First elected: 7th June 2001
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Do not impose any new requirements on parents who are home educating
Gov Responded - 20 Aug 2021 Debated on - 27 Mar 2023 View 's petition debate contributionsThe Education Committee has recently recommended introducing a statutory home educated register, and greater assessment of home educated children. These recommendations are in contrast to the views of many parents who home educate.
Do not require parents to register home educated children with local authorities
Gov Responded - 8 Aug 2022 Debated on - 27 Mar 2023 View 's petition debate contributionsRemove the clauses relating to 'Children not in school' from Part 3 of the Schools Bill, and do not pursue compulsory registration of all home-schooled children. We see no evidence that this would be beneficial, and we believe the proposals place a discriminatory burden on supportive parents.
Legalise assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults
Gov Responded - 3 Feb 2022 Debated on - 4 Jul 2022 View 's petition debate contributionsThe Government should bring forward legislation to allow assisted dying for adults who are terminally ill and have mental capacity. It should be permitted subject to strict upfront safeguards, assessed by two doctors independently, and self-administered by the dying person.
Dedicate funding for research into Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP)
Gov Responded - 12 Oct 2021 Debated on - 6 Dec 2021 View 's petition debate contributionsInvest in FOP research to support this ultra-rare disease community. Research into FOP could inform the understanding/treatment of many more common conditions such as osteoporosis, hip replacements, DIPG (a rare childhood brain cancer) and many common military injuries.
UK Government to formally recognise the State of Palestine
Gov Responded - 8 Jun 2021 Debated on - 14 Jun 2021 View 's petition debate contributionsRecognise the state of Palestine to help stop the conflict from Israel. Not recognising the Palestinian state allows Israel to continue their persecution of the Palestinians.
Introduce sanctions against Israel
Gov Responded - 8 Jun 2021 Debated on - 14 Jun 2021 View 's petition debate contributionsThe Government should introduce sanctions against Israel, including blocking all trade, and in particular arms.
Increase Number of Guests Permitted at Weddings, according to Venue Capacity
Gov Responded - 11 Sep 2020 Debated on - 9 Nov 2020 View 's petition debate contributionsWeddings take months and even years of intricate planning. Myself and many others believe the maximum number of guests authorised at wedding ceremonies should be increased. The number of guests permitted at weddings should be calculated according to venue capacity.
Let Us Dance - Support nightclubs, dance music events and festivals
Gov Responded - 14 Oct 2020 Debated on - 9 Nov 2020 View 's petition debate contributionsExtend funding to nightclubs, dance music events and festivals as part of the £1.57bn support package announced by the government for Britain's arts and culture sector to survive the hit from the pandemic. #LetUSDance
These initiatives were driven by Andrew Selous, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Andrew Selous has not been granted any Urgent Questions
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to make provision about periodical local authority reviews of the housing needs of Gypsy and Traveller communities; to make provision for the conversion of caravan sites into settled accommodation; to require local authorities to provide temporary caravan stopping sites where there is a demonstrated need; to create a criminal offence of unauthorised encampment; to make provision about the education of Gypsy and Traveller children; to require schools to have regard to Gypsy and Traveller culture and heritage in teaching; and for connected purposes.
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress.
Public office (child sexual abuse) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Alexander Stafford (Con)
Children not in school (register) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Flick Drummond (Con)
Supply of Drugs to Children Under 16 (Aggravated Offence) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Kevin Hollinrake (Con)
Marine Protected Areas (Bottom Trawling) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Chris Grayling (Con)
Dogs (DNA Databases) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Andrew Griffith (Con)
Electric Vehicle Charging Points (New Buildings) (No. 2) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Felicity Buchan (Con)
Youth Courts and Sentencing Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Rob Butler (Con)
Supported Housing (Regulation) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Kerry McCarthy (Lab)
Food Labelling (Environmental Sustainability) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Chris Grayling (Con)
Local Welfare Assistance Provision (Review) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Paul Maynard (Con)
Dockless Bicycles (Regulation) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Daniel Zeichner (Lab)
Flexible Working Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Helen Whately (Con)
Gambling (Industry Levy Review and Protections for Vulnerable People) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Richard Graham (Con)
Access to Fertility Services Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Steve McCabe (Lab)
Health Impacts (Public Sector Duty) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Luciana Berger (LD)
Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Act 2018
Sponsor - Maria Caulfield (Con)
Registration of Marriage (No. 2) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Caroline Spelman (Con)
Food Advertising (Protection of Children from Targeting) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Kirstene Hair (Con)
Family Justice Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - None ()
'Anonymised' recruitment (where candidates' personal details are removed from the application form prior to shortlisting) is considered the "default" for external Civil Service recruitment.
The Critical Minerals Refresh published in March, sets out our approach to delivering on the Critical Minerals Strategy, and confirms our participation in the Minerals Security Partnership. Working with international partners, this aims to spur investment in supply chains across four pillars, including recycling and reuse, and will support our work to accelerate a circular economy of critical minerals in the UK.
The Government is also funding record investment in battery innovation and commercialisation, including in recycling. The £541m Faraday Battery Challenge is supporting projects such as REBLEND, which is developing commercial processes to directly recover valuable cathode active materials (CAM) for reuse in automotive batteries. The project is led by Ecoshred, with University of Leicester, University of Birmingham, Minviro, Iconichem Widnes, Watercycle Technologies, Ecolamp Recycling, and Cornish Lithium.
The Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) aims to support the creation of an internationally competitive electric vehicle supply chain in the UK. The government continues to work with industry via the ATF to unlock strategic investments in gigafactories, motors and drives, power electronics, and fuel cell systems.
In the coming months, after engagement with industry, the government will build on the ATF and the long-term Advanced Propulsion Centre R&D programme to take decisive action to ensure future investment in the manufacturing of zero emission vehicles.
The Department for Business and Trade has not assessed the potential impact of gold mined for import into the UK on the UK's environmental footprint.
The UK is not negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with the Mercosur bloc. Neither the Secretary of State nor her predecessors have discussed the status of gold within any possible future negotiation with their Mercosur counterparts.
Mercosur countries are important partners for the UK. We are working to strengthen our trading relationships in a way which supports sustainable development, removes barriers to trade, and helps British businesses to export.
Since the creation of the position of Secretary of State for Business and Trade, there have been no such discussions.
HM Land Registry does not hold enforcement powers to impose penalties for failing to register land holdings and this department has no plans to introduce such penalties. However, there are consequences for failing to register land which can impact the landowner’s ability to deal with the land.
For unregistered land, transactions such as transfers, leases or mortgages trigger compulsory first registration. Failure to apply for first registration within two months means that the transaction does not take effect at law.
For registered land, the transactions referred to above do not take effect at law until they are completed by registration.
The Government is investing £6.6 billion over this Parliament in clean heat and improving energy efficiency in buildings, through schemes including the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant.
This summer the Government will launch the £1 billion Great British Insulation Scheme, meaning approximately 300,000 of the country’s least energy efficient homes could save £300-£400 each year
The Government has committed a further £6bn of funding for energy efficiency and low carbon heating from 2025 to 2028.
This is not a matter for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
The consultation on improving the energy performance of privately rented homes closed on 8th January 2021. The Government has carefully analysed the responses received and is considering how best to ensure the cost relating to energy efficiency improvement are fair and proportionate to landlords and tenants. The Government will publish a response in due course.
BEIS analysis indicates that hydronic heat pumps, which use hot water to provide heat using a central heating system, are a more cost-effective means of decarbonising heat in the majority of homes and businesses across the UK. Therefore, the Government anticipates hydronic heat pumps will be the principal means of decarbonising heat in homes.
This information is not compiled centrally, but all councils have a role to play in our transition to Net Zero. We are helping them through funding for Public Sector decarbonisation, Heat decarbonisation and support for Electric Vehicle charging.
Following the publication of the Taylor Review, my Department responded to the Review’s recommendations by working with Historic England to explore a new model of funding and advice through two pilot projects in Manchester and Suffolk. The pilots tested the recommendations of the Review and an evaluation of their impact was published here. My officials continue to work closely with key parties to understand and respond to issues affecting our ecclesiatical heritage.
The Government is dedicated to improving the creative industries, upskilling individuals, and promoting health and safety.
My department recognises the importance of the film industry’s compliance with relevant health and safety legislation and we engage regularly with the sector, including through the British Film Institute.
We published our Online Harms Initial Consultation Response in February this year. Under the new regulatory framework, the duty of care will apply to all companies that provide services which facilitate the sharing of user generated content or user interactions. Where pornography sites have such functionalities (including video and image sharing, commenting and live streaming) they will be subject to the duty of care.
The duty of care will apply to all companies who provide services to UK users. Noting the particularly serious nature of some of the harms in scope and the global nature of many online services, the White Paper proposed that there should be a level playing field between those companies that have a legal presence in the UK, and those that operate from overseas.
Our Online Harms proposals will deliver a higher level of protection for children than for the typical adult user. As we set out in the initial response to the Online Harms White Paper consultation on 12 February, we expect companies to use a proportionate range of tools, including age assurance and age verification technologies, to prevent children accessing age-inappropriate content such as online pornography, and to protect them from other harms.
The Government is firmly committed to making the UK the safest place to be online, and we are working at pace on our proposals. We will publish a full government response later this year.
The current School Food Standards (SFS) provide a robust yet flexible framework to ensure pupils in England continue to receive high quality and nutritious food. The Department continues to keep the SFS under review.
In February 2022, the Levelling Up White Paper outlined a number of things the Department is doing to strengthen adherence with the SFS, including piloting work with the Foods Standards Agency, investing up to £200,000 in a pilot Governor Training Scheme, and encouraging schools to publish a school food policy on their school websites.
The Department will promote accountability and transparency of school food arrangements by encouraging schools to develop and publish a policy that sets out their approach to food. The reporting would be voluntary initially, with the intention that this will become mandatory when schools can do this effectively. The Department is currently working closely with stakeholders to develop this scheme of work.
The department continues to see strong growth in degree-level apprenticeships with over 170,000 starts since 2014. We are making £8 million available to higher education providers to grow their degree apprenticeship provision and are partnering with UCAS, so young people can use their website to search and apply for these apprenticeships, alongside degrees.
There are not currently any designated employer representative bodies for local areas in England. Subject to the Royal Assent of the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill, the department intends to launch an open and competitive ‘expressions of interest’ process shortly for eligible employer representative bodies in all areas of England who are interested in being designated to lead the development of Local Skills Improvement Plans. Further details will be announced in due course.
This government firmly believes that every child in the care system deserves to live in a high-quality setting that meets their needs and keeps them safe.
We are clear that semi-independent provision can be the right option for some older children, which includes supported lodgings provision. The government is equally clear that this provision must always be of high quality and the young person must be ready for the level of independence it promotes. That is why, following our recent consultation, through which we received views from over 215 respondents and 45 care experienced young people, we have announced that we will invest over £142 million across the next three years to fund the introduction of new mandatory national standards and Ofsted registration and inspection for providers of this provision. These vital reforms are a landmark change for children’s social care, with all providers that accommodate looked after children and care leavers up to 18 now being regulated by Ofsted. We will lay the regulations and accompanying statutory guidance for these reforms in 2022.
The department has published a full consultation response which provides further details of our plans and associated timescales in this area, which is available here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/children-in-care-and-permanence/introducing-national-standards-for-unregulated-pro/.
These vital reforms will not only increase the quality of provision and ensure we have effective levers for acting where provision is not good enough, but they will also enable us to develop a much better understanding of the different types of provision in this area, and potentially the extent of the role each provision type should play in meeting the needs of children in future. We will continue to work closely with providers, including those who offer supported lodgings, to ensure the sector can provide high quality placements for young people that meet their needs and keep them safe.
The department collects information on where looked after children are placed. This information is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions/2021.
On 31 March 2021, some 4,180 children were placed in ‘Semi-independent living accommodation not subject to children’s homes regulations’’ which includes lodgings, flats and bedsits where supervisory staff or advice workers are specifically employed and available to provide advice and support to the residents. This information can be found in table A2 of the release here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/673c7602-892f-4b03-5aff-08d98e357d76.
The department also collects data on care leavers, whose 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th or 21st birthday falls within the collection period, including the type of accommodation that a care leaver is living in. Supported lodgings describes where care leavers receive formal advice and support from a “host family”, usually in a family home. These figures are also published in the annual statistical release.
On 31 March 2021, some 1,450 care leavers aged 19 to 21 were located in this type of accommodation. The equivalent figure for 17 and 18 year olds was 810 and can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/8706180c-2bdb-481e-20da-08d99c9bf8eb.
As we implement the reforms set out above, we will consider changes to our data collections, including providing a more granular breakdown of this type of provision.
This government firmly believes that every child in the care system deserves to live in a high-quality setting that meets their needs and keeps them safe.
We are clear that semi-independent provision can be the right option for some older children, which includes supported lodgings provision. The government is equally clear that this provision must always be of high quality and the young person must be ready for the level of independence it promotes. That is why, following our recent consultation, through which we received views from over 215 respondents and 45 care experienced young people, we have announced that we will invest over £142 million across the next three years to fund the introduction of new mandatory national standards and Ofsted registration and inspection for providers of this provision. These vital reforms are a landmark change for children’s social care, with all providers that accommodate looked after children and care leavers up to 18 now being regulated by Ofsted. We will lay the regulations and accompanying statutory guidance for these reforms in 2022.
The department has published a full consultation response which provides further details of our plans and associated timescales in this area, which is available here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/children-in-care-and-permanence/introducing-national-standards-for-unregulated-pro/.
These vital reforms will not only increase the quality of provision and ensure we have effective levers for acting where provision is not good enough, but they will also enable us to develop a much better understanding of the different types of provision in this area, and potentially the extent of the role each provision type should play in meeting the needs of children in future. We will continue to work closely with providers, including those who offer supported lodgings, to ensure the sector can provide high quality placements for young people that meet their needs and keep them safe.
The department collects information on where looked after children are placed. This information is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions/2021.
On 31 March 2021, some 4,180 children were placed in ‘Semi-independent living accommodation not subject to children’s homes regulations’’ which includes lodgings, flats and bedsits where supervisory staff or advice workers are specifically employed and available to provide advice and support to the residents. This information can be found in table A2 of the release here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/673c7602-892f-4b03-5aff-08d98e357d76.
The department also collects data on care leavers, whose 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th or 21st birthday falls within the collection period, including the type of accommodation that a care leaver is living in. Supported lodgings describes where care leavers receive formal advice and support from a “host family”, usually in a family home. These figures are also published in the annual statistical release.
On 31 March 2021, some 1,450 care leavers aged 19 to 21 were located in this type of accommodation. The equivalent figure for 17 and 18 year olds was 810 and can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/8706180c-2bdb-481e-20da-08d99c9bf8eb.
As we implement the reforms set out above, we will consider changes to our data collections, including providing a more granular breakdown of this type of provision.
This government firmly believes that every child in the care system deserves to live in a high-quality setting that meets their needs and keeps them safe.
We are clear that semi-independent provision can be the right option for some older children, which includes supported lodgings provision. The government is equally clear that this provision must always be of high quality and the young person must be ready for the level of independence it promotes. That is why, following our recent consultation, through which we received views from over 215 respondents and 45 care experienced young people, we have announced that we will invest over £142 million across the next three years to fund the introduction of new mandatory national standards and Ofsted registration and inspection for providers of this provision. These vital reforms are a landmark change for children’s social care, with all providers that accommodate looked after children and care leavers up to 18 now being regulated by Ofsted. We will lay the regulations and accompanying statutory guidance for these reforms in 2022.
The department has published a full consultation response which provides further details of our plans and associated timescales in this area, which is available here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/children-in-care-and-permanence/introducing-national-standards-for-unregulated-pro/.
These vital reforms will not only increase the quality of provision and ensure we have effective levers for acting where provision is not good enough, but they will also enable us to develop a much better understanding of the different types of provision in this area, and potentially the extent of the role each provision type should play in meeting the needs of children in future. We will continue to work closely with providers, including those who offer supported lodgings, to ensure the sector can provide high quality placements for young people that meet their needs and keep them safe.
The department collects information on where looked after children are placed. This information is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions/2021.
On 31 March 2021, some 4,180 children were placed in ‘Semi-independent living accommodation not subject to children’s homes regulations’’ which includes lodgings, flats and bedsits where supervisory staff or advice workers are specifically employed and available to provide advice and support to the residents. This information can be found in table A2 of the release here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/673c7602-892f-4b03-5aff-08d98e357d76.
The department also collects data on care leavers, whose 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th or 21st birthday falls within the collection period, including the type of accommodation that a care leaver is living in. Supported lodgings describes where care leavers receive formal advice and support from a “host family”, usually in a family home. These figures are also published in the annual statistical release.
On 31 March 2021, some 1,450 care leavers aged 19 to 21 were located in this type of accommodation. The equivalent figure for 17 and 18 year olds was 810 and can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/8706180c-2bdb-481e-20da-08d99c9bf8eb.
As we implement the reforms set out above, we will consider changes to our data collections, including providing a more granular breakdown of this type of provision.
The department remains committed to a form of local authority register for children not in school. We will set out further details on this in the government response to the ‘Children Not in School’ consultation, which we hope to publish before the end of the year.
The Department has made no such assessment. The Government does not expect parents to act as teachers or to provide the activities and feedback that a school or nursery would. Parents and carers should do their best to help children and support their education while dealing with other demands. We have issued information, guidance and support to parents and carers of children who are learning from home, which is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/supporting-your-childrens-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19.
We have been supporting colleges up and down the country to ensure they have the capacity to deliver provision for the future. We are working with the Construction sector to plan and deliver the skills needed to decarbonise the industry and create more energy efficient builds.
I was delighted to read that Central Bedfordshire College in my honourable friend’s constituency has opened a £3.5 million Technology and Skills Centre to deliver the high-end technology and construction skills that businesses in his area need to thrive.
Cigarette butts continue to be the most littered item according to a survey commissioned by Defra. On our behalf, WRAP have explored options for tackling littering of cigarette butts, including making the industry financially responsible for the costs of dealing with littered butts.
The research, which will be published in due course, highlighted the need for further data. We will therefore continue to monitor the available evidence on the prevalence of littered cigarette filters before taking further action.
Defra, in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy and chewing gum producers, have established the Chewing Gum Task Force through which gum producers will take greater responsibility for the litter and staining caused by their products. Gum producers will be investing up to £10 million over five years to help tackle the issue. As part of the programme of works the Task Force will look at ways of supporting innovation and sharing latest research, which might include recycling of chewing gum.
We are exploring options in relation to bulky furniture waste, which includes mattresses, having identified this category in the Resources and Waste Strategy.
We are looking at the best ways to reduce waste arising, increase recycling and reuse and minimise the materials ending up in landfill or incineration.
This work includes consideration of extended producer responsibility along with other non-EPR policy options.
The Government committed in its Resources and Waste Strategy for England to review and consult on potential measures such as extended producer responsibility and product standards for five new waste streams (including tyres and bulky waste such as mattresses) by the end of 2025. We are considering what policy and legislative framework would be most appropriate for these and other waste streams.
We will shortly be publishing our consultation on reforming the existing producer responsibility regime for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) which includes white goods, and invite the Member to respond to those proposals at his convenience.
The Government’s 2018 Resources & Waste Strategy for England identified textiles as a priority sector for action. Our ambitions to minimise textile waste will be outlined in the upcoming document Maximising Resources, Minimising Waste, which constitutes a new Waste Prevention Programme for England. We expect to publish this in summer 2023.
The Government takes the issue of livestock worrying very seriously, recognising the distress this can cause farmers and animals, as well as the financial implications. New measures to crack down on livestock worrying in England and Wales are to be brought in through the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, which was introduced in Parliament on 8 June 2021.
The reforms being introduced have been designed with proportionality in mind. Destruction orders would only be made post-conviction and similar powers are already available in relation to dogs that are dangerous and not kept under proper control under existing legislation (e.g. the Dogs Act 1871). Ancillary orders can be effective tools against reoffending and incorporating these orders into the general scheme of the specific livestock worrying legislation will provide greater clarity to the general public on the potential consequences of committing the offence of livestock worrying.
The Government’s proposed ban on electric shock collars will protect the welfare of dogs as hand-held remote-controlled devices can be all too easily open to abuse and can be harmful for animal welfare. Dog owners can prevent incidents of livestock worrying through keeping their dogs on a lead in the vicinity of livestock and/or undertaking appropriate training. It is important that dogs are trained to behave well, ideally from a young age, and introduced gradually and positively to different environments, people and animals. Reward-based training for dogs is widely regarded as the preferred method of training. Owners who have concerns about controlling their dog’s behaviour may take advice from their vet or a suitably qualified dog behaviourist or trainer. The Animal Behaviour and Training Council maintains national registers of appropriately qualified trainers and behaviourists.
The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs also includes guidance and reminders for owners about their responsibilities to provide for the welfare needs of their animals and to keep their dogs safe and under control, including in the vicinity of livestock. The best proven method of preventing a dog from attacking livestock is to keep the dog on a lead when exercising around other animals, as advised by farmers and other keepers of livestock.
Natural England has also published a refreshed version of the Countryside Code, which makes specific reference to keeping dogs in sight and under control to make sure they stay away from livestock, wildlife, horses and other people unless invited. Moreover, the Countryside Code helpfully sets out certain legal requirements, encouraging visitors to always check local signs as there are locations where you must keep your dog on a lead around livestock for all or part of the year.
The Government recognises the beneficial effect that pets can have on people’s emotional and mental wellbeing, including for elderly and disabled people, and appreciates that pets provided their owners with a valuable level of emotional support during the Covid-19 pandemic. We have not made a specific assessment of the potential merits of dog ownership from a mental health perspective. However, the Government remains committed to our ambitions in the NHS Long Term Plan to expand and transform mental health services in England and to invest an additional £2.3 billion a year by 2023/24.
The Government has considered evidence from Defra-funded research, the results of a public consultation, and information from other relevant sources to inform its policy on the use of e-collars for the control of dogs. The proposed ban on the use of electric shock collars controlled by hand-held devices was developed after considering a broad range of factors, including the effects of such a ban. When considered alongside the academic research, the public consultation responses, and direct engagement with the sector, the Government concluded that electric shock collars controlled by hand-held devices present a risk to the welfare of dogs and cats and that their use should not be permitted.
Concerns have been raised about the potential for a ban on the use of e-collars to adversely affect elderly dog owners, or dog owners with disabilities. We consider that e-collar users with protected characteristics, such as the elderly or those with physical impairments, would not be significantly affected by the impact of a ban because alternatives are available to assist in controlling their dogs. Further, we intend to allow time between the completion of the ban’s legislative process and its coming into force for owners to retrain their dogs.
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. Our future farming schemes will incentivise the planting and sustainable management of hedgerows across England.
We are required by the Environment Act 2021 to set at least one long term biodiversity target, in addition to our target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030. This target, and others set under the Act, will help target the causes of decline and drive actions to deliver nature recovery. We will shortly be carrying out a public consultation on proposed targets, including for biodiversity.
We will also be setting out our pathways to meet these targets in the Environmental Improvement Plan due in 2023. In order to meet our species abundance target we will need to create more, better joined up habitats, which will include hedgerows.
The Countryside Stewardship (CS) scheme provides important funding for the planting and maintenance of hedgerows. In 2021, 3870 agreements included hedge-planting, creating over 2,700km of new hedgerows. In 2021, there were also over 9,000 CS agreements with the management of hedgerows option, covering over 46,000 km of hedgerows. The new round of CS opened for applications on 8 February.
The rollout of standards in the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme (SFI), and other environmental land management schemes, will support the delivery of our environmental and climate goals, and the delivery of our 2030 species abundance target. The hedgerow standard, part of the new SFI scheme, will continue to recognise and fund the management of hedgerows. We will pay farmers to plant more hedgerows, leave them uncut or raise the cutting height.
In January, Defra invited local authorities to complete a short survey on the impact of Covid-19 on their local air quality management (LAQM) activities to inform the publication of supplementary Covid-19 guidance on LAQM duties for English local authorities for the upcoming reporting year.
The response from local authorities indicated that on the whole, submissions of local bias studies into the national survey were unaffected. This informed the decision to continue the release of the national bias adjustment factors within the usual cycle. As a result, the first round of National Diffusion Tube Bias Adjustment Factors for 2020 diffusion tube monitoring data were released in April 2021 and local authorities were notified. The national bias adjustment factors are available at https://laqm.defra.gov.uk/bias-adjustment-factors/national-bias.html.
Central Bedfordshire Council should therefore have the bias adjustment information they require in order to process 2020 air quality data for the Dunstable air quality management area. Should the council require further advice they should contact the LAQM Helpdesk.
Defra provides technical support to local authorities via a dedicated LAQM Helpdesk (phone, email and webpage) to support local authorities in their monitoring and modelling efforts to ensure a consistent approach.
The Air Quality Expert Group Report entitled "Estimation of changes in air pollution emissions, concentrations and exposure during the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK" was published on 1 July and is available on Defra’s UK-Air website: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/library/reports.php?report_id=1005.
The UK is firmly committed to the protection of ethnic and religious minorities. We work to ensure that the specific contexts and needs of vulnerable religious communities and other vulnerable groups are taken into account when practical programmes of assistance are developed.
DFID undertakes interdisciplinary analysis to ensure that religious groups are factored into all of our country programmes. The situation of minority communities is taken into account when assessing those most in need of protection and assistance. This includes when a community is being targeted or is otherwise vulnerable because of their faith. We actively consult civil society including faith-based organisations to understand how best to support vulnerable groups.
Vulnerable religious minority groups will experience crises such as COVID-19 outbreaks differently. Crises are likely to reinforce their marginalised position in society, their experience of discrimination, violence and stigma, and further limit their access to essential support and services. For this reason, guidance was circulated across DFID highlighting that inclusion must be central to our response and the specific contexts and needs of vulnerable religious communities and other vulnerable groups should be taken into account when developing practical programmes of assistance.
On 8 June, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State responsible for Human Rights, hosted a roundtable to hear from faith leaders and faith-based development organisations about the specific challenges minority faith communities are facing during this COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to work closely with partners to ensure that vulnerable religious communities and other vulnerable groups are being supported through our programming.
In October 2022, the Department commissioned Philip New to lead an independent evaluation into ‘Developing a UK Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) industry’, with the aim of stress testing its evidence base on the barriers to investment in UK SAF production and consider options for addressing those barriers. The Department will publish the report shortly.
The Government published the Jet Zero Strategy in 2022 which sets out it’s approach to achieving net zero aviation by 2050. The Strategy considers the potential for zero emission flight alongside other measures. This includes exploring the feasibility of using zero emission aircraft on existing UK government funded PSO routes, as well as noting the balance between reducing aviation emissions and ensuring value for money on routes supported by public funding.
As part of the Jet Zero Council, the Department has established a dedicated Delivery Group to convene activity across Government, industry and academia on the development of zero emission flight.
The Government is also investing £685 million between 2022 and 2035 through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) Programme to co-fund, with industry, the development of zero-carbon and ultra-efficient aircraft technology. A recent example, announced at the seventh meeting of the Jet Zero Council in February, was £113 million of joint government and industry investment in R&D projects to develop liquid hydrogen combusting jet engines and high-end lightweight batteries for small aircraft.
ATI funding is also supporting the current flight testing by ZeroAvia of a 19- seater aircraft using hydrogen propulsion. If successfully brought to market such aircraft could provide zero emission flight on regional and sub-regional routes.
The Government published the Jet Zero Strategy in 2022 which sets out it’s approach to achieving net zero aviation by 2050. The Strategy considers the potential for zero emission flight alongside other measures. This includes exploring the feasibility of using zero emission aircraft on existing UK government funded PSO routes, as well as noting the balance between reducing aviation emissions and ensuring value for money on routes supported by public funding.
As part of the Jet Zero Council, the Department has established a dedicated Delivery Group to convene activity across Government, industry and academia on the development of zero emission flight.
The Government is also investing £685 million between 2022 and 2035 through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) Programme to co-fund, with industry, the development of zero-carbon and ultra-efficient aircraft technology. A recent example, announced at the seventh meeting of the Jet Zero Council in February, was £113 million of joint government and industry investment in R&D projects to develop liquid hydrogen combusting jet engines and high-end lightweight batteries for small aircraft.
ATI funding is also supporting the current flight testing by ZeroAvia of a 19- seater aircraft using hydrogen propulsion. If successfully brought to market such aircraft could provide zero emission flight on regional and sub-regional routes.
The Government is planning to publish a consultation on the detailed design of the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandate shortly. The Government recognises the need to get legislation in place to launch the mandate in 2025, and the likely importance in helping to secure investment in SAF production in the UK.
The Government recognises the significant challenges facing investment in emerging technologies such as SAF. That is why the Government launched the £165 million Advanced Fuels Fund in July and is actively looking at what more is needed to create the long-term conditions for competitive SAF projects in the UK. The Department recently commissioned an independent review to look at evidence that industry has provided regarding the barriers, opportunities and conditions required for a competitive SAF industry in the UK. More information will be provided on this in due course, subject to interactions with wider fiscal events.
Active Travel England was launched in January 2022 to manage the £710m Active Travel budget and to drive up the standards of Local Authority projects.
Further information on the process will be published shortly.
The Government is committed to ensuring that the public has good access to the countryside through the creation of new, waymarked and maintained paths. It is, however, for local authorities to decide how and where to incorporate bridleways into their cycling networks and to maintain them accordingly, and the Department does not hold a central record of this. The UK-wide National Cycle Network, managed by Sustrans, incorporates a number of bridleways, and the Department has provided £20 million to Sustrans during the current financial year to improve and resurface parts of the network.
Ministers and officials regularly meet with counterparts in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to discuss a range of issues including the role of the planning system in supporting the Government’s walking and cycling ambitions. The Department updated its Cycle Infrastructure Design Guidance in 2020 and this includes advice on the provision of residential facilities for cycle parking.
The Department aims to consult later this year on the future of Local Transport Plans (LTPs) and will issue guidance to Local Authorities making clear that decarbonisation is one of the central requirements in the development of their LTPs. As part of their LTPs, Local Authorities will be expected to incorporate plans to enable more short journeys to be made on foot or by cycle, including electrically assisted bicycles.
The Department agrees that all road users should be treated with respect and does not condone any form of aggression against cyclists or any other road user. The recent changes to The Highway Code are designed to bring about a positive shift in road user behaviour between those who drive, walk, cycle and ride horses. Decisions on enforcement priorities are entirely a matter for individual police forces, however, and the Department does not hold data on the number of successful prosecutions.
The government currently contractually requires Train Operating Companies to permit folding cycles on all passenger services and non-folding cycles where reasonable. All Train Operating Companies currently allow carriage of cycles on trains, though provision varies by operator. In The Williams Shapps Plan for Rail the government committed to increasing space for cycles on existing trains wherever practically possible and that all future train fleets will need to include more cycle spaces relevant to the markets served. The government also committed to making it easier to reserve cycle spaces on trains online.
In addition, the government has provided over £42m funding since 2012 through the Cycle Rail Fund to support over 20,000 new secure cycle storage spaces at train stations, as well as access improvements, security enhancements, cycle maintenance equipment and cycling routes to stations.
The Department hopes to make an announcement on this matter shortly.
The Government recognises that airspace modernisation is an important enabler to allowing us to build back better and to meet out carbon commitment
Airspace modernisation is vital to the future of aviation, to delivering net zero and create opportunities for airports to manage how noise impacts local communities. It is a critical infrastructure programme of national importance that will supporting the aviation sector’s recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, in light of the pandemic, we recognise that the timescales in which airspace modernisation will take place will change. We are working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to review the Airspace Modernisation Strategy, to consider the recommendations from Airspace Change Organising Group (ACOG’s) recent report ‘Remobilising the Airspace Change Programme’, and will advise stakeholders of our preferred approach shortly.
My officials have and will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to identify ways forward for the programme, considering all options for the future.
At the request of DfT and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the Airspace Change Organisation Group (ACOG) was established in 2019 to coordinate the delivery of key aspects of the Government’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy (AMS), namely the national programme of airspace change amongst major UK airports.
The Jet Zero Council (JZC) will take into account all of the decarbonisation levers available to ensure the sector reaches its net zero goals, including Airspace Modernisation. However, it will be primarily focused on driving forward areas that require further coordination where previously, cross-sectoral collaboration was missing; such as zero emission aerospace technology and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Critically, the JZC is not seeking to duplicate areas already progressing, such as an agreement on international emissions, or aviation modernisation which has an existing governance/delivery structures in ACOG.
The Government is committed to delivering at least 4,000 zero emission buses. Further details, including government support for the additional costs of purchasing zero emission buses, will be announced after the Spending Review has concluded.
The Government is committed to delivering at least 4,000 zero emission buses. Further details, including government support for the additional costs of purchasing zero emission buses, will be announced after the Spending Review has concluded.
The Department has started discussions with key stakeholders about implementing Part 6 of the Traffic Management 2004 and this will inform the drafting of regulations and statutory guidance. Implementation will require a number of statutory instruments to be made covering matters such as enforcement, level of penalties, approved devices, adjudication, representations and appeals. It is not possible at this stage to say when the powers will be available to local authorities.
The On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) is a demand-led funding scheme which assists local authorities with the cost of installing chargepoints in residential streets. The funding available is for 75% of the capital costs of procuring and installing the chargepoint and an associated dedicated parking bay, and is administered by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV). In October 2019, I wrote to all local authorities encouraging them to send their strategies for infrastructure deployment and to take advantage of ORCS funding. Last month we announced that Government funding will be doubled to £10 million for the installation of chargepoints on residential streets next year. This could support as many as 3,600 chargepoints for those that do not have off-street parking.
To date, no applications have been made for funding through ORCS from Central Bedfordshire Council. Luton Borough Council, which is in Bedfordshire, has applied for funding under the scheme and has been awarded £23,336 to support the installation of nine chargepoints.
Officials at the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will ensure web-based guidance is clear that provisions must be made for any workers with a disability to enable them to have access to facilities which are adjusted to their use if necessary. This work is in hand and will be completed in the autumn. As this is a simple clarification, it will not be open for public consultation.
HSE is the workplace regulator therefore the legislation and guidance will apply to toilets for used by workers in workplaces, made available to them as a place of work.
Regulation 2(3) of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulation 1992 aims to ensure that workplaces meet the health, safety and welfare needs of any worker. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has informed me that they believe the Regulations are fit for purpose in this respect.
Additionally, the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) (para 189) already states that provision must be made for any workers with a disability to enable them to have access to facilities which are adjusted to their use if necessary.
The information requested on how many people lost their Carer’s Allowance because they had reached pensionable age in each of the last 20 years is not held. The department does not hold data on the reason Carer’s Allowance claimants lose their Carer’s Allowance award.
There is no upper age limit to claiming Carer’s Allowance, however, it cannot normally be paid with the State Pension.
It has been a long-held feature of the UK’s benefit system that where someone is entitled to two benefits for the same contingency, then whilst there may be entitlement to both benefits, only one will be paid. Although entitlement to State Pension and Carer’s Allowance arise in different circumstances, they are nevertheless paid for the same contingency – as an income replacement: Carer’s Allowance replaces income where the carer has given up the opportunity of full-time employment in order to care for a severely disabled person, while the State Pension replaces income in retirement. For this reason, social security rules operate to prevent them being paid together, to avoid duplicate provision for the same need.
If a carer’s State Pension is less than Carer's Allowance, State Pension is paid and topped up with Carer's Allowance to the basic weekly rate of Carer's Allowance, which is currently £76.75. Where Carer’s Allowance cannot be paid, the person will keep underlying entitlement to the benefit. This gives access to the additional amount for carers in Pension Credit of £42.75 a week and even if a pensioner’s income is above the limit for Pension Credit, he or she may still be able to receive Housing Benefit.
I can confirm that the department does not hold the information requested. The department does not hold health records for each individual in England. In relation to disability benefits, the department does not classify or register disabilities or hold a disability register. The information held for disability benefit claimants is usually based on the primary disabling condition and claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based.
Regulation 20 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (‘Workplace Regulations’) state that toilets should be kept in a clean and orderly condition. The Approved Code of Practice covers provisions of a disposal method for sanitary dressings in toilets used by women.
Regulation 2(3) of the Workplace Regulations aims to ensure that workplaces meet the health, safety and welfare needs of each member of the workforce, therefore, HSE believe the current Workplace Regulations are fit for purpose in this respect though they intend to consider whether the guidance regarding disposal of sanitary dressings in toilets fulfils that aim.
Provisions for public toilets, including hygiene bins in men’s toilets, would be the responsibility of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).
There are global supply issues with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), which are licensed for treating patients with type 2 diabetes, including the branded medicine Ozempic. This appears to be largely driven by off-label prescribing for weight loss, which has led to shortages of these medicines for patients with type 2 diabetes.
We have issued guidance in the form of a Medicine Supply Notification (MSN), addressing all GLP-1 RAs, advising healthcare professionals on how to manage patients requiring these medicines. We are considering whether further communications are required.
The Government expects all providers of healthcare services, whether National Health Service or private, and all those with responsibility for prescribing to take appropriate account of national guidance such as MSNs. The guidance is clear that these medicines should only be prescribed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, in order to protect supply for diabetes patients. Medicines which are solely licensed to treat type 2 diabetes should not be routinely prescribed for weight loss.
We are working closely with national diabetes specialists, the NHS, wholesalers, all manufacturers of these medicines and the relevant regulatory bodies and agencies to address this problem and to understand how we can help ensure type 2 diabetic patients continue to get access to treatment.
The Government has not conducted an assessment of the adequacy of National Health Service capability and capacity to diagnose Lyme disease or a comparative assessment of best practice in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease in the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany. Diagnosis of Lyme disease in England and Wales is conducted by the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL). RIPL provides Lyme polymerase chain reaction PCR testing and a comprehensive serological panel which has been fully validated to UK Accreditation Service standards.
Published research, for example the VICTORY study in Lancet ID, indicates that cellular tests for Lyme borreliosis used by many private laboratories in Europe have a high false positive rate. A copy of the VICTORY study in Lancet ID, is available at the following link: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(22)00205-5.)
UK Health Security Agency published accompanying guidance documents on Lyme disease in July 2018, which describe the clinical signs and symptoms and are consistent with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. The guidance is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/lyme-disease-management-and-prevention
Services for the treatment of Lyme disease are commissioned locally. These services are the responsibility of integrated care board and general practitioners use their professional judgement in diagnosing and treating this condition.
The Government has not conducted an assessment of the adequacy of National Health Service capability and capacity to diagnose Lyme disease or a comparative assessment of best practice in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease in the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany.
Diagnosis of Lyme disease in England and Wales is conducted by the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL). RIPL provides Lyme polymerase chain reaction PCR testing and a comprehensive serological panel which has been fully validated to UK Accreditation Service standards.
Published research, for example the VICTORY study in Lancet ID, indicates that cellular tests for Lyme borreliosis used by many private laboratories in Europe have a high false positive rate. A copy of the VICTORY study in Lancet ID, is available at the following link:
https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(22)00205-5.)
UK Health Security Agency published accompanying guidance documents on Lyme disease in July 2018, which describe the clinical signs and symptoms and are consistent with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. The guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/lyme-disease-management-and-prevention
Services for the treatment of Lyme disease are commissioned locally. These services are the responsibility of integrated care board and general practitioners use their professional judgement in diagnosing and treating this condition.
The Government has not conducted an assessment of the adequacy of National Health Service capability and capacity to diagnose Lyme disease or a comparative assessment of best practice in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany.
Diagnosis of Lyme disease in England and Wales is conducted by the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL). RIPL provides Lyme polymerase chain reaction PCR testing and a comprehensive serological panel which has been fully validated to UK Accreditation Service standards.
Services for the treatment of Lyme disease are commissioned locally. These services are the responsibility of integrated care board and general practitioners use their professional judgement in diagnosing and treating this condition.
The information requested is not held centrally.
The following table shows the number of people admitted to hospital each year in the last five years with urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Year | Admissions |
2018/19 | 184,794 |
2019/20 | 179,785 |
2020/21 | 135,594 |
2021/22 | 152,695 |
Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS England
Data for 2021/22 is latest data available. We cannot provide data on the total cost to the NHS of treating patients with UTI in the last financial year (2022/23).
NHS England published on 9 May 2023 its Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care. This sets out proposals to improve options for community-based services to treat urinary tract infections. Appropriately trained community pharmacists will be commissioned to provide a clinical service to care for patients with urinary symptoms, providing timely access to assessment, information and advice.
NHS England does not monitor the implementation of the Excellence in Continence Care Guidelines. NHS England will consider next steps on Excellence in Continence Care through its National Bladder and Bowel Health Project and will report shortly. NHS England does not currently have any plans to commission a new Continence Care Audit.
NHS England does not monitor the implementation of the Excellence in Continence Care Guidelines. NHS England will consider next steps on Excellence in Continence Care through its National Bladder and Bowel Health Project and will report shortly. NHS England does not currently have any plans to commission a new Continence Care Audit.
The Health and Care Act 2022 sets out minimum membership requirements for integrated care boards (ICBs) that includes representatives from NHS Trusts, Primary Care and Local Authorities and does not mandate patient representation on ICBs. However, the local areas can, by local agreement, go beyond the legislative minimum requirements in order to address their local needs.
Primary care, commissioning and assurance committees are non-statutory ICB committees. There are no national requirements set by NHS England for how ICBs constitute any committee responsible for the discharge of any delegated primary care responsibilities including patient representation.
ICBs’ constitutions are expected to include principles and arrangements for how the ICB will work with patients and communities. ICBs are also legally bound (under section 13Q of the National Health Service Act 2006) to involve the public in the commissioning of services for National Health Service patients.
Currently there are no plans for the Secretary of State to make a statement to mandate any additional requirements for ICBs.
Medical supplies and equipment are procured via NHS Supply Chain, which ensures value for money. The National Wound Care Strategy Programme recognises that in certain instances, specific wound care materials are required which are not available via NHS Supply Chain. In these instances, alternative supply routes are being sourced.
There are no current plans for integrated care systems (ICSs) to be accountable for the implementation and uptake of this technology. However, it is expected that ICSs will make the appropriate procurement decisions to support the local population.
NHS Supply Chain balance the needs of product availability, choice, supply resilience and delivering value for money. The most widely used products are held in stock in the United Kingdom within the NHS Supply Chain network and suppliers are contractually obligated to hold additional minimum stock levels to service the framework contract for wound care products within distribution networks.
Expert clinicians in the National Wound Care Strategy Programme have contributed to the development of appropriate high-quality specifications for products, including a classification system which support clinical decisions on the selection of wound care products. This will provide greater clarity to clinicians on comparable products, make alternative products easier to identify and adopt in the event of supply disruption and enhance supply chain resilience.
The NHS Supply Chain’s procurement activity is not designed to increase the UK’s manufacturing capability and capacity. The Office of Life Science’s Life Sciences Innovation Manufacturing Fund, launched in March 2022, encourages growth in the sector’s capacity and capability. The forthcoming Medical Technologies Directorate’s strategy will align with the Life Sciences Vision to support increased domestic manufacturing.
NHS Supply Chain is currently exploring three forthcoming Value Based Procurement opportunities in the provision of wound care products. Initial NHS Supply Chain pilot tests have indicated potential benefits in areas such as waste reduction and number of products used, allowing patients to move from inpatient to day care, reduction in infection rates and operational productivity.
Specific discussions on the introduction of Value Based Procurement in the provision of wound care products are ongoing and further information, including on any expected impact on the choice of products available, will be available in due course.
No formal estimate has been made. General practitioner (GP) practices are increasingly recommending self-care methods as the primary means to support the safe removal of ear wax. However, if a GP practice considers removal clinically necessary, the procedure should either be undertaken at the practice or the patient should be referred to an appropriate local NHS service, depending on the arrangements in place in the local area. Local commissioners are responsible for meeting the health needs of the local population and should continue to ensure there is appropriate access to ear wax services.
We have no plans to do so. Decisions about the funding and provision of health services, including ear wax removal, are the responsibility of local clinical commissioning groups, which plan services to meet the needs of local communities. Local commissioners should continue to ensure there is appropriate access to ear wax services.
If a clinician considers removal clinically necessary, informed by guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the procedure should either be undertaken at the practice or the patient should be referred to an appropriate local NHS service depending on the arrangements in that area.
Within hospital settings, the average cost of removing excess ear wax is £127. Information on the average cost in primary care is not held centrally. General practitioner (GP) practices are increasingly recommending self-care methods to support the safe removal of ear wax.
However, if a GP practice considers removal clinically necessary, the procedure should either be undertaken at the practice or the patient should be referred to an appropriate local NHS service depending on the arrangements in that area. Local commissioners are responsible for meeting the health needs of their local population and should continue to ensure there is appropriate access to ear wax services.
NHS England and NHS Improvement launched the National Outpatient Transformation Programme in April 2020. The programme supports patients through improving general practitioners’ access to specialist advice and guidance and empowering patients to initiate follow-up appointments when needed.
However, its aim is not to transfer hospital outpatient elective follow up appointments to general practice. NHS England and NHS Improvement commissioned an independent evaluation to review primary care experiences of advice and guidance services. While qualitative reports showed that it placed time and resource demands on primary care, it can reduce waiting times for specialist input and unnecessary referrals.
In 2016, Public Health England was commissioned to review the UK Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM) 2004/5 algorithm to ensure it aligns with dietary recommendations, particularly for free sugars and fibre, from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. A consultation was held in 2018 which sought views on the modifications made to the UK NPM 2004/5, specifically its alignment with current UK dietary recommendations. The outcome of the review will be published in due course.
Manual ear syringing is no longer advised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) due to risks associated, such as trauma to the ear drum or infection.
The NICE guideline on the assessment and management of hearing loss in adults includes recommendations on ear wax removal. The guidance suggests considering ear irrigation using an electronic irrigator, micro suction, or another method of earwax removal such as manual removal using a probe. Pre-treatment wax softeners are advised for use before carrying out ear irrigation. NICE’s guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng98/chapter/Recommendations#removing-earwax
Local commissioners are responsible for meeting the health needs of their local population and should ensure there is appropriate access to ear wax removal services.
If a clinician, informed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines, considers removal clinically necessary, the procedure should either be undertaken at the practice or the patient should be referred to an appropriate local NHS service depending on the arrangements in place.
Decisions about the funding and provision of health services, including ear wax removal, are the responsibility of local clinical commissioning groups. Services should be planned to meet the needs of local communities, including ensuring the appropriate access to ear wax removal services.
General practitioner (GP) practices are increasingly recommending self-care methods as the primary means to support the safe removal of ear wax. If a GP practice considers removal clinically necessary, the procedure should either be undertaken at the practice or the patient should be referred to an appropriate local NHS service depending on the arrangements in place.
On 14 October we published a comprehensive new plan to support general practitioners (GPs) and to make it easier for patients to see or speak to GPs and their teams.
Our plan is supported by a new £250 million Winter Access Fund to assist patients with urgent care needs to be seen by their practitioner on the same day, taking account of their preferences.
We have no plans to do so.
The inclusion of family-focused interventions are for local commissioning and clinical determination. There is no single ‘specification’ for children and young people’s mental health services or child and adolescent mental health services. It is not a single service or pathway and the term refers to the range of services that offer support based on different needs. In response to a National Health Service benchmarking project on children and young people’s mental health services, 99% of providers that responded confirmed that they offer family therapy in joint and group work.
We have no plans to do so.
The inclusion of family-focused interventions are for local commissioning and clinical determination. There is no single ‘specification’ for children and young people’s mental health services or child and adolescent mental health services. It is not a single service or pathway and the term refers to the range of services that offer support based on different needs. In response to a National Health Service benchmarking project on children and young people’s mental health services, 99% of providers that responded confirmed that they offer family therapy in joint and group work.
In the United Kingdom population screening is offered across 11 screening programmes which cover over 30 conditions, as recommended by the UK National Screening Committee. These screening programmes do not report on the false positive rates but do include information where further testing is required.
The best way to reduce National Health Service costs and improve health is by tackling the sources of air pollution, so that less pollution is emitted in the first place. The actions set out in our Clean Air Strategy are targeted at a range of sources and pollutants and will result in the number of people who live in areas where particulate matter is above the World Health Organization’s guidelines being halved by 2025.
The UK regularly engages with the Brazilian Government, indigenous leadership, and civil society to understand the drivers and impacts of illegal gold mining and to promote human rights. In late February, His Majesty's Ambassador accompanied Sonia Guajajara, Brazil's Minister for Indigenous Peoples, to the Javari Valley to discuss these issues with the Association for Indigenous Peoples (UNIVAJA). The UK is funding a three-year initiative to reduce environmental crime in the Amazon region and supports the Challenge Fund which investigates the impact of illegal gold mining across northern Brazil.
The UK regularly engages with the Brazilian Government, indigenous leadership, and civil society to understand the drivers and impacts of illegal gold mining and to promote human rights. In late February, His Majesty's Ambassador accompanied Sonia Guajajara, Brazil's Minister for Indigenous Peoples, to the Javari Valley to discuss these issues with the Association for Indigenous Peoples (UNIVAJA). The UK is funding a three-year initiative to reduce environmental crime in the Amazon region and supports the Challenge Fund which investigates the impact of illegal gold mining across northern Brazil.
The UK is committed to working with partners to halt and reverse forest loss globally by 2030. Indonesia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Brazil are home to some of the world's most important forests, which must be protected to meet our goal of keeping within 1.5 degrees of temperature rise. The UK is committed to working with forest countries to ensure that we collectively deliver on the commitment made by 145 governments at COP26 in Glasgow to halt and reverse forest loss while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation.
The UK Government is committed to responsible gold extraction, for example, through encouraging compliance with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. The UK has funded OECD projects in West Africa and Colombia to promote local capacity building and uptake of the OECD guidance. The UK has also funded European Partnership for Responsible Minerals projects in the Great Lakes region in Africa to increase the proportion of responsibly sourced minerals, working across the whole of the supply chain. In April, we are preparing to discuss responsible mining with industry leaders at the Ghana Responsible Gold Mining Summit as part of Ghana's commitment to eradicate illegal mining.
We welcome the steps Qatar has taken on workers' rights. The priority is now full implementation and enforcement of those reforms. The UK Migration and Modern Slavery Envoy visited Doha on 9 October to discuss how the UK can partner with Qatar and the International Labour Organisation to support progress. The Foreign Secretary raised LGBT+ concerns ahead of and during his recent visit to Qatar. We welcome Qatar's establishment of the Doha International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue which hosts an annual interfaith dialogue. We will continue to encourage equal treatment and the respect of individual rights including LGBT+ and the freedom of religion or belief for all.
British businesses were given the opportunity to bid for the St Helena Airport contract. On three separate occasions the St Helena Government sought expressions of interest through Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), this was in line with UK Government procurement regulations for large infrastructure projects at the time.
The Government is very concerned at the high numbers of Palestinians killed by Israel Defense Forces in the West Bank and Gaza. We have repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the Israel Defense Forces police the border areas, including the use of live ammunition. We call on Israel to adhere to the principles of necessity and proportionality when defending its legitimate security interest. We also encourage them to carry out transparent investigations into whether the use of live fire had been appropriate. We did so most recently at the UN Security Council on 21 January.
No assessment has been made of the impact on the economy and public purse on the time taken to conclude inheritance tax assessments.
There are no estates for which IHT400 Accounts (self-assessment of inheritance tax by executors) have been filed for which inheritance tax assessments have not been concluded within two years of death.
Compliance enquiries may be opened within 12 weeks from processing of the IHT Account.
HMRC is currently processing IHT form IHT400 within their agreed service level standards of 80 per cent within 15 working days.
When HMRC have processed the IHT400, if the appropriate amount of tax has been paid, they send the IHT421 to HMCTS. At the same time, a letter is also sent to customers which provides a date by which they will hear from HMRC if a compliance check needs to be undertaken. This date provided will be 12 weeks from the date the tax calculation letter was issued and does not impact the process being undertaken separately by the UK Court Services.
If HMRC has not contacted the customer by the 12 weeks date provided, then HMRC does not have any further questions to ask about the information and values provided in the IHT form and no compliance check will be undertaken.
The Government works closely with the Money and Pensions Service to understand the need for debt advice and monitor financial difficulty through an annual survey and notes the Financial Conduct Authority’s biennial Financial Lives Survey.
The Government recognises that some people are struggling with their finances at this challenging time. To help people in problem debt get their finances back on track, an extra £37.8 million support package has been made available to debt advice providers this financial year, bringing this year's budget for free debt advice in England to over £100 million.
In May 2020, the Government announced the immediate release of £65 million of dormant assets funding to Fair4All Finance, an independent organisation that has been founded to support the financial wellbeing of people in vulnerable circumstances. The funding is used to increase access to fair, affordable and appropriate financial products and services for those in financial difficulties.
From May 2021, the Breathing Space scheme will offer people in problem debt a pause of up to 60 days on most enforcement action, interest, fees and charges, and will encourage them to seek professional debt advice.
The Government has delivered unprecedented support for living standards during this challenging time, protecting livelihoods with the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), and temporary welfare measures.
The Government has extended the CJRS until 31 March 2021. Eligible employees will continue to receive 80% of their usual salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month.
The Government has increased the overall level of the third grant under the SEISS to 80% of average trading profits, meaning that the maximum grant available has now increased to £7,500.
The Government has provided local authorities with £500 million to support people who may struggle to meet their council tax payments this year. The Government expects that this will provide all recipients of working age local council tax support with a further reduction in their annual council tax bill of £150 this financial year.
These measures are in addition to the changes this Government has made to make the welfare system more generous, worth over £7 billion according to recent estimates by the Office for Budget Responsibility.
The Government has worked with mortgage lenders, credit providers and the Financial Conduct Authority to ensure the financial sector provides support for people across the UK to manage their finances by providing payment holidays on mortgages and consumer credit products.
The Government has also delivered protections for renters, including an extension to the ban on bailiff evictions for all but the most egregious cases until at least 21 February 2021, with measures kept under review.
The Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund (CIIF) was announced at Autumn Budget 2017 and aims to catalyse the rollout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The CIIF is managed and invested on a commercial basis by private sector partners, and Government will invest up to £200m to be matched by private investors. The location of investments will depend on the business plans of the chargepoint companies the fund invests in. As a result, the Government does not hold the requested information.
Successive years in which record numbers of people have crossed the Channel in small boats has placed our asylum infrastructure under immense strain. In order to meet our statutory obligations to accommodate asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute, we have been forced to temporarily house asylum seekers in hotels. The use of hotels is a short term solution and we are working hard with Local Authorities and our accommodation providers to find more appropriate accommodation.
Hotel owners are under no obligation to enter into a contract with our providers. However, they recognise a commercial benefit from this arrangement. The decision to cancel any pre booked reservations is the responsibility of the hotel and not the Home Office.
The Government recognises the significant impact that shoplifting can have, not only on businesses but also the wider community and consumers.
We are working closely with retailers, trade organisations, police and enforcement partners across England and Wales via the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) to ensure the response to crimes affecting the retail sector, including shoplifting, is as robust as it can be.
We also support the police-led National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) and National Police Chiefs’ Council to help ensure businesses and police are working effectively together to tackle shoplifting. This includes encouraging businesses to report incidents when they occur, gather relevant evidence and work closely with the police to ensure incidents are dealt with appropriately.
The Crime and Policing Minister wrote to PCCs and Chief Constables in September 2020, setting out that the theft of goods valued up to £200 from a shop should be prosecuted as a criminal offence and therefore should not constrain the ability of the police to arrest or prosecute someone in the way they feel is most appropriate.
We expect that all reported crimes, including shoplifting, should be taken seriously and properly investigated.
The Government has committed to reviewing the police funding formula before the next General Election and our intention is to introduce new arrangements at the earliest opportunity.
Reviewing the funding formula will be a complex process that will require close working with the policing sector and relevant experts to develop proposals, and a full public consultation will take place before any new funding arrangements are put in place.
As at 18 May 2021, the IOPC has 29 cases that have been open for longer than 12 months.
For context, in 2020/21 the IOPC started 465 independent investigations.
Of the investigations it completed in 2020/21, it completed 86% within 12 months. When major investigations are excluded, the IOPC completed 91% of investigations in 12 months or less (against a target of 85%).
The Government will be publishing interim codes of practice on terrorist use of the internet and child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) as part of the full government response to the Online Harms White Paper consultation. This will ensure that companies are provided with the necessary context to understand the expectations around what companies should do to address CSEA and terrorist content and activity online.
We are currently working swiftly to prepare the interim codes of practice and the full government response to the Online Harms White Paper, which we will publish in the autumn.
We will follow this publication with legislation, when Parliamentary time allow.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is working with the Department for Transport (DfT) to understand opportunities for Defence to support the UK Jet Zero Strategy. As a baseline, MOD procurement of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) will be led by the DfT SAF Mandate which intends to introduce a minimum percentage of sustainably derived fuel into aviation fuel sales from 2025, increasing to 10% by 2030, and continuing to increase beyond that point. The MOD is already seeking to procure SAF earlier than 2025, ahead of the mandate, in order to play its part in the migration towards a zero-carbon economy, including the desire to help create a domestic demand.
The Government responded to the 110 recommendations of the comprehensive Living in Our Shoes report in March 2021 and committed to taking this forward through the Armed Forces Families Strategy. Since the publication of the Strategy in January 2022, a great deal of work has taken place to formulate the priorities under the Action Plan, to understand what changes can be delivered in the short, medium and longer term. As the Living in Our Shoes report acknowledged, many of the recommendations are ambitious and will be delivered towards the middle or latter part of the 10-year programme. However, there is much we can do now and indeed many of the recommendations from Living in Our Shoes have in effect already been delivered. An update on progress with the implementation of the Strategy can be found in the 2022 Armed Forces Covenant Annual Report, published on 19 December 2022: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/armed-forces-covenant-and-veterans-annual-report-2022
As one of the UK's largest landowners the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to contributing to the Government's nature restoration targets and enhancing biodiversity across its estate. Indeed, for 15 years it has funded a programme to improve the condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) across the Defence estate to support the Governments targets for protected sites.
The MOD is developing a Nature Recovery Plan as required by the Greening Government Commitments. This will include an assessment of the potential future contribution to protected sites and other nature recovery targets. This plan will take account of the Defence imperative, current and future military requirements and where other land use contribute to Defence outputs such as carbon sequestration, renewable energy schemes and tenant farming.
The MOD will continue to engage with Nature Conservation Bodies and Nature Recovery Networks to complement the Department's approach.
The Government responded to the 110 recommendations of the comprehensive Living in Our Shoes report in March 2021. This response, which set the baseline for the new Armed Forces Families Strategy, included input from the Devolved Administrations.
Since the publication of the Strategy in January of this year, a great deal of work has taken place to formulate the priorities under the Action Plan, to understand what changes can be delivered in the short, medium and longer term. As the Living in Our Shoes report acknowledged, many of the recommendations are ambitious and will be delivered towards the middle or latter part of the 10-year programme. However, there is much we can do now and indeed many of the recommendations from Living in Our Shoes have in effect already been delivered. There will be an update on progress with the implementation of the Strategy in the Armed Forces Covenant Annual Report, which is due to be published by the end of the calendar year.
The Armed Forces (AF) Families Plan is derived from both the Defence Plan, and the AF Families Strategy (the latter of which was published on 19 January 2022). Like the AF Families Strategy, the AF Families Plan reflects - but is not exclusively driven by - the commitments in the Government's response to my hon. Friend's comprehensive and insightful report 'Living in our Shoes'. The Plan provides direction to those organisations with policy and/or delivery responsibilities related to Armed Forces families, wherever those families are based across the world. The Plan is dynamic and will be updated routinely to reflect changes in the wider context, and the continuous development and improvement in families-related policy and delivery. Although the Plan will provide essential coherence, it is important to note that many of the key actions within the Plan are already being delivered through existing measures and will now be absorbed within it. We will shortly be publishing a high level version of the plan [on gov.uk] and we will be including implementation updates through the Covenant Annual Report.
Regular analysis conducted by the Army has confirmed the requirement for a range of armoured vehicles. This analysis includes a review of current and future threats and the environment in which vehicles are required to operate; work continues to focus on these areas to inform the Integrated Review.
Regular analysis conducted by the Army has confirmed the requirement for a range of armoured vehicles. This analysis includes a review of current and future threats and the environment in which vehicles are required to operate; work continues to focus on these areas to inform the Integrated Review.
The UK is firmly committed to the core NATO principles of collective deterrence and defence. Fifth Battalion The Rifles currently lead an Armoured Infantry Battlegroup in Estonia, as a Framework Nation for Enhanced Forward Presence. We currently provide Challenger 2, the Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle, and a suite of Armoured capabilities from the UK's Third Division to the multinational presence there. In addition, the UK contributes a Light Cavalry Squadron to the US led Enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup in Poland, currently provided by the Queen's Dragoon Guards and reservists from the Royal Yeomanry.
The UK also makes one of the largest commitments to NATO's high-readiness forces, including the NATO Response Force, the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, and we host the headquarters of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. NATO's conventional deterrence extends to the enhanced air policing mission and standing maritime groups as well - to which the UK is also a major contributor.
I refer my Hon. Friend to the answer given to Question UIN 83564 on 17 November 2022. Preparatory work on a technical consultation on the provision of toilets is underway, with a view to publication later this summer.
In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.
The Government is keen to ensure that local planning authorities have the right tools to allow them to take effective enforcement action. Good quality Land Registry data can be an important source of information to support enforcement action.
The Private Parking Code of Practice has been temporarily withdrawn to review the decisions to introduce new levels of private parking charges and to ban additional fees that are currently added on top of the late or unpaid parking charge. While I am not able to confirm when the Code will be reissued, I would like to reassure my honourable friend that my department continues to work with industry and consumer groups to do this as quickly as possible. We are committed to reissuing a Code that provides both the best possible protection for motorists and enables effective management of parking.
The Government’s priority is to ensure that the fire and structural safety risks for all higher-risk buildings are managed effectively by those responsible for building safety. The Building Safety Act 2022 identifies and places legal obligations with regard to building safety on Accountable Persons, irrespective of tenure and ownership. This is to ensure that building safety will be managed on an on-going basis for all higher-risk buildings. Where Accountable Persons do change, provisions in the Act ensure that key information and duties pass to any new Accountable Person.
The Government is committed to creating a fairer and more transparent housing system that works for everyone and to delivering the second phase of our major two-part leasehold reform within this Parliament. Leasehold and commonhold reform supports our mission to level up homeownership and promote true homeownership for all by addressing the power imbalance at the heart of the leasehold system and putting the power into the rightful hands of homeowners.
The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 (which comes into force on 30 June 2022) is the first part of leasehold and commonhold reforms in this Parliament. The Act will make homeownership fairer and more transparent for thousands of future leaseholders, by preventing landlords under new residential long leases from requiring a leaseholder to pay a financial ground rent. The impact assessment for the Act was published on 12 May 2021 and can be accessed via the Parliamentary Bills website ( https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2864).
On 11 January 2022, the Government launched a consultation on a number of recommendations made by the Law Commission aimed at broadening the rights of leaseholders, and reinvigorating commonhold. We are currently analysing the feedback and we will provide a response in due course.
This is a long-term reform programme; it is complex with many interdependencies and will take time to get the detail right. Once it is enacted the effect will be felt for generations and so we are determined this work considers all the implications and impacts with care.
The Government is committed to creating a fairer and more transparent housing system that works for everyone and to delivering the second phase of our major two-part leasehold reform within this Parliament. Leasehold and commonhold reform supports our mission to level up homeownership and promote true homeownership for all by addressing the power imbalance at the heart of the leasehold system and putting the power into the rightful hands of homeowners.
The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 (which comes into force on 30 June 2022) is the first part of leasehold and commonhold reforms in this Parliament. The Act will make homeownership fairer and more transparent for thousands of future leaseholders, by preventing landlords under new residential long leases from requiring a leaseholder to pay a financial ground rent. The impact assessment for the Act was published on 12 May 2021 and can be accessed via the Parliamentary Bills website ( https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2864).
On 11 January 2022, the Government launched a consultation on a number of recommendations made by the Law Commission aimed at broadening the rights of leaseholders, and reinvigorating commonhold. We are currently analysing the feedback and we will provide a response in due course.
This is a long-term reform programme; it is complex with many interdependencies and will take time to get the detail right. Once it is enacted the effect will be felt for generations and so we are determined this work considers all the implications and impacts with care.
The Government is committed to creating a fairer and more transparent housing system that works for everyone and to delivering the second phase of our major two-part leasehold reform within this Parliament. Leasehold and commonhold reform supports our mission to level up homeownership and promote true homeownership for all by addressing the power imbalance at the heart of the leasehold system and putting the power into the rightful hands of homeowners.
The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 (which comes into force on 30 June 2022) is the first part of leasehold and commonhold reforms in this Parliament. The Act will make homeownership fairer and more transparent for thousands of future leaseholders, by preventing landlords under new residential long leases from requiring a leaseholder to pay a financial ground rent. The impact assessment for the Act was published on 12 May 2021 and can be accessed via the Parliamentary Bills website ( https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2864).
On 11 January 2022, the Government launched a consultation on a number of recommendations made by the Law Commission aimed at broadening the rights of leaseholders, and reinvigorating commonhold. We are currently analysing the feedback and we will provide a response in due course.
This is a long-term reform programme; it is complex with many interdependencies and will take time to get the detail right. Once it is enacted the effect will be felt for generations and so we are determined this work considers all the implications and impacts with care.
The Government is committed to promoting fairness and transparency for homeowners and ensuring that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service. We are therefore taking forward a wide-ranging programme of reform to end unfair practices in the leasehold market.
The exact terms of individual deeds or leases will vary. Where deeds of covenant or leases place restrictions on the use of a property, this is a matter for individual homeowners to raise with the party with whom they have agreed the lease. If a leaseholder wants to vary or remove a restrictive covenant from their lease, they should first try to reach an agreement with the relevant party. Where the relevant party will not agree to vary or remove a restrictive covenant, the leaseholder can apply to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) for it to be discharged or modified under section 84 of the Law of Property Act 1925.
Local authorities have responsibility for planning for local development and the infrastructure to support it. Our guidance encourages engagement between plan-making bodies and relevant organisations on the provision of health infrastructure. My officials have worked with NHS England and NHS Improvement to ensure there is early engagement in the plan-making process between local authorities and NHS Trusts.
EWS1 is not a Government form or regulatory requirement, and it is not a safety certificate. EWS1 was created by industry to help with mortgage valuations for flats in blocks with cladding. It is designed to identify whether a block is likely to need value-affecting remediation work.
On the 8 March, RICS published its updated EWS1 guidance to allow for a more proportionate approach to be taken. It outlines clearly when the EWS1 process is required.
Most major lenders, representing roughly 80% of the whole mortgage market have adopted the approach in the RICS guidance or already take a significantly less risk averse approach. This makes clear the process is for financial valuation and not building safety.
We estimate nearly 500,000 homeowners should no longer need to produce an EWS1 to sell or re-mortgage.
The Inspector’s role is to examine whether a submitted plan meets the Tests of Soundness set out in paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and legislative requirements.
The Inspector’s conclusions will be based on a consideration of all the evidence and on the application of professional expertise and judgement.
With regard to traveller sites, as part of this consideration an Inspector will consider plan proposals against policy in the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (PPTS) and NPPF. The PPTS encourages authorities to identify a 5-year supply of specific, deliverable sites and other developable sites to accommodate growth for years 6-10 and, where possible, years 11-15.
The Government recognises and values the important work which churches carry out for their communities. We would encourage local authorities and churches to work together closely to consider the wishes and priorities of local people, as well as how to make the best use of public resources. It is important to ensure that any additional public funding given to local churches, and any consequences for council tax or precepts are considered carefully given the current financial pressures on local council taxpayers.
The quarterly HMPPS workforce statistics publication covers staffing information, including the working days lost due to sickness absence. The latest publication covers data for the period up to 30 September 2022.
Therefore, the latest data available to provide a ‘current’ proportion of sick absence is for 30 September 2022.
The ten prisons which had the highest proportion of band 3-5 officers who took time off sick on 30 September 2022 is shown in table 1 below.
Table 1: Snaphot of top 10 prisons with highest proportion of band 3-5 officers1 off sick on 30 September 20222(p)
Prison | Headcount of Band 3-5 officers off sick | Headcount of Total band 3-5 officers employed on 30 September 2022 | Proportion of band 3-5 officers sick as a percentage of all band 3-5 officers in post |
Werrington | 25 | 137 | 18.25% |
Garth | 40 | 284 | 14.08% |
Onley | 22 | 174 | 12.64% |
Woodhill | 36 | 307 | 11.73% |
Foston Hall | 13 | 123 | 10.57% |
North Sea Camp | 6 | 59 | 10.17% |
The Mount | 20 | 200 | 10.00% |
Wandsworth | 38 | 382 | 9.95% |
Liverpool | 27 | 288 | 9.38% |
Thorn Cross | 8 | 86 | 9.30% |
1. Includes Band 3-4 / Prison Officer (incl specialists), Band 4 / Supervising Officer and Band 5 / Custodial Managers.
2. Includes staff who either had sick end date on or after 30 September 2022 or did not have a sick end date at all, as at time of data being produced for September 2022 HMPP workforce publication
(p) Figures relating to current financial year are provisional
In the 12 months to 30 September 2022, band 3-5 officers lost an average of 17.3 workings days. This is an increase from 16.6 working days compared to the 12 months to 31 March 2022. Trends from 2017 are shown below.
Table 2: Band 3-5 officer sickness, 12 months to 31 March 2017 to 12 months to 30 September 2022
12 months to.. | Working days lost | Average staff in post | Average Working Days Lost1 |
31 March 2017 | 210,880 | 18,104 | 11.6 |
31 March 2018 | 196,525 | 19,581 | 10.0 |
31 March 2019 | 225,142 | 22,223 | 10.1 |
31 March 2020 | 255,782 | 22,352 | 11.4 |
31 March 2021 | 301,045 | 21,854 | 13.8 |
31 March 2022 | 365,520 | 22,154 | 16.5 |
30 September 2022 | 379,439 | 21,958 | 17.3 |
1. Average working days lost per member of staff is calculated as number of working days lost to sickness divided by the average number of full time equivalent staff for a year.
Information about time out of cell for adult prisoners is not held by the Ministry of Justice, as it would require detailed daily monitoring of out-of-cell activity of each prisoner in each establishment. There is no current central instruction prescribing the amount of time prisoners should spend out of their cells. There is a clear commitment, however, to the delivery and performance management of time spent in purposeful activity. Governors have the flexibility to deliver balanced regimes that maintain an appropriate level of time out of cell on a range of activities such as education and employment, which meet the needs of the establishment’s population, with a heavy focus on reducing re-offending. This is alongside basic access to time in the open air and domestic services, such as showers. The Prisons Strategy White Paper (Prisons Strategy White Paper - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)) sets out the Government’s commitment to prison regime reform. A new Purposeful Activity performance measure has been introduced for the 2022-23 performance period, and additional measures are in place for attendance at work, education, interventions and services.
The quarterly HM Prison and Probation Service workforce statistics publication covers staffing information, including the working days lost due to sickness absence.
The ten prisons which had the highest proportion of band 3-5 officers who had at least one period of sickness absence in the 12 months to 30 September 2022 is shown in table 1 below.
Table 1: Top 10 prisons with highest proportion of band 3-5 officers1 with at least one period of sickness absence2, in the 12 months to 30 September 2022(p)
Prison | Band 3-5 officers off sick at least once in period | Total band 3-5 officers employed in period | Proportion of band 3-5 officers sick as a percentage of all band 3-5 officers in post | All staff workforce employed in period | Proportion of band 3-5 officers sick as a percentage of all staff workforce in post |
Werrington | 148 | 161 | 91.9% | 274 | 54.0% |
Send | 124 | 139 | 89.2% | 238 | 52.1% |
Hindley | 215 | 244 | 88.1% | 380 | 56.6% |
Liverpool | 283 | 322 | 87.9% | 530 | 53.4% |
Grendon | 134 | 154 | 87.0% | 314 | 42.7% |
Full Sutton | 430 | 496 | 86.7% | 711 | 60.5% |
Isle of Wight | 302 | 349 | 86.5% | 627 | 48.2% |
Eastwood Park | 172 | 199 | 86.4% | 329 | 52.3% |
Littlehey | 243 | 282 | 86.2% | 502 | 48.4% |
Downview | 141 | 165 | 85.5% | 280 | 50.4% |
1. Includes Band 3-4 / Prison Officer (incl specialists), Band 4 / Supervising Officer and Band 5 / Custodial Managers.
2. Individuals are only counted once, even if they have more than one episode of sickness absence recorded.
(p) Figures relating to current financial year are provisional.
Paragraph 2.23 of Burial Grounds: Guidance for Managers refers to section 214 of the Local Government Act 1972. Subsection 214(6) provides that a local authority burial authority may contribute towards the provision or maintenance of any cemetery in which their inhabitants are buried. For the purposes of section 214(6), the definition of “cemetery” (in subsection 214(8)) is “a burial ground or any other place for the interment of the dead (including any part of any such place set aside for the interment of a dead person’s ashes).” This would include a churchyard if it is used as a burial ground.
I was delighted to have the opportunity to visit the United States over the course of last week. I met the special envoy to Northern Ireland, Joe Kennedy III, where we discussed Northern Ireland’s rich potential for US investors.
I also attended a roundtable with US business leaders in New York and met businesses in Boston. I was greatly encouraged by the enthusiasm shown towards investment in Northern Ireland.
There are huge investment opportunities to deepen UK-US trading links benefiting communities on both sides of the Atlantic, and I look forward to working to strengthen these bonds.
Floating offshore wind will create thousands of high-quality jobs in Wales, drive economic growth and help us reach our net zero and energy security ambitions.
I will continue to work with colleagues across Government and The Crown Estate as they progress plans to bring forward 4 Gigawatts of projects in the Celtic Sea by 2035.