Barbara Keeley

Offering older and vulnerable people a better choice of accommodation to suit their changing needs can help them live independently and feel more connected to their communities. This Government is committed to providing suitable homes for older people, including extra care housing, which contributes to levelling up across communities. Housing-with-care allows individuals to choose where they want to live, with whom, how they can best be supported, and what happens in their home. Both the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Department of Health and Social Care provide capital funding to incentivise their supply. Our planning rules already mean councils must consider the needs of older people when planning for new homes. In 2019, we published guidance to help councils implement the National Planning Policy Framework policies.

We are investing over £12 billion in affordable housing over 5 years, the largest investment in affordable housing in a decade. This includes the new £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme, where 10 per cent of delivery over the course of the programme will be used to increase the supply of much needed specialist or supported housing, including retirement housing. The Department of Health and Social Care are also continuing to subsidise new supply of specialist housing for older and disabled people through the Care and Support Specialised Housing (CASSH) Fund.

The Government's plan for health and social care, announced on Tuesday 7 September, also recognised the important role of housing, and supported housing in particular, in providing care and support to people in the community.

Both the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Department of Health and Social Care are committed to further improving the diversity of housing options available to older people and how we can further support its growth. We are engaging closely with both the sector and a range of other stakeholders on this issue.  I look forward to engaging with representatives in the sector further and value their insight.

My Office has no record of receiving this letter. I have asked my Office to contact the signatories to see if they can re-send the correspondence.

As with many issues, the Government Equalities Office and Department for Health and Social Care continue to engage on this matter.

We are aware that waiting times for Gender Identity Services are currently very long and we are working with NHS England to help address this. In 2019, NHS England began work on changing services to establish a more modern, flexible care model to support adult transgender people. Procurement is underway and clinics meeting new service specifications will be in place in this year, subject to changes caused by the COVID-19 response. The intention is to move routine gender identity service away from specialist centres, to more local provision.

The Government has a clear ambition for the UK to be a global science superpower and this is reaffirmed in the UK Research and Development Roadmap. The UK is open to participation in certain EU programmes provided we can reach a fair and balanced deal, and negotiations are ongoing.

The UK reached a substantive agreement on the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership on 11 September 2020. This contains subsidy commitments which are appropriate for an FTA and have a bearing on UK subsidies only insofar as they may have an effect on trade with Japan.

The Government has a clear ambition for the UK to be a global science superpower and this is reaffirmed in the UK Research and Development Roadmap. The UK is open to participation in certain EU programmes provided we can reach a fair and balanced deal, and negotiations are ongoing.

The UK reached a substantive agreement on the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership on 11 September 2020. This contains subsidy commitments which are appropriate for an FTA and have a bearing on UK subsidies only insofar as they may have an effect on trade with Japan.

The Government remains committed to working to reach an agreement with the EU.

Whether or not the UK and EU reach agreement, the UK will be an independent coastal state outside of the Common Fisheries Policy from 31 December 2020. The UK will no longer be bound by the EU’s outdated and unfair method of sharing fishing opportunities. I refer the hon. Member to the press statement released on 13 October 2020 by the Fisheries Minister on this issue.

I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ59762 on 23 June 2020.

The Government remains committed to working to reach an agreement with the EU.

Whether or not the UK and EU reach agreement, the UK will be an independent coastal state outside of the Common Fisheries Policy from 31 December 2020. The UK will no longer be bound by the EU’s outdated and unfair method of sharing fishing opportunities. I refer the hon. Member to the press statement released on 13 October 2020 by the Fisheries Minister on this issue.

I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ59762 on 23 June 2020.

The Government remains committed to working to reach an agreement with the EU.

Whether or not the UK and EU reach agreement, the UK will be an independent coastal state outside of the Common Fisheries Policy from 31 December 2020. The UK will no longer be bound by the EU’s outdated and unfair method of sharing fishing opportunities. I refer the hon. Member to the press statement released on 13 October 2020 by the Fisheries Minister on this issue.

I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ59762 on 23 June 2020.

Our Plan To Rebuild, the Government's COVID-19 Recovery Strategy, is published on gov.uk and includes details on plans for weddings. We understand the frustration couples planning a wedding must be feeling at this time. We are keeping these restrictions under review and will ease them as soon as it is safe to do so. We will continue to work closely with faith leaders and local government over the coming weeks to go through the practicalities of doing so.

Marriages and civil partnerships under the special procedure for those who are seriously ill and not expected to recover, are taking place in some cases where it is safe to do so in line with PHE guidance.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to PQs 39766 and 41529 on 4 May 2020.

This Government is fully committed to fulfilling its obligations under this important Convention and recognises the important role the CEDAW Committee plays in holding States Parties to account in implementing the treaty.

A range of factors are considered before making a decision on whether to nominate a candidate for a UN body such as CEDAW. It is also important to highlight that CEDAW Committee members serve in their personal capacity and do not represent the Member State that nominated them. This Government has full faith in the independence of the Committee and applaud the high quality of its work.

After careful consideration, the Government will not be nominating a candidate for the 2020 CEDAW Committee election. However, as with all UN bodies, the Government will carefully consider whether to nominate a UK representative for future vacancies which will arise to the Committee.

The Government’s safer working guidance is clear that in order to keep the virus under control, it is important that people work safely. In order to help contain the virus, everyone who can work effectively from home must do so. Where people cannot do so (for instance people who work in critical national infrastructure, construction, or manufacturing) they should continue to attend their workplace. This is essential to keeping the country operating and supporting vital sectors and employers. The full guidance is available on gov.uk.

In order to help employers support staff to work from home where possible, ACAS has produced comprehensive guidance on the key employment issues for when people are working at home during the pandemic. This covers practical issues such as pay and insurance, as well as offering training on managing people who work remotely – the link to the relevant section of the ACAS site can be found here https://www.acas.org.uk/working-from-home.

There is also a legal framework in place that grants all employees with 26 weeks’ continuous service with their employer the statutory Right to Request Flexible Working, where employees can request a change to their hours, working patterns or to work from home. There is supporting guidance currently available online which explains eligibility, as well as the process for both making and receiving requests to work flexibly on GOV.UK – this can be found here https://www.gov.uk/flexible-working.

Terms and conditions of employment are for negotiation and agreement between employers and employees (or their representatives). Provided they do not discriminate unlawfully, for example on grounds of race, sex or disability, employers are free to offer the terms and conditions of employment which best suit their business needs. Once agreed, however, they form a legally binding contract of employment. While it is always open to either party to seek to renegotiate the terms of the contract, if the employer changes any of the terms without the employee’s agreement, the employee may be entitled to seek legal redress.

The Government has put in place a package of support for businesses of all sizes, including small businesses. This includes guidance developed with industry experts, unions, business organisations, local Government, and other stakeholders to get people back to work safely. It helps organisations meet their obligations under health and safety law and employers are responsible for taking all reasonably practical steps to address health and safety risks.

The small business grant fund has been created, specifically for hereditaments in England that were eligible for relief on 11 March under the small business rates relief (SBRR) fund. The funding is to support small and rural businesses which are ratepayers on a property, as these businesses are more likely to have ongoing fixed costs during this period. Unfortunately, businesses that were not eligible for percentage SBRR relief on 11 March are excluded.

Nevertheless, there are other new measures to provide support to those businesses, including Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme; deferral of the next quarter of back-payments for firms until the end of June, representing a £30 billion injection into the economy; and a new fast-track finance scheme providing loans with a 100% government guarantee. In addition, there is also the bounce-back loan scheme, which will ensure that the smallest businesses can access loans in a matter of days. We are working currently with local authorities to try to make sure that this support is delivered as fast as possible.

On 8th April, the Treasury announced a funding package for charities providing vital services and helping vulnerable people through the current crisis. Unfortunately, not all charitable organisations will be able to benefit from this package. I would encourage organisations to assess whether other schemes provided by the Government will be better suited to their circumstances such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and deferring VAT payments.

DCMS has also been working closely with Arts Council England (ACE) to monitor and respond to the challenges being faced by the arts and cultural sectors. On 24 March, Arts Council England announced a £160m emergency response package, made possible by Government funding, to complement the financial measures already announced by Government and ensure immediate resilience of this vital sector. DCMS and Arts Council England will continue to work closely to consider the additional measures that are needed to ensure the long-term recovery and growth of the cultural sector.

The government is developing world-leading plans to make the UK the safest place to be online. The Online Harms White Paper set out proposals to establish a statutory duty of care on online companies, overseen by an independent regulator with tough enforcement powers, to hold them to account. The regulator will have the power to require transparency reports from companies outlining what they are doing to protect people online, such as the processes to report content. These reports will be published so parents and children can make informed decisions about their internet use.

High quality, accessible childcare is important in ensuring that every child has the best possible start in life. As of 31 March 2021, 96% of providers on the Ofsted Early Years Register were judged Good or Outstanding, a substantial increase from 74% in 2012. Ofsted are responsible for monitoring the quality of provision.

The department continues to monitor the sufficiency of childcare through regular attendance data collection and monitoring the open or closed status of providers. We also discuss sufficiency of provision in regular conversations with local authorities. Local authorities are not currently reporting any significant sufficiency or supply issues and we have not seen a significant number of parents unable to secure a childcare place, either this term or since early years settings re-opened fully on 1 June 2020. The department provides support to local authorities with low take up of the entitlements.

All 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to 15 hours free childcare each week, providing children with high-quality early education. Take-up of this entitlement is high, with 90% of 3 and 4 year olds registered for a 15 hours per week free early education place in January 2021. Eligible working parents of 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to an additional 15 hours to help them with the additional costs associated with childcare. Households on a low income of under £15,400 (or £16,190 if receiving child tax credits) can qualify for 15 hours free childcare for 2 year olds.

In addition to free early education entitlements, the government offers Tax-Free Childcare for children from 0 to 11 years old, or up to 16 if disabled. For every £8 parents pay into their Tax-Free Childcare account, the government will pay £2, up to a maximum of £2,000 per child per year. For disabled children, the maximum is £4,000 per year. In total, 308,000 families used Tax-Free Childcare for 364,000 children in June 2021.

Working parents on a low income may also be eligible for help with up to 85% of their childcare costs (for children under 16) through Universal Credit Childcare. This is subject to a monthly limit of £646 for one child or £1108 for two or more children, payable in arrears.

As part of the COVID-19 education recovery strategy we are investing £180 million for training for early years staff to support the very youngest children’s learning and development. This includes Nuffield Early Language Intervention, improving the language skills of reception age children who need it most during COVID-19. Two thirds of eligible primary schools have signed up and we estimate 90,000 reception age children will get extra support with their speech and language development. Further detail on the additional training will be made available in due course.

High quality, accessible childcare is important in ensuring that every child has the best possible start in life. As of 31 March 2021, 96% of providers on the Ofsted Early Years Register were judged Good or Outstanding, a substantial increase from 74% in 2012. Ofsted are responsible for monitoring the quality of provision.

The department continues to monitor the sufficiency of childcare through regular attendance data collection and monitoring the open or closed status of providers. We also discuss sufficiency of provision in regular conversations with local authorities. Local authorities are not currently reporting any significant sufficiency or supply issues and we have not seen a significant number of parents unable to secure a childcare place, either this term or since early years settings re-opened fully on 1 June 2020. The department provides support to local authorities with low take up of the entitlements.

All 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to 15 hours free childcare each week, providing children with high-quality early education. Take-up of this entitlement is high, with 90% of 3 and 4 year olds registered for a 15 hours per week free early education place in January 2021. Eligible working parents of 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to an additional 15 hours to help them with the additional costs associated with childcare. Households on a low income of under £15,400 (or £16,190 if receiving child tax credits) can qualify for 15 hours free childcare for 2 year olds.

In addition to free early education entitlements, the government offers Tax-Free Childcare for children from 0 to 11 years old, or up to 16 if disabled. For every £8 parents pay into their Tax-Free Childcare account, the government will pay £2, up to a maximum of £2,000 per child per year. For disabled children, the maximum is £4,000 per year. In total, 308,000 families used Tax-Free Childcare for 364,000 children in June 2021.

Working parents on a low income may also be eligible for help with up to 85% of their childcare costs (for children under 16) through Universal Credit Childcare. This is subject to a monthly limit of £646 for one child or £1108 for two or more children, payable in arrears.

As part of the COVID-19 education recovery strategy we are investing £180 million for training for early years staff to support the very youngest children’s learning and development. This includes Nuffield Early Language Intervention, improving the language skills of reception age children who need it most during COVID-19. Two thirds of eligible primary schools have signed up and we estimate 90,000 reception age children will get extra support with their speech and language development. Further detail on the additional training will be made available in due course.

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 make clear that local authorities must complete an education, health and care plan (EHCP) assessment within twenty weeks from when the request is received, unless certain prescribed exceptional circumstances that are spelt out in paragraph 9:42 of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Code of Practice apply.

We use data to monitor local authority performance and to provide challenge and support to those local authorities where there are long-standing delays. Each year we also deliver a training programme to local authorities, health, and social care staff on their statutory duties for EHCPs and reviews, and we have continued to do this on a virtual basis.

In addition, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission re-started their revisit programme to areas that received a Written Statement of Action in May, with the full inspection programme re-starting in June. Our team of SEND Advisers and colleagues in NHS England are continuing to work with authorities with a Written Statement of Action to help improve performance.

More broadly, The Department for Education is currently undertaking a review of the SEND system, which is making good progress in identifying the reforms needed to improve support for children and young people with special educational needs and their families.

The government is considering the Alternative Student Finance (ASF) product carefully and will provide a further update with the full and final conclusion of the Post-18 Review of Education and Funding. The interim report of the review was published on 21 January 2021, and the review is scheduled to conclude alongside the next multi-year Spending Review. An update on the ASF product will be provided at that time.

We published guidance on the 7 January 2021 setting out how we want all schools, including special schools and specialist post 16 provision, to operate during this new lockdown. This is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak.

We will continue to update guidance and support in due course.

During national lockdown restrictions, special schools and special post-16 settings should continue to welcome and encourage pupils to attend full-time (or as per their usual timetable) where parents and carers wishes for their child to be able to attend (or for post-16s, where the young person wishes to attend). This is because we know that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, and their families, can be disproportionately impacted by being out of education. The Department for Education (DfE) has published new guidance on the period during the national lockdown, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak#history.

It is important that staff in these schools continue to be supported. The rapid asymptomatic testing programme will include testing staff, vulnerable pupils and students, and children of key workers, including those within special schools and special post-16 settings. Further announcements on the roll out of testing to staff in primary schools will follow in due course, to help support the reopening of education settings.

As outlined in the department’s published guidance, additional use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for COVID-19 related purposes is only needed in a small number of cases, such as if a pupil or student becomes ill with COVID-19 symptoms and a distance of 2 metres cannot be maintained, or when undertaking aerosol generating procedures. If a pupil or student already has routine intimate care needs that involve the use of PPE, the same PPE should continue to be used. Public Health England have advised that the current guidance on the system of controls, including the use of PPE and face coverings, should continue to be followed.

The PPE portal can be used by residential special settings to access COVID-19 PPE. These providers will have received an email invitation to register with the portal. Depending on local arrangements, special schools and special post-16 settings may be able to access PPE for their COVID-19 needs via their local authority or local resilience forum.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are independent experts advising the government on which vaccine(s) the UK should use and provide advice on who should be offered them. JCVI advises that the first priorities for the COVID-19 vaccination should be the prevention of mortality and the maintenance of the health and social care systems, and as the risk of mortality from COVID-19 increases with age, prioritisation is primarily based on age. This prioritisation captures almost all preventable deaths from COVID-19. In the next phase of the vaccine rollout, JCVI have asked that the Department of Health and Social Care consider occupational vaccination in collaboration with other government departments. The DfE will input into this cross-governmental exercise.

The department published ‘Guidance for full opening: special schools and other specialist settings’ in July 2020, and this has been regularly updated. This guidance supports special schools and other specialist provision to provide in-person education for children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans. Further information on this guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings.

Due to the national restrictions introduced on 7 January 2021, we published new guidance setting out how we want all schools, including special schools and specialist post 16 provision to operate during this new lockdown. This is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak.

We will continue to update guidance and support in due course, providing more detailed advice and support for special schools.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State of Education, and I hold regular meetings with the Office for Students (OfS) leadership. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, these meetings have also involved regularly reviewing and monitoring the impact of COVID-19 on teaching and assessment, including the level of in-person teaching provided by universities and the value for money that students are receiving. I have consistently made it clear to the OfS that quality and standards must be maintained.

As I set out in a letter to MPs on 9 October and in a letter to Vice-Chancellors on 2 November, the government’s clear and stated expectation is that, whether higher education providers are delivering face-to-face, online or blended provision, they must continue delivering a high quality academic experience that helps all students achieve qualifications that they and employers value. If there are concerns, the OfS has the powers to act. The OfS has made it clear that HE providers must continue to comply with registration conditions relating to quality and standards, which set out requirements to ensure that courses are high-quality, that students are supported and achieve good outcomes and that standards are protected.

HE providers must continue to comply with their legal obligations under the Equality Act (2010), ensuring that education and learning is accessible to all students. When making changes to the delivery of their courses, HE providers need to consider how they support all students, particularly the most vulnerable, to achieve successful academic and professional outcomes.

The OfS has published information for HE providers, providing practical guidance on how best to ensure students continue to receive a high quality academic experience. The OfS will keep this guidance under review to ensure it remains relevant to the developing circumstances of the COVID-19 outbreak. The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education has also published a series of guides to support providers to secure academic standards and to support student achievement during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The OfS is taking very seriously the potential impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on teaching and learning and is regularly engaging with all registered HE providers. It is actively monitoring those providers which have moved provision predominantly online due to COVID-19 restrictions to ensure that they maintain the quality of their provision, that it is accessible for all and that they have been clear in their communications with students about how arrangements for teaching and learning may change throughout the year.

The OfS is also following up directly with HE providers where they receive notifications from students, parents or others raising concerns about the quality of teaching on offer. The OfS is also requiring HE providers to report to them when they are not able to deliver a course or award a qualification. If the OfS has concerns, it will investigate further.

Students have rights under consumer law that they can rely on if they are dissatisfied with their HE provider’s response to COVID-19. In the first instance, students should speak to their provider to see if they can resolve their issue. We expect student complaints and appeals processes to be operated flexibly, accessibly and sympathetically by providers to resolve any concerns. If a student at a provider in England or Wales is not satisfied with their provider’s final response, they should go to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, which has published guidance on this issue.

Local authorities are accountable for providing sufficient school places and are funded by the Department to deliver this. The Department collects School Capacity Data annually from local authorities to monitor school place demand. According to this data, Salford and the constituency of Worsley and Eccles South has sufficient school places. Where changes are forecast by the local authority, plans are put in place to ensure sufficiency.

The Department collects and publishes information about the quality of places on GOV.UK on an annual basis. Local authorities are responsible for the quality of maintained schools and in the context of academies this lies with Regional School Commissioners who act in accordance with the Schools Causing Concern Guidance. Since 2010, we have provided through basic need funding capital to provide 3,942 additional school places. Salford has been allocated £58.3 million to provide new school places from 2011-2021.

More information on the data is available from:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-capacity-academic-year-2017-to-2018.

Arts education is an important part of a broad and balanced curriculum and should not be the preserve of the elite but the entitlement of every single child. Between 2016-20 the Department is providing almost £500 million of funding for a range of creative and performance arts education programmes including Music Education Hubs, the Music and Dance Scheme, the Dance and Drama Awards, and a set of diverse cultural education programmes. As set out in the manifesto and in early January, we also announced funding of £85 million for music and arts in 2020-21; £80 million for music hubs coupled with further investment in film, dance, theatre and design.

The Department believes that the arts help young people to learn creative skills and widen their horizons, so we will also offer an ‘arts premium’ to secondary schools to fund enriching activities for all pupils. We will share further details on the premium in due course.

Arts education is an important part of a broad and balanced curriculum and should not be the preserve of the elite but the entitlement of every single child. Between 2016-20 the Department is providing almost £500 million of funding for a range of creative and performance arts education programmes including Music Education Hubs, the Music and Dance Scheme, the Dance and Drama Awards, and a set of diverse cultural education programmes. As set out in the manifesto and in early January, we also announced funding of £85 million for music and arts in 2020-21; £80 million for music hubs coupled with further investment in film, dance, theatre and design.

The Department believes that the arts help young people to learn creative skills and widen their horizons, so we will also offer an ‘arts premium’ to secondary schools to fund enriching activities for all pupils. We will share further details on the premium in due course.

The bus market outside London is deregulated and decisions regarding service provision is primarily a commercial matter for bus operators. Decisions on subsidised bus services are a matter for individual English local authorities, in the light of their other spending priorities.

The Bus Services Act 2017 provides the tools local authorities need, such as Franchising and Enhanced Partnerships to improve local bus services and increase passenger numbers. We are working with interested local authorities to determine which of the powers provided are best able to support bus networks in their areas.

We are committed to implementing the UK’s first-ever long-term bus strategy, accompanied by a long-term funding settlement. The strategy will focus on the needs of passengers so that more people want to use the bus and set out how national and local government and the private sector will come together to achieve this.

Northern is introducing refurbished trains that meet modern accessibility standards in the coming months, and these will serve Walkden. They will provide audio visual passenger information systems and wheelchair spaces among other accessibility features for disabled passengers.

In addition, Northern is required to spend at least £250,000 on station accessibility improvements in each year of its franchise and in addition deliver 10 accessible hub stations.

The Government is committed to improving local infrastructure and expects to announce details of the available funding shortly. Individual allocations of this funding will be subject to Ministerial decisions.

Stations were selected for this funding against a range of criteria including annual footfall, the incidence of disability in the area, and the availability of third party funding for the project. The Department also took into account local factors such as proximity to a hospital. Stations were also chosen to ensure a fair geographical spread of projects across the country.

The programme was heavily subscribed, meaning that many strong nominations were not successful, including Walkden.

‘People at the Heart of Care: adult social care reform white paper’ was published on 1 December 2021. Details of the Department’s engagement with stakeholders to shape the content of the white paper and the names of these organisations is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/people-at-the-heart-of-care-adult-social-care-reform-white-paper

We will continue to engage with people and organisations across the sector, including individuals with lived experience of drawing on care and support, to further develop and design the implementation of these reforms.

We remain committed to the access standard that 95% of children and young people with an eating disorder will receive treatment within one week for urgent cases and within four weeks for routine cases until 2023/24. To help meet this standard, we are investing £79 million extra in 2021/22 to expand children’s mental health services, including allowing 2,000 more children and young people to access eating disorder services and increasing the number of mental health support teams in schools and colleges from 59 to 400 by April 2023, supporting nearly three million children. As set out in the NHS Long Term Plan, an additional 345,000 children and young people will be able to access mental health services, including those for eating disorders by 2023/24.

We have made no such assessment. However, NHS England and NHS Improvement report actual spend on children and young people’s eating disorder services quarterly and annually at national, regional and clinical commissioning groups levels through the NHS Mental Health Dashboard, which is available at the following link:

www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-mental-health-dashboard/

We will respond to the Select Committee’s report as soon as possible, with full consideration of the recommendations made.

The Department is developing an action plan to implement ‘Building the Right Support’. The action plan will set out the actions to improve the treatment of autistic people and people with learning disabilities, and will inform the Government’s response to the Committee.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing an individual’s eligibility for care and support as set out in the Care Act 2014 and where the individual is eligible for financial support, for meeting those needs.

The forthcoming Health and Care Bill will set out the Department’s plans to develop an enhanced assurance framework to support improved social care outcomes, identify and share best practice and build on existing sector-led support and improvement programmes. This includes powers to collect improved data and a new duty for the Care Quality Commission to assess local authorities’ delivery of their adult social care duties to help drive quality and outcomes for care users.

We continue to monitor capacity and work closely with the social care sector to consider any further actions. Our next national recruitment campaign for adult social care will be launched this autumn. We are also ensuring free and fast-track Disclosure and Barring Service checks for staff recruited in response to the pandemic and the promotion of adult social care careers in Job Centres.

A specific estimate has not been made. Our investment will deliver new qualifications, progression pathways and wellbeing and mental health support. We will also introduce further reforms to improve recruitment and support for our social care workforce. We will set out more detail in the forthcoming white paper.

The Department has put in place measures to retain staff which includes a package of wellbeing support such as helplines and we have set out our intention to make care work a more rewarding vocation, offering a career where people can develop new skills.

We will invest at least £500 million across three years in social care workforce professionalisation and development and wellbeing and mental health support, which will support retention of staff in the sector.

The following table shows the external attendees at the summit.

We are working with the Department for Education and NHS England and NHS Improvement to improve the provision of health and care services for disabled children. Children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) who require additional provision will receive an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan assessment. The SEND Regulations 2014 make clear that local authorities must complete an EHC plan assessment within twenty weeks after the request is received unless exceptional circumstances apply. The Department for Education monitors local authority performance on EHC plan assessments to establish where there are long-standing delays and provide support. This could include training for staff, extra monitoring or engagement with partners to improve joint working.

There are no legal referral targets for disabled children’s health services. The NHS Constitution for England provides that patients have the right to access certain services, which may include some disabled children’s health services, within maximum waiting times, or for the National Health Service (NHS) to offer suitable alternatives if this is not possible.

As part of COVID-19 recovery planning we are working with NHS England and NHS Improvement as well as the Department for Education to improve the provision of health services to disabled children. We have invested £6.6 billion from March to September 2021 to help NHS recovery and an additional £1 billion to reduce waiting times for patients, including disabled children, to access NHS services.

We have not made a formal assessment.

The guidance sets out a strong expectation that, over time, all schools should make counselling services available to their pupils. However, the Government has not made the provision of access to counselling in schools and colleges mandatory, as it is important for schools and colleges to have the freedom to decide what support to offer to students.

We are implementing the proposals of the children and young people’s mental health Green Paper, including mental health support teams, which will support the mental health needs of children and young people in primary, secondary and further education and use an evidence-based approach to provide early intervention on some mental health and emotional wellbeing issues, such as mild to moderate anxiety. There are over 280 mental health support teams in operation or in training, with a further 112 teams planned to be established in 2021/22. We are accelerating the roll-out of Mental health support teams will so that they support approximately 35% of pupils by 2023.

We have not made a formal assessment.

The guidance sets out a strong expectation that, over time, all schools should make counselling services available to their pupils. However, the Government has not made the provision of access to counselling in schools and colleges mandatory, as it is important for schools and colleges to have the freedom to decide what support to offer to students.

We are implementing the proposals of the children and young people’s mental health Green Paper, including mental health support teams, which will support the mental health needs of children and young people in primary, secondary and further education and use an evidence-based approach to provide early intervention on some mental health and emotional wellbeing issues, such as mild to moderate anxiety. There are over 280 mental health support teams in operation or in training, with a further 112 teams planned to be established in 2021/22. We are accelerating the roll-out of Mental health support teams will so that they support approximately 35% of pupils by 2023.

The Government recognises that access to breaks provides important support for people with care needs and their carers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have provided approximately £1.8 billion in specific funding for adult social care. This includes the £1.35 billion Infection Control Fund, which has been used towards supporting day centres to re-open safely.

In addition, we have also supported the provision of respite within caring ‘bubbles’ ensuring that the COVID-19 restrictions allowed household mixing when providing care and respite for other carers. We have also provided over £2 billion this year to the Better Care Fund which local authorities can access to fund social care services in their areas including respite services.

No assessment has been made of providing an extra £50 is personal budgets to help carers access breaks from their caring. Local authorities are responsible for assessing individual’s eligibility for support as set out in the Care Act 2014. Carers have legal rights to an assessment of, and support for, their needs where eligible. Following the assessment, the local authority will decide if the carer is eligible for support. Support could be provided by the local authority, or in the form of a direct payment or personal budget.

The Government recognises that access to breaks provides important support for people with care needs and their carers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have provided approximately £1.8 billion in specific funding for adult social care. This includes the £1.35 billion Infection Control Fund, which has been used towards supporting day centres to re-open safely.

In addition, we have also supported the provision of respite within caring ‘bubbles’ ensuring that the COVID-19 restrictions allowed household mixing when providing care and respite for other carers. We have also provided over £2 billion this year to the Better Care Fund which local authorities can access to fund social care services in their areas including respite services.

No assessment has been made of providing an extra £50 is personal budgets to help carers access breaks from their caring. Local authorities are responsible for assessing individual’s eligibility for support as set out in the Care Act 2014. Carers have legal rights to an assessment of, and support for, their needs where eligible. Following the assessment, the local authority will decide if the carer is eligible for support. Support could be provided by the local authority, or in the form of a direct payment or personal budget.

The social care workforce should be valued just as we value the National Health Service workforce.

We support the training, development and progression of the adult social care workforce.

We are committed to the sustainable improvement of the adult social care system and will bring forward proposals for reform later in 2021, including for the social care workforce.

Under the Care Act 2014, charging for care is based on a number of principles including that people should not be charged more than it is reasonably practicable for them to pay. In assessing what someone can afford to pay for care, a local authority must ensure that in addition to the minimum guaranteed income or personal expenses allowance, people retain enough of their income so they have sufficient funds to meet those needs not being met by the local authority.

The purpose of these means tests is to avoid social deprivation. The next review of the allowance – the point at which an assessment would be made – is due in January 2022.

The Government recognises that access to breaks and respite provides important support for people with care needs and their carers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have provided approximately £1.8 billion in specific funding for adult social care. This includes the £1.35 billion Infection Control Fund, which has been used towards supporting day centres to re-open safely.

We are also continuing to work with local authorities, in collaboration with Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure, where possible, the safe resumption of these services.

In addition we have provided over £2 billion in 2021 to the Better Care Fund which local authorities can access to fund social care services in their areas including respite services.

The Government recognises that access to breaks and respite provides important support for people with care needs and their carers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have provided approximately £1.8 billion in specific funding for adult social care. This includes the £1.35 billion Infection Control Fund, which has been used towards supporting day centres to re-open safely.

We are also continuing to work with local authorities, in collaboration with Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure, where possible, the safe resumption of these services.

In addition we have provided over £2 billion in 2021 to the Better Care Fund which local authorities can access to fund social care services in their areas including respite services.

Local authorities have discretion to implement charging policies which best meet the needs of the local populations they serve, whilst adhering to legislation and statutory guidance. Responsibility for ensuring that charging policies are compliant with equality laws rests with local authorities, who take their own legal advice on such matters. Following engagement with local authority representative groups, the Government is confident that local authorities understand their obligations.

Since 2015, NHS England and NHS Improvement have delivered a dedicated capital programme to support the development of short and long term accommodation in the community for people with a learning disability and autistic people leaving mental health inpatient care or at risk of being admitted. National and regional housing leads also provide guidance and support to local systems to develop strategic housing plans, embed strong relationships between commissioners and local housing partners and share best practice. NHS England is working with the National Development Team for Inclusion and the Local Government Association to help local systems develop and sustain small, bespoke providers who can support the people with the most complex needs in their own home.

In July 2020, we announced the three-year £62 million Community Discharge Grant in England to accelerate discharges into the community by addressing ‘double-running’ costs which can act as disincentive for discharge. We paid £20 million in total of the Community Discharge Grant to nominated lead local authorities during the summer of 2020. Allocations for 2021/2022 will be announced in due course.

The Building the Right Support Delivery Board has been established to drive further progress in reducing the number of people with a learning disability and autistic people in specialist inpatient settings through the development of community-based support. A priority for the Board is examining issues with funding flows, including assessing any financial disincentives preventing progress.

Since 2015, NHS England and NHS Improvement have delivered a dedicated capital programme to support the development of short and long term accommodation in the community for people with a learning disability and autistic people leaving mental health inpatient care or at risk of being admitted. National and regional housing leads also provide guidance and support to local systems to develop strategic housing plans, embed strong relationships between commissioners and local housing partners and share best practice. NHS England is working with the National Development Team for Inclusion and the Local Government Association to help local systems develop and sustain small, bespoke providers who can support the people with the most complex needs in their own home.

While there have been no specific discussions, the Government recognises the important role that the hospice sector played in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic which is reflected by the provision of up to £280 million of additional funding from March 2020 to March 2021. Most hospices are independent, charitable organisations that receive some statutory funding, mainly from clinical commissioning groups, for providing local services.

The hospice sector has played a vital role in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic which is reflected by the provision of up to £280 million of additional funding from March 2020 to March 2021.

Most hospices are independent, charitable organisations that receive some statutory funding, mainly from clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) for providing local services. CCGs are responsible for the planning and commissioning of high-quality, cost-effective services that meet the needs of their local population.

In England, the Care, Education and Treatment Review policy sets out an expectation that local commissioners hold a database to identify people with a learning disability, autism or both with a particular requirement to identify those who are at risk of an admission to mental health inpatient care. This may be known as a dynamic support register or dynamic risk register. Commissioners are tasked with holding the local database and keeping this information with support from those in the education, care and health partners and community teams to identify those who are at risk of admission.

The information is not held in the format requested.

As part of implementation of the NHS Long Term Plan we are increasing investment in intensive, crisis and forensic community mental health support to enable more autistic children and young adults to receive personalised care in the community and prevent avoidable admissions to inpatient services. In March 2021, we published the COVID-19 Mental Health and Wellbeing Recovery Action Plan, which includes £31 million to improve autism and learning disability services.

In March, we published ‘Preventing suicide in England: fifth progress report of the cross-government outcomes strategy to save lives’. It includes an update on work across the Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement to reduce suicide rates amongst groups with specific needs and characteristics that may expose them to more risk factors for suicide, including autism.

This work includes NHS England and NHS Improvement’s refreshed approach to the Learning Disability Mortality Review (LeDeR) programme, ‘Learning from lives and deaths - people with a learning disability and autistic people’. The LeDeR aims to improve care, reduce heath inequalities and prevent premature mortality of people with a learning disability and autistic people by reviewing information about the health and social care support that people received.

We also published the Mental Health and Wellbeing Recovery Plan, setting out our response to the mental health impacts of the pandemic. Many of the actions in the Plan will support people at risk of self-harm or suicide, including autistic people. The Plan is backed by an additional £500 million, including £5 million to support suicide prevention organisations in 2021/22.

The information requested is not held centrally. Several Government funds can be used for mental health support for social care workers which are non-ringfenced, to give flexibility to providers, local authorities and partners such as Skills for Care on how they choose to meet COVID-19 priorities.

We have not undertaken any such impact assessments to date.

We have worked alongside the National Health Service and other organisations to provide a package of emotional, psychological and practical resources for the social care workforce. We are engaging with social care stakeholders to understand the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of staff and that the right support is available.

To support the wellbeing of social care workers, we have worked alongside the National Health Service and other organisations to provide a package of emotional, psychological and practical resources for the workforce. This includes support helplines, guidance, bereavement resources and a bespoke package of support for registered managers.

The Workforce Development Fund enables employers to access funding to support the development of their workforce’s knowledge and skills, including mental health training. We have also commissioned Skills for Care to create a package of support for registered managers which includes support for mental wellbeing.

We have worked alongside the National Health Service and other organisations to provide a package of emotional, psychological and practical resources for all care workers. This package includes support helplines, guidance, bereavement resources and a bespoke package of support for registered managers. We have also worked with the sector to ensure that wellbeing resources and best practice advice are streamlined and easier to navigate.

The Government recognises the importance of palliative and end of life care services, including hospices. The hospice sector has played a vital role in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic which is reflected by the provision of up to £280 million of additional funding from March 2020 to March 2021.

The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement proactively engage with the whole sector on an ongoing basis to understand the issues they face and their views of upcoming needs and challenges. Most hospices are independent, charitable organisations that receive some statutory funding, mainly from clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) for providing local services. CCGs are responsible for the planning and commissioning of high-quality, cost-effective services that meet the needs of their local population.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have developed Palliative and End of Life Care Strategic Clinical Networks, working closely with local commissioners, to develop and implement sustainable commissioning models for palliative and end of life care including hospice services that respond to the needs of their local population. This work includes the development of service specifications and an investment framework.

The Government recognises the importance of palliative and end of life care services, including hospices. The hospice sector has played a vital role in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic which is reflected by the provision of up to £280 million of additional funding from March 2020 to March 2021.

The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement proactively engage with the whole sector on an ongoing basis to understand the issues they face and their views of upcoming needs and challenges. Most hospices are independent, charitable organisations that receive some statutory funding, mainly from clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) for providing local services. CCGs are responsible for the planning and commissioning of high-quality, cost-effective services that meet the needs of their local population.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have developed Palliative and End of Life Care Strategic Clinical Networks, working closely with local commissioners, to develop and implement sustainable commissioning models for palliative and end of life care including hospice services that respond to the needs of their local population. This work includes the development of service specifications and an investment framework.

The Government recognises the importance of palliative and end of life care services, including hospices. The hospice sector has played a vital role in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic which is reflected by the provision of up to £280 million of additional funding from March 2020 to March 2021.

The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement proactively engage with the whole sector on an ongoing basis to understand the issues they face and their views of upcoming needs and challenges. Most hospices are independent, charitable organisations that receive some statutory funding, mainly from clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) for providing local services. CCGs are responsible for the planning and commissioning of high-quality, cost-effective services that meet the needs of their local population.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have developed Palliative and End of Life Care Strategic Clinical Networks, working closely with local commissioners, to develop and implement sustainable commissioning models for palliative and end of life care including hospice services that respond to the needs of their local population. This work includes the development of service specifications and an investment framework.

The Government recognises the importance of palliative and end of life care services, including hospices. The hospice sector has played a vital role in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic which is reflected by the provision of up to £280 million of additional funding from March 2020 to March 2021.

The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement proactively engage with the whole sector on an ongoing basis to understand the issues they face and their views of upcoming needs and challenges. Most hospices are independent, charitable organisations that receive some statutory funding, mainly from clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) for providing local services. CCGs are responsible for the planning and commissioning of high-quality, cost-effective services that meet the needs of their local population.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have developed Palliative and End of Life Care Strategic Clinical Networks, working closely with local commissioners, to develop and implement sustainable commissioning models for palliative and end of life care including hospice services that respond to the needs of their local population. This work includes the development of service specifications and an investment framework.

As part of their work in helping respond to the pandemic, external contractors may provide support in answering Written Questions if required. However, Senior Civil Servants review each reply to ensure it is accurate and provide final sign-off.

Information on how many responses to Written Questions have included contributions by external contractors and an estimate of costs to the Department is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

As part of their work in helping respond to the pandemic, external contractors may provide support in answering Written Questions if required. However, Senior Civil Servants review each reply to ensure it is accurate and provide final sign-off.

Information on how many responses to Written Questions have included contributions by external contractors and an estimate of costs to the Department is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

We have made no such estimate.

The Supreme Court has upheld the Court of Appeal judgment. Workers on ‘sleep-in’ shifts are entitled to the minimum wage for the time they are awake for the purpose of working. The Government is working closely with local authorities and providers in order to consider whether this judgment might have implications with respect to the provision of social care more generally and to consider what action if any is needed.

Local authorities and providers should continue to ensure that that care workers are supported and remunerated in accordance with both minimum wage law and local authorities’ market shaping duties.

Housing-with-care has a vital role in enabling older people to live independently, with the necessary care and support available if required. Both the Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government provide capital funding subsidy to incentivise their supply. In the context of an ageing population, both Departments are committed to working closely together, and across government, to refine our understanding of the evidence base around specialist housing, adult social care and health. Both Departments are also committed to further improve the diversity of housing options available to older people, including housing-with-care, and are engaging closely both with the sector and a range of other stakeholders on this issue.

Housing-with-care has a vital role in enabling older people to live independently, with the necessary care and support available if required. Both the Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government provide capital funding subsidy to incentivise their supply. In the context of an ageing population, both Departments are committed to working closely together, and across government, to refine our understanding of the evidence base around specialist housing, adult social care and health. Both Departments are also committed to further improve the diversity of housing options available to older people, including housing-with-care, and are engaging closely both with the sector and a range of other stakeholders on this issue.

We take parliamentary scrutiny incredibly seriously and it is fundamentally important that hon. Members are provided with accurate and timely information to enable them to hold the Government to account. We are working rapidly to provide all Members with accurate answers to their questions, as well as supporting the Government’s response to the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The hon. Member’s questions will be answered as soon as possible.

On 24 February the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) published a clarification of their advice on vaccinating people with a learning disability. They confirmed their view that priority should be given to those with a severe and profound learning disability, but recognised concerns about coding of Learning Disability on general practitioner (GP) systems and supported a practical approach of inviting everyone who is on the GP Learning Disability Register for vaccination in cohort 6.

The JCVI also supports an approach for the National Health Service to work with local authorities to identify adults with learning disability in residential and nursing care, and those who require support, for example as part of assisted living in the community, and those in shared accommodation with multiple occupancy.

The NHS can identify adults who have severe mental illnesses, including individuals with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or any mental illness that causes severe functional impairment, who are eligible for vaccination in cohort 6 through GP records.

Local systems are best placed to reach out to our diverse communities and avoid inequalities in access, and every system should have a plan for full coverage for health inclusion groups. Regional teams working with local systems have identified local health inclusion groups that will require access to the vaccine, within eligible patient cohorts. Locally commissioned arrangements to reach these groups may include local NHS Community & Mental Health Trust providers, primary care networks, or partnership activity with statutory and voluntary services.

On 24 February the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) published a clarification of their advice on vaccinating people with a learning disability. They confirmed their view that priority should be given to those with a severe and profound learning disability, but recognised concerns about coding of Learning Disability on general practitioner (GP) systems and supported a practical approach of inviting everyone who is on the GP Learning Disability Register for vaccination in cohort 6.

The JCVI also supports an approach for the National Health Service to work with local authorities to identify adults with learning disability in residential and nursing care, and those who require support, for example as part of assisted living in the community, and those in shared accommodation with multiple occupancy.

The NHS can identify adults who have severe mental illnesses, including individuals with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or any mental illness that causes severe functional impairment, who are eligible for vaccination in cohort 6 through GP records.

Local systems are best placed to reach out to our diverse communities and avoid inequalities in access, and every system should have a plan for full coverage for health inclusion groups. Regional teams working with local systems have identified local health inclusion groups that will require access to the vaccine, within eligible patient cohorts. Locally commissioned arrangements to reach these groups may include local NHS Community & Mental Health Trust providers, primary care networks, or partnership activity with statutory and voluntary services.

The data is not held centrally in the format requested.

Unpaid carers are included in the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s priority group six. This also includes those who are eligible for a carer’s allowance, or those who are the sole or primary carer of an elderly or disabled person who is at increased risk of COVID-19 mortality and therefore clinically vulnerable.

The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for unpaid carers has now been published. The SOP draws on national and local sources for known carers, to help identify and enable them to be invited quickly for a vaccination, as well as making provision for those unpaid carers who may not already be known to the health and social care system to come forward. The SOP is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2021/03/C1182-sop-covid-19-vaccine-deployment-programme-unpaid-carers-jcvi-priority-cohort-6.pdf

Unpaid carers are included in the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s priority group six. This also includes those who are eligible for a carer’s allowance, or those who are the sole or primary carer of an elderly or disabled person who is at increased risk of COVID-19 mortality and therefore clinically vulnerable.

The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for unpaid carers has now been published. The SOP draws on national and local sources for known carers, to help identify and enable them to be invited quickly for a vaccination, as well as making provision for those unpaid carers who may not already be known to the health and social care system to come forward. The SOP is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2021/03/C1182-sop-covid-19-vaccine-deployment-programme-unpaid-carers-jcvi-priority-cohort-6.pdf

NHS England’s Standard Operating Procedure sets out how unpaid carers are being identified. NHS England estimates that there are approximately two million unpaid carers in England. This is based on the number of people either eligible for a carer’s allowance, identified through general pracitioner records, receiving support following a carer’s assessment by their local council or from a local carer’s organisation, or who are the sole or primary carer of an elderly or disabled person who is clinically vulnerable to COVID-19.

A bespoke process is being developed for any eligible but unknown unpaid carers so they can self-declare and still apply for priority vaccination.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are the independent experts who advise the Government on which vaccines the United Kingdom should use and provide advice on prioritisation at a population level.  For the first phase, the JCVI has advised that the vaccine be given to care home residents and staff, as well as frontline health and social care workers, then to the rest of the population in order of age and clinical risk factors.

Prioritisation decisions for the next phase of delivery are subject to of the surveillance and monitoring of data and information from phase one, as well as further input from independent scientific experts such as the JCVI. Phase two of the roll-out may include further reduction in hospitalisation and targeted vaccination of those at high risk of exposure and/or those delivering key public services.

Evidence suggests that those with no clinical background or training should be completely able to secure an effective sample. International peer-reviewed evidence suggests that self-swabbing is just as effective at securing a valid sample as clinician-administered testing. Each kit comes with comprehensive instructions on how to administer the swab.

Evidence suggests that those with no clinical background or training should be able to secure an effective sample. International peer-reviewed evidence suggests that self-swabbing is just as effective at securing a valid sample as clinician-administered testing. Each kit comes with comprehensive instructions on how to administer the swab.

Between 23 and 27 December, people may travel between tiers and other nations of the United Kingdom, if necessary to meet with other households in their Christmas ‘bubble’ or return home. Once at their destination, they should follow the rules in that tier.

Individuals can stay in a hotel during the Christmas period, including accommodation in tier 3 areas, or with other members of your household. People can only meet their Christmas bubble in a hotel if it is the primary residence of one of the members of their bubble. This is also the case for other types of non-private residence, for example an educational establishment or bed and breakfast. Those in a Christmas bubble must not mix in any shared facilities or spaces, like a restaurant. However, households or bubbles can stay in private rented accommodation.

Discussions about implementing tier restrictions take place at the COVID Operations Committee. These decisions are based on public health recommendations from senior clinical and scientific advisors, guided by five key indicators - the case detection rate in all age groups; case detection rates among the over 60 year olds; the rate at which case rates are rising or falling; the positivity rate; and pressures on the National Health Service.

A search of the Department’s Ministerial Correspondence database for any such representations could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Restrictions are not placed on district level but at county and regional levels. Decisions on tiers are made by Ministers based on public health recommendations from senior clinical and scientific advisors, guided by five key indicators; the case detection rate in all age groups; case detection rates among the over 60 year olds; the rate at which case rates are rising or falling; the positivity rate; and pressures on the National Health Service. Final decisions on tiering are made by the COVID-19 Operations Committee.

The Government recognises the importance of training and development for social workers and commissions a range of programmes to support the skills and knowledge of the workforce and opportunities for career progression. This includes over £11 million of funding in 2020/21 for the Workforce Development Fund which supports vocational learning for the care sector.

The Government does not determine care workers’ pay or employment conditions. We have given councils access to an additional £1 billion of funding for adult social care. The funding is intended to help councils to meet rising costs of social care, including rising pay. In any event, all care workers over 18 years old should be paid at least the National Living Wage or if over 25 years old, the National Minimum Wage.

Throughout the pandemic, the Government has listened carefully to the views of the scientific community, in particular the information from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and its sub-groups when taking decisions on the best way to tackle the pandemic.

The evidence that is considered by SAGE and used to support the Government’s response to COVID-19 is shared on GOV.UK at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/scientific-evidence-supporting-the-government-response-to-coronavirus-covid-19

Close contact services including hairdressing and beauty services are associated with an increased risk of transmission of the virus. Scientists have made it clear that the more you break the chains of transmission the more you reduce spread of the virus. Therefore, the current restrictions are in place to limit the number of interactions that people have and therefore reduce the risk spread.

The information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Where a person tests positive for COVID-19, NHS Test and Trace will ask them to provide information about their close contacts throughout the period that begins 48 hours before symptom onset or 48 hours before the date of their test if they did not have symptoms and ends seven days after symptom onset or date of test, when they are most likely to be infectious. They are also asked to provide information about all other members of their household.

Under the national restrictions, all non-essential businesses must close. These restrictions are designed to reduce the number of face-to-face contact and limit the rate of infection. This includes baby sensory classes. Under the restrictions, no person may participate in a gathering which consists of two or more people, and takes place indoors, including within a private dwelling, gyms or specialist child service centres.

However, the use of online classes and virtual support classes are a potential means to support families of young children with social contact online and serve as a basis for support for parents to provide sensory experiences at home.

For visits to happen, a provider needs to assess and balance the risk of local prevalence and the ability of the care home to manage the visit safely. This dynamic risk assessment must formally take into account the advice of the local Director of Public Health.

On 5 November we published guidance to enable COVID-19-secure visits for care home residents while national restrictions are in place. The guidance will enable care home providers, families and local professionals to work together to find the right balance between the benefits of visiting on wellbeing and quality of life, and the risk of transmission of COVID-19 to social care staff and vulnerable residents.

New visiting arrangements started on 8 March. Every care home should ensure that each resident can nominate one named person who can have regular, indoor visits. Visiting arrangements that have been available throughout the period of national lockdown should continue i.e. using substantial screens, visiting pods, behind windows or outdoors. Visits in exceptional circumstances including end of life should always be supported and enabled.

At Step 2 of the roadmap, we will assess the data and take a decision on opening up further opportunities for visiting - setting out a plan for the next phase of visits for people in residential care.

We recognise how important it is to allow care home residents to safely meet their loved ones. On 5 November we published guidance to enable COVID-19 secure visits to take place for care home residents while national restrictions were in place. This guidance was intended to enable providers, supported by local professionals, families and the wider community, to provide appropriate visiting opportunities, that balance these important benefits against the continued priority of preventing infections to protect staff and residents.

On 1 December we published new guidance for care home visiting following the November period of national restrictions, enabling indoor visits to take place provided a visitor had a negative COVID-19 test combined with infection prevention and control precautions.

On 19 December tier 4 was introduced which restricted visiting to the same basis as the November national restrictions, given the increased prevalence of the virus in tier 4 areas.

On 6 January the current national lockdown began. We updated our guidance on 12 January. For this period, visiting is restricted to outdoor visiting and screened visits. Visits in exceptional circumstances including end of life should always be enabled.

Recognising the importance of visiting for the wellbeing of residents and those who visit them, we will work to enable more visits as soon as it is safe to do so.

The Government aims for full implementation of the Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS), as set out in the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019, for April 2022.

The Department is drafting a Code of Practice and secondary legislation for the implementation of LPS. Both will be subject to public consultation in spring 2021. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the Government plans to lay the Code and regulations before Parliament in the autumn of that year.

The Department is also working with stakeholders from across the local government, health and social care sectors to develop workforce plans to ensure that implementation is a success.

The Government aims for full implementation of the Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS), as set out in the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019, for April 2022.

The Department is drafting a Code of Practice and secondary legislation for the implementation of LPS. Both will be subject to public consultation in spring 2021. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the Government plans to lay the Code and regulations before Parliament in the autumn of that year.

The Department is also working with stakeholders from across the local government, health and social care sectors to develop workforce plans to ensure that implementation is a success.

The Government aims for full implementation of the Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS), as set out in the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019, for April 2022.

The Department is drafting a Code of Practice and secondary legislation for the implementation of LPS. Both will be subject to public consultation in spring 2021. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the Government plans to lay the Code and regulations before Parliament in the autumn of that year.

The Department is also working with stakeholders from across the local government, health and social care sectors to develop workforce plans to ensure that implementation is a success.

The Government aims for full implementation of the Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS), as set out in the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019, for April 2022.

The Department is drafting a Code of Practice and secondary legislation for the implementation of LPS. Both will be subject to public consultation in spring 2021. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the Government plans to lay the Code and regulations before Parliament in the autumn of that year.

The Department is also working with stakeholders from across the local government, health and social care sectors to develop workforce plans to ensure that implementation is a success.

General practitioners and other National Health Service providers have been asked to prioritise flu vaccination for all those who are in the clinically vulnerable groups, documented in the national guidance, this includes children and adults with cystic fibrosis.

Vaccination of those who are in at risk groups has started and will continue in all areas in England through the winter months.

Once entered into the contact tracing system, positive cases are asked to provide details of their close recent contacts via an online form. Between 14 to 20 January, 42.9% of positive cases responded in this way.

If this process is not completed within eight hours, the case is handed over to a clinical case worker who will attempt to make contact by telephone and will call up to ten times over the next 24-hour period. After 24 hours have elapsed, the case will then be passed on to the relevant local authority for follow up, where a local tracing partnership is in place.

The information is not available in the format requested.

Currently the information is not available in the format requested.

The information requested is not available in the format requested. We publish the number of non-complex contacts who were reached and advised to self-isolate within 24 hours of the case being transferred to the contact tracing system on GOV.UK.

The weekly data for COVID-19 testing in the United Kingdom with the numbers of home testing kits sent out and tests undertaken at regional, local, mobile and satellite test centres is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/nhs-test-and-trace-statistics-england-weekly-reports

The information requested is not held centrally.

We do not hold data in the format requested.

The information requested is not available, as data on a person's employment status is not collected centrally for the shielded patients list.

Public Health England has shared daily and weekly local, regional and national surveillance and epidemiology reports with local authorities since May 2020. The information contained in these reports is used to inform local risk assessments and situational awareness.

The provision of a daily list of cases and their contacts to local authorities from 20 July was an extension to these ongoing activities.

Public Health England (PHE) regional and health protection teams work very closely with local authorities to provide the necessary local intelligence and data that is needed for local risk assessments and action.

Prior to 20 July, PHE worked with local authorities to meet their expressed data and intelligence needs. Based on these discussions with local authorities, the Association of Directors of Public Health, Solace and Local Government Association colleagues, PHE agreed to provide a daily list of identifiable data on cases and their contacts. The Government drew up a Data Sharing Agreement with local authorities and on that basis have been providing all local authorities with access to postcode level testing data.

I replied to the hon. Member’s question on 14 July.

Since the Secretary of State’s announcement, around 15,000 badges have been distributed at no cost to social care providers or members of the workforce.

To increase supply, additional badges of recognition have been procured by the Government and we expect to be able to start distribution of these badges shortly. Details of how they will be distributed to people working in social care will be available in due course.

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) has published age-standardised mortality rates by country, region, local authority and Middle Layer Super Output Areas. The report published on 12 June 2020 can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsinvolvingcovid19bylocalareasanddeprivation/deathsoccurringbetween1marchand31may2020/

Between 1 March and 31 May 2020, the age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) published by the ONS was 81.9 per 100,000 persons in England, 98.9 per 100,000 persons in the North West, and 135.5 in Manchester Local Authority. ASMR by National Health Service trusts are not published by the ONS.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my Rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 8 July, Official Report, column 966.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my Rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 8 July, Official Report, column 966.

Since the Secretary of State’s announcement around 15,000 badges have been distributed at no cost to social care providers or members of the workforce.

To increase supply, additional badges of recognition have been procured by government and we expect to be able to start distribution of these badges shortly. Details of how they will be distributed to people working in social care will be available in due course.

On 15 April, we set out our comprehensive action plan to support the adult social care sector in England throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, including ramping up testing, overhauling the way personal protective equipment is being delivered to care homes and helping to minimise the spread of the virus to keep people safe.

Since the start of this outbreak we have been working closely with the sector and public health experts to put in place guidance and support for adult social care and we will continue to ensure they have everything they need to respond.

The Government has published a range of general COVID-19 guidance documents. We have worked with the Social Care Institute for Excellence on more detailed guidance on supporting people with learning disability and autistic people during the COVID-19 pandemic which is available at the following link:

https://www.scie.org.uk/care-providers/coronavirus-covid-19/learning-disabilities-autism

We are commissioning Public Health England to undertake a thorough analysis of the numbers of deaths of people with a learning disability. This will draw on data published by NHS England and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to give as complete a picture of the impact of COVID-19 on this group of people as possible.

The following table shows the breakdown of deaths of people with a learning disability in adult social care.

Data collection is between 10 April and 15 May 2020. Details correct at 15 May 2020.

It should be noted that the number of deaths included above may be higher than officially reported figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is because ONS deaths data is based on clinically verified death certificates whereas the CQC’s data is derived from notifications made by providers. In some cases, deaths may be reported to the CQC as COVID-19 related when the true cause of death is not due to COVID-19.

From 7 June 2020 all remaining adult care homes will be able to access whole care home testing for all residents and asymptomatic staff through the digital portal at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/apply-coronavirus-test-care-home

These will include specialist adult care homes catering for adults with learning disabilities or mental health issues, physical disabilities, acquired brain injuries and other categories for younger adults under 65 years.

We are continuing to explore how we can support other parts of the care sector such as supported living settings, extra care settings and domiciliary care. Anyone with suspected COVID-19 symptoms in these settings can access testing at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/apply-coronavirus-test-essential-workers

On 15 April, we set out our comprehensive action plan to support the adult social care sector in England throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, including ramping up testing, overhauling the way personal protective equipment is being delivered to care homes and helping to minimise the spread of the virus to keep people safe.

Since the start of this outbreak we have been working closely with the sector and public health experts to put in place guidance and support for adult social care and we will continue to ensure they have everything they need to respond.

The Government has published a range of general COVID-19 guidance documents. We have worked with the Social Care Institute for Excellence on more detailed guidance on supporting people with learning disability and autistic people during the COVID-19 pandemic which is available at the following link:

https://www.scie.org.uk/care-providers/coronavirus-covid-19/learning-disabilities-autism

We are commissioning Public Health England to undertake a thorough analysis of the numbers of deaths of people with a learning disability. This will draw on data published by NHS England and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to give as complete a picture of the impact of COVID-19 on this group of people as possible.

The following table shows the breakdown of deaths of people with a learning disability in adult social care.

Data collection is between 10 April and 15 May 2020. Details correct at 15 May 2020.

It should be noted that the number of deaths included above may be higher than officially reported figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is because ONS deaths data is based on clinically verified death certificates whereas the CQC’s data is derived from notifications made by providers. In some cases, deaths may be reported to the CQC as COVID-19 related when the true cause of death is not due to COVID-19.

On 15 April, we set out our comprehensive action plan to support the adult social care sector in England throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, including ramping up testing, overhauling the way personal protective equipment is being delivered to care homes and helping to minimise the spread of the virus to keep people safe.

Since the start of this outbreak we have been working closely with the sector and public health experts to put in place guidance and support for adult social care and we will continue to ensure they have everything they need to respond.

The Government has published a range of general COVID-19 guidance documents. We have worked with the Social Care Institute for Excellence on more detailed guidance on supporting people with learning disability and autistic people during the COVID-19 pandemic which is available at the following link:

https://www.scie.org.uk/care-providers/coronavirus-covid-19/learning-disabilities-autism

We are commissioning Public Health England to undertake a thorough analysis of the numbers of deaths of people with a learning disability. This will draw on data published by NHS England and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to give as complete a picture of the impact of COVID-19 on this group of people as possible.

The following table shows the breakdown of deaths of people with a learning disability in adult social care.

Data collection is between 10 April and 15 May 2020. Details correct at 15 May 2020.

It should be noted that the number of deaths included above may be higher than officially reported figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is because ONS deaths data is based on clinically verified death certificates whereas the CQC’s data is derived from notifications made by providers. In some cases, deaths may be reported to the CQC as COVID-19 related when the true cause of death is not due to COVID-19.

We do not currently publish the reproduction (R) rate in each region. The Government Office for Science published the latest R number range for the United Kingdom on 29 May. The current R number range can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-r-number-in-the-uk

The Government is committed to publishing the scientific evidence that has informed the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergency’s (SAGE) advice. These papers are being published in batches. The latest batches were released on 20 May and 22 May and the next batch will published in the coming weeks. The full list of papers released to date is available at the following the link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response

This list will be updated to reflect papers considered at recent and future meetings.

We are working around the clock to give the social care sector and wider National Health Service the equipment and support they need to tackle this outbreak.

We published a personal protective equipment (PPE) Plan on 10 April, setting out clear guidance on who needs PPE and in what circumstances they need to use it; and how sufficient supplies will be secured and distributed to the front line. The ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19): personal protective equipment (PPE) plan’ can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-personal-protective-equipment-ppe-plan

Information on COVID-19 deaths of people with a learning disability notified to the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review programme is available on the NHS England website at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/covid-19-deaths-of-patients-with-a-learning-disability-notified-to-leder/

NHS England publishes COVID-19 daily deaths of people who have died in hospitals in England and had tested positive for COVID-19 or where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-daily-deaths/

These daily reports include a breakdown by such criteria as reporting trust, region, age, ethnicity, gender and specific pre-existing conditions, including learning disability and/or autism.

Public Health England is leading a rapid review to better understand how different factors such as ethnicity, deprivation, age, sex (male and female) and obesity can impact on how people are affected by COVID-19. The report is being finalised and will be published shortly.

Information on COVID-19 deaths of people with a learning disability notified to the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review programme is available on the NHS England website at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/covid-19-deaths-of-patients-with-a-learning-disability-notified-to-leder/

NHS England publishes COVID-19 daily deaths of people who have died in hospitals in England and had tested positive for COVID-19 or where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-daily-deaths/

These daily reports include a breakdown by such criteria as reporting trust, region, age, ethnicity, gender and specific pre-existing conditions, including learning disability and/or autism.

Public Health England is leading a rapid review to better understand how different factors such as ethnicity, deprivation, age, sex (male and female) and obesity can impact on how people are affected by COVID-19. The report is being finalised and will be published shortly.

Information on COVID-19 deaths of people with a learning disability notified to the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review programme is available on the NHS England website at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/covid-19-deaths-of-patients-with-a-learning-disability-notified-to-leder/

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) publishes an annual report ‘Monitoring the Mental Health Act’ which includes annual data for notifications to the CQC of deaths of people detained under the Mental Health Act.

The CQC has reported that, from 1 March to 1 May 2020, it had been notified of 54 deaths that mental health providers had indicated were suspected or confirmed to be COVID-19-related. This includes people who were detained in hospital and people subject to the Mental Health Act who were in the community.

The hon. Members’ questions were answered on 15 May and 7 May respectively.

Information on COVID-19 deaths of people with a learning disability notified to the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review programme is available on the NHS England website at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/covid-19-deaths-of-patients-with-a-learning-disability-notified-to-leder/

NHS England publishes COVID-19 daily deaths of people who have died in hospitals in England and had tested positive for COVID-19 or where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-daily-deaths/

These daily reports include a breakdown by such criteria as reporting trust, region, age, ethnicity, gender and specific pre-existing conditions, including learning disability and/or autism.

Public Health England is leading a rapid review to better understand how different factors such as ethnicity, deprivation, age, sex (male and female) and obesity can impact on how people are affected by COVID-19. The report is being finalised and will be published shortly.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent regulator of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom, and nursing associates in England. The NMC’s regulatory activities are primarily funded by annual registration fees, currently set at £120 per year.

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is the independent regulator of 15 professions in the UK, including paramedics, practitioner psychologists and occupational therapists. The HCPC’s regulatory activities are primarily funded by annual registration fees, currently set at £90 per year.

There are no registration fees for any healthcare professionals joining the NMC or HCPC temporary register.

While we currently have no plans to subsidise the annual registration fees of existing NMC and HCPC registrants, we are considering how to recognise the incredible work that healthcare staff are doing to support the collective effort to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak. As part of this, we will be engaging with staff and employers.

A regularly updated list of which local authorities have informed the Department that they have taken the decision to operate under the Care Act Easements introduced by the Coronavirus Act 2020 is publicly available at the following link:

www.cqc.org.uk/CareActEasements

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) is an advisory group. At its 10 March 2020 meeting, SAGE provided advice on enhanced distancing measures for vulnerable groups, based on consideration of the likely effectiveness of different options. This advice draws upon a range of inputs including modelling, clinical expertise and behavioural science, amongst others.

It is a decision for any employer, including those in the independent healthcare provider under contract to provide services to the National Health Service, to choose to apply to access funds from the Government’s COVID-19 Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) to furlough some or all of their workers. Staff must agree to being furloughed.

CJRS allows employers to claim for ‘employees’ on any type of employment contract, including full-time, part-time, agency or flexible. The scheme covers casual and zero-hour workers where they are paid via the PAYE system.

All applications to furlough staff must be made to HM Revenue and Customs. HM Revenue and Customs is ultimately responsible for deciding which applications can receive financial support to furlough staff or not.

Organisations who are receiving public funding specifically to provide services necessary to respond to COVID-19 are not expected to furlough staff, casual or otherwise. This would include independent health care providers under contract to provide services to the NHS in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, it is not expected these providers would furlough substantive staff or “casual” workers i.e. zero-hours contract workers on staff Banks paid via PAYE where those staff are needed to deliver services within scope of the contract and the contract includes funding for staff costs.

On 25 April, the Department announced that the clinical trial REMAP-CAP has been given approval to determine if plasma donated by patients who have recovered from COVID-19 can help those with the virus. NHS Blood and Transplant has started to collect convalescent plasma to supply to REMAP-CAP, with the first transfusion expected this week.

In parallel with the trial, NHS Blood and Transplant is scaling up a national programme for collecting plasma so the treatment can be widely rolled out if it is shown to be effective. The collection of plasma will be ramped up by mid-May to deliver up to 10,000 units of plasma to the National Health Service every week, enough to treat 5,000 COVID-19 patients per week.

Convalescent plasma has been used as an effective treatment for emerging infections in the past, and this step forward underpins the Department’s science-backed approach to fighting this virus.

As of 28 April, six local authorities have notified the Department that they have taken the decision to operate under the Care Act easements. These are Sunderland City Council, Warwickshire County Council, Staffordshire County Council, Birmingham City Council, Solihull Council and Derbyshire County Council. Middlesbrough also notified the Department of a decision to operate under the Care Act easements but has since notified the Department that they have resumed duties under the Care Act 2014.

Data on the number and proportion of people who have been diagnosed with and died from COVID-19 are not available in the format requested.

The latest data on the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in hospitals can be viewed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

The United Kingdom Government and devolved administrations published clear guidance on COVID-19 personal protective equipment for health and social care workers. This has been written and reviewed by all four UK public health bodies and informed by National Health Service infection prevention control experts. The guidance can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-infection-prevention-and-control/covid-19-personal-protective-equipment-ppe

The guidance is consistent with World Health Organization (WHO) guidance for protecting health and social care workers from COVID-19. The use of aprons rather than gowns for non-aerosol generating procedures, including advice on thoroughly washing forearms if there is a risk of exposure to droplets is consistent with the UK policy of bare below the elbows and evidence reviews on the risks of healthcare acquired infections. This is a longstanding policy difference between the WHO and the United Kingdom.

More information can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-personal-protective-equipment-ppe-guidance-for-nhs-teams

We are incredibly proud of all our health and care staff who work in both National Health Service and social care settings. We are working hard to ensure that staff feel supported and safe to continue the fight against COVID-19.

We recognise their extraordinary commitment, working day and night putting our care and safety at the centre of everything they do.

Annual pay awards for NHS staff are determined by an independent transparent pay review body process.

Pay for Agenda for Change staff is already set for 2020/21 as part of the multi-year (2018/19 – 20/21) pay and contract reform deal and for junior doctors following a multi-year pay and contract reform deal agreed in June 2019 (2019/20 – 22/23).

The pay review bodies will make pay recommendations for 2020/21 for consultants and speciality doctors.

We want to ensure that the NHS employment offer continues to attract, retain and reward staff and this offer continues to be kept under review.

Social care providers determine the level of pay for their employees on an individual basis.

It is vital that we continue to attract, retain and reward NHS and care staff and we are determined to do everything we can to show that they are truly valued.

The United Kingdom Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been guided by the advice of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) with the sole purpose of minimising loss of life. The Government has published the scientific advice given by SAGE which can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response

It is important for everyone to follow the Government’s stay at home guidance to minimise the spread of COVID-19. In addition to social distancing measures for everyone it is important for those in the extremely vulnerable category to follow the guidance on shielding. People in this category will be contacted by the National Health Service by no later than 29 March to ensure they are aware. Shielding guidance has also been published online and can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

A pilot project to introduce a national Quality of Life metric has been underway since 2017. This pilot project has tested approaches to collecting quality of life information through a survey. NHS England and NHS Improvement are carrying out more survey testing of other cancer types and in more hospital, trusts using a refined method based on feedback from the pilot. Information from these tests will be used to decide on a final roll out model.

The national Cancer Quality of Life metric will formally launch later this year.

By 2021, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access, where appropriate, to personalised care, including a needs assessment, a care plan and health and wellbeing information and support. The needs assessment guides a conversation about the person’s holistic needs (physical, psychosocial, financial and social) in order to identify any concerns, including psychological and emotional.

Over the next three years every patient with cancer will receive a Personalised Care and Support Plan based on holistic needs assessment, end of treatment summaries and health and wellbeing information and support.

On 13 March 2020 [updated on 6 April 2020], the government published guidance for social or community care and residential settings which was cascaded across the United Kingdom by Public Health England and devolved authorities which can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-residential-care-supported-living-and-home-care-guidance

The guidance is tailored for providers of residential care, supported living and home care, in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak. The guidance sets out:

- How to maintain delivery of care in the event of an outbreak or widespread transmission of COVID-19; and

- What to do if care workers or individuals being cared for have symptoms of COVID-19.

On 15 April 2020 the government published ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19): adult social care action plan’ which can be read here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-adult-social-care-action-plan

The government also announced £2.9 billion funding to strengthen care for the vulnerable. This funding is part of the government’s commitment to ensure the National Health Service, social care system and other public services, have all the resources they need during the COVID-19 outbreak.

On 13 March 2020 [updated on 6 April 2020], the government published guidance for social or community care and residential settings which was cascaded across the United Kingdom by Public Health England and devolved authorities which can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-residential-care-supported-living-and-home-care-guidance

The guidance is tailored for providers of residential care, supported living and home care, in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak. The guidance sets out:

- How to maintain delivery of care in the event of an outbreak or widespread transmission of COVID-19; and

- What to do if care workers or individuals being cared for have symptoms of COVID-19.

On 15 April 2020 the government published ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19): adult social care action plan’ which can be read here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-adult-social-care-action-plan

The government also announced £2.9 billion funding to strengthen care for the vulnerable. This funding is part of the government’s commitment to ensure the National Health Service, social care system and other public services, have all the resources they need during the COVID-19 outbreak.

We will publish the fifth progress report and updated cross-Government suicide prevention workplan in 2020.

The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement are committed to dissolving the boundaries between primary medical care, mental health services and community health services so that they work together better for the benefits of patients. To deliver the requirements of the Network Contract Direct Enhanced Service, Primary Care Networks will be required to work with their community services providers, community mental health providers and community pharmacies, and to record in their network agreement how they will deliver services in an integrated way.

The final report providing advice to clinical commissioning groups and local authorities on the use of Section 140 of the Mental Health Act 1983 will be published in the next few months.

The report has been prepared by the independent review of the Mental Health Act and published in December 2018, which recommended that guidance should be issued to support National Health Service commissioners to discharge their statutory duties under Section 40 more effectively and consistently.

The final report providing advice to clinical commissioning groups and local authorities on the use of Section 140 of the Mental Health Act 1983 will be published in the next few months.

The report has been prepared by the independent review of the Mental Health Act and published in December 2018, which recommended that guidance should be issued to support National Health Service commissioners to discharge their statutory duties under Section 40 more effectively and consistently.

The following table shows the number of people who died by intentional self-poisoning or intentional self-harm within 60 days of attending accident and emergency (A&E) and, through the Accident and Emergency Clinical Coding Structure¹, received diagnosis of a ‘psychiatric condition’.

Source: NHS Digital

Note:

¹Accident and Emergency Clinical Coding Structure: https://www.datadictionary.nhs.uk/version2/web_site_content/pages/codes/administrative_codes/a_amp_e_diagnosis_tables.asp?shownav=1

The following table shows the number of people who died by intentional self-poisoning or intentional self-harm within 60 days of attending accident and emergency (A&E) and, through the Accident and Emergency Clinical Coding Structure¹, received diagnosis of a ‘psychiatric condition’.

Source: NHS Digital

Note:

¹Accident and Emergency Clinical Coding Structure: https://www.datadictionary.nhs.uk/version2/web_site_content/pages/codes/administrative_codes/a_amp_e_diagnosis_tables.asp?shownav=1

We have put in place proportionate, precautionary measures in response to the outbreak of coronavirus in China, guided by the clinical advice of the Chief Medical Officer and national experts in the treatment of infectious diseases.

On 3 February 2020 we issued advice to healthcare professionals in primary care and community settings including pharmacy. This advice was sent to all social care providers that are registered with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Central Alerting System. This advice highlighted what to do if a someone has concerns that they may have been exposed to or become infected with the novel coronavirus. It also directed healthcare professionals to further online guidance produced by Public Health England.

In addition, through a National Steering Group, the department is working closely with national partners including the Care Provider Alliance, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, the Local Government Association and the Care Quality Commission to help co-ordinate advice and support to the adult social care sector.

The taskforce has been set up to ensure inpatient services deliver timely, safe and high quality care for children and young people, including a focus on well-planned discharge to home or other appropriate services.

Transition from inpatient child and young people’s services to adult services will be considered as part of this work with the aim of ensuring decisions are based on the individual needs and circumstances of the young person. This should ensure appropriate preparation for transition of the children and young people and cross-organisational preparation for appropriate receipt into adult services.

The attached tables outline the number of people with a learning disability or autism who were inpatients in March 2015, March 2017 and December 2019 according to the Assuring Transformation dataset.

The data regarding the number of people held under the Transforming Care programme in units rated as requires improvement or inadequate by clinical commissioning group is not currently available in the format requested.

The third annual report is the latest report from Learning Disabilities Mortality Review (LeDeR) programme and was published on 21 May 2019. A further annual report will be published by the University of Bristol later this year. NHS England and NHS Improvement will also publish an action from learning report, setting out the work underway nationally in response to common themes raised through LeDeR reviews across the country.

We are taking action to address the recommendations set out in the third annual LeDeR report and will publish our formal response shortly.

The attached tables outline the number of people with a learning disability or autism who were inpatients in March 2015, March 2017 and December 2019 according to the Assuring Transformation dataset.

The data regarding the number of people held under the Transforming Care programme in units rated as requires improvement or inadequate by clinical commissioning group is not currently available in the format requested.

The Network Contract Direct Enhanced Service Specifications published in December 2019 have placed a clear emphasis on other providers of community services, including mental health services, being able to work alongside Primary Care Networks (PCNs) to ensure delivery of the multidisciplinary elements of the proposed new service model.

The 2019/20 General Practitioner contract that came into force in April 2019 is the most ambitious in a generation, creating a five-year framework for general practitioners. It supports the NHS Long Term Plan by increasing primary care funding and establishing new PCNs across the country. The PCN service specifications form part of annual GP contract negotiations between NHS England and the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association. Feedback received during engagement on the draft service specifications published in December 2019 has informed ongoing negotiations on the 2020/21 GP contract. NHS England will take a deal to Government for sign-off shortly. The detail within the service specifications are still subject to negotiation and therefore not yet finalised. A statement on the engagement and negotiations can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2020/01/primary-care-network-service-specifications-and-the-network-des-close-of-engagement/

The Network Contract Direct Enhanced Service Specifications published in December 2019 have placed a clear emphasis on other providers of community services, including mental health services, being able to work alongside Primary Care Networks (PCNs) to ensure delivery of the multidisciplinary elements of the proposed new service model.

The 2019/20 General Practitioner contract that came into force in April 2019 is the most ambitious in a generation, creating a five-year framework for general practitioners. It supports the NHS Long Term Plan by increasing primary care funding and establishing new PCNs across the country. The PCN service specifications form part of annual GP contract negotiations between NHS England and the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association. Feedback received during engagement on the draft service specifications published in December 2019 has informed ongoing negotiations on the 2020/21 GP contract. NHS England will take a deal to Government for sign-off shortly. The detail within the service specifications are still subject to negotiation and therefore not yet finalised. A statement on the engagement and negotiations can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2020/01/primary-care-network-service-specifications-and-the-network-des-close-of-engagement/

The information is not available in the requested format.

The following table shows the number of independent mental health hospitals and National Health Service mental health hospitals that are rated as good and outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), as at 22 January 2020.

Source: CQC database as at 22 January 2020

Information on the number of people detained under the Mental Health Act and who died subsequent to detention is not held centrally. Information on the number of deaths in detention is attached.

European Union nationals living in the United Kingdom at the point of the UK leaving the EU, will be able to access social care services, as they do now. Where they do not already have citizenship they will be able to access adult social care services either by applying to the EU Settlement Scheme or where they have not already done so applying for citizenship.

NHS England and NHS Improvement are committed to the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review Programme, as set out in the NHS Long Term Plan, and will continue to use the existing methodology and an internet based platform going forward.

Additional resources and support have been given to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), which includes entering into a contract with a Commissioning Support Unit, to complete historic reviews on behalf of CCGs.

NHS England and NHS Improvement are committed to the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review Programme, as set out in the NHS Long Term Plan, and will continue to use the existing methodology and an internet based platform going forward.

Additional resources and support have been given to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), which includes entering into a contract with a Commissioning Support Unit, to complete historic reviews on behalf of CCGs.

NHS England and NHS Improvement are committed to the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review Programme, as set out in the NHS Long Term Plan, and will continue to use the existing methodology and an internet based platform going forward.

Additional resources and support have been given to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), which includes entering into a contract with a Commissioning Support Unit, to complete historic reviews on behalf of CCGs.

The provisional Local Government Finance Settlement, published on 20 December 2019, proposed that local authorities will be able to increase council tax by an additional 2% exclusively for adult social care without holding a local referendum. This will allow councils to raise a further £500 million for adult social care in 2020-21.

Cross-referencing Assuring Transformation data and Care Quality Commission (CQC) data on service ratings indicates that of the 2,190 inpatients as at the end of November 2019, 225 (10%) were in services rated as requiring improvement and 125 (6%) were in services rated as inadequate by the CQC.

Inpatient counts have been rounded to the nearest five to minimise disclosure risks associated with small numbers.

The information requested is not centrally held.

The information requested is not centrally held.

The data in the following tables provide figures for independent and National Health Service mental health hospitals that have been rated by the Care Quality Commission as requires improvement or inadequate and mental health hospitals that have been rated as requires improvement or inadequate for safety. These figures are up to date as of 15 January 2020.

The information is not held in the format requested.

The data in the following tables provide figures for independent and National Health Service mental health hospitals that have been rated by the Care Quality Commission as requires improvement or inadequate and mental health hospitals that have been rated as requires improvement or inadequate for safety. These figures are up to date as of 15 January 2020.

Our assessment is that over the past 12 months, the Learning Disability Mortality Review (LeDeR) programme has made good progress in completing reviews, providing the largest body of evidence of deaths of people with a learning disability at an individual level anywhere in the world and using that evidence to turn learning into action to drive improvements in healthcare.

By December 2019, the latest date for which information is available, 3,195 reviews had been completed. There are also a further 1,923 reviews currently in progress. The total number of deaths notified to the Programme at December 2019 was 7,145 of which 3,060 had been notified in the last 12 months.

Unallocated reviews do not necessarily equate to a backlog as not all will have exceeded the standard for completion, which is within six months of a death being notified to the Programme. As a proportion of the total number of notifications to the Programme, unallocated reviews have reduced from 39% in November 2018 to 28% in December 2019. NHS England expect that, by the end of 2020, every clinical commissioning group (CCG) will be in a position to conclude all reviews within six months where it is appropriate to do so.

In May 2019, NHS England announced an additional £5 million investment in 2019/20 to address the backlog of unreviewed cases and increase the pace in which cases are allocated and reviewed in timely way. Monies have been allocated to CCGs and to the Commissioning Support Unit and is being invested in developing a dedicated workforce to carry out reviews and to develop systems and processes to embed quality improvement activity across the health and social care system. More than 2,000 experts have now been trained to undertake reviews.

Our assessment is that over the past 12 months, the Learning Disability Mortality Review (LeDeR) programme has made good progress in completing reviews, providing the largest body of evidence of deaths of people with a learning disability at an individual level anywhere in the world and using that evidence to turn learning into action to drive improvements in healthcare.

By December 2019, the latest date for which information is available, 3,195 reviews had been completed. There are also a further 1,923 reviews currently in progress. The total number of deaths notified to the Programme at December 2019 was 7,145 of which 3,060 had been notified in the last 12 months.

Unallocated reviews do not necessarily equate to a backlog as not all will have exceeded the standard for completion, which is within six months of a death being notified to the Programme. As a proportion of the total number of notifications to the Programme, unallocated reviews have reduced from 39% in November 2018 to 28% in December 2019. NHS England expect that, by the end of 2020, every clinical commissioning group (CCG) will be in a position to conclude all reviews within six months where it is appropriate to do so.

In May 2019, NHS England announced an additional £5 million investment in 2019/20 to address the backlog of unreviewed cases and increase the pace in which cases are allocated and reviewed in timely way. Monies have been allocated to CCGs and to the Commissioning Support Unit and is being invested in developing a dedicated workforce to carry out reviews and to develop systems and processes to embed quality improvement activity across the health and social care system. More than 2,000 experts have now been trained to undertake reviews.

The information is not available in the format requested.

The information is not available in the format requested.

Many primary care professionals provide some form of mental health support for their patients. However, it is not possible to estimate what proportion of new staff being recruited to work in primary care settings will be providing such support, as this is dependent on patient demand, local decision making and ensuring patients and clinicians have a navigable system.

The Government is committed to growing the primary care workforce by 6,000 more doctors in general practice and 6,000 other professionals, such as physiotherapists and pharmacists. This is on top of the additional 20,000 primary care professionals NHS England is already providing funding towards recruiting.

We are determined to find a long-term solution to the challenges in social care to ensure every person is treated with dignity and offered the security they deserve. We will seek to build cross-party consensus and will outline next steps shortly.

Improving the care and treatment of autistic people and people with learning disabilities is a priority for this Government.

The Independent Review of the Mental Health Act 1983 made a number of recommendations to improve the treatment of autistic people and people with learning disabilities under the Act.

During 2019, we also received two petitions to change how the Act applied to autistic people and people with learning disabilities.

We will be responding to the Review’s recommendations and to proposals to change the scope of the Act in a white paper early in 2020. We will then consult publicly on our proposals and bring forward a new Mental Health Bill to amend the Act.

The Independent Review of the Mental Health Act 1983 recommended that all existing dormitory accommodation should be updated to allow patients the privacy of their own room. The NHS Long Term Plan also recognised that capital investment is needed to upgrade the physical environment for inpatient psychiatric care but that this would be subject to the next capital review.

We will publish a white paper in early 2020 that will set out the Government’s response to the Review’s recommendations and we will bring forward a Mental Health Bill to amend the Act when parliamentary time allows.

In addition, the NHS Long Term Plan will deliver improvements to crisis and community mental health services as an alternative to inpatient care through increased investment of at least a further £2.3 billion a year by 2023/24.

The announcement made on the 18 December 2019 is to increase the nursing workforce by 50,000 by 2025 in total across all nursing disciplines which includes mental health and learning disability nursing.

Throughout this crisis, the government has sought to protect people’s jobs and livelihoods while also supporting businesses and public services across the UK. To do this, the government has put in place an economic package of support which will provide businesses and individuals with certainty over the coming months, even as measures to prevent further spread of the virus change. The government has spent over £280 billion this year to provide this support.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) was introduced to help employers whose operations have been affected by COVID-19 retain their employees and protect the UK economy. All businesses across the UK can access the scheme, which will run until the end of April 2021, with employees receiving 80% of their usual salary for hours not worked, up to £2,500 per month. The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will also run until the end of April.

Local authorities will receive an additional £500 million, to a total of £1.6 billion, of discretionary funding through the Additional Restrictions Grant to allow them to support their local businesses, including businesses that are adversely impacted but not forced to close by COVID-19 restrictions.

Businesses have also received billions in loans, tax deferrals, Business Rates relief, and general and sector-specific grants. Individuals and families have benefited from increased welfare payments, enhanced Statutory Sick Pay, a stay on repossession proceedings and mortgage holidays.

Those working for fully funded public sector organisations, including those that are clinically extremely vulnerable, should be paid as normal out of existing budgets.

Arrangements should be made to facilitate working from home wherever possible, and reprioritisation and redeployment should be considered to minimise issues with service delivery.

Where a clinically extremely vulnerable individual works for a public sector organisation that is not fully funded by public grants, and working from home is not possible, furloughing may be appropriate. This remains at the employer’s discretion and Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme claims should remain proportionate to the impact on revenue disruption.

Schools have continued to receive their core funding in full throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Guidance on financial support for education, early years and children’s social care can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care#sector-specific-guidance

From 1 August the Government has relaxed national advice to those shielding, bringing it in line with the advice to those who are clinically vulnerable. The advice is still to stay at home as much as possible. However, if they are unable to work from home they will be able to return, provided their workplace is COVID-safe.

It is important that this group continue to take careful precautions, and employers should do all they can to enable them to work from home where this is possible, including moving them to another role if required. Where this is not possible, the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) should be provided with the safest onsite roles that enable them to maintain social distancing from others.

If employers cannot provide a safe working environment, the CEV will continue to have access to the unprecedented package of financial support. This is not limited to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, but also includes the introduction of the Self Employed Income Support Scheme and an increase in the generosity of welfare payments worth a further £9.3bn according to Office for Budget Responsibility estimates. Individuals over the State Pension age may be eligible for the State Pension.

From 1 August the Government has relaxed national advice to those shielding, bringing it in line with the advice to those who are clinically vulnerable. The advice is still to stay at home as much as possible. However, if they are unable to work from home they will be able to return, provided their workplace is COVID-safe.

It is important that this group continue to take careful precautions, and employers should do all they can to enable them to work from home where this is possible, including moving them to another role if required. Where this is not possible, the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) should be provided with the safest onsite roles that enable them to maintain social distancing from others.

If employers cannot provide a safe working environment, the CEV will continue to have access to the unprecedented package of financial support. This is not limited to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, but also includes the introduction of the Self Employed Income Support Scheme and an increase in the generosity of welfare payments worth a further £9.3bn according to Office for Budget Responsibility estimates. Individuals over the State Pension age may be eligible for the State Pension.

From 1 August the Government has relaxed national advice to those shielding, bringing it in line with the advice to those who are clinically vulnerable. The advice is still to stay at home as much as possible. However, if they are unable to work from home they will be able to return, provided their workplace is COVID-safe.

It is important that this group continue to take careful precautions, and employers should do all they can to enable them to work from home where this is possible, including moving them to another role if required. Where this is not possible, the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) should be provided with the safest onsite roles that enable them to maintain social distancing from others.

If employers cannot provide a safe working environment, the CEV will continue to have access to the unprecedented package of financial support. This is not limited to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, but also includes the introduction of the Self Employed Income Support Scheme and an increase in the generosity of welfare payments worth a further £9.3bn according to Office for Budget Responsibility estimates. Individuals over the State Pension age may be eligible for the State Pension.

Pregnant women have always been eligible for furlough and the return to the workplace does not affect this. To enable the introduction of flexible furloughing and support those already on furlough back to work, the scheme will close to new entrants on 30 June. The last three-week furloughs before that deadline will begin on 10 June.

The Government has announced a £750 million support package for charities. £360m of this will be allocated as grants directly to charities providing essential services and supporting vulnerable people. £310m will support smaller, local charities, including through grants distributed by the National Lottery Community Fund. £60m will be allocated to the Devolved Administrations through the Barnett formula. The Government pledged to match whatever the public donated to the BBC Big Night In fundraiser on 23 April, with a minimum of £20m going to the National Emergencies Trust.

The Government has announced a £750m support package for charities. £360m of this will be allocated directly to charities providing essential services and supporting vulnerable people, including up to £200m for hospices across the next quarter. St John Ambulance has been allocated £6.8m, which has already supported an increased operational response. Charities can now apply on gov.uk for £10m to support victims of domestic abuse and £6m to support members of the armed forces and veterans. A further £310m will support smaller, local charities, including through grants distributed by the National Lottery Community Fund. £60m will be allocated to the Devolved Administrations through the Barnett formula. The Government pledged to match whatever the public donated to the BBC Big Night In fundraiser on 23 April, with a minimum of £20m going to the National Emergencies Trust.

Any employer using a PAYE scheme can access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

To mitigate the risk of fraudulent claims and to protect individuals, the Government made it clear that individuals cannot work or volunteer for their organisation. If workers were allowed to volunteer for their employer, the employer could ask them to work in an effectively full time way while only paying 80% of the wages

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is working with other Government departments and the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector to identify areas where volunteers can contribute to the COVID-19 response.

Charities which occupy properties used for retail, hospitality or leisure purposes, such as charity shops, may be eligible for a grant from the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund. The RHLGF provides businesses with a £25,000 cash grant per property, for each property used for retail, hospitality or leisure purposes with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000; and a £10,000 cash grant per property, for each property used for these purposes with a rateable value of £15,000 or below which is not in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rates Relief. Businesses and organisations may receive a maximum of €800,000 from the RHLGF under State Aid rules.

The Government is aware that some small businesses and organisations have found themselves excluded from the existing business grants schemes because of the way they interact with the business rates system. That is why the Government has allocated up to an additional £617 million to Local Authorities to enable them to give discretionary grants to businesses in this situation. The Government’s intention is for Local Authorities to prioritise the following types of organisations when making discretionary grants:

• Small businesses in shared offices or other flexible work spaces for example, industrial parks, science parks, incubators etc, which do not have their own business rates assessment;
• Regular market traders who do not have their own business rates assessment;
• B&Bs which pay Council Tax instead of business rates; and
• Charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief

Local Authorities may choose to focus payments on those priority groups which are most relevant to their local areas. Local Authorities may also choose to pay grants to businesses outside of these priority groups, according to local economic need, so long as the business was trading on 11^th March, and has not received any other cash grant funded by central Government.

In March, the Government announced the unprecedented Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help firms keep millions of people in employment. Where furloughed directors need to carry out particular duties to fulfil the statutory obligations they owe to their company, they may do so provided they do no more than would reasonably be judged necessary for that purpose, and they should not do work of a kind they would carry out in normal circumstances to generate commercial revenue or provide services to or on behalf of their company. Full guidance for employers and employees can be found at www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme and www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme.

The orchestra tax relief legislation allows for the ‘abandonment’ of a concert due to circumstances outside of the company’s control. Cancellations of concerts because of COVID-19 would fall within ‘abandonment’. Claims may be made for qualifying expenditure incurred up to the abandonment of a concert or concert series and where an orchestra company has a legal obligation, such as a contractual one, to make the payments for a cancelled concert. HM Treasury keeps all tax reliefs under review.

The Government has also announced an unprecedented package of support for businesses and individuals affected by COVID-19. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employed Income Support Scheme delivered by HMRC. Further information about HMRC’s dedicated COVID-19 support can be found by visiting the GOV.UK website.

The objective of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is to enable employers to continue to keep people in employment. To achieve this, the grants compensate employers for the payments that they are contractually obliged to make, in order to avoid the need for redundancies. Covering discretionary payments would go beyond the objectives of the scheme. Full guidance on how to calculate 80% of wages can be found at: www.gov.uk/guidance/work-out-80-of-your-employees-wages-to-claim-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme

For some employees, the pay in scope for the grant will be less than the overall sum they usually receive. The Government is also supporting those on low incomes who need to rely on the welfare system through a significant package of temporary welfare measures. This includes a £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element, and a nearly £1 billion increase in support for renters through increases to the Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants. These changes will benefit all new and existing claimants. Anyone can check their eligibility and apply for Universal Credit by visiting www.gov.uk/universal-credit.

From 1 January 2021, it will be particularly important to get travel insurance with the right cover if you have a pre-existing medical condition. This is because the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will only be valid up to 31 December 2020.

On 5 February, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published new rules and guidance to improve access to travel insurance for all consumers with medical conditions, including those with mental health conditions.

Included within the FCA’s rules is a requirement for firms to signpost consumers to specialist providers if they are declined cover, offered cover with an exclusion, or charged a significantly higher premium based on their medical condition.

Asylum seekers can work in the UK if their claim has been outstanding for 12 months, through no fault of their own. Those allowed to work are restricted to jobs on the Shortage Occupation List, which is published by the Home Office and based on expert advice from the Migration Advisory Committee.

It is important to distinguish between those who need protection and those seeking to work here, who can apply for a work visa under the Immigration Rules. Our wider policy could be undermined if migrants bypassed work visa Rules by lodging unfounded asylum claims here.

Asylum seeker right to work is a complex issue. A review of the policy is ongoing, and we are considering the evidence put forward on the issue.

The Home Office has not made an estimate of this cost.

Asylum seekers can work in the UK if their claim has been outstanding for 12 months, through no fault of their own. Those allowed to work are restricted to jobs on the Shortage Occupation List, which is published by the Home Office and based on expert advice from the Migration Advisory Committee.

It is important to distinguish between those who need protection and those seeking to work here, who can apply for a work visa under the Immigration Rules. Our wider policy could be undermined if migrants bypassed work visa Rules by lodging unfounded asylum claims here.

As part of the plans to speed up Asylum decision making, over the last 18 months, UK Visas and Immigration have increased the number of Asylum decision makers and support staff as part of a rolling recruitment campaign and mobilised a transformation programme that seeks to simplify, streamline and digitise processes.

The Government is committed to ensuring that people are not unfairly impacted in terms of their immigration status as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Those who are outside the UK when their European Community Association Agreement (ECAA) visa expires can apply, free of charge, for entry clearance as an ECAA business person so that they can return to the UK. On their return, they can seek to extend their leave where they are eligible for this.

Further guidance for ECAA applicants who have been unable to return to the UK or renew their leave because of illness or travel restrictions due to Covid-19 will be published shortly

The Home Office does not publish data on how many applications for (a) visas and (b) asylum took (i) three to six months, (ii) six to 12 months, (iii) 12 to 24 months and (iv) over 24 months in each of the last four financial years.

However, the Home Office does publish data on:

• the percentage of visa applications processed within published service standards, at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data. Information on UKVI’s service standards is available at: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration/about-our-services#service-standards. In cases where we are unable to meet these service standards, we write to inform the customer.
• the percentage of asylum applications processed within 6 months. This data can be found at Asy_10 of the published Asylum Transparency Data August 2019: www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-transparency-data-august-2019.

The Home Office does not publish data on how many applications for (a) visas and (b) asylum from individuals resident in Worsley and Eccles South constituency took (i) three to six months, (ii) six to 12 months, (iii) 12 to 24 months and (iv) over 24 months in each of the last four financial years as this information is not held centrally and to obtain it would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.

The Home Office does not publish data on how many applications for (a) visas and (b) asylum took (i) three to six months, (ii) six to 12 months, (iii) 12 to 24 months and (iv) over 24 months in each of the last four financial years.

However, the Home Office does publish data on:

• the percentage of visa applications processed within published service standards, at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data. Information on UKVI’s service standards is available at: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration/about-our-services#service-standards. In cases where we are unable to meet these service standards, we write to inform the customer.
• the percentage of asylum applications processed within 6 months. This data can be found at Asy_10 of the published Asylum Transparency Data August 2019: www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-transparency-data-august-2019.

The Home Office does not publish data on how many applications for (a) visas and (b) asylum from individuals resident in Worsley and Eccles South constituency took (i) three to six months, (ii) six to 12 months, (iii) 12 to 24 months and (iv) over 24 months in each of the last four financial years as this information is not held centrally and to obtain it would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.

The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of persons detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983, broken down by place of safety taken to.

These data were collected by the Home Office on a mandatory basis for the first time in 2016/17, and were published as part of the ‘Police powers and procedures, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, which can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales-year-ending-31-march-2019

Figures for 2015/16 were collected and published by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and can be accessed using the following links:

http://www.npcc.police.uk/documents/S136%20Data%202015%2016.pdf.

The Government is taking forward a comprehensive programme of reform to end unfair practices in the leasehold market. This includes working with the Law Commission to make buying a freehold or extending a lease easier, quicker and more cost effective to help both future and existing leaseholders. Their report on Valuation was published on 9 January, and we are considering the recommendations. We are moving forward with legislation to ban new leasehold houses and reduce ground rents on future leases to zero. We will publish a draft bill as soon as possible.

The Government recognises that there are those who feel strongly that they were mis-sold their properties. The Government welcomed the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announcement on 11 June 2019 that it was launching an investigation in this area. The CMA is considering the extent of any mis-selling and onerous term in the leasehold sector, including whether they might constitute ‘unfair terms’. The Government looks forward to hearing progress on the CMA’s work.

The Government is taking forward a comprehensive programme of reform to end unfair practices in the leasehold market. This includes working with the Law Commission to make buying a freehold or extending a lease easier, quicker and more cost effective to help both future and existing leaseholders. Their report on Valuation was published on 9 January, and we are considering the recommendations. We are moving forward with legislation to ban new leasehold houses and reduce ground rents on future leases to zero. We will publish a draft bill as soon as possible.

The Government recognises that there are those who feel strongly that they were mis-sold their properties. The Government welcomed the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announcement on 11 June 2019 that it was launching an investigation in this area. The CMA is considering the extent of any mis-selling and onerous term in the leasehold sector, including whether they might constitute ‘unfair terms’. The Government looks forward to hearing progress on the CMA’s work.

The Government has set out a package of measures to tackle unfair practices in the leasehold market, this includes a ban on the unjustified use of leasehold for new houses and restricting ground rents for both houses and flats to a peppercorn.

The Government is committed to providing support to existing leaseholders. We are putting pressure on developers who have sold leases with onerous ground rents, including those that double more frequently than every 20 years, to provide support for current leaseholders. Some developers have introduced schemes to assist individuals with onerous leases which is welcome, but these must go further and faster.

To facilitate this process, the Government announced a ‘Public Pledge for Leaseholders’ on 28 March 2019. This contains a commitment for freeholders to identify any existing leases within their portfolio which contain ground rents that double more frequently than every 20 years. They have also committed to contact the relevant leaseholders and offer to vary their leases. We are pleased that over 60 institutional freeholders and developers have signed the pledge, which also provides safeguards for future leaseholders.