New Guinea's cultural institutions and future generations.

On the 12th of January, the UK Government announced a series of robust measures in respect of UK supply chains to help ensure that no British organisations - government or private sector, deliberately or inadvertently - are profiting from or contributing to human rights violations against the Uyghurs or other minorities in Xinjiang. These measures include a review of export controls as they apply to Xinjiang, the introduction of financial penalties for organisations that fail to comply with their obligations under the Modern Slavery Act, and new, robust guidance to UK businesses on the specific risks faced by companies with links to the region.

Her Majesty's Government considers the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue. We are concerned by any activity which raises tensions and risks destabilising the status quo and have been clear that the numerous Chinese military flights near Taiwan at the beginning of October were not conducive to peace and stability in the region. We underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait alongside partners in the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' communique in May and G7 Leaders' communique in June.

We continue to believe that a settlement between Kosovo and Serbia is both possible and essential. The UK supports the EU-facilitated Dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo, with the aim of a comprehensive and sustainable normalisation agreement to the benefit of both countries' people. We welcome the recent interim agreement reached under the Dialogue on the car number plate issue, and encourage both sides to maintain their commitment to the Dialogue process.

The UK remains committed to supporting the UN process to reach a Cyprus Settlement in line with UN parameters based on the model of a Bi-zonal, Bi-communal Federation with political equality - a model that we believe to be broad enough to address the concerns of both sides. UK Ministers and Officials continue to engage all sides to urge flexibility and compromise to that end.

As the UK continues to deliver our tilt to the Indo-Pacific, we are building and strengthening partnerships bilaterally, multilaterally and in minilateral groupings across the region. The Indo-Pacific Quad is increasingly important to four of the UK's closest partners in the region (Australia, India, Japan and the US). The UK welcomes the outcomes of the two leaders' level Quad summits in March and September 2021 which echo many of the UK's priorities, including climate change, COVID-19 response and emerging technology and we are looking at options for closer practical cooperation with Quad members in these areas, supplementing our important bilateral engagement with each of these key partners.

The United Kingdom is committed to combatting all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism, both at home and abroad. We believe that one of the most effective ways to tackle injustices and advocate respect among different religious and racial groups is to encourage all states to uphold their human rights obligations. Some of the anti-Semitic actions and speeches in and around the Durban conference and its various follow-up events gave rise to serious concerns. We will consider UK attendance in the light of developments between now and the commemoration event, including the likelihood of any recurrence.

The Foreign Secretary recently reaffirmed the UK's condemnation to anti-Semitism during a debate in the House of Commons on 20 April 2021, and I raised my opposition to anti-Semitism during a Westminster Hall Debate on 26 November 2020. We also delivered a statement at the United Nations General Assembly in November expressing concern about the rise of anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination in the wake of Covid-19.

The United Kingdom is committed to combatting all forms of racism, including anti-semitism, both at home and abroad. We believe that one of the most effective ways to tackle injustices and advocate respect among different religious and racial groups is to encourage all states to uphold their human rights obligations. Some of the anti-Semitic actions and speeches in and around the Durban conference and its various follow-up events gave rise to serious concerns. We will consider UK attendance in the light of developments between now and the commemoration event, including the likelihood of any recurrence.

The Foreign Secretary recently reaffirmed the UK's condemnation to anti-semitism during a debate in the House of Commons on 20 April 2021, and I raised my opposition to anti-Semitism during a Westminster Hall Debate on 26 November 2020. We also delivered a statement at the United Nations General Assembly in November expressing concern about the rise of anti-semitism and other forms of discrimination in the wake of Covid-19.

The UN Secretary-General issues a six-monthly report on the implementation of UNSCR 2231, which underpins the JCPoA. The most recent report, the tenth, was discussed by the Security Council in December 2020. We continue to engage closely with the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council to address Iran's non-compliance and stand ready to bring the issue to the Council as necessary. We strongly urge Iran to return to compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action commitments without delay.

We respect the independence of the ICC, and we expect it to exercise due prosecutorial and judicial discipline.

We respect the independence of the ICC, and we expect it to exercise due prosecutorial and judicial discipline.

Our partnership with the Palestinian Authority includes a commitment from the Palestinian leadership to adhere to the principle of non-violence and to tackle language and actions that could incite violence or hatred. We have a regular dialogue with the Palestinian Authority in which we reiterate the need for both sides to prepare their populations for peaceful coexistence, including by promoting a more positive portrayal of each other. We continue to urge both the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships to avoid engaging in, or encouraging, any type of action and language that makes it more difficult to achieve a culture of peaceful coexistence and a negotiated solution to the conflict.

We remain deeply concerned about the continuing persecution of LGBT people in Chechnya. Persecution for being LGBT, anywhere in the world, is abhorrent. As we state in our Travel Advice, there are credible reports of arrest, torture and extrajudicial killing of LGBT people in Chechnya.

In December 2018 the UK was one of 16 countries to invoke the OSCE's Moscow Mechanism, requiring an independent OSCE investigation. The OSCE Moscow Mechanism's independent 2018 report confirmed allegations of serious human rights violations in Chechnya against LGBT people and other groups including unlawful detention, torture, and extrajudicial killings. We continue to urge Russia to implement the recommendations made in the Moscow Mechanism report and to end the climate of impunity for human rights abusers in Chechnya.

We continue to raise our concerns about the persecution of LGBT people in Chechnya with the Russian Government at all levels. On 17 June 2020, I raised this with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Titov.

Under the new UK Points-Based Immigration System, EU citizens arriving from 1 January 2021 will be treated equally to non-EU citizens. EU citizens resident in the UK before the end of December 2020 will be able to access healthcare as they do now and will be able to secure these rights by obtaining status through the EU Settlement Scheme.

The Government is committed to agreeing a future partnership with the EU by December 2020. The details, including any agreement on reciprocal healthcare, remain a matter for negotiation.

PHD qualifications relevant to the occupation will be a tradeable characteristic with additional points awarded for a PHD in a STEM subject. This will cover PhD qualifications in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Further guidance for applicants and employers will be provided before the introduction of the new system.

Criminal defence lawyers play a crucial role in upholding the rule of law and ensuring access to justice is maintained, and the Government greatly values the work they do.

As part of the Criminal Legal Aid Review, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) worked with the Bar Council and other stakeholders to combine key datasets which were summarised in a published Data compendium. This data shows that, in 2019-20, of the barristers who carried out some publicly-funded criminal work and reported themselves as specialising in crime, 87% were junior barristers and 13% were QCs (Table 5.13).

Sir Christopher Bellamy QC is leading an independent review of the criminal legal aid market, seeking to ensure it is sustainable into the future. Supporting a diverse workforce and ensuring a pipeline of new entrants and career progression within the professions is an objective within the review’s Terms of Reference. I understand the review is close to completing and the Government aims to publish Sir Christopher's report together with its response as soon as possible.