Barry Gardiner

COP26 will hold a Nature Day event in Glasgow highlighting forests, agriculture and wider land use as key priorities to mitigating the climate crisis. We are calling for international action to reduce emissions from agriculture, deforestation and other land use. We are working with international partners to promote sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture; to mobilise increased and more targeted finance for nature; and to build the political consensus for ambitious action.

At the G7 summit, leaders committed to work to accelerate an inclusive global transition to sustainable and climate resilient agriculture, as well as committing to achieving net zero emissions no later than 2050.

The UK has also played a central role in promoting the ‘Leaders’ Pledge for Nature’, which now has over 80 signatories. The pledge sets out ten urgent actions to put nature on a path to recovery by 2030, addressing both biodiversity loss and climate change.

In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.

Further to the answer to PQ175784 on 13 April 2021, departments are responsible for their responses to written Parliamentary Questions. Deloitte has not drafted answers to written Parliamentary Questions on behalf of the Cabinet Office.

The UK supports the process to modernise the Energy Charter Treaty in a way that helps the global energy transition, such as the right for States to regulate to reach emissions reduction targets and a stronger focus on climate security issues.

Vaccines are a precious resource and are in very high demand across the world; therefore, for security reasons it is not possible to provide detail about the size of our supplies or give exact detail about future deliveries.

As of 18 January 2021, over 4.6 million people in the UK had been vaccinated with the first dose of the vaccine. We are in the process of understanding the implications of Pfizer’s announcement on 15 January, regarding upgrades to its manufacturing capacity. We continue to work to meet our target of vaccinating all four priority groups, as advised by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, by the middle of February.

We are committed to ensuring a rigorous, evidence-based approach to shale gas extraction, and as such welcome any new research that can further enhance our understanding and help inform our policy development.

On the basis of the current scientific evidence, Government has confirmed that it will take a presumption against issuing any further Hydraulic Fracturing Consents in England, which are required before hydraulic fracturing operations can take place. This position, an effective moratorium, will be maintained unless compelling new evidence is provided which addresses the concerns around the prediction and management of induced seismicity.

India is an important partner for the UK and we have a long history of engaging with the Government of India on climate change and clean energy.

To date, the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has not discussed Prime Minister Modi's new One Sun One World One Grid initiative or the formation of the Global Green Grids Alliance with the Government of India. However, we welcome the ambition on the initiatives and will continue to look for opportunities to work with India to increase global action on climate change and clean energy in the run-up to COP26. The British High Commission in India and the Department for International Development have had exploratory discussions with the Government of India and want to learn more about both initiatives.

The government continues to follow the general practice of successive governments not to comment on legal advice that may or may not have been sought or received.

The deed of release was agreed by the Skills Funding Agency and Young People’s Learning Agency in line with the policy on further education assets adopted by its sponsor department (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills at the time).

Commercial arrangements between two independent organisations, Askham Bryan College and the University of Cumbria, were entered into by both parties. This allowed the university to continue using Newton Rigg Campus for research related activities following the transfer of further education provision to Askham Bryan College in 2011.

Newton Rigg Campus is part of Askham Bryan College Corporation, has no separate legal identity and was therefore out of scope of the Cumbria area based review. As the campus is part of Askham Bryan College, they were included in the wave 4; York, North Yorkshire, East Riding and Hull area-based review, which commenced in September 2016. This approach was consistent with the broad principles of area-based reviews in that colleges should be formal members of only one area review steering group.

The Further Education Commissioner and Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) carried out a comprehensive analysis of local provision needs for Newton Rigg and the surrounding area in 2020. The core objective of this analysis was to establish if there was a need for college provision within the general vicinity of the Newton Rigg campus. It considered the location of neighbouring further education (FE) colleges in relation to travel-to-learn options and identified that most enrolments could be accommodated at other statutory FE institutions.

In total, 286 16 to 18 year old students were enrolled onto land-based further education courses at Newton Rigg, of which 70 were in residential accommodation. Where gaps in provision were identified, specifically agricultural provision, alternative arrangements for the next academic year have been agreed with Myerscough College, in partnership with Ullswater Community College, to ensure continuity of delivery of this provision in the Penrith area after Newton Rigg closes.

If further evidence of gaps in provision are highlighted as a result of the closure of Newton Rigg in support of local authorities’ statutory duty to secure provision in an area, the ESFA will consider requests to fill a gap in provision. Where this cannot be met through negotiation with good existing providers the requirements are put out to tender through open competition.

Newton Rigg is not a public asset, having previously been acquired by the University of Cumbria from the University of Central Lancashire and then transferred to Askham Bryan College in 2011. The transfer of Newton Rigg was therefore not subject to Cabinet Office guidelines.

However, following the decision by the University of Cumbria in 2010 to cease delivering the provision of further education funded by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and the Young People’s Learning Agency, the SFA led on an open and competitive procurement process, in accordance with Part B of Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006, to secure an alternative provider or providers for the delivery of arts provision in Carlisle and predominately land-based provision at Newton Rigg. As a result of this competition, the funding for students studying further education at the University’s Brampton Road building was transferred to Carlisle College, and the funding for students studying further education at Newton Rigg, together with the relevant further education assets owned by the University of Cumbria at Newton Rigg, were transferred to Askham Bryan College. The procurement was subject to a review by Cabinet Office in 2011 and its findings are available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/61795/MYSTERY-SHOPPER-CASE-PUBLICATION-JULY-2012.pdf.

The Education and Skills Funding Agency and its predecessor organisations assign individual case managers to each further education provider who hold funding agreements and contracts to deliver publicly funded education and training. Case managers are then responsible for managing the relationship between government and individual further education providers.

The independent Landscapes Review, led by Julian Glover, set out a compelling vision for more beautiful, more biodiverse and more accessible National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).

We welcome this ambition, as the Government is committed to ensuring our protected landscapes flourish as havens for nature and are places that everyone can visit and enjoy.

The Landscapes Review included recommendations for long-term structural changes, such as creating a new National Landscape Service and changing National Park and AONB statutory purposes, that would require legislation were they to be taken forward.

We are working closely with National Park Authorities, AONB organisations and wider stakeholders to consider the potential effects of the Landscape Review’s recommendations and to develop a well-informed response to the review, which we will publish in due course.

The independent Landscapes Review, led by Julian Glover, set out a compelling vision for more beautiful, more biodiverse and more accessible National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).

We welcome this ambition, as the government is committed to ensuring our protected landscapes flourish as havens for nature and are places that everyone can visit and enjoy.

The Landscapes Review included recommendations for long-term structural changes, such as creating a new National Landscape Service and changing National Park and AONB statutory purposes, that would require legislation were they to be taken forward.

We are taking time to carefully consider the recommendations and working with partner organisations to inform and develop our response to the review, which we will publish in due course.

In the meantime, we are working to implement the ambitions of the Review on the ground now. For example, we are leading a £5.77m cross-governmental project to test nature-based social prescribing in seven test and learn sites, run national experimental work to understand its scalability, and deliver a robust project evaluation. This will help improve mental health and wellbeing by connecting more people to nature, including in protected landscapes.

The £80m Green Recovery Challenge Fund, which launched in September 2020, will kickstart a programme of nature-based projects to restore nature, tackle climate change and connect people with the natural environment. Some of these projects will help deliver on the Landscape Review's recommendations, such as the proposal to give every child a night under the stars in a national landscape.

We have no plans to remove total allowable catch limits. Any decision to remove a stock from management by setting a total allowable catch would need to be guided by robust scientific evidence. Scientific advice for 2020 for most stocks in the North East Atlantic will be published by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea on 30 June.

UK Export Finance (UKEF) operates at no net cost to the taxpayer. UKEF’s Smaller Deals Initiative is staffed by civil servants employed on standard terms and conditions by UKEF. No costs outside of UKEF’s normal core business have been incurred since the Initiative’s inception.

The Smaller Deals Initiative works on the same “no net cost to the taxpayer” basis as UKEF generally. It collects premiums from transactions supported in exchange for taking on risk on behalf of the taxpayer and to cover the Initiative’s administrative costs.

As part of work on a new Export Strategy we are examining the range of existing UK export promotion schemes and will consider the effectiveness of voucher schemes used elsewhere.

The UK remains a strong supporter of the multilateral trading system and the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement system. A fully-functioning, compulsory, binding, and impartial dispute settlement system with an appeal function is important in providing certainty and stability to the WTO system. The UK notes that some WTO Members are now considering multi-party interim appeal arrangements as a contingency measure whilst the Appellate Body is inquorate. The final proposal for such an interim arrangement has not yet been published, and we will continue to follow developments on this closely.

The independent UK goods and services schedules aim to maintain the existing commitments and the balance of rights and obligations between the UK and our trading partners. The UK has formally opened negotiations under Article XXVIII (GATT) on aspects of our goods schedule. We continue to assess the impacts as we seek to conclude negotiations. The appropriate WTO certification procedure for the UK services schedule does not allow for market access or compensation negotiations. We continue to consult with the Russian Federation to see their outstanding objection to technical elements withdrawn. A WTO member can trade on an uncertified schedule whilst working to have its schedule certified.

The UK has submitted independent goods and services schedules to the WTO for certification. The UK’s independent goods schedule was circulated on 24 July 2018, and we have now formally opened negotiations under Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The UK’s independent services schedule was circulated in December 2018. There is an outstanding objection to the technical elements from the Russian Federation, and we continue to consult with them to see their objection withdrawn. A WTO member can trade on an uncertified schedule, whilst working to have its schedule certified.

The Government is fully committed to the prevention of abuse and the Department for Work and Pensions has a range of measures designed to support people who flee violent and abusive households.

If a Universal Credit claimant has been forced into claiming an advance through domestic abuse, we would urge the claimant to talk to the Department about this. If the advance was taken whilst part of a couple claim, 50% of the outstanding balance would be apportioned upon pursuing a single claim. Additionally, the Department offers deferrals of advance repayments by up to 3 months in exceptional circumstances and will apply discretion wherever possible with the rates of repaying other government debts. A range of other support is available across the Department for those impacted by domestic abuse.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/domestic-violence-and-abuse-help-from-dwp/help-available-from-the-department-for-work-and-pensions-for-people-who-are-victims-of-domestic-violence-and-abuse#universal-credit

The Department will continue to look at ways to further support the victims of domestic abuse.

We have funded a comprehensive package of support that includes a dedicated staff helpline, specialist bereavement support and free access to mental health and wellbeing apps. The NHS People Plan, published in July 2020, also puts staff wellbeing at its core and includes appointing a wellbeing guardian in every National Health Service organisation, free parking and support to work flexibly and take time off. This is strengthened further by the mental health and wellbeing hubs being set up across the country that are providing rapid outreach and assessment services to help frontline staff.

As the independent regulator of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom and nursing associates in England, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is responsible for nurse revalidation.

On 30 March 2020, the Department laid a statutory instrument allowing the NMC to respond to the pandemic by adapting some of its operating procedures. To support registrants due to revalidate from March 2020, the NMC has extended revalidation timeframes and broadened the criteria for demonstrating continuing professional development. These changes aim to minimise the incidence of lapsed registrations during COVID-19 whilst maintaining public safety and confidence in the nursing profession.

As part of their work in helping respond to the pandemic, Deloitte have provided support to civil servants answering Written Questions where required.

Information on the number of questions which have contributions by Deloitte could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has regular discussions with his counterparts across Government.

Vaccination against COVID-19 is a primary care service. It is therefore not within scope of the Charging Regulations and is available free of charge to anyone living in the United Kingdom, including those living here without permission. If an individual is registered with a general practitioner (GP) practice, they will be invited for the vaccine at the appropriate time based on the prioritisation set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. If an individual is not registered with a GP, National Health Service regional teams working with the appropriate local system will contact unregistered people to ensure they are offered the vaccine.

We have made no such estimate.

As the Foreign Secretary said in his statement of 24 March, a transition of government in Guyana should only take place in line with transparent and democratic principles that lead to credible results. We continue to call upon President Granger to ensure that proper procedures are followed before embarking upon a transition of government. Our High Commissioner, on the Foreign Secretary's behalf, has worked with US, Canadian and EU counterparts to make clear our concerns and disappointment at the refusal to allow the Carter Center and IRI into the country. The UK will continue to call for all to adhere to the democratic principles Guyana has signed up to as a member of the Commonwealth, to ensure the voice and will of the people of Guyana are heard.

The European Commission has yet to make a concrete proposal for a carbon border adjustment mechanism, but the Government is following the EU’s debate on possible designs with interest.

The overall destination of Net Zero by 2050 is shared by the UK, and the Government will continue to work with the EU to secure ambitious climate objectives.

The health of those in immigration removal centres is of the utmost importance but we remain committed to removing foreign national offenders or those who violate our immigration rules. Detention plays a key role in securing our borders and maintaining effective immigration control and it is only right that we protect the public from high-harm individuals, which is why the vast majority of those in detention are foreign national offenders.

Decisions to detain an individual are based on all of the information known at the time. As circumstances change, temporary release may then become the most appropriate option.

We are following all Public Health England guidance and have robust contingency plans in place. Measures such as protective isolation will be considered to minimise the risk of COVID-19 spreading to vulnerable groups in the immigration detention estate.

All immigration removal centres have dedicated health facilities run by doctors and nurses which are managed by the NHS or appropriate providers.

There are currently no cases of Coronavirus, in detainees, in immigration removal centres.

Provisional management information indicates that as of 27 April four members of IRC supplier staff have tested positive for COVID-19, one of whom has now fully recovered and returned to duty. In addition, there have been two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in detainees. A third individual was identified but after his release from detention had been agreed. Whilst in the IRC the individual was in isolation. He was released as there was no immediate prospect of removal. No other detainees have tested positive for COVID-19.

The health of those in immigration removal centres is of the utmost importance but we remain committed to removing foreign national offenders or those who violate our immigration rules. Detention plays a key role in securing our borders and maintaining effective immigration control and it is only right that we protect the public from high-harm individuals, which is why the vast majority of those in detention are foreign national offenders.

Decisions to detain an individual are based on all of the information known at the time. As circumstances change, temporary release may then become the most appropriate option.

We are following all Public Health England guidance and have robust contingency plans in place. Measures such as protective isolation will be considered to minimise the risk of COVID-19 spreading to vulnerable groups in the immigration detention estate.

All immigration removal centres have dedicated health facilities run by doctors and nurses which are managed by the NHS or appropriate providers.

There are currently no cases of Coronavirus, in detainees, in immigration removal centres.

Provisional management information indicates that as of 27 April four members of IRC supplier staff have tested positive for COVID-19, one of whom has now fully recovered and returned to duty. In addition, there have been two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in detainees. A third individual was identified but after his release from detention had been agreed. Whilst in the IRC the individual was in isolation. He was released as there was no immediate prospect of removal. No other detainees have tested positive for COVID-19.

The health of those in immigration removal centres is of the utmost importance but we remain committed to removing foreign national offenders or those who violate our immigration rules. Detention plays a key role in securing our borders and maintaining effective immigration control and it is only right that we protect the public from high-harm individuals, which is why the vast majority of those in detention are foreign national offenders.

Decisions to detain an individual are based on all of the information known at the time. As circumstances change, temporary release may then become the most appropriate option.

We are following all Public Health England guidance and have robust contingency plans in place. Measures such as protective isolation will be considered to minimise the risk of COVID-19 spreading to vulnerable groups in the immigration detention estate.

All immigration removal centres have dedicated health facilities run by doctors and nurses which are managed by the NHS or appropriate providers.

There are currently no cases of Coronavirus, in detainees, in immigration removal centres.

Provisional management information indicates that as of 27 April four members of IRC supplier staff have tested positive for COVID-19, one of whom has now fully recovered and returned to duty. In addition, there have been two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in detainees. A third individual was identified but after his release from detention had been agreed. Whilst in the IRC the individual was in isolation. He was released as there was no immediate prospect of removal. No other detainees have tested positive for COVID-19.

The Home Office does not hold detailed information on the location of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children within European Member States.

Despite Covid-19 restrictions, the UK remains fully committed to meeting our obligations under the Dublin III Regulation. The Home Office continues to process Dublin cases, including children, as far as we are able given the current circumstances and remains open to receiving transfers into the UK.

Arrangements to complete a transfer have always been and still are the responsibility of the sending State. We continue to liaise with our counterparts in Member States so that we can effect transfers as soon as it is safe and practical to do so.

Almost 15,000 vulnerable people, including those who were street homeless, have been housed in emergency accommodation, including hotels, since the start of the COVID-19 lockdown period, according to returns from local authorities to MHCLG.

£3.2 billion has been provided to support councils to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, including supporting homeless people. This is in addition to £3.2 million in targeted funding for councils to support vulnerable rough sleepers.

On 24 May, the Secretary of State announced plans for thousands of long-term, safe homes to support many of the vulnerable rough sleepers who have been supported during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, individuals taken off the streets during the pandemic can get the support they need to rebuild their lives.

This?unprecedented?commitment?– the biggest of its kind since the Government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative?began?– will be backed by?£160?million?in 2020/21 to inject 3,300 new units of accommodation over the next 12 months, part of?6,000 in total.

This means in 2020/21 we are providing £606 million to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. This marks a £238 million increase in funding from the previous year and further demonstrates our commitment to assist the most vulnerable in society.

If students have already signed an accommodation contract for next year and, because of the COVID-19 outbreak, think it may no longer fit their requirements, they should talk directly to their accommodation provider.

During these unprecedented times, the Government encourages student accommodation providers, landlords, letting agencies and tenants to take a pragmatic, flexible approach and have a frank and open conversation at the earliest?opportunity, to allow both parties to agree a sensible way forward.

In cases where students do not wish to move into the accommodation, they are able to end or surrender their fixed term tenancy if they reach an agreement with their landlord. Where students have a joint tenancy agreement, all tenants will need to agree to the surrender as well as the landlord.

In very limited situations where a student has been legally prevented from living in their accommodation, they may be entitled to a refund from certain accommodation providers. This is dependent on the terms of their contract and their particular circumstances. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published guidance on consumer contracts, cancellation and refunds affected by the coronavirus. This sets out the CMA’s view on how the law operates to help consumers understand their rights and help businesses treat their customers fairly. If students need help, organisations such as Citizens Advice offer a free service, providing information and support.

There are no Judicial Executive Board (JEB) members from Black and minority ethnic communities. JEB is chaired by the Lord Chief Justice of England & Wales and comprised of the judges in the most senior leadership roles - the Master of the Rolls, the President of the Queen’s Bench Division, the President of the Family Division, the Chancellor of the High Court, the Senior President of Tribunals and the Senior Presiding Judge for England & Wales, as well as the Chair of the Judicial College and the Chief Executive of Judicial Office. Appointments to the leaderships roles are made through the independent Judicial Appointments Commission. The Lead Diversity Judge also sits on the Board and shows the commitment to diversity at the heart of the senior judicial leadership.

The Judges’ Council does not advise the Lord Chancellor. The primary function of the Judges’ Council is to inform and advise the Lord Chief Justice of England & Wales. Members of the Judicial Executive Board (including the Lead Diversity Judge) are also members of the Judges’ Council. Other members are selected by the judicial group which that member represents including, for example, the High Court Judges’ Association, the Council of Her Majesty’s Circuit Judges, the Association of Her Majesty’s District Judges and the Magistrates’ Association. Diversity data for Judges’ Council members is not held separately.

The supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required by the prison service is kept under regular review by the department, making sure that there is sufficient stock to be responsive to changing local contexts. There is currently adequate stock and forward supply of PPE, in accordance with public health advice.

We have stock in the hundreds of thousands for aprons, coveralls, eye protection, pairs of gloves, respirator masks and fluid-resistant surgical masks, as well as hand sanitiser. However, we are making continued preparations and keeping demand for PPE under regular review as we move into the next phase of managing this outbreak.