Anthony Browne

Universities in the UK are independent organisations. The Government does not collect data of this sort.

Higher education providers in the UK are required to submit certain categories of data to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). This is published annually at https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/finances. This includes their overall income from a variety of sources and for a range of different activities, including teaching, research and commercial. This includes research grant and contract income from business. However, HESA data does not indicate the individual businesses concerned.

Nannies are able to provide paid childcare in a child's home subject to meeting public health principle's set out in Annex A of 'Our plan to rebuild: The UK Government's COVID-19 recovery strategy':

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-plan-to-rebuild-the-uk-governments-covid-19-recovery-strategy/our-plan-to-rebuild-the-uk-governments-covid-19-recovery-strategy#annex-a-staying-safe-outside-your-home

In 2020/21, expenditure on agency doctors was £918,879,984 or 6.6% of the substantive spending on doctors that year. Maximum hourly rates for agency staff are governed by NHS England’s price cap which is calculated at 55% above substantive rates. For agency medical consultants, this is £80.61 or £107.47 for unsocial hours, defined as those outside of 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday and bank holidays. Exceptions exist, including for circumstances concerning patient safety. The suitable rates for extra-contractual working hours are agreed locally. The agency rates include worker pay, holiday pay, National Insurance and pension contributions and an agency fee.

For doctors employed on nationally agreed terms and conditions, the highest hourly pay is for a medical consultant. The hourly basic pay rate based on 40 hours per week for a consultant at the maximum of the pay scale is £57.12 per hour. This does not include enhancements for working unsocial hours or National Insurance and pension contributions. Locum medical staff provide a flexible resource when demand is high or during times of sickness or other absences. We are reducing the cost of flexible staffing through price caps, procurement frameworks, expenditure ceilings and working with National Health Service trusts to develop staff banks.

The information requested is shown in the following table.

The information requested is shown in the following table.

The information requested is shown in the following table.

‘The Future of UK Clinical Research Delivery’, published in March 2021, sets out the ambition to increase participation of patients to clinical trials, including industry sponsored trials. ‘The Future of Clinical Research Delivery: 2022 to 2025 implementation plan’, published on 30 June 2022, summarises progress to date and the actions which will be taken over the next three years to increase participation in clinical trials.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) regularly meets with its counterpart food safety regulators and discusses novel foods and food innovation.

In March 2022, the FSA’s Chief Executive participated in the third meeting of the International Heads of Food Agency Forum attended by food agency leaders and representatives of international food organisations. The meeting discussed new food sources and production systems and included novel food regulation. At working level, the FSA has participated in meetings with international peers, including with the British Embassy in Tel Aviv, Thailand, and Republic of Ireland.

The Foods Standards Agency (FSA) has committed to review the novel foods regulations. This will include identifying opportunities to streamline processes to support industry innovation, without detracting from the safeguards which support the United Kingdom’s food safety standards. The FSA is engaging with businesses, including the alternative proteins industry, on how the regulations could be improved.

The Foods Standards Agency (FSA) has committed to review the novel foods regulations. This will include identifying opportunities to streamline processes to support industry innovation, without detracting from the safeguards which support the United Kingdom’s food safety standards. The FSA is engaging with businesses, including the alternative proteins industry, on how the regulations could be improved.

Regulations on out-of-home calorie labelling for out of home food sold in large businesses of 250 or more employees, including restaurants, cafes and takeaways, came into force on 6 April 2022. We committed to review the policy within five years and will consider whether to extend the requirement to smaller businesses. We encourage smaller businesses to voluntarily comply with the calorie labelling requirements.

High cost area supplements are included in Section 4 of the NHS Terms and Conditions, jointly agreed by employers and the National Health Service trade unions. Royston, Basildon, Harlow, Watford, Brentwood and Thurrock are all defined as fringe areas, therefore NHS staff working in these areas receive the fringe high cost area supplement at 5% of basic salary. Cambridgeshire is not defined as a zone for high cost area payments.

The high cost area zones are based on 2005 primary care trust geographical boundaries. It is open to the NHS Pay Review Body to make recommendations on the future geographic coverage of high-cost area supplements and on the value of such supplements. NHS employers or staff organisations in a specified geographic area can propose an increase in the level of high cost area supplement for staff in that area, or in the case of areas where no supplement exists, to introduce a supplement.

High cost area supplements are included in Section 4 of the NHS Terms and Conditions, jointly agreed by employers and the National Health Service trade unions. Royston, Basildon, Harlow, Watford, Brentwood and Thurrock are all defined as fringe areas, therefore NHS staff working in these areas receive the fringe high cost area supplement at 5% of basic salary. Cambridgeshire is not defined as a zone for high cost area payments.

The high cost area zones are based on 2005 primary care trust geographical boundaries. It is open to the NHS Pay Review Body to make recommendations on the future geographic coverage of high-cost area supplements and on the value of such supplements. NHS employers or staff organisations in a specified geographic area can propose an increase in the level of high cost area supplement for staff in that area, or in the case of areas where no supplement exists, to introduce a supplement.

High cost area supplements are included in Section 4 of the NHS Terms and Conditions, jointly agreed by employers and the National Health Service trade unions. Royston, Basildon, Harlow, Watford, Brentwood and Thurrock are all defined as fringe areas, therefore NHS staff working in these areas receive the fringe high cost area supplement at 5% of basic salary. Cambridgeshire is not defined as a zone for high cost area payments.

The high cost area zones are based on 2005 primary care trust geographical boundaries. It is open to the NHS Pay Review Body to make recommendations on the future geographic coverage of high-cost area supplements and on the value of such supplements. NHS employers or staff organisations in a specified geographic area can propose an increase in the level of high cost area supplement for staff in that area, or in the case of areas where no supplement exists, to introduce a supplement.

High cost area supplements are included in Section 4 of the NHS Terms and Conditions, jointly agreed by employers and the National Health Service trade unions. Royston, Basildon, Harlow, Watford, Brentwood and Thurrock are all defined as fringe areas, therefore NHS staff working in these areas receive the fringe high cost area supplement at 5% of basic salary. Cambridgeshire is not defined as a zone for high cost area payments.

The high cost area zones are based on 2005 primary care trust geographical boundaries. It is open to the NHS Pay Review Body to make recommendations on the future geographic coverage of high-cost area supplements and on the value of such supplements. NHS employers or staff organisations in a specified geographic area can propose an increase in the level of high cost area supplement for staff in that area, or in the case of areas where no supplement exists, to introduce a supplement.

High cost area supplements are included in Section 4 of the NHS Terms and Conditions, jointly agreed by employers and the National Health Service trade unions. Royston, Basildon, Harlow, Watford, Brentwood and Thurrock are all defined as fringe areas, therefore NHS staff working in these areas receive the fringe high cost area supplement at 5% of basic salary. Cambridgeshire is not defined as a zone for high cost area payments.

The high cost area zones are based on 2005 primary care trust geographical boundaries. It is open to the NHS Pay Review Body to make recommendations on the future geographic coverage of high-cost area supplements and on the value of such supplements. NHS employers or staff organisations in a specified geographic area can propose an increase in the level of high cost area supplement for staff in that area, or in the case of areas where no supplement exists, to introduce a supplement.

High cost area supplements are included in Section 4 of the NHS Terms and Conditions, jointly agreed by employers and the National Health Service trade unions. Royston, Basildon, Harlow, Watford, Brentwood and Thurrock are all defined as fringe areas, therefore NHS staff working in these areas receive the fringe high cost area supplement at 5% of basic salary. Cambridgeshire is not defined as a zone for high cost area payments.

The high cost area zones are based on 2005 primary care trust geographical boundaries. It is open to the NHS Pay Review Body to make recommendations on the future geographic coverage of high-cost area supplements and on the value of such supplements. NHS employers or staff organisations in a specified geographic area can propose an increase in the level of high cost area supplement for staff in that area, or in the case of areas where no supplement exists, to introduce a supplement.

The Department will set out our future plans on dementia for England later this year. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities is contributing to the development of the new strategy, which will include a focus on prevention and risk reduction. The concept of brain health in encouraging people to reduce their dementia risk is also being explored. Officials are engaging with a range of stakeholders on the new strategy including members of the Dementia Programme Board and other Government departments.

The Department will set out our future plans on dementia for England later this year. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities is contributing to the development of the new strategy, which will include a focus on prevention and risk reduction. The concept of brain health in encouraging people to reduce their dementia risk is also being explored. Officials are engaging with a range of stakeholders on the new strategy including members of the Dementia Programme Board and other Government departments.

The ‘Help us help you’ campaign has raised awareness of abdominal and urological symptoms and urged people to consult their general practitioner (GP). A new phase of campaign is planned for early 2022 to address some of the barriers which prevent people coming forward. The National Health Service is working with Prostate Cancer UK to raise awareness of prostate cancer risk and encourage men to use Prostate Cancer UK’s risk checker.

Primary Care Networks are working with GP practices to implement the 2021/22 Early Cancer Diagnosis Directed Enhanced Service Specification, to optimise suspected cancer referral practice, support earlier diagnosis of cancer, and identify people before their cancer has progressed to non-curable. The NHS is focusing on reducing the number of people waiting over 62 days on cancer pathways, particularly rescheduling diagnostic procedures or treatments for those whose care was delayed by the pandemic. An additional £1 billion has been made available to the NHS in 2021/22 to support the recovery of elective activity and cancer services.

In 2019, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) commissioned a study on consumer views towards emerging technologies including cultured meat. The FSA also plans further work on consumer perceptions of cultured meat, with the findings due in early 2022. Cultured meats would require pre-market authorisation as they are likely to be novel foods and any applications would need to be assessed for safety under the process required by the Novel Food Regulations 2015/2283. This authorisation process will take consumer views into account in any recommendations to the Government.

The Department funds research into all aspects of human health, including prostate cancer, through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) at the level of £1 billion per year. The following table shows the NIHR’s programme expenditure specifically prostate cancer since April 2018:

The NIHR also supports the delivery in the health and care system of prostate cancer research funded by research funding partners in the charity and public sectors. The NIHR Clinical Research Network has supported over 90 prostate cancer related studies since April 2018, totalling £20.3 million.

The Government does not provide funding for travel costs. We offer deferred payment plans and hardship support for people who cannot afford to pay for the cost of managed quarantine and testing up front. In some circumstances this may be available to those who are not in receipt of income related benefits.

The Department continues to work with Health Education England and other partners on a range of initiatives to reform the medical and nursing training systems to ensure that the National Health Service workforce aligns with patient and service need. This includes taking action to widen access into healthcare professions and increase the flexibility of training pathways.

As part of this work, the Government is considering opportunities as a result of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union to support healthcare professionals to switch disciplines. Any changes to training for regulated healthcare professions would be developed in conjunction with stakeholders and would be subject to full public consultation where appropriate. Approved education providers would need to consider prior learning to assess the flexibility of programmes or entry requirements and any individual training courses that arose from this work would need to be approved by the relevant regulator.

The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is not currently considering the potential merits of offering mammography screening on a biennial basis instead of the current three-year interval. The NHS Breast Screening Programme is currently focussed on inviting all eligible women to participate in breast screening for screening that may have been delayed due to COVID-19.

A proposal to change the current screening interval from three yearly to biennial would be for the UK NSC to consider through its programme modification proposal process, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-nsc-evidence-review-process

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before prorogation.

Public Health England (PHE) uses two definitions of a death in a person with COVID-19 in England. Firstly, the total number of deaths of people who received a positive test result for COVID-19 and died within 28 days of the first positive test reported on or up to the date of death or reporting date. People who died more than 28 days after their first positive test are not included, whether or not COVID-19 was the cause of death. Secondly, the total number of deaths of people who received a positive test result for COVID-19 and either died within 60 days of the first positive test or where COVID-19 was mentioned on their death certificate.

Data for both definitions of a COVID-19 death are available in PHE’s National COVID-19 surveillance reports which are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-covid-19-surveillance-reports

Any equipment or diagnostic test that fits the definition of a medical device or in vitro diagnostic medical device must meet the requirements of the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (the MDR).

Thermography scanning equipment for a medical purpose would be likely to meet the definition of a medical device and as such the manufacturer must hold clinical and scientific evidence to demonstrate the safety and performance of the device in relation to the claims being made for it. The manufacturer must CE mark the device in accordance with the MDR.

The MDR do not contain specific provisions dealing with promotion or advertising of medical devices. The general United Kingdom legislation for advertising applies to medical devices. In addition, the provisions of the Cancer Act 1939 prohibit the advertising of products to treat cancer. There are currently no plans to review the provisions around promotion of products laid down in the Cancer Act.

The Department invests over £1 billion a year in health and care research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR Recovery and Learning Call is currently open to researchers to submit proposals on the treatment and care of patients experiencing prolonged symptoms of COVID-19 infection.

The NIHR Recovery and Learning Call will fund research to better understand and manage the health and social care consequences of the global COVID-19 pandemic beyond the acute phase. The research will focus specifically on health outcomes, public health, social care and health service delivery and to mitigate the impact of subsequent phases and aftermath.

This follows on from the UK Research and Innovation-NIHR Rapid Response Rolling Call for COVID-19 research that closed on 30 June which funded projects that could make a significant contribution to the understanding, prevention and/or management of the COVID-19 outbreak within 12 months.

National Health Service patients are benefitting from an unprecedented partnership with private hospitals in the United Kingdom as we battle the COVID-19 outbreak. The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement have worked with the independent sector to secure all appropriate inpatient capacity and other resource across England. This has increased NHS capacity and ensured that more facilities are available for patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

It is not currently possible to provide data on the occupancy of those beds for the time frame asked for.

National Health Service patients are benefitting from an unprecedented partnership with private hospitals in the United Kingdom as we battle the COVID-19 outbreak. The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement have worked with the independent sector to secure all appropriate inpatient capacity and other resource across England. This has increased NHS capacity and ensured that more facilities are available for patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

It is not currently possible to provide data on the occupancy of those beds for the time frame asked for.

HMRC does not hold information on VAT revenue from specific products or services. Businesses are not required to provide HMRC with figures at a product level on their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.

At Autumn Statement 2022, the Government announced a package of changes and tax cuts worth almost £13.6 billion over the next five years, including:

• a freeze to the business rates multiplier for 2023-24, a tax cut worth £9.3 billion over the next 5 years, meaning all bills are 6 per cent lower than without the freeze;
• an Exchequer funded Transitional Relief scheme worth £1.6 billion to protect an estimated 700,000 ratepayers facing bill increases due to increases in rateable value. The Government has announced that it will permanently scrap ‘downwards caps’ which had restricted falling bills in previous schemes. This will benefit around 300,000 ratepayers who will see their full bill decrease from April 2023.
• an increased 75 per cent relief for retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business for 2023-24. This is a tax cut worth over £2 billion for around 230,000 RHL businesses, to support the high street and protect small shops.
• providing over £500 million of support over the next three years with a new Supporting Small Business. This will cap bill increases to £50 per month (£600 per year) for businesses losing some or all of their Small Business or Rural Rate Relief due to the revaluation.

Together with the revaluation, this package ensures bills will more accurately reflect current market values whilst protecting businesses from large bill increases.

The business rates multiplier is adjusted at each revaluation to offset changes in aggregate rateable value in England. This process is revenue neutral and ensures that business rate revenue remains fixed in real terms.

At the 2017 revaluation the multiplier was reduced to 46.6p in 2017-18 from 48.4p in 2016-17. The reduction in the rate of the multiplier reflected an aggregate increase in rateable value in England of 9.6 per cent.

Business rates raise over £20 billion a year in England to fund vital local services - there is no alternative with widespread support that would raise sufficient revenue to replace them.

The small business multiplier for 2022-23 is 49.9p and the standard multiplier is 51.2p. These rates will remain the same for 2023-24.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities publishes statistics on the numbers of businesses that pay each multiplier. These statistics are available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1060753/NNDR1_2022-23_Supplementary_table_ecomms.xlsx

The Government does not collect data on total business rates yield disaggregated by ratepayers paying the small and large multiplier multipliers.

Venture Capital Trusts, which were introduced in 1995, are designed to encourage individuals to invest indirectly in a range of unquoted smaller, higher-risk, trading companies.

The Government keeps this scheme under review to ensure that it continues to meet its policy objectives in a way that is fair and effective.

In his Mansion House statement last July, the Chancellor set out the Government’s vision an open, competitive, green, and technologically advanced financial services.

A sweeping set of reforms to sharpen the UK’s competitive advantage in financial services is already underway; and in November the Government published the second consultation in its Future Regulatory Framework review, which provides a once in a generation opportunity to ensure that the UK maintains a coherent, agile, and internationally respected approach to financial services regulation.

The Government responded to the Kalifa Review of UK Fintech on 26 April 2021, setting out actions alongside regulators to ensure the UK remains at the global cutting edge of technology and innovation in financial services.

The Government’s full response is available at: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-04-26/hcws938.

On 29 October the Government announced £5 million of seed funding for a new Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology (CFIT) as part for Spending Review 2021. CFIT was a central recommendation of the Kalifa Review, and it will focus on creating the right conditions for firms to scale, encouraging the mainstream adoption of fintech solutions, and fostering collaboration between growing regional fintech hubs.

The Lifetime ISA is intended to support younger people saving for their first home or for later life by offering a generous government bonus of 25% on up to £4,000 of savings each year.

The Government maintains that the 25% bonus should be focused on those that need it most and who may find it more difficult to get onto the property ladder, while ensuring sustainable public finances. First-time buyers who can purchase a home valued over £450,000 are likely to have an income significantly above that of the average household in the UK and are therefore more likely to be able to purchase a first home without the support of this scheme.

The Government considers a property price cap of £450,000 appropriate to support the majority of first-time buyers across the UK. However, the Government keeps all aspects of savings policy under review.

The current Premium Bond investment limit is £50,000, which is also set out in UK legislation. In line with NS&I’s operating framework, when setting the Premium Bond investment limit, HM Treasury and NS&I must strike a balance between the differing needs of savers, taxpayers and the wider financial sector. While some customers may wish to invest more than the current limit in Premium Bonds, raising the limit can lead to the scheme becoming dominated by a small number of people with large investments. Customers are sensitive to taking part in a prize draw in which some people hold a very large number of bonds. NS&I offer a number of other savings products with a higher investment limit than that of Premium Bonds.

Information on multiple dwellings relief is available; this information available relates to two or more properties. The cost of this relief and the number of people claiming the relief was published in the publication ‘Estimated cost of structural tax reliefs’ in October 2019.

Specific information for six or more properties would only be available at disproportionate cost.

Information on multiple dwellings relief is available; this information available relates to two or more properties. The cost of this relief was published in the publication ‘Estimated cost of structural tax reliefs’ in October 2019. The number of cases claiming that relief is available in the Annual Stamp Taxes Publication which was also published in October 2019.

Specific information for six or more properties would only be available at disproportionate cost.

This information on the number of relief claims will be published in the Annual Stamp Taxes publication at the end of September and the revenue forgone figure will be published in the Tax Relief publication in Autumn 2020.

Statistics on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme are published on GOV.UK. The latest publication can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coronavirus-job-retention-scheme-statistics-june-2020. This includes a breakdown of the total number of employments furloughed by local authority and by parliamentary constituency. HM Revenue and Customs are continuing to develop statistics on the CJRS and plan to publish monthly updates.

The Government recognises that this is a very challenging time for businesses in a wide variety of sectors. Small businesses occupying properties for retail, hospitality or leisure purposes are likely to be particularly affected by Covid-19 due to their reliance on customer footfall, and the fact that they are less likely than larger businesses to have sufficient cash reserves to meet their high fixed property-related costs. The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund is intended to help small businesses in this situation.

On 1^st May the Government that it would allocate up to an additional £617 million to Local authorities to enable them to make discretionary grants to businesses which have been excluded from the existing grants schemes because of the way they interact with the business rates system. Local Authorities can also choose to make discretionary grants to other kinds of businesses, such as coach operators, if they feel there is a particular local economic need. However, the priority of all the grants schemes continues to be to help the smallest businesses, and small businesses which are facing significant property-related costs and operate in sectors which have been particularly hard hit by the steep decline in customer footfall.

Businesses that are not eligible for grants should still be able to benefit from other measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of economic support, including:

• An option to defer VAT payments by up to twelve months;
• The Bounce Back Loan Scheme, which will ensure that small and micro businesses can quickly access loans of up to £50,000 which are 100% guaranteed by the Government;
• The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, now extended to cover all businesses including those which would be able to access commercial credit;
• The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to support businesses with their wage bill; and
• The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, to provide support to the self-employed.

The Government recognises the current challenges facing commercial tenants and the significant impact on our communities, town centres and businesses. The Government will continue to work with and engage the sector to ensure that we are supporting the businesses that make our high street and town centres successful including pubs. The Chancellor has announced unprecedented support for businesses affected by Coronavirus such as pub tenants. This package includes grants for those occupying properties for retail, hospitality and leisure as well as business rates holidays. Building on this, the Government have also taken steps to protect commercial tenants from eviction as well as to safeguard UK high streets against aggressive debt recovery actions during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Greater Cambridge City Deal was signed in 2014 to boost growth by investing in local infrastructure, housing and skills as one of the 26 City Deals agreed up to 2014. Since then, the government has also signed a number of Devolution deals, including with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority in 2016. A full list of city and devolution deals is given on the Gov.uk website.

The third referral pathway will focus on those most at risk who supported the UK and international community effort in Afghanistan.

In the first year of this third referral pathway, the Government will offer ACRS places to the most at risk British Council and GardaWorld contractors and Chevening alumni. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will be in touch with those eligible to support them through the next steps. Beyond the first year of the ACRS, we will work with international partners and NGOs to welcome wider groups of Afghans most at risk.

Representations from Members of Parliament have raised the plight of a great number of people from Afghanistan who would wish to relocate to the UK.

These representations have helped to inform the design of the ACRS as a scheme that will help those in need who are particularly vulnerable, including women and children at risk, and minority groups; as well as those who have supported the UK mission in Afghanistan.

All referrals onto the ACRS will be through the three pathways set out in the statement to Parliament of 6 January, which is a fair and equitable way to identify those most in need. As an additional verification step, we shall check names of eligible British Council and GardaWorld contractors, and Chevening alumni against the names of people referred to us by MPs during the evacuation.

Further detail on the three referral pathways can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/afghan-citizens-resettlement-scheme.

The Government supports the Rural Affairs Strategy, published by the National Police Chiefs’ Council in July 2018, which sets out operational policing priorities in respect of tackling crimes that predominantly affect rural communities.

The new town being proposed in South West Cambridgeshire is a private initiative being promoted by the developers Thakeham, and is a matter for the local planning authority. The Government has no plans for an additional new town in this location or elsewhere in South Cambridgeshire beyond the commitment we announced in 2020 to explore opportunities at Cambourne and the sustainable and sensitive expansion of Cambridge. Government has not yet made any decision to take forward opportunities at Cambourne or Cambridge as part of this work and any potential future plans would be subject to all necessary and appropriate public consultation.

There have been no Ministerial discussions and no involvement related to this proposal at any stage and Ministers have not had any contact with the developer. Following the announcement of the proposed new town, one MHCLG official has since attended a meeting between the developer and Homes England as an observer. There has been no engagement between the Department and the developer. Should an application for planning permission come forward it will be dealt with in the usual way.

New homes should be built out as soon as possible once planning permission is granted. We are clear that where sites are stalled or experiencing delays to delivery, it is for local authorities and developers to work closely together at a local level to overcome these barriers.

To support build out through planning, we propose to make it clear in the revised National Planning Policy Framework that the masterplans and design codes for sites prepared for substantial development should seek to include a variety of development types by different builders which allow more phases to come forward together.

We will be exploring further options to support faster build out as part of our proposed planning reforms as outlined in the Planning White Paper.

The National Planning Policy Framework and its accompanying planning practice guidance expects local planning authorities to plan for the development and co-ordination of the infrastructure required in their area, including infrastructure for water. They should work with providers, such as water companies, to assess the quality and capacity of infrastructure and its ability to meet forecast demands. The water companies are already statutory consultees on local plan development and can be consulted on a non-statutory basis for individual planning applications.

In addition, the Building Regulations already provide a water use standard and a lower optional standard for water stressed areas, which a local planning authority can impose for new homes as a condition of planning permission. DEFRA led a consultation on measures to reduce personal water use in 2019, which included this standard. A formal government response will be published by the end of 2020.

The Planning for the Future White Paper includes proposals to ensure that all local development plans are assessed against a sustainable development test to ensure there is the right balance between environmental, economic and social objectives. Plans should be informed by appropriate infrastructure planning, and sites should not be included in the plan where there is no reasonable prospect of any infrastructure that may be needed coming forward within the plan period. Plan-making policies in the National Planning Policy Framework will make this clear.

We do not currently collect data on Permission in Principle applications. However, from April 2020 local planning authorities will be required to provide data on Permission in Principle applications which will be published as part of the national planning quarterly statistical release.

City Deals were bespoke negotiations between Government and Local Enterprise Partnerships conducted in England between 2011 and 2014. The only area at this time to have a Combined Authority in place was Greater Manchester, although Liverpool City Region, Sheffield City Region, North East, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire Combined Authorities were all established in 2014. City Deals aimed to help drive the growth of cities across the country: identifying barriers to growth and also investing to drive future economic growth on the basis of the specific economic strengths, assets and opportunities of places.

A list of all English City Deals and their relevant Local Enterprise Partnership and Combined Authority is available below: