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).
Remain neutral in Israel-Palestine conflict and withdraw support for Israel
Sign this petition Gov Responded - 6 Nov 2023 Debated on - 11 Dec 2023 View Andy Slaughter's petition debate contributionsWe want the UK to be neutral in the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and withdraw offers of support for Israel.
Seek a ceasefire and to end Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip
Sign this petition Gov Responded - 13 Nov 2023 Debated on - 11 Dec 2023 View Andy Slaughter's petition debate contributionsWe want the Government to seek a ceasefire and also seek to address the root cause of the current conflict by promoting dialogue and advocating for the end of Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Urge the Israel Government to allow fuel, electricity and food into Gaza
Sign this petition Gov Responded - 10 Nov 2023 Debated on - 11 Dec 2023 View Andy Slaughter's petition debate contributionsThe UK Government should urge the Israeli Government to stop the blockade of Food, Fuel and Electricity to the already impoverished city of Gaza
'Owen's Law' - Change the law around allergy labelling in UK restaurants
Gov Responded - 14 Jul 2021 Debated on - 15 May 2023 View Andy Slaughter's petition debate contributions1.Restaurants to put all information about allergens in their food on the face of the main menu so customers have full visibility on what they're ordering.
2.Servers must initiate a discussion with customers about allergies on all occasions.
3.National register for anaphylaxis deaths
Appoint an Allergy Tsar as a champion for people living with allergies
Gov Responded - 25 Aug 2021 Debated on - 15 May 2023 View Andy Slaughter's petition debate contributionsThe Government should appoint an Allergy Tsar to act as a champion for people with allergies to ensure they receive appropriate support and joined up health care to prevent avoidable deaths and ill health.
Make it a legal requirement for drivers to stop & report collisions with cats
Gov Responded - 22 Feb 2022 Debated on - 9 Jan 2023 View Andy Slaughter's petition debate contributionsAmend legislation to make it a legal requirement for a driver to stop & report accidents involving cats.
Do not reform the Human Rights Act
Gov Responded - 17 Mar 2022 Debated on - 24 Oct 2022 View Andy Slaughter's petition debate contributionsThe proposed Human Rights Act reforms must be withdrawn. The Government must not make any changes to the Human Rights Act, especially ones that dilute people's human rights in any circumstances, make the Government less accountable, or reduce people's ability to make human rights claims.
Legalise assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults
Gov Responded - 3 Feb 2022 Debated on - 4 Jul 2022 View Andy Slaughter'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.
Waive visa requirement for Ukrainian refugees.
Gov Responded - 6 Apr 2022 Debated on - 14 Mar 2022 View Andy Slaughter's petition debate contributionsJoin other nations in providing a route to safety for refugees. Waive all visa requirements for Ukrainian passport holders arriving in the UK.
Don’t criminalise trespass
Gov Responded - 15 Apr 2020 Debated on - 19 Apr 2021 View Andy Slaughter's petition debate contributionsThe Government's manifesto stated “we will make intentional trespass a criminal offence”: an extreme, illiberal & unnecessary attack on ancient freedoms that would threaten walkers, campers, and the wider public. It would further tilt the law in favour of the landowning 1% who own half the country.
Scrap removal of free transport for under-18s from TfL bailout
Gov Responded - 10 Aug 2020 Debated on - 30 Nov 2020 View Andy Slaughter's petition debate contributionsTo not decide to scrap free travel for those who are under 18. As a teenager who has relied so much on free travel, it has allowed for me to go to school without the worry of an extra expense and explore around the beautiful city of London also. Destroying free travel would hurt so many of us.
These initiatives were driven by Andy Slaughter, 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.
Andy Slaughter has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Andy Slaughter has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
A Bill to require social landlords of residential properties in high-rise buildings to undertake regular safety inspections of electrical installations; to establish a complaints procedure for tenants of such properties who have electrical safety concerns; 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. A Bill to make providers of social housing, local safeguarding children boards, Electoral Registration Officers, Returning Officers and the Housing Ombudsman public authorities for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; to make information held by persons contracting with public authorities subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000; to extend the powers of the Information Commissioner; and for connected purposes.
Short and Holiday-Let Accommodation (Registration) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Karen Buck (Lab)
Pedicabs (London) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Nickie Aiken (Con)
Planning (Affordable Housing and Land Compensation) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Helen Hayes (Lab)
Dockless Bicycles (Regulation) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Daniel Zeichner (Lab)
Kew Gardens (Leases) (No. 2) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Con)
European Union Withdrawal Agreement (Public Vote) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Gareth Thomas (LAB)
Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018
Sponsor - Karen Buck (Lab)
Short and Holiday-Let Accommodation (Notification of Local Authorities) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Karen Buck (Lab)
Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations) Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Diana Johnson (Lab)
Short and Holiday-Let Accommodation (Notification of Local Authorities) Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Karen Buck (Lab)
Statutory Nuisance (Aircraft Noise) Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Tania Mathias (Con)
Departments are responsible for procuring their own legal advice and may decide when and how to disclose that advice outside Government. However, advice provided by the Law Officers is subject to the Law Officers’ Convention and may not be disclosed outside Government without the Law Officers’ consent. This is a longstanding principle of Cabinet collective agreement.
In conducting any review, it is essential we involve operational partners and stakeholders affected by the changes.
The 2023 update to the Attorney General’s Guidelines has been focused on digital evidence and a working group was established with representatives including the Crown Prosecution Service, Serious Fraud Office, HM Revenue and Customs, National Crime Agency, police, Ministry of Justice, and Home Office. In addition, specific sessions were held with the legal defence community.
Publication of the next Annual Review is due shortly. Given the 2022 review of disclosure was extensive, the current review has focused on the disclosure of digital evidence. I will write to the honourable member with the updated guidance as soon as the revisions are published.
The Serious Fraud Office has obtained 68 confiscation orders totalling £202,000,000 since 1st April 2014.
The Serious Fraud Office has paid out £7.485 million in judge-directed acquittals in cases where individuals were acquitted during the past 10 years.
The Serious Fraud Office’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2022-23 included a provision of £6 million to cover any claims that could be made during the year in relation to casework outcomes, this would include any settlements that result from ongoing claims relating to G4S, which have yet to be agreed.
As stated in the response to the Hon. Member’s previous question [45309] the Serious Fraud Office’s (SFO) investigation into ENRC is ongoing. The ENRC have brought two civil actions for alleged misfeasance against the SFO. This matter remains ongoing and as such the final costs are not yet determined.
The SFO does not disclose the costs associated with its cases as this risks prejudicing the administration of justice and is against the public interest. Information on how the SFO uses resources is published in aggregate in its Annual Report and Accounts.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) does not disclose the costs of its cases as this risks prejudicing the administration of justice and is against the public interest.
the SFO legal costs settled with defendants to date amount to £2.15m. The figure was published in the SFO's recent Annual Report and Accounts. Other settlements have yet to be confirmed.
The Employment Tribunal case in question initially concluded in February 2021. The cost to the SFO at that time was approximately £83,000.
The associated Employment Appeal Tribunal concluded in July 2022. The proceedings have been remitted to the Employment Tribunal, a date is yet to be confirmed, and costs will be finalised once this has concluded.
The costs of Sir David Calvert-Smith’s independent review into the Serious Fraud Office’s (SFO) handling of the Unaoil case (R. v Akle & Anor), which was commissioned by the Attorney General, are still being finalised. The costs to date to the Attorney General’s Office are £84,571.90. There are some costs outstanding, but it is anticipated these will not increase the overall cost of the review significantly. The total costs will be recovered from the SFO.
The cost of Brian Altman QC’s independent review of the collapse of R v. Woods & Marshall, which was commissioned by the Director of the SFO, was £359,442.37. This was paid for by the SFO.
Both reviews presented valuable recommendations and the implementation of these remain a priority for the Law Officers and the Director of the SFO.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has an ongoing investigation into ENRC. There are no prosecutions, and therefore no associated costs, at this stage. The ENRC have brought two civil actions for alleged misfeasance against the SFO. This matter remains ongoing and as such the final costs are not yet determined. |
An Employment Tribunal has not been brought by a former ENRC case-controller against the Serious Fraud Office. |
During this period, one application was made to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) by a former Civil Servant following employment at the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). This application was made by former SFO Director Sir David Green.
The details of Sir David’s application are available here.
The details of the review, including the intended timescales and the terms of reference, will be published once they have been agreed. I am committed to ensuring that this review is conducted as quickly as possible.
CPS Policy on assisted suicide provides guidance to prosecutors on assessing the evidential and public interest stages in the Code for Crown Prosecutors when reaching decisions in cases of encouraging or assisting suicide.
The Policy promotes consistency of decision making and is very clear about the factors which are to be considered both for and against prosecution. It sets out clear guidance about the importance of establishing whether the decision of the person who wants to commit suicide is voluntary, clear, settled, and informed, and whether the decision has been made without any pressure from the suspect.
The CPS publishes information collated from manual records on cases relating to Assisted Suicide. From 1 April 2009 up to 31 January 2021, there have been 167 cases referred to the CPS by the police that have been recorded as assisted suicide. Of these 167 cases:
eight cases were referred onwards for prosecution for homicide or other serious crime.
Of the 110 cases not proceeded with by the CPS, manual records indicate:
A further six cases are recorded with more than one suspect in the same case; these resulted in a mixed outcome where the evidential stage was not met for some suspects and the public interest test was not met for the others.
CPS manual records do not capture specific case circumstances, including those relating to persons with a terminal illness.
The CPS collects data to assist in the effective management of its prosecution functions. The CPS does not collect data that constitutes official statistics as defined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.
CPS Policy on assisted suicide provides guidance to prosecutors on assessing the evidential and public interest stages in the Code for Crown Prosecutors when reaching decisions in cases of encouraging or assisting suicide.
The Policy promotes consistency of decision making and is very clear about the factors which are to be considered both for and against prosecution. It sets out clear guidance about the importance of establishing whether the decision of the person who wants to commit suicide is voluntary, clear, settled, and informed, and whether the decision has been made without any pressure from the suspect.
The CPS publishes information collated from manual records on cases relating to Assisted Suicide. From 1 April 2009 up to 31 January 2021, there have been 167 cases referred to the CPS by the police that have been recorded as assisted suicide. Of these 167 cases:
eight cases were referred onwards for prosecution for homicide or other serious crime.
Of the 110 cases not proceeded with by the CPS, manual records indicate:
A further six cases are recorded with more than one suspect in the same case; these resulted in a mixed outcome where the evidential stage was not met for some suspects and the public interest test was not met for the others.
CPS manual records do not capture specific case circumstances, including those relating to persons with a terminal illness.
The CPS collects data to assist in the effective management of its prosecution functions. The CPS does not collect data that constitutes official statistics as defined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.
CPS Policy on assisted suicide provides guidance to prosecutors on assessing the evidential and public interest stages in the Code for Crown Prosecutors when reaching decisions in cases of encouraging or assisting suicide.
The Policy promotes consistency of decision making and is very clear about the factors which are to be considered both for and against prosecution. It sets out clear guidance about the importance of establishing whether the decision of the person who wants to commit suicide is voluntary, clear, settled, and informed, and whether the decision has been made without any pressure from the suspect.
The CPS publishes information collated from manual records on cases relating to Assisted Suicide. From 1 April 2009 up to 31 January 2021, there have been 167 cases referred to the CPS by the police that have been recorded as assisted suicide. Of these 167 cases:
eight cases were referred onwards for prosecution for homicide or other serious crime.
Of the 110 cases not proceeded with by the CPS, manual records indicate:
A further six cases are recorded with more than one suspect in the same case; these resulted in a mixed outcome where the evidential stage was not met for some suspects and the public interest test was not met for the others.
CPS manual records do not capture specific case circumstances, including those relating to persons with a terminal illness.
The CPS collects data to assist in the effective management of its prosecution functions. The CPS does not collect data that constitutes official statistics as defined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 28 November is attached.
It is the longstanding policy of successive governments not to comment on leak investigations.
Details of the severance payments made to ministers when leaving office are published in departments’ annual reports and accounts.
22 applications were submitted to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments by civil servants in Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022
My Department is working with the Home Office, London Fire Brigade and the National Fire Chiefs Council, to raise awareness on this issue. Through the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), we have been promoting Home Office guidance on safe battery charging practices in the home and we share safety messages via social media. OPSS also recently published a safety notice giving specific advice to consumers. I recently also wrote to major food delivery apps including Uber Eats and Deliveroo, urging them to share important government safety advice on e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries.
Existing legislation requires manufactures to provide relevant safety information with their products. OPSS is also seeking assurances from Online Marketplaces on how they ensure consumers have access to instructions on safe use.
The Office for Product Safety & Standards (OPSS) is currently analysing responses to the Product Safety Review consultation. The Government intends to publish a response next year which will summarise the findings and set out future plans.
We do not monitor or hold records on the sale of e-bikes and e-scooters. However, UK product safety laws require all consumer products to be safe and products using lithium-ion batteries, such as e-bikes and e-scooters, must comply with essential safety requirements set out in law.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department for Business and Trade, has established a multi-disciplinary safety study to understand data and evidence of risks in this area and has commissioned Warwickshire Manufacturing Group, to conduct research examining the safety of lithium-ion batteries. This forms part of cross Government work involving the Home Office and the Department for Transport alongside London Fire Brigade and the National Fire Chiefs Council.
We do not monitor or hold records on the sale of e-bikes and e-scooters. However, UK product safety laws require all consumer products to be safe and products using lithium-ion batteries, such as e-bikes and e-scooters, must comply with essential safety requirements set out in law.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department for Business and Trade, has established a multi-disciplinary safety study to understand data and evidence of risks in this area and has commissioned Warwickshire Manufacturing Group, to conduct research examining the safety of lithium-ion batteries. This forms part of cross Government work involving the Home Office and the Department for Transport alongside London Fire Brigade and the National Fire Chiefs Council.
Prepayment meters (PPMs) allow customers to pay for energy on a pay-as-you-go basis and serve an important function by helping the avoidance of debt and court action.
Ofgem has stringent rules on the force-fitting of PPMs and has recently published a letter where it outlines steps it will be taking on tackling inappropriate supplier PPM practises including making sure suppliers are complying with those rules, which can be found here: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/letter-jonathan-brearley-secretary-state-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy-tackling-inappropriate-energy-supplier-prepayment-meter-practices.
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has also asked energy suppliers to commit voluntarily to stop this practice.
Prepayment meters (PPMs) allow customers to pay for energy on a pay-as-you-go basis and serve an important function by helping the avoidance of debt and court action. A ban on PPM installation as a last resort could lead to an increase in bailiff action and physical disconnections. The Government has no plans to remove this option.
Ofgem has stringent rules on the force-fitting of PPMs. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has written to Ofgem asking them to conduct a review to make sure energy suppliers are complying with those rules. He has also asked suppliers to commit voluntarily to stop this practice.
As set out in my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement on 2 July, the details of the loan to Celsa UK are subject to commercial confidentiality.
The loan has been designed to benefit the workforce, business, and wider society. This will ensure that public money is used to further benefit the UK, including protecting over 1,000 jobs. The loan requires further financial commitments from shareholders and existing lenders and will be monitored by the Government in line with HM Treasury’s rules on ‘Managing Public Money’.
Whirlpool informed the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) in October 2019 that it was investigating a potential issue with door locks on some models of washing machine. OPSS required the company to provide detailed data on this issue in order to have clarity on the nature and scale of the problem and to identify the appropriate response to protect public safety. Following assessment of the issue, it was agreed that a full recall should be instigated and the recall programme was announced on 17 December 2019.
OPSS is acting to ensure the company conducts an effective recall with a process that is as quick and easy for consumers as possible. OPSS is monitoring Whirlpool’s actions closely and will hold the company to account. Data on the recall, including on the time taken for customers to receive a remedy will be published by OPSS.
In order to include a modification as part of an appropriate response, a manufacturer must provide scientific and technical evidence that the modification addresses the problem identified; that those undertaking the modification have received full training on applying the modification; and that there is a robust quality assurance process in place for each modification.
The events industry and its suppliers have been severely hit by the current crisis. My officials and I continue to engage with events stakeholders - for example through the Visitor Economy Working Group and the Events Industry Board - to monitor the ongoing impact on exhibitions and events businesses.
Events businesses and workers can access the Government’s economic support package, including the recently extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme and the Bounce Back Loan scheme. We will continue to engage with stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support tourism’s recovery across the UK.
We are working closely with events stakeholders, such as the Association of Events Organisers, to develop Covid-19 Secure reopening guidance for conferences and events venues.
Meetings of up to 30 people indoors are now allowed in permitted venues if social distancing can be maintained and the venue can demonstrate that it has followed the Covid-19 guidance. Since 11 July, a range of outdoor events have been able to take place - including agricultural shows, literary fairs and car boot sales.
From 1 August, exhibition and conference centres are allowed to show small groups (of up to 30 people with social distancing requirements) around to view the facilities and plan future events and to enable government-backed pilots to take place. They should not be open fully to host events more widely.
From 1 October, it is expected that events of all types (such as trade shows, consumer shows, exhibitions and conferences) will be allowed if the business has written a risk assessment and has put in place mitigations to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. As with all aspects of the Government’s response to Covid-19, our decisions have been and will continue to be based on scientific evidence and public health assessments.
We have worked closely with events stakeholders through both the Visitor Economy and Events & Entertainment Working Groups to develop Covid-19 Secure reopening guidance for the business events industry. We continue to meet with the Events Industry Senior Leaders Advisory Panel to discuss the specific issues facing the industry.
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The department will always put the safety and wellbeing of children and staff in education settings at the heart of its policy decisions.
The 2021 Spending Review announced a total of £19 billion of capital funding to support the education sector. As part of this, the department’s capital budget is £7 billion for 2023/24.
The department will spend what it takes to keep pupils safe and will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make school and college buildings with RAAC safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. Where schools and colleges need additional help with revenue costs, the department expects all reasonable requests will be approved.
The department will fund refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects where these are needed, to remove RAAC from the school estate. Schools and colleges will either be offered capital grants or rebuilding projects through the School Rebuilding Programme. The department will set out further details for affected schools and colleges in due course.
The department’s immediate support will be managed from unallocated departmental budgets. This will not have an impact on existing programmes. The department will provide further information about funding at relevant points in due course.
The department reviews how the capital budget is allocated on an ongoing basis and updates its annual budget via Parliament twice a year through the Main and Supplementary estimates process, which sets out the expected budget by area of spend.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
It is the responsibility of those who run schools - academy trusts, Local Authorities and voluntary aided school bodies - to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools and to alert the Department if there is a serious concern with a building. It has always been the case that where the Department is made aware of a building that may pose an immediate risk, immediate action is taken.
The Department will spend whatever it takes to keep children safe. It will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make buildings safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. Where schools and colleges need additional help with revenue costs, the Department expects all reasonable requests will be approved. The Department will then also fund refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects, to rectify the RAAC issue for the long term. The Department will set out further details for affected schools and colleges in due course.
The Department will work with the relevant responsible body, which will depend on the type of school or college with confirmed RAAC. Every case will be different, and the Department is working closely with affected schools and colleges to understand and support their needs, including with capital funding.
The Department’s immediate support will be managed from unallocated departmental budgets. This will not impact existing programmes.
The Department will always put the safety and wellbeing of children and staff in education settings at the heart of its policy decisions. The Government has taken more proactive action to identify and mitigate RAAC in education settings than the devolved administrations in the UK, or indeed, governments overseas.
Nothing is more important than the safety of children and staff. It has always been the case that where we are made aware of a building that may pose an immediate risk, the Department takes immediate action.
It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, Local Authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies – who work with their schools on a day-to-day basis, to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools and to alert us if there is a concern with a building.
The Department has acted decisively and proactively to tackle this issue. This Government has taken more proactive action on RAAC than any other in the UK. The Department issued comprehensive guidance in 2018, and subsequent years, to all responsible bodies highlighting the potential risks associated with RAAC and supporting them to identify this within their buildings, as well as to take appropriate steps in meeting their obligations to keep buildings safe. The most recent guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-estates-guidance.
There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England, and the vast majority are unaffected. A significant proportion of the estate was built outside the period where RAAC was used, with around one third of the estate built since 2001, therefore, the Department has focused efforts on buildings built in the post-war decades.
The Department issued a questionnaire in March 2022, asking responsible bodies to inform the Department of any suspected RAAC identified in their estates. Responsible bodies have submitted questionnaires for over 98% of schools with blocks built in the target era, of which there are 14,900. We are pressing all remaining schools to get checks completed, to determine which schools require surveys.
The Department is contacting responsible bodies to help them respond to this request and to advise on what needs to be done, so that they can establish whether they believe they have RAAC. This work will continue until we have a response for all target era schools.
Schools and colleges where RAAC is suspected are being fast tracked for surveying, which is used to confirm whether RAAC is actually present. All schools and colleges that have already told us they suspect they might have RAAC will be surveyed within a matter of weeks, in many cases in a matter of days.
All schools where RAAC is confirmed are provided with a dedicated caseworker to support them and help implement a mitigation plan and minimise the disruption to children’s learning.
Across Government, Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates as soon as possible. This will be updated on a regular basis as new buildings are identified and surveying and remediation are carried out. The Department for Education published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September, and committed to providing further updates.
Schools will contact parents where RAAC is identified and inform them of any impacts on their child. The vast majority of schools are unaffected. Any parents that are unsure if their child’s school is affected should contact their school directly.
While some short term disruption is inevitable, all available measures will be taken to minimise disruption to pupil learning and ensure that pupils continue to receive face-to-face teaching. Where there is any disturbance to face-to-face education, schools will prioritise attendance for vulnerable children and young people and children of key workers. The guidance published by the Department in August also includes guidance on provision for pupils with SEND and sets out expectations that schools continue to provide free school meals to eligible pupils.
The Department will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make buildings safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. Where schools and colleges need additional help with revenue costs, like transport to locations or temporarily renting a local hall or office, the department will provide that support for all reasonable requests. The Department will also fund longer term refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects where these are needed, to rectify the RAAC issue in the long term.
All previously confirmed Schol Rebuilding Programme projects announced in 2021 and 2022 will continue to go ahead. A full list of confirmed projects can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme.
Further information on RAAC in education settings is available on the Education Hub: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/06/new-guidance-on-raac-in-education-settings/.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. The UN reports that unemployment is at 45 percent, with youth unemployment at over 60 percent. Some 46 percent of the population live below the US$5.50 poverty line and an estimated 60 percent of households are food insecure. The health service is severely overburdened and reliable access to clean water and electricity remains challenging.
DFID will provide £16m in humanitarian assistance to Gaza in 2019/20. This is supporting the health system, including improved trauma care, and contributing to emergency food aid for around 1.2 million vulnerable people. To help address the underlying causes of the humanitarian situation we are investing to build the capacity of Gaza’s water and energy services and to address barriers to trade. Ultimately, Gaza’s immense challenges can only be resolved with a political solution that delivers peace, stability and the easing of movement and access restrictions.
My Department is developing safety guidance for users of e-cycles and e-scooters and will publish this in due course. This will include information on conversion kits, and will complement the guidance already published by the Home Office on the Fire England website: www.fireengland.uk/fire-safety/charging-your-e-bike-or-e-scooter
The Home Office publishes guidance on this issue on the Fire England website.
The scope and cost estimates for this section of the route are subject to review following the Network North announcement. An updated cost estimate will be reported to Parliament in due course, noting we are seeking to strip back the project and deliver a station that works, but does not include any features we do not need.
In relation to private finance, work has commenced on developing the design of the model that will be used, as well as consideration of how and where the alternative funding generated by this will be spent. This will include consideration of a range of development models and financing mechanisms, before a final proposal is determined. Updates will be reported to Parliament in due course as this work progresses.
Government plans to introduce legislation for private and rental e-scooter use when parliamentary time allows and will consult on regulations in due course. No final decisions about e-scooter regulations have been or will be made before interested parties have had an opportunity to offer views.
The Department also intends to introduce a rental framework which will allow local transport authorities to manage rental services of cycles, e-cycles and e-scooters, so that matters such as fleet sizes and parking can be kept under local control.
Local authorities already have legal powers to remove e-cycles and other items that are abandoned on the road or pathway. The Department will continue to work with local authorities and keep under review ways to prevent e-cycles and e-scooters from becoming obstructive to other road users and pedestrians, particularly those with disabilities.
Government plans to introduce legislation for private and rental e-scooter use when parliamentary time allows and will consult on regulations in due course. No final decisions about e-scooter regulations have been or will be made before interested parties have had an opportunity to offer views.
The Department also intends to introduce a rental framework which will allow local transport authorities to manage rental services of cycles, e-cycles and e-scooters, so that matters such as fleet sizes and parking can be kept under local control.
Local authorities already have legal powers to remove e-cycles and other items that are abandoned on the road or pathway. The Department will continue to work with local authorities and keep under review ways to prevent e-cycles and e-scooters from becoming obstructive to other road users and pedestrians, particularly those with disabilities.
The Department for Transport is working with the industry and across Government to understand the prevalence and causes of fires involving lithium-ion batteries used in e-cycles and e-scooters. This is with a view to publishing guidance on safety at a later date.
When parliamentary time allows, we intend to regulate e-scooters. This will require setting robust technical requirements and clear expectations on users. No decisions have been made on the details of the regulations for e-scooters, and we will consult before any new arrangements come into force.
The Department has no plans to introduce legislative proposals to regulate safety for e-cycles.
Also, when parliamentary time allows, the Department intends to introduce a rental framework which will allow local transport authorities to manage rental services of cycles, e-cycles and e-scooters, so that fleet sizes and parking can all be kept under local control.
When parliamentary time allows, we intend to regulate e-scooters. This will require setting robust technical requirements and clear expectations on users. No decisions have been made on the details of the regulations for e-scooters, and we will consult before any new arrangements come into force.
The Department has no plans to introduce legislative proposals to regulate safety for e-cycles.
Also, when parliamentary time allows, the Department intends to introduce a rental framework which will allow local transport authorities to manage rental services of cycles, e-cycles and e-scooters, so that fleet sizes and parking can all be kept under local control.
I can confirm that the extension letter of 17 December 2021, extending the 1 June 2021 extraordinary funding settlement for Transport for London, will be placed in the Library and published on Gov.uk.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has been allocated a total of around £1 million from the Department’s Active Travel Fund and Transport for London’s London Streetspace Programme. This has supported a number of active travel measures in its area in response to the pandemic including school streets, low traffic neighbourhoods, changes to the public realm to allow greater social distancing, and cycle lanes like the one on Kensington High Street. Funding is generally transferred once schemes are delivered and once claims are brought forward by each Borough, meaning that the total amount of funding provided to date is much less than the total allocated. Borough payments are due to be finalised in September 2021, and will reflect scheme delivery in each area. No funding has been or will be provided to the Royal Borough to cover the costs of removing the cycle lane on Kensington High Street.
In common with other authorities in London and elsewhere, the Royal Borough’s performance in delivering active travel infrastructure is being taken into account in all future funding allocations. The delivery of active travel schemes in London and decisions on active travel funding for individual boroughs are overseen by a group including senior representatives from the Department for Transport and Transport for London.
The Department will be issuing updated statutory Network Management Duty guidance to all local transport authorities shortly which will make clear that they should always leave cycling and walking schemes in place for long enough for their impacts to be properly assessed.
Transport in London is devolved meaning the Department has no role in respect of borough decisions of this sort, which are a matter for the Mayor of London. The Department was not, therefore, formally consulted on the Royal Borough’s plans. As a general point, the Department agrees that local authorities should not remove cycle lanes before their impacts have been properly assessed, and will shortly issue further advice to authorities on this matter.