Claire Hanna

A Seafish survey found seasonal workers accounted for 6% of all fishers in UK ports in 2018. This included three seasonal workers in Kilkeel and none in Ardglass. We have made no assessment on the effect of the new immigration rules on the fishing industry introduced on 6 April 2021.

We have not assessed the merits of extending the Seasonal Workers Pilot to the fishing industry given the comparatively lower numbers of seasonal workers in fishing compared to other food production industries. EU nationals who have settled status can continue to travel to the UK to do seasonal work in 2021.

We are introducing world-leading due diligence legislation through the Environment Bill to tackle illegal deforestation in UK supply chains. These amendments achieve that by regulating businesses, which is a reserved policy area in Scotland and Wales and transferred in Northern Ireland. We are working closely with Devolved Administrations including Northern Ireland colleagues to allow these measures to extend across the UK.

The Northern Ireland Protocol sets out arrangements for Northern Ireland in light of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union. It exists to ensure that the progress made in the 22 years since the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement is secured into the future. The protocol applies specified provisions of European Union law in Northern Ireland. It also puts in terms to maintain unfettered access to the rest of the UK market for Northern Ireland businesses and to ensure that trade flows as smoothly as possible. The due diligence provisions in the Environment Bill will not have an impact on the principles or obligations set out in the Protocol, and we will continue to monitor its implementation to ensure this continues to be the case.

As part of a series of meetings Lord Goldsmith had with key stakeholders last autumn to discuss farm animal welfare reform priorities, he met with the pig sector and discussed the use of farrowing crates for sows.

As stated in Defra’s new pig welfare code of practice, which came into force in March last year, our aim is for farrowing crates no longer to be necessary and for any new system to protect the welfare of the sow, as well as her piglets. Any change also has to be done in a way which is sustainable for the industry and we are exploring the options.

The flow of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been smooth overall and deliveries are reaching their intended destinations.

Authorised traders moving agri-food goods, including organic products, under the grace period do not require certification. For other traders we are continuing to consider any further support that may be required here ahead of the end of the official certification grace period on 1 April, including reviewing the operation of our existing Movement Assistance Scheme for agri-food traders.

In the meantime, we will also be discussing with the EU means to streamline and simplify requirements, including the use of e-seals.

Marine protection is a devolved matter and the devolved administrations are responsible for the enforcement of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) within their waters. The information below relates to England only.

Once the transition period has finished, we plan to use new powers contained in the Fisheries Bill to put byelaws in place to protect offshore MPAs, as we have done in the inshore environment where over 90 MPAs are now protected from bottom towed fishing gear. The new byelaw power proposed in the Fisheries Bill will allow the Marine Management Organisation to protect offshore MPAs from activities such as trawling which could damage protected features on the seabed. We are prioritising those MPAs most at risk and aim to make rapid progress as soon as the transition period ends. A Call for Evidence for the first sites began on 28 October, and will be followed by the formal consultation in early 2021.

It will be for the Executive and the Assembly to decide whether to extend the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) to cover Northern Ireland. Practical decisions about the operation of the OEP in Northern Ireland such as staffing levels will therefore be made by Northern Ireland Ministers and the OEP itself, if and when the decision to extend the OEP to Northern Ireland has been taken.

The Government recognises the challenges businesses and consumers are experiencing regarding refunds for cancelled holidays and flights. Airlines are working hard to answer the high call volumes and to process the very large number of applications for refunds.

The Government appreciates the distress and frustration consumers may be experiencing. The Department for Transport is in regular conversation with UK airlines and working closely with the sector, the regulator and consumer groups to help ensure airlines deliver on their commitments.

The Civil Aviation Authority wrote to UK airlines and some non-EU carriers last week to emphasise their approach on the issue of refunds and setting out their expectation that airlines make refunds in a reasonable period.

The information requested is not available.

The Department has no plans to change Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) from a loan to a grant.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) already has measures in place to compel non-resident parents to provide information including bank details, address and income details.

The Service can also compel third parties such as employers, financial institutions, HMRC, local authorities and other government departments to provide information, where appropriate.

While the Service always keep such powers under review, we have no plans to further enhance CMS information gathering powers.

The policy on the up-rating of UK State Pensions for recipients overseas is longstanding and has been supported by successive Governments for over 70 years. The Government has no plans to change this policy.

The increase in Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates in April 2020 provided 1.5 million claimants with, on average, around £600 more housing support per year than they would otherwise have received. In 2021/22 all LHA rates will be maintained at their increased level, meaning claimants renting in the private rented sector will continue to benefit from the significant increase in the rates applied this year, providing claimants with stability during this period of uncertainty.

In the Spending Review, the Chancellor announced the introduction of a UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which will succeed EU Structural Funds and help to level up and create opportunity for people and places across the UK. The government will publish a UK-wide investment framework in 2021.

The Department has no plans to change the Support for Mortgage Interest scheme from a loan.

The support provided is at the same rate as when SMI was paid as a benefit and therefore the scheme offers the same level of protection against repossession.

Reversing the changes would not provide any additional assistance to home owners during the current pandemic.

Due to current COVID-19 restrictions in place until at least 3 December, no interviews under caution are being conducted across DWP. However, as part of a DWP wide project, the use of video conferencing for interviews under caution is currently being explored.

Universal Credit (UC) claimants who cease employment and have pre-existing childcare arrangements, will be eligible for reimbursement of up to 85% of their childcare costs as part of their UC award for the assessment period in which they cease work and the subsequent assessment period. There are no current plans to extend this.

After careful consideration of the ongoing public health situation and the national working environment, the current easement of the suspension of the Minimum Income Floor in Universal Credit that was due to expire on 12^th November 2020 will be extended to the end of April 2021.

Regulations will be laid and made prior to 12^th November 2020.

Parents claiming Universal Credit (UC) who satisfy both the work condition and childcare conditions are eligible to have their childcare costs reimbursed if:

• they have a contract of employment and are still being paid;
• childcare is being provided during that assessment period; and
• childcare providers are registered or approved.

If a childcare provider is forced to close due to Covid-19 and unable to provide childcare for parents, the UC Childcare eligibility conditions will not be satisfied because childcare is not being provided.

Under Working Tax Credits, the childcare element is usually only provided where a child is receiving childcare. If a child was not receiving childcare, HMRC wouldn’t expect a provider to continue to charge. HMRC will continue to pay childcare costs to those in receipt of the childcare element of Working Tax Credits who continued to pay childcare fees, despite their children being unable to access childcare because of COVID-19 for a maximum of 4 weeks.

The government continues to pay funding to local authorities in England for the free childcare entitlements for two, three and four-year-olds during the period of closures due to Covid-19. This funding has continued to be paid to providers to ensure there remains sufficient childcare for all those who need it. For the Autumn term, childcare will be funded at the level we would have done had the pandemic not occurred. These entitlements cannot be accrued for time not spent in the childcare setting and so parents will not be able to carry over unused hours for use later in the year.

Universal Credit claimants who cease employment and have pre-existing childcare arrangements, will be eligible for reimbursement of up to 85% of their childcare costs as part of their Universal Credit award for the assessment period in which they cease work and the subsequent assessment period.

If Universal Credit claimants are on the Job Support Scheme and satisfy both the work condition and childcare costs condition they are eligible to continue to have up to 85% (subject to the maximum limits) of their childcare costs reimbursed if:

• they have a contract of employment and are still being paid;
• childcare is being provided during that assessment period.

Help with upfront childcare costs for starting work is available through a non-repayable Flexible Support Fund (FSF) award for eligible UC claimants up to the limits set. This does not apply for claimants already in work. We have issued guidance to Work Coaches in Jobcentres to ensure that eligible claimants who require help with upfront childcare costs in order to start work are directed to the governments FSF. The FSF received an additional £150m this financial year to help support UC claimants to move closer to, or in to, work. Budgeting advances are also available to eligible UC claimants who require help with upfront costs, repayable over the following 12 months.

In addition, UC claimants who lose their employment may be entitled to request a change of circumstances advance. This advance is available if a claimant’s award is likely to significantly increase with their next payment to address any short-term costs that arise in the meantime. Change of circumstances advances can be repaid over a maximum of six months, with a three month deferral available in exceptional circumstances.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is a HMRC-led initiative providing a grant to help employers pay the wages of their employee. When the scheme ends, any employee who sees their income reduced may be eligible to apply for Universal Credit. The Department ensures all claimants are supported in both making and maintaining a claim. For those claimants who are particularly affected by any loss of income and need urgent support, new claims advances are available during the first assessment period to provide upfront support – meaning the claimant will receive their first year’s entitlement over 13 payments instead of 12. Where a payment from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is used to fund earnings, the earnings of the employee will be taken into account in the calculation of entitlement to Universal Credit in the usual way. The intention being that payments to employees should mirror the way equivalent income is treated in Universal Credit.

The Government has announced a suite of measures that can be quickly and effectively operationalised to benefit those facing the most financial disruption during the pandemic.

We estimate that 2.5 million households receiving Universal Credit will benefit straight away from the increase in the standard allowance rates which was announced on 20 March, and which is additional to the planned annual uprating. New claimants who have either become unemployed, or whose earnings or work hours have decreased because of the outbreak, will benefit too, subject to their eligibility.

We have also made a number of changes to legacy and other working age benefits in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including increasing certain entitlements, such as Local Housing Allowance. Up-to-date information about the employment and benefits support available, including Universal Credit, Statutory Sick Pay, New style Jobseeker's Allowance, and Employment and Support Allowance, can be found here: www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/employment-and-benefits-support

It has always been the case that claimants on legacy benefits can make a claim for UC if they believe that they will be better off. There are special arrangements for those in receipt of the Severe Disability Premium, who will be able to make a new claim to Universal Credit from January 2021.

However, claimants should check their eligibility before applying to Universal Credit as legacy benefits will end when they submit their claim and they will not be able to return to them in the future. For this reason, prospective claimants are signposted to independent benefits calculators on GOV.UK. Neither DWP nor HMRC can advise individual claimants whether they would be better off moving to UC or remaining on legacy benefits.

We have made a number of changes to working age benefits in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including increasing certain entitlements. The COVID-19 outbreak continues to be a rapidly evolving situation and we consider whether further action is appropriate on an ongoing basis.

On 02 March 2020 we announced plans regarding the single, integrated service that will simplify the assessment process for millions of people claiming health related benefits. Announcement on Health and Disability Assessments.

Today separate organisations deliver PIP assessments and Work Capability Assessments using different IT systems; we will replace this with a single digital platform delivered by DWP and covering all benefits that need a health assessment. The new service will simplify the assessment process reducing the need to submit information multiple times and potentially minimise the need for face-to-face assessments.

Building on the work of the integrated service, the Department announced it would study the feasibility of using a single assessment for PIP and ESA/UC to establish if this would improve the assessment process for claimants who are eligible to be assessed for these benefits at the same time. We have recently concluded the study, which involved discussions with key stakeholders, as well as research and analysis to examine how a single assessment could work in practice with a sharp focus on whether it would improve the claimant experience. The Department will be reviewing the evidence from this study before determining next steps.

The Government is committed to continuously improving the experience for customers with health conditions and disabilities and the upcoming Green Paper on health and disability support will seek to address this further.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) have invested in research into myalgic encephalomyelitis, chronic fatigue syndrome and ‘long’ COVID-19. All research commissioned by the NIHR and UKRI is subject to robust peer review processes to ensure that all the studies funded use appropriate outcome criteria to assess and measure their impact.

The Department is working closely with the European Union, to resolve any outstanding issues relating to implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol, including supply of medicines.

We are taking this forward at the Specialised Committee for the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland and through official-level talks.

No such assessment has been made.

The full impact of vaccination on infection and transmission is not yet clear, but Public Health England (PHE) have undertaken their first analysis of the early effects of COVID-19 vaccination using routine testing and vaccination data across England. This data, published on 1 March 2021, provides early evidence that both the Pfizer and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines are having a significant effect on the reduction of COVID-19 infection, hospitalisations and deaths in those over 70 years old across England.

Under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement all United Kingdom residents, including the people of Northern Ireland, will receive the new UK Global Health Insurance Card announced on 11 January 2021.

This offers equivalent protection for emergency and medically necessary healthcare needs to the European Health Insurance Card when in the European Union on a temporary stay.

This is without prejudice to the rights people may have under the Withdrawal Agreement. Citizens of Northern Ireland who live in the UK will not usually have ongoing rights under the Withdrawal Agreement, but they may have such rights if they have resided or paid contributions in the EU in the past.

We have no plans to prioritise teachers and key workers by their occupation.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s interim advice for phase two of the vaccination programme sets out the most effective way to minimise hospitalisations and deaths is to continue to prioritise people by age.

If teachers or key workers are captured in phase one or two due to their age or clinical need they will be vaccinated accordingly.

We have no plans to prioritise teachers and key workers by their occupation.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s interim advice for phase two of the vaccination programme sets out the most effective way to minimise hospitalisations and deaths is to continue to prioritise people by age.

If teachers or key workers are captured in phase one or two due to their age or clinical need they will be vaccinated accordingly.

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 have 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 the surveillance and monitoring of data and information from phase one, as well as further input from independent scientific experts such as the JCVI.

From January 2021, people protected under the Withdrawal Agreement will continue to be entitled to a United Kingdom-issued European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). For those not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, their EHIC may not be valid from January 2021.

For people not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, the future of reciprocal healthcare arrangements between the UK and European Union are subject to negotiations, which are ongoing.

From January 2021, people protected under the Withdrawal Agreement will continue to be entitled to a United Kingdom-issued European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). For those not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, their EHIC may not be valid from January 2021.

For people not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, the future of reciprocal healthcare arrangements between the UK and European Union are subject to negotiations, which are ongoing. The UK is open to arrangements that provide healthcare cover for tourists, short-term business visitors and service providers.

The Government remains strongly committed to supporting research into dementia and the United Kingdom research community is playing a significant role in the global effort to find a cure or a major disease-modifying treatment by 2025.

The Government’s 2020 Challenge contained the commitment to spend £300 million on dementia research over the five years to March 2020. This commitment was delivered a year early with £341 million spent on dementia research over the four years to 31 March 2019. We are currently working on ways to boost significantly further research on dementia at all stages on the translation pathway including medical and care interventions.

In respect of Northern Ireland receiving the right amount of testing, the provision allocated is based on it receiving its share of tests based on population. This is an agreed approach by all four chief medical officers and means each nation is getting a share of tests based on data held by the Office for National Statistics.

In respect of the issue with the booking portal which resulted in some users being directed to tests sites a long distance from them, this has now been resolved. There is now a travel restriction set at 75 miles, and we continue to look at ways we can improve the testing programme.

Individuals who have been identified as clinically extremely vulnerable have been advised to shield to protect themselves. Six categories of clinical conditions were used to identify individuals who are extremely vulnerable due to complex health problems. It was determined that people with motor neurone disease (MND) would not be included in this list, as there are many stages to the disease, with varying levels of severity. This is under constant clinical review.

General practitioners (GPs) and hospital clinicians have the discretion to add individual patients to the list based on case-by-case clinical assessments of each individual’s needs. GPs and hospital specialists have completed initial reviews of their patient lists, and are continuing to identify patients as their clinical conditions change. Anyone with MND who is concerned that that the severity of their symptoms means they may be clinically extremely vulnerable, should contact their GP to discuss.

The UK has been the first country to deliver life-saving medical equipment to India at a difficult time for them in this pandemic. The UK assistance package includes ventilators and oxygen concentrators from surplus stocks. The first shipment of equipment left the UK on Sunday 25 April 2021, arriving in New Delhi in the early hours of Tuesday morning. It will be used by the Government of India to provide vital medical treatment to those suffering from COVID-19 in India. More than 600 pieces of vital medical equipment, including oxygen concentrators and ventilators, will be sent to India to support the country in its fight against COVID-19.

We stand side by side with India as a friend and partner during what is a deeply concerning time in the fight against COVID-19. The UK is working closely with the Government of India to identify further assistance we can provide in the coming days, based on their most pressing needs.

The UK has been the first country to deliver life-saving medical equipment to India at a difficult time for them in this pandemic. The UK assistance package includes ventilators and oxygen concentrators from surplus stocks. The first shipment of equipment left the UK on Sunday 25 April 2021, arriving in New Delhi in the early hours of Tuesday morning. It will be used by the Government of India to provide vital medical treatment to those suffering from COVID-19 in India. More than 600 pieces of vital medical equipment, including oxygen concentrators and ventilators, will be sent to India to support the country in its fight against COVID-19.

We stand side by side with India as a friend and partner during what is a deeply concerning time in the fight against COVID-19. The UK is working closely with the Government of India to identify further assistance we can provide in the coming days, based on their most pressing needs.

FCDO assesses the Robert Carr Fund annually, as we do for all our programmes, and the reviews are available on the Development Tracker at https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/

The UK is proud to be a founding member of this Fund which has done so much to reach the people most left behind by the HIV response and empower them to claim the changes they need to lead healthy and fulfilled lives. It does this by building strong networks that amplify people's voices, helping them to address harmful policies, challenge human rights abuses and shape services; all critical to helping achieve the targets in the Global AIDS Strategy 2021-26. An announcement on future support will be made at the Robert Carr Fund recommitment event later this year.

FCDO assesses the Robert Carr Fund annually, as we do for all our programmes, and the reviews are available on the Development Tracker at https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/

The UK is proud to be a founding member of this Fund which has done so much to reach the people most left behind by the HIV response and empower them to claim the changes they need to lead healthy and fulfilled lives. It does this by building strong networks that amplify people's voices, helping them to address harmful policies, challenge human rights abuses and shape services; all critical to helping achieve the targets in the Global AIDS Strategy 2021-26. An announcement on future support will be made at the Robert Carr Fund recommitment event later this year.

FCDO assesses the Robert Carr Fund annually, as we do for all our programmes, and the reviews are available on the Development Tracker at https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/

The UK is proud to be a founding member of this Fund which has done so much to reach the people most left behind by the HIV response and empower them to claim the changes they need to lead healthy and fulfilled lives. It does this by building strong networks that amplify people's voices, helping them to address harmful policies, challenge human rights abuses and shape services; all critical to helping achieve the targets in the Global AIDS Strategy 2021-26. An announcement on future support will be made at the Robert Carr Fund recommitment event later this year.

The UK has been at the forefront of the international response to COVID-19. We have committed up to £1.3 billion of aid spending to counter the impact of the pandemic, and have adapted existing bilateral programmes to support communities affected in partner countries. For example, we have made a significant contribution to government-led efforts in preventing and responding to cases of COVID-19 in South Sudan, including support for infection prevention and control, as well as water, sanitation, and hygiene activities. In Bangladesh, we are helping to maintain essential humanitarian services, supporting Rohingya and host communities for COVID-19 preparedness in refugee camps. We are also providing direct assistance, for example with an FCDO-funded package of 495 oxygen concentrators and 200 ventilators to support India's COVID-19 response, following the recent surge in cases there.

On technical expertise, the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (PHRST), funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and operated by Public Health England (PHE) and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, is looking at studies and innovative engineering to provide treatment in low-resource settings. This is supporting the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to convene experts to discuss and progress modelling, data collection, and research with African partners.

FCDO assesses the Robert Carr Fund annually, as we do for all our programmes, and the reviews are available on the Development Tracker at https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/

The UK is proud to be a founding member of this Fund which has done so much to reach the people most left behind by the HIV response and empower them to claim the changes they need to lead healthy and fulfilled lives. It does this by building strong networks that amplify people's voices, helping them to address harmful policies, challenge human rights abuses and shape services; all critical to helping achieve the targets in the Global AIDS Strategy 2021-26. An announcement on future support will be made at the Robert Carr Fund recommitment event later this year.

The UK Government is already engaged with preparations for the upcoming UN High-Level Meeting on HIV and AIDS. We are awaiting final decisions on the format of the High Level Meeting before agreeing the level of UK participation.

The UK government recognises and values the vital role civil society organisations play in the global fight against HIV and AIDS. We will work with the Robert Carr Fund and others to amplify the voices of marginalised populations to help make the High Level Meeting successful.

The UK Government is already engaged with preparations for the upcoming UN High-Level Meeting on HIV and AIDS. We are awaiting final decisions on the format of the High Level Meeting before agreeing the level of UK participation.

The UK government recognises and values the vital role civil society organisations play in the global fight against HIV and AIDS. We will work with the Robert Carr Fund and others to amplify the voices of marginalised populations to help make the High Level Meeting successful.

The FCDO is working to finalise ODA budget allocations for financial year 2021/22 and until that is done will not be able to confirm individual country allocations. Final decisions have not yet been made.

The UK is committed to supporting efforts to bring an end to the Syria Conflict. The FCDO firmly believes that the only viable option for a lasting, inclusive peace in Syria is a political solution in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

The regime and its backers have obstructed the peace process thus far and the UK has played a key role in driving the international community to hold the Assad regime to account. In discussions with regional partners and in multilateral fora the UK stresses the primacy of the UN-led peace process and calls for coordinated pressure to bring the regime to the negotiating table.

On 15 March the UK coordinated a joint statement with the Foreign Ministers of Germany, France, Italy and the United States calling for the regime to seriously engage with the political process. Sanctions remain a key lever to bring the regime to the negotiating table too. On 15 March the UK, announced six new sanctions against members and supporters of the regime to hold them accountable. The UK will continue to build diplomatic pressure on the regime to drive engagement with the peace process and work to avoid another ten years of conflict.

The UK strongly supports Human Rights Defenders worldwide to enable them to carry out their work safely and without fear. We are considering carefully the request from Amnesty International and other Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) for a UK Government strategy on Human Rights Defenders. In 2019, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon launched the document 'UK support for Human Rights Defenders' which was drawn up with significant and important input from relevant stakeholders, including Amnesty International, and which sets out how the UK Government engages with Human Rights Defenders to advance the human rights agenda globally.

We are using every tool in our diplomatic arsenal to secure the immediate and permanent release of arbitrarily detained dual British nationals in Iran. We continue to raise Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's case at the most senior levels in the Iranian Government. The FCDO remains in regular contact with both Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her family, and we continue to provide them with all support possible.

We welcome the removal of Nazanin's ankle tag, but Iran's continued treatment of her is intolerable. She must be allowed to return to the UK as soon as possible to be reunited with her family.

On IMS, we continue to explore options to resolve this 40-year old case.

Future spending plans are subject to the outcome of the Spending Review. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will deliver a statement on the 2020 Spending Review on 25 November in the House of Commons.

The UK is a leading player in global health and remains committed to supporting child health interventions as part of our manifesto commitment to end preventable deaths of mothers, newborns and children by 2030.

The UK will be working to strengthen and improve countries' health systems so that children and parents can access healthcare, have access to clean water, and have nutritious diets.

To deliver on our commitment we will work across different dimensions of child health, including providing funding for research and development, supporting nutrition and water and sanitation interventions to prevent malnutrition and diarrhoea, and ensuring children in the poorest countries have access to the life-saving vaccines that children in the richest countries routinely receive. For example, the UK has pledged £1.65 billion, the equivalent of £330 million per year, to support Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance's goal to immunise a further 300 million children and save up to 8 million lives.

The UK Government remains committed to supporting child, newborn and maternal health interventions as part of our manifesto commitment to end preventable deaths of mothers, newborns and children by 2030. This is more important than ever given the COVID-19 pandemic which is exerting even more pressure on essential services with significant impacts for pregnant women, children and adolescents.

Globally we are working with agencies such as the World Health Organisation, UNFPA, the Partnership for Maternal Newborn and Child Health and the Global Financing Facility to support governments to maintain health systems in affected countries, provide technical guidance and advocate for sustained reproductive, maternal, new-born and child health services. This may include filling essential drug supply gaps and supporting frontline health workers to stay in their jobs and provide quality services.

The UK has also pledged £1.65 billion, the equivalent of £330 million per year, to support GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance's goal to immunise a further 300 million children and save up to 8 million lives.

The UK has been clear that those responsible for serious human rights violations should be held to account. We have used our role on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to increase international attention on the Rohingya crisis and we continue to lead calls for accountability. The UK has worked with partners to try and implement the Fact Finding Mission recommendations, including establishing the UN Independent Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar to collect and preserve evidence of atrocities. When I spoke to the Myanmar Minister for International Cooperation on 23 June, I encouraged Myanmar to continue to engage with the International Court of Justice process in a transparent way. On 6 July, the UK's Global Human Rights sanction regime (GHR) listed the Myanmar military's Commander-in-Chief and Deputy Commander-in-Chief, for overseeing the systematic and brutal violence against the Rohingya and other minorities, as set out in the Independent Fact Finding Mission Report. This is in addition to the sanctions which the UK secured through the EU, against 14 members of the Myanmar military responsible for serious human rights violations.

The UK has been clear that Rohingya returns must be voluntary, safe and dignified, in line with the principles of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). We agree with the UNHCR's assessment that conditions are not yet in place to enable this. Since early 2019 there have been serious clashes in Rakhine State between the Arakan Army, an Ethnic Armed Organisation, and the Myanmar military. We have called at the UNSC for an immediate cessation of hostilities. We continue to press the Government of Myanmar for full implementation of the Kofi Annan Rakhine Advisory Commission (RAC) recommendations, including granting citizenship, freedom of movement and permitting immediate and effective access for agencies. The UK is clear that the RAC recommendations remain the best and only internationally and domestically agreed template for tackling the problems in Rakhine State.

We are aware of the issues surrounding the Consulate General's construction works and are liaising closely with the Consulate General and Belfast City Council in an attempt to help them reach, through cooperation and dialogue, an amicable resolution that is satisfactory to all parties. We expect diplomatic and consular missions in the UK to respect our laws and regulations in line with their obligations under the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations and UK law.

For those British Nationals that cannot afford the cost of a flight to return, and have no other funding options, they may be eligible for financial support through an emergency loan from public funds.

More details can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/financial-assistance-abroad/financial-assistance-abroad#if-you-need-financial-help-abroad

The government has committed to annual statistics releases related to the operation of the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children. Statistics related to the period up to April 2020 were published in July 2020 and can be accessed at Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit claimants: statistics related to the policy to provide support for a maximum of 2 children, April 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Table 5 shows that 5,540 families receiving Child Tax Credit in Northern Ireland were affected by the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children born on or after 6 April 2017. A further 230 families in Northern Ireland continued to receive support due to an exception.

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) administers Universal Credit (UC) for Great Britain and therefore does not hold data relating to Northern Ireland. UC in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Social Security Agency.

An estimate of the total entitlement foregone as a result of the changes on 6 April 2017 is not available for 2019-20 until tax credits finalised awards data for that year have been processed, which is expected to be completed by summer 2021.

The Government introduced the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) from January 2013 to ensure that support for families is targeted at those who need it most. The tax charge applies to anyone with an individual income over £50,000 who claims Child Benefit, or whose partner claims it.

HICBC is calculated on an individual rather than a household basis, in line with other income tax policy. Basing HICBC on household incomes would mean finding out the incomes of everyone in each of the 7.8 million households currently registered for Child Benefit. This would effectively introduce a new means test, which would be costly to administer and create burdens on the majority of families who receive Child Benefit.

The Government has no current plans to review HICBC but as with all elements of tax policy, keeps this under review as part of the annual Budget process.

The temporary reduced rate of VAT (5 per cent) was introduced on 15 July 2020 to support the cash flow and viability of about 150,000 businesses and protect over 2.4 million jobs in the hospitality and tourism sectors.

Ice cream served for consumption on the premises in ice cream parlours or other food establishments will benefit from the reduced rate.

This relief comes at a significant cost to the Exchequer, and there are no plans to extend the scope of the reduced rate. This policy will cost over £7 billion, and while some businesses in some sectors are disappointed, a boundary for eligibility had to be drawn.

The temporary reduced rate of VAT (5 per cent) was introduced on 15 July 2020 to support the cash flow and viability of about 150,000 businesses and protect over 2.4 million jobs in the hospitality and tourism sectors. Ice cream served for consumption on the premises in ice cream parlours or other food establishments will benefit from the reduced rate.

The reduced rate has been extended until 30 September 2021, after which a reduced rate of 12.5 per cent will apply for a further six months, until 31 March 2022.

The Housing Secretary announced £3.5 billion on 10 February 2021 as part of a £5 billion multi-year investment in building safety in England.

The Barnett formula is applied to changes in departmental funding so will apply to changes in funding related to this announcement. The level of Barnett consequentials to the Northern Ireland Executive will be confirmed at future fiscal events and spending reviews when the overall level of funding for MHCLG is set.

At Spending Review 2020, the core spending power for Local Government increased from £49.0 billion to £51.3 billion in 2021-22. The Barnett formula was applied to changes in departmental funding as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy so additional funding for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has already generated additional funding for the devolved administrations as part of their own 2021-22 settlements.

HMRC has not undertaken recent analysis on this subject and this would only be available at disproportionate cost.

Research conducted for HMRC in 2015/16 found that 25% of the value of donations did not have Gift Aid added to them where the donor was eligible, contributing up to £0.56bn to the value of unclaimed Gift Aid. The full report is available on GOV.UK at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charitable-giving-and-gift-aid-research

Gift Aid is a tax relief tied to the basic rate of tax paid by donors, currently at 20%. Changing the rate at which Gift Aid is paid would break the link with tax that has been paid and it would no longer be a tax relief but a grant to charities. The Government is not convinced this is the most appropriate or practical way to provide support to charities at this time.

However, the Government is fully committed to supporting charities. It recognises that the sector is experiencing significant pressures and has also made available an unprecedented package of economic support, including a £750 million package specifically for charities, social enterprises and the voluntary sector. This has ensured that charities and other civil society organisations, including those at risk of financial hardship, can continue their vital work during the COVID-19 outbreak.

HMRC treats information about any exchanges it has with individual customers as private and confidential. HMRC is unable to answer the question because to do so would breach this strict principle

The Government currently maintains a zero rate of VAT on the construction of certain buildings. This includes buildings that will be used solely for a relevant charitable purpose, intended solely for non-business use and/or as a village hall.

Going further would come at a cost to the Exchequer. Given this, the Government has no current plans to change the VAT treatment of construction.

The temporary increase in the Stamp Duty Land Tax nil rate band was designed to create immediate momentum within the property market, where property transactions fell by as much as 50 per cent during the COVID-19 lockdown in March.

As the relief was designed to provide an immediate stimulus to the property market, the Government does not plan to extend this relief.

The temporary VAT reduced rate came into effect on 15 July 2020 and was initially scheduled to end on 12 January 2021.

In order to continue supporting the cash flow and viability of over 150,000 businesses and to protect 2.4 million jobs, the Government extended the temporary reduced rate of VAT (5 per cent) to goods and services supplied by the tourism and hospitality sectors until 31 March 2021.

The Government keeps all taxes under review; future tax decisions will be made at Budget.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given on 25 January 2021 to UIN 139996.

Since the Museums and Galleries Exhibitions Tax Relief (MGETR) was introduced in 2017, the Government has provided a total of £20 million of support to 1,345 exhibitions.

The Government has committed to reviewing MGETR before its expiry in 2022. Further information will be provided in due course.

On the issue of steel movements into Northern Ireland, the Government will write to affected businesses this week to set out routes for bringing UK-origin and EU-origin steel into Northern Ireland tariff-free.

The Government will also set out how relevant quotas can be accessed when businesses in Northern Ireland import steel from the rest of the world.

The Government encourages as many people as possible to file on time even if they cannot pay their tax straight away, but where a taxpayer is unable to do so because of the impact of COVID-19 HMRC will accept they have a reasonable excuse and cancel penalties, provided they manage to file as soon as possible after that.

HMRC are looking into potential changes that could be introduced to the process for making a reasonable excuse claim and getting penalties cancelled, in order to make the process easier and quicker for taxpayers, agents and HMRC. HMRC have already given taxpayers and agents more time to appeal by extending the penalty appeal period by three months.

Only by filing a Self-Assessment return will taxpayers and their agents be able to determine the tax due for 2019/20 and the amount of any payments on account for 2020/21. For those taxpayers who will have difficulty in paying all of their Self-Assessment liabilities due on 31 January 2021, HMRC’s enhanced Time to Pay arrangements will make it easier to pay over an extended period.

If taxpayers or their agents are struggling to obtain the required information in time for their Self-Assessment return to be submitted by the 31 January filing date, they can provide provisional figures on their return and then provide HMRC with the actual figures as soon as they can. They must state that provisional figures are being provided by ticking the appropriate data item box on the return.

The purpose of interest is to recompense the party deprived of the use of money that is owed. Interest reinforces the fact that taxes are due for payment on particular dates and brings a degree of fairness into the system where those payment dates are met by some taxpayers but not by others. Interest is not a penalty for late payment.

The Government has provided, and will continue to provide, generous support to the self-employed during the COVID-19 pandemic through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). The third grant, combined with up to £14,070 worth of support for each individual from the first and second grants, makes the SEISS one of the most generous schemes for the self-employed in the world. The Government continues to take a flexible approach and keeps all impacts and policies under review. Details of the fourth SEISS grant will be available in due course.

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme is one part of a substantial package of support available for the self-employed. Those ineligible for the SEISS Grant Extension may still be eligible for other elements of the support available. The Universal Credit standard allowance has been temporarily increased for 2020-21 and the Minimum Income Floor relaxed for the duration of the crisis, so that where self-employed claimants' earnings have fallen significantly, their Universal Credit award will have increased to reflect their lower earnings. In addition to this, they may also have access to other elements of the package, including Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support, mortgage holidays, self-isolation support payments, and other business support grants.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has helped to protect the livelihoods of millions of people. As of 13 December, 9.9m jobs have been supported by the CJRS, with the total value of claims over £46bn.

The Government has continued to adapt and try to include as many people as practically possible. For example, in April, the Government extended the cut-off date for the CJRS to 19 March (from 28 February), bringing in over 200,000 employees to the scope of the scheme; and similarly, has introduced new cut-off dates, most recently 30 October 2020. This allows as many people as possible to be included in the scheme by going right up to the day before the announcement, balancing the risk of fraud that existed as soon as the scheme became public.

There is also extensive additional support available for businesses which may support their workforce including over £65 billion in affordable finance to firms through business loan schemes, grants, a business rates holiday, and tax cuts and deferrals. This is in addition to a temporary £8 billion increase to welfare, mortgage holidays and help with council tax payments. The Government has also introduced further support worth £4.6 billion across the United Kingdom; this includes Barnett funding of £729 million to support local businesses.

The £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element is specifically aimed at providing significant temporary support to low income families who have seen their income fall as a result of the immediate impact of the crisis, and will run until the beginning of April. It is right that we wait for more clarity on the economic and health context before making any further decisions, particularly given how quickly things can move, as demonstrated by recent developments on a vaccine.

The increase is just one part of wide-ranging Government measures to support people through the Covid-19 crisis, which are worth £280bn this year. Low income families are also benefiting from higher Local Housing Allowance rates, mortgage holidays, a temporary suspension of the UC Minimum Income Floor, a £500m local authority Hardship Fund, a £170m local authority Covid Winter Grant scheme, and £500 payments to help people self-isolate under NHS Test and Trace.

In recent years the Government has invested significantly in UC, including by raising work allowances by £1,000 from April 2019, benefitting working parents and people with disabilities by up to £630 per year.

While social security policy is devolved to Northern Ireland, the Executive will continue to be appropriately funded to deliver in NI any changes to GB benefits such as UC.

The practical issues that prevented the Government from being able to include company owner-managers in the original Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, namely the inability of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to verify the source of their dividend income without introducing unacceptable levels of fraud risk, still remain. Similarly, the practical issues that prevented the Government from being able to include the newly self-employed in 2019-20 in the original SEISS, namely that HMRC will not have access to their self-assessment returns in order to verify their eligibility, still remain.

The Government has tried to target the SEISS at those who most need it through a maximum £50,000 threshold for average trading profits, and the requirement to earn 50 per cent or more of income from self-employment.

As previously announced, new eligibility criteria have been introduced for the third SEISS grant in order to ensure that it will only be available to self-employed traders who are facing reduced demand or those who are temporarily unable to trade due to COVID-19.

The Government has acknowledged that it has not been possible to support everyone as they might want. Those ineligible for the SEISS may still be eligible for other elements of the package of financial support available, including tax deferrals, rental support, self-isolation support payments and other business support grants.

We are grateful to London School of Economics (LSE) and Martin Lewis for their contribution to this conversation.

We remain committed to supporting these borrowers and are pleased that active lenders have started offering switching options specifically for mortgage prisoners taking advantage of the new flexibilities given to them by the FCA. We will monitor the impact of this in the coming months.

Working parents who are on the Government’s coronavirus support schemes will still be eligible for childcare support even if their income falls below the minimum threshold requirement.

From Sunday 1^st November, eligible working parents who receive support through the Government’s new Job Support Scheme (JSS) and extended Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will continue to receive their childcare entitlements, including the 30 hours offer and Tax-Free Childcare, even if their income levels fall below the threshold temporarily whilst on these schemes.

At the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis, HMRC changed regulations to ease the Working Tax Credit hours requirements and treat claimants as if they were working their normal hours. This meant that claimants whose hours dropped below the requirements, including the 16 hours per week for a single adult with one or more children, could remain on Working Tax Credit. This easement was tied to the length of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and is set to expire on 31 October.

We will shortly lay legislation to implement an additional easement for the length of the Job Support Scheme. This will ensure claimants whose hours reduce due to the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to have access to Working Tax Credit and its childcare element.

With reference to your first question, Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) administers Universal Credit (UC) for Great Britain and therefore does not hold data relating to Northern Ireland. DWP have passed this part of your question to the Northern Ireland Social Security Agency for response.

Please find below a table summarising the estimated number of tax credit recipient families affected by the policy to support a maximum of two children and the foregone entitlement of ineligible children for the 2017/18 and 2018/19 tax years in Northern Ireland.

Please find below a table summarising the estimated number of tax credit recipient families affected by the withdrawal of the family element of tax credits for families without a child born before 6 April 2017 and the associated entitlement amount for which they are ineligible.

With reference to your first question, Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) administers Universal Credit (UC) for Great Britain and therefore does not hold data relating to Northern Ireland. DWP have passed this part of your question to the Northern Ireland Social Security Agency for response.

Please find below a table summarising the estimated number of tax credit recipient families affected by the policy to support a maximum of two children and the foregone entitlement of ineligible children for the 2017/18 and 2018/19 tax years in Northern Ireland.

Please find below a table summarising the estimated number of tax credit recipient families affected by the withdrawal of the family element of tax credits for families without a child born before 6 April 2017 and the associated entitlement amount for which they are ineligible.

The extension of the zero rate of VAT has been introduced to provide consistency of approach between certain physical and digital publications to support reading and literacy in all its forms. Audiobooks are already taxed consistently at the standard rate in both physical and digital format.

In UK law, a book is deemed to be something that is read or looked at, a definition that does not include audio content in both digital and physical form.

The Government keeps all taxes under review, including VAT, but there are no current plans to extend the VAT zero rate to audiobooks.

Self-employed individuals, including members of partnerships, are eligible for the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) if they have submitted their Income Tax Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19, continued to trade, and have been adversely affected by COVID-19. To qualify, their self-employed trading profits must be no more than £50,000 and at least equal to their non-trading income. The value of the grant is based on average trading profit over three tax years: 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19. The aim is not to subsidise the self-employed who would have been making losses regardless, but to support those who have been adversely affected as a result of COVID-19.

Individuals who are not eligible for the SEISS may be able to benefit from other elements of the unprecedented financial support provided by the Government. This package includes Bounce Back Loans, tax deferrals, rental support,?mortgage holidays, and other business support grants. On 8 July, the Government also introduced the new Plan for Jobs which will make available up to £30 billion to assist in creating, supporting and protecting jobs.

The Northern Ireland Executive will receive around £3 million of additional funding as a result of the business rate relief for nurseries.

The Government has announced unprecedented support for public services, workers and businesses to protect against the current economic emergency

• In the Budget, we set out the first stage of the government’s economic response, with £12bn of support to businesses, households and public services.

• We extended the support available to individuals and businesses, including a business rates holiday, grants to smaller businesses and a package of government-backed and guaranteed loans.

• We announced a package to help individuals affected by the crisis. This covered a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), as well as changes to our welfare system including Universal Credit and Statutory Sick Pay, making support quicker and easier to access, as well as more generous.

• Then on the 26 March we announced even more support to help the self-employed, with the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.

So far, the CJRS has helped 1.1 million employers across the UK furlough 9.2 million jobs, while 2.6 million self-employed individuals had applied for grants worth £7.6 billion in total.

As the economy opens up and we look forward, we will consider how best to support the economic recovery.

For an employee to be eligible for the CJRS they must have been notified to HMRC on a real-time information (RTI) submission on or before 19 March. Those paid annually are eligible to claim, as long as they meet the relevant conditions including being notified to HMRC on an RTI submission on or before 19 March 2020, which relates to a payment of earnings in the 2019/2020 tax year. Anyone paid annually and notified on an RTI submission after that date will not be eligible for the scheme, which puts them in the same position as those who are paid more frequently and were not notified to HMRC on or before 19 March. The 19 March cut-off date allows as many people as possible to be included by going right up to the day before the announcement and addresses the risk of fraud that existed as soon as the scheme became public.

As part of the response to COVID-19, the UK government has announced £39 million of funding to support victims of domestic abuse. The Barnett formula has been applied to this funding and, as a result of this, the Northern Ireland Executive will receive £1.0 million of additional funding.

An early assessment of CJRS claims suggests that about 40% of employers have not made a claim for employer NICs costs or employer pension contributions and so will be unaffected by the change in August if their employment patterns do not change.^[1]

The CJRS will close at the end of October, after eight months. It is the case that some firms will be affected by coronavirus for longer than others, and the Government will seek to support these firms appropriately. It would be challenging to target the CJRS to specific sectors in a fair and deliverable way, and that may not be the most effective or sensible way to provide longer term support for those sectors most affected by coronavirus.

The Government will continue to work closely with the Devolved Administrations to support people across the UK, and monitor developments in the public health and wider economic situation, to ensure that the support being provided is appropriate for the whole UK.

[1] This estimate is based on HMRC analysis of CJRS administrative scheme level claims management information.

In June and July, the Government will pay 80% of wages up to a cap of £2,500 as well as employer National Insurance Contributions (ER NICs) and pension contributions for the hours the employee does not work. Employers will have to pay employees for the hours they work.

In August, the Government will pay 80% of wages up to a cap of £2,500 and employers will pay ER NICs and pension contributions for the hours the employee does not work.

In September, the Government will pay 70% of wages up to a cap of £2,187.50 for the hours the employee does not work. Employers will pay ER NICs and pension contributions and 10% of wages to make up the 80% total, up to a cap of £2,500.

In October, the Government will pay 60% of wages up to a cap of £1,875 for the hours the employee does not work. Employers will pay ER NICs and pension contributions and 20% of wages to make up the 80% total, up to a cap of £2,500.

The cap will be proportional to the hours not worked.

The UK has one of the most generous self-employed COVID-19 support schemes in the world.

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme opened on 13 May, ahead of schedule, and provides support worth up to £7,500 each to millions of individuals. Recipients will have the grants in their bank accounts by end of this month.

The Chancellor will keep the scheme under review.

Everyone in Northern Ireland who is eligible for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will be able to claim their grant. People who have engaged with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) online in the past using an existing Government Gateway credential – for example, to file their Self-Assessment tax return – can reuse their existing online Government Gateway credentials to claim the grant. Most people who are eligible to claim have credentials already. Those dealing with HMRC online for the first time will be required to verify their identity. HMRC worked quickly with the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency to enable people to use a GB driving licence to verify their identity for SEISS. It has not been possible to add non-UK passports or non-GB driving licences to the Government Gateway authentication service to the same timeline. HMRC are currently exploring whether it is possible to connect to Northern Ireland Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) and Irish Passport Service data, as part of their continuing improvement of the Government Gateway. People who do not have a UK passport or GB driving licence can use the multiple-choice questions option to verify their identity. This uses a financial checking service that does not require a passport or driving licence. Anyone who is unable to verify their identity in this way can also make their claim by telephone.

For those businesses which have an appropriate policy that covers government ordered closure and unspecified notifiable diseases, the Government’s social distancing instructions are sufficient to allow businesses to make a claim against their insurance, provided the other terms and conditions in their policy are met.

However, it is important to note that most businesses have not purchased insurance that covers losses from unspecified notifiable diseases, such as COVID-19. Insurance policies differ significantly, so businesses are encouraged to check the terms and conditions of their specific policy and contact their providers. Some policies cover losses arising from any disease classed as notifiable by the Government, however, most policies only cover a specific list of notifiable diseases. The terms of a policy cannot be changed retrospectively.

The Government recognises that businesses who do not have appropriate insurance cover will require support from elsewhere. The Government encourages businesses to seek assistance through the wider support package if they are in financial difficulty. Businesses should explore the full package of support set out by the Chancellor in recent weeks, which includes measures such as business rates holidays, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and wage support.

Those who pay themselves a salary through their own company may be eligible to claim for 80% of usual monthly wage costs, up to £2,500 a month, through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). The CJRS is available to employers, including personal service companies, and individuals paying themselves a salary through a PAYE scheme are eligible. 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, i.e. they should not do work of a kind they would carry out in normal circumstances to generate commercial revenue or provides services to or on behalf of their company.

Income from dividends is a return on investment in the company, rather than wages, and is not eligible for support. Under current reporting mechanisms it is not possible for HM Revenue and Customs to distinguish between dividends derived from an individual’s own company and dividends from other sources, and between dividends in lieu of employment income and as returns from other corporate activity. Expanding the scope would require HMRC to collect and verify new information. This would take longer to deliver and put at risk the other schemes which the Government is committed to delivering as quickly as possible.

Those who are not eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme might be able to access the other support Government is providing, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Bounce Back Loans Scheme for small businesses, and the deferral of tax payments. More information about the full range of business support measures is available at?www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/

Extending the cut-off date for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme beyond 20 March, when the scheme was announced, would enable criminals to exploit the scheme by providing fraudulent payroll data that HMRC could not easily verify. Processing claims beyond 20 March while managing the significant fraud risks would require much greater manual handling by HMRC which would substantially slow down the system and therefore delay the delivery of grants that many businesses desperately need.

Those not eligible for this grant may be able to access the other support the Government is providing, including a package of temporary welfare measures and up to three months’ mortgage payment holidays for those struggling with their mortgage payments.

The Government has already announced a range of measures to support all businesses, including hauliers, such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme. The Department for Transport is continuing to engage with the haulage industry to understand the impact of Covid-19 on the sector.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced new support for the self-employed on 26 March 2020.

The new Self-Employed Income Support Scheme will help those with lost trading profits due to COVID-19. It will allow eligible individuals to claim a taxable grant worth 80% of their trading profits up to a maximum of £2,500 per month for the next 3 months. This may be extended if needed and is one of the most generous self-employed support schemes in the world.

To qualify, an individual’s self-employed trading profits must be less than £50,000 and more than half of their income must come from self-employment. Some 95% of people who receive most of their income from self-employment could benefit from this Scheme.

More information about the Self-employment Income Support Scheme, including the full eligibility criteria and how to claim, is available at www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme.

The new Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will help those with lost trading profits due to COVID-19. It means the UK will have one of the most generous self-employed COVID-19 support schemes in the world.

The new scheme will allow eligible individuals to claim a taxable grant worth 80% of their trading profits up to a maximum of £2,500 per month for 3 months. Self-employed individuals, including members of partnerships, are eligible if they have submitted their Income Tax Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19, continued to trade and have lost trading/partnership trading profits due to COVID-19.

Taking maternity leave, paternity leave, or sick leave does not mean that the trade has ceased and therefore should not affect a person’s eligibility for the SEISS as long as the individual intends to return to the trade after the period of leave.

To qualify for the SEISS, an individual’s self-employed trading profits must be less than £50,000, with more than half of their income from self-employment. Delivering a scheme for the self-employed is a very difficult operational challenge, particularly in the time available. There is no way for HM Revenue & Customs to know the reasons why an individual’s profits may have dropped in earlier years from Self Assessment returns.

However, to help those with volatile income in 2018-19 for whatever reason, an individual is eligible for the SEISS if their trading profits are no more than £50,000 and at least half of their total income, for either the tax year 2018-19 or the average of the tax years 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19. If eligible, they will receive a taxable grant based on their average trading profit over the three tax years, including in years where their trading profits were less than half their total income.

On 15 April, the Government announced it would extend the cut-off date for the CJRS to 19 March, to include employees whose payroll information was notified to HMRC by 19 March. Processing claims for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in cases where HMRC did not have RTI data by 19 March would require much greater manual handling by HMRC, which would significantly slow down the system while risking substantial levels of fraud. It would also require greater resource for HMRC when they are already under significant pressure to deliver the system designed. Those not eligible for the scheme may be able to access the other support Government is providing, including a package of temporary welfare measures and up to three months’ mortgage payment holidays for those struggling with their mortgage payments.

The Government introduced the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) from January 2013 to ensure that support is targeted at those who need it most. HICBC applies to anyone with an individual income over £50,000, who receives Child Benefit or whose partner receives it, regardless of the make-up of their household. The charge increases gradually for taxpayers with incomes between £50,000 and £60,000.

The Government has no current plans to review HICBC but, as with all elements of tax policy, keeps this under review.

The Government understands that COVID-19 is having a financial impact on individuals. Those who have claimed Child Benefit but have opted out of receiving payments so they did not need to return any HICBC liability, can opt back in to start getting Child Benefit payments.

In addition, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have set up the COVID-19 helpline for anyone who is having financial difficulties and concerned about their ability to make a full payment of tax on time. HMRC can give people the time they need to pay, by deferring payments and payment through instalments.

The government has set out an unprecedented package of support for all businesses affected by this crisis, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

On 3 April, the Chancellor extended the eligibility of the scheme so that all viable small businesses affected by Covid-19, and not just those viable businesses unable to secure regular commercial financing, are now eligible if the lender believes they will need finance to see them through these unprecedented times. This exceptional support is designed to enable all long-term viable businesses experiencing difficulties as a result of the coronavirus outbreak to access finance, if external finance is the right answer.

All individual lending decisions, whether under CBILS or outside of this, remain at the discretion of lenders.

The Government seeks, as far as possible, to protect people’s jobs and incomes. This is an unprecedented jobs retention scheme and the Government has been working hard to set out further details on the scheme. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is open to any individual who was on an employer’s PAYE payroll on 19 March 2020. Full details can be found in the guidance available at www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme and www.gov.uk/guidance/work-out-80-of-your-employees-wages-to-claim-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme, which provides answers to these questions.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced new support for the self-employed on 26 March 2020.

The new Self-Employed Income Support Scheme will help those with lost trading profits due to COVID-19. It will allow eligible individuals to claim a taxable grant worth 80% of their trading profits up to a maximum of £2,500 per month for the next 3 months. This may be extended if needed and is one of the most generous self-employed support schemes in the world.

To qualify, an individual’s self-employed trading profits must be less than £50,000 and more than half of their income must come from self-employment. Some 95% of people who receive most of their income from self-employment will benefit from this Scheme.

HM Revenue & Customs will contact individuals if they are eligible and will invite them to apply online using a simple form. HMRC are working on this urgently and expect people to be able to access the Scheme no later than the beginning of June.

More information about the Scheme, including the full eligibility criteria and how to claim, is available at www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme

The Scheme supplements the significant support already announced for UK businesses and employees, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, and deferral of tax payments.

More information about the full range of business support measures is available at www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/.

The UK is well prepared to tackle COVID-19. The Government has set out specific measures to support childcare providers:

• funding for the Government’s early years entitlements will continue during any periods of nursery, preschool or childminder closures, or where children cannot attend due to COVID-19
• to support nurseries at this time, the Chancellor has also decided that they will be eligible for a business rates holiday for one year from 1 April.

Childcare providers will also benefit from the wider measures the Chancellor has announced to support the people and businesses of the UK:

• a three-point plan announced at Budget providing £12 billion of support for public services, individuals and businesses whose finances are affected by the outbreak
• a package to provide additional support for businesses and individuals totalling £350bn
• a temporary but uncapped package to help firms keep people in employment.

The response to COVID-19 needs to be UK-wide and the Government has so far provided £5.3 billion of funding to the devolved administrations to support people, businesses and public services in response to Covid-19. This is in addition to the UK-wide measures that the people and businesses in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will benefit from.

The Confidence and Supply financial annex committed the UK Government to providing £1 billion to Northern Ireland, including £150 million for broadband. To date, £763 million has been released. Any release of further funding would take place following Parliament’s approval in the normal way through the Estimates process.

At the Budget, the Government also committed £5bn to support the rollout of gigabit-capable broadband to the most difficult-to-reach 20% of the country. This funding will have benefits across the UK, particularly in rural areas.

The Government is deferring tax payments, through the Income Tax Self-Assessment (ITSA) and VAT system to help support businesses and the self-employed with cash flows. VAT payments due between now and mid-June will be deferred. No business will have to make a VAT payment to HMRC in that period. Income tax payments due in July 2020 under the Self-Assessment system will be deferred to January 2021, benefitting up to 5.7m self-employed businesses.

The Government has also announced it is delaying the reforms to the off-payroll working rules (IR35) from April 2020 to April 2021 and the reforms will be legislated for in the 2020 Finance Bill. This deferral has been announced in response to the ongoing spread of Covid-19, to help businesses and individuals deal with the economic impacts of the pandemic.

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme is available to self-employed individuals with an eligible business entity. By providing an 80% government guarantee on finance facilities up to £5 million, this scheme will help more businesses to get access to the finance they need. The Government will not charge businesses for this guarantee, and will also cover the first 12 months of interest payments for businesses. For more information on the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme go to: www.British-business-bank.co.uk/CBILS.

The Minimum Income Floor will be temporarily relaxed for all self-employed UC claimants for 1 year from 6 April. This means a drop in earnings due to the economic impacts of Covid-19 will not affect the amount of UC a claimant receives. This goes further than the Budget announcement to temporarily relax the MIF only for claimants who are directly affected by Covid-19, which has already come into effect. For those directly affected or self-isolating, there will be no attendance requirements, and Universal Credit can be claimed online or via phone.

Self-employed people unable to work because they are directly affected by Covid-19 or self-isolating will be eligible for Contributory Employment and Support Allowance. This is now payable from the first day of sickness, rather than the eighth. Eligible claimants under 25 will be entitled to £57.90 per week, and over 25s £73.10 per week.

Theatres in England will benefit from the Government’s introduction of a business rates holiday for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England for the 2020 to 2021 tax year. Those operating from smaller premises, with a rateable value below £15,000 will also be eligible for a £10,000 grant, while those operating from properties valued between £14,999 and £51,000 will be provided with a £25,000 grant.

At the Budget, the Chancellor directed 2,000 civil servants to staff HMRC’s dedicated Covid-19 helpline. HMRC are delivering an enhanced Time to Pay offer to fit the specific impacts of the virus. Time to Pay is available to all firms and individuals who are in temporary financial distress as a result of Covid-19 and are unable to pay their tax on time or have existing liabilities. The bespoke arrangement, which is agreed depending on circumstance, can cover all debts owed to HMRC. Taxpayers may be able to defer payments for up to three months if they are unable to make a payment immediately. The Covid-19 helpline can be reached by calling: 0800 0159 559 and enables those eligible to get practical help and advice. HMRC have already seen significant take-up of the service and will keep resourcing of the helpline under constant review as the situation develops.

Payment holidays can be a feature of business or consumer lending products or can be offered by lenders in exceptional circumstances outside of the customer’s control. This covers a multitude of potential scenarios.. Where payment holidays as a result of COVID-19 are agreed with a lender, we would expect lenders to ensure that taking a payment holiday should not impact credit scores. Ministers and officials are working closely with industry to protect businesses and consumers from harm during these unprecedented times.

The UK is well prepared to tackle COVID-19. On Tuesday 17 March the Chancellor announced that as the wider economic picture becomes clearer, the government would do whatever it takes to get our nation through the impacts of COVID-19 and that he stands ready to announce further action wherever necessary.

Whilst we hold data on the current addresses of asylum claimants, the Home Office are unable to state how many asylum claims have been outstanding for eight weeks or longer, or what the processing time is for asylum applications in South Belfast constituency as this information is not published.

However, the Home Office does publish data on the number asylum applications awaiting an initial decision by duration, for main applicants only. This data can be found at Asy_04 of the published Immigration Statistics:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-year-ending-june-2021/list-of-tables#asylum-and-resettlement

The Home Office are committed to ensuring asylum claims are considered without unnecessary delay, individuals who need protection are granted asylum as soon as possible and can start to integrate and rebuild their lives, including those granted at appeal.

Whilst we hold data on the current addresses of asylum claimants, the Home Office are unable to state how many asylum claims have been outstanding for eight weeks or longer, or what the processing time is for asylum applications in South Belfast constituency as this information is not published.

However, the Home Office does publish data on the number asylum applications awaiting an initial decision by duration, for main applicants only. This data can be found at Asy_04 of the published Immigration Statistics:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-year-ending-june-2021/list-of-tables#asylum-and-resettlement

The Home Office are committed to ensuring asylum claims are considered without unnecessary delay, individuals who need protection are granted asylum as soon as possible and can start to integrate and rebuild their lives, including those granted at appeal.

On Wednesday 18 August, the Government announced the a new bespoke Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), to welcome up to 20,000 vulnerable Afghans who have been forced to flee Afghanistan. The scheme will focus on those most at risk, including women, girls and religious minorities given their particular vulnerability, and in its first year will resettle up to 5,000 vulnerable Afghans. This scheme delivers on the Government’s commitment in the New Plan for Immigration to create safe and legal routes for those in fear of persecution and oppression in their home country. The Government is working urgently to open this route and further details will be announced in due course on gov.uk.

The new route is separate from, and in addition to, the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), which offers any current or former locally employed staff who are assessed to be under serious threat to life priority relocation to the UK.

We take the health and wellbeing of those in our care extremely seriously and proper safety procedures were followed throughout the Esparto 11 charter flight on 12 August 2020.

Published guidance, and the training received by detainee custody officers makes it clear that physical force, and the use of waist restraint belts or handcuffs, should only be used after a thorough assessment of risk, and in consideration of each individual’s personal circumstances. These risk factors may justify the application of restraints to ensure the safety and wellbeing of both the returnee and escorting staff. The Home Office reviews all reports resulting from a use of force to ensure that techniques are used proportionately, that they are justified, and are used for the minimum period required.

On occasion, people with no right to be in the UK go to extreme lengths to prevent their removal by attempting to cause physical harm to officers or themselves. In these instances, force will be used sparingly as a last resort for their own and others protection.

On 2 October 2020, HM Inspectorate of Prisons published a report of their inspection of the flight, which found that much of operation ran smoothly and they saw returnees generally treated with courtesy. The inspectorate raised no overall safety concerns with these procedures, but did make some recommendations for improvements, which are already being implemented.

There are no current plans to reduce the fee for SIA licence applications. The application fee is set on the basis of full recovery of the costs incurred by the SIA for processing and issuing the licence, and for associated costs such as inspections and enforcement activity.

The fee is reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that cost recovery is achieved over the three year licence cycle, without generating an overall surplus at the end of cycle. Reviews are undertaken in line with the principles of the HM Treasury guidance, Managing Public Money, with a business case submitted to Treasury to approve any prospective fee change. The last fee reduction took effect from 1st April 2020 and reduced the fee from £210 to £190.

We make every effort to ensure that a foreign national offenders removal by deportation coincides, as far as possible, with their release from prison on completion of sentence. Those who have no right to remain in the UK and do not return home voluntarily should be in no doubt of our determination to remove them.

Regular reviews of detention will consider if it remains appropriate and will take account of whether an appeal is a barrier to removal, or it is non-suspensive. The lodging of a suspensive appeal, or other legal proceedings that need to be resolved before removal can proceed will not lead to automatic release in such circumstances: there may be other grounds justifying a person’s continued detention, for example a risk of absconding, risk of harm to the public or the person’s removal may still legitimately be considered imminent if the appeal or other proceedings are likely to be resolved reasonably quickly.

Foreign national offenders held in detention have the option to apply to an independent immigration judge for bail at any point.

Our New Plan for Immigration will make it easier to deport foreign criminals with no right to be in the UK and keep our citizens safe.

Under the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, the people of Northern Ireland have the right to identify and be accepted as British, Irish or both, as they may so choose.

Irish citizens are automatically deemed to be "settled" in the United Kingdom and so any child born in the UK to an Irish citizen would be a British citizen by birth.

Irish Citizens have a unique position under UK law and do not need to apply for immigration leave to work, live or study in the UK. As such there has been no assessment of the potential merits of waiving the citizenship application fee for Irish citizens resident in Northern Ireland applying for British citizenship. Fee waivers, exceptions and reductions are not extended to citizenship applications, except in very limited circumstances.

We keep our fees for immigration and nationality applications under review and ensure they are within the parameters agreed with HM Treasury and Parliament, as set out in Section 68 (9) of the Immigration Act 2014 which can be viewed via the following link:

(http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/22/section/68).

The EU Settlement Scheme guidance published on GOV.UK applies to all those who may apply under the scheme, including prisoners.

HM Prison and Probation Service has been working closely with the Home Office to ensure those who are eligible to apply under the scheme are aware of it and are able to do so.

In line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, the Government has made clear,where a person eligible for status under the EU Settlement Scheme has reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline for applications by those resident in the UK by the end of the transition period, they will be given a further opportunity to apply.

We will publish clear, non-exhaustive guidance in the near future on what constitutes reasonable grounds for missing the deadline. For now, the focus remains on communicating information about the scheme and helping people to apply before the deadline.

The EU Settlement Scheme guidance published on GOV.UK applies to all those who may apply under the scheme, including prisoners.

HM Prison and Probation Service has been working closely with the Home Office to ensure those who are eligible to apply under the scheme are aware of it and are able to do so.

In line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, the Government has made clear,where a person eligible for status under the EU Settlement Scheme has reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline for applications by those resident in the UK by the end of the transition period, they will be given a further opportunity to apply.

We will publish clear, non-exhaustive guidance in the near future on what constitutes reasonable grounds for missing the deadline. For now, the focus remains on communicating information about the scheme and helping people to apply before the deadline.

Those who have been in a country at risk of tuberculosis within the last six months must apply for the BN(O) route with a valid TB test certificate. This includes those who have come to the UK via Leave Outside the Rules at the border.

My officials are working with clinics across Northern Ireland in order to to approve one as soon as possible.

No. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we have continued to return and deport foreign offenders and other immigration offenders where flight routes have been available to us, both on scheduled flights and via the use of over thirty charter flights to countries including Albania, France, Germany, Ghana, Lithuania, Nigeria, Poland and Spain.

This flight has nothing to do with the Windrush Review or the wrongs that the Windrush Generation faced. Seeking to deport foreign murderers, rapists and other criminals (whether to Jamaica or elsewhere) is the only responsible course of action and this, and subsequent flights will not be suspended.

UIN: 119421

A claimant seeking protection on the basis of their sexual orientation is required to substantiate the claim they are lesbian, gay or bi-sexual (LGB), or perceived to be so by others, and that they have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country arising from this sexual identity. They are required to establish this to a reasonable degree of likelihood.

We do not accept that someone is LGB simply because they affirm it. Any such declarations will form the starting point of explorations and all claims will be subject to a proper assessment of all relevant facts and circumstances.

Our processes ensure applicants are afforded ample opportunity to establish how they define and identify themself sexually and how their sexual identity is relevant to fears around future risk of harm.

The Home Office approach to considering such claims is based on dedicated published guidance and training aimed at ensuring that claims are handled sensitively and appropriately. Our guidance and training products reflect all relevant UK caselaw and all claims are considered on their merits in accordance with the obligations under the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

UIN: 119420:

The Home Office publishes data on asylum applications and initial decisions for main applicants for whom sexual orientation formed part of the basis of their claim, broken down by nationality in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’. The latest data, covering the period from 2015 to 2019 were published in Immigration Statistics, year ending June 2020. Data on the number of grants of asylum at initial decision where sexual orientation formed a basis of their claim are published in tables SOC_00 and SOC_02 of the ‘Asylum claims on the basis of sexual orientation tables’.

Data published in this release relate to the number of asylum claims made where sexual orientation – lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) – formed part of the basis of the claim. The data do not represent the number of asylum claimants who define themselves as LGB. Having an identifier that an asylum case is based on sexual orientation does not indicate that a claimant has any particular sexuality or that sexual orientation is the reason for any grant or refusal of asylum. It also does not signify whether that aspect of the claim has been accepted. Sexual orientation as a basis of claim could be due to imputed assertions or association rather than a defining characteristic of the claimant.

These data are experimental statistics and should be interpreted with caution. Experimental statistics are statistics that are in a testing phase and are not yet fully developed. These statistics have not been subject to the full level of quality assurance of National Statistics. Further details can be found in the Office for National Statistics Guide to Experimental Statistics.

The next published update will be August 2021, covering the period from 2015 to 2020.

UIN: 119421

A claimant seeking protection on the basis of their sexual orientation is required to substantiate the claim they are lesbian, gay or bi-sexual (LGB), or perceived to be so by others, and that they have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country arising from this sexual identity. They are required to establish this to a reasonable degree of likelihood.

We do not accept that someone is LGB simply because they affirm it. Any such declarations will form the starting point of explorations and all claims will be subject to a proper assessment of all relevant facts and circumstances.

Our processes ensure applicants are afforded ample opportunity to establish how they define and identify themself sexually and how their sexual identity is relevant to fears around future risk of harm.

The Home Office approach to considering such claims is based on dedicated published guidance and training aimed at ensuring that claims are handled sensitively and appropriately. Our guidance and training products reflect all relevant UK caselaw and all claims are considered on their merits in accordance with the obligations under the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

UIN: 119420:

The Home Office publishes data on asylum applications and initial decisions for main applicants for whom sexual orientation formed part of the basis of their claim, broken down by nationality in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’. The latest data, covering the period from 2015 to 2019 were published in Immigration Statistics, year ending June 2020. Data on the number of grants of asylum at initial decision where sexual orientation formed a basis of their claim are published in tables SOC_00 and SOC_02 of the ‘Asylum claims on the basis of sexual orientation tables’.

Data published in this release relate to the number of asylum claims made where sexual orientation – lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) – formed part of the basis of the claim. The data do not represent the number of asylum claimants who define themselves as LGB. Having an identifier that an asylum case is based on sexual orientation does not indicate that a claimant has any particular sexuality or that sexual orientation is the reason for any grant or refusal of asylum. It also does not signify whether that aspect of the claim has been accepted. Sexual orientation as a basis of claim could be due to imputed assertions or association rather than a defining characteristic of the claimant.

These data are experimental statistics and should be interpreted with caution. Experimental statistics are statistics that are in a testing phase and are not yet fully developed. These statistics have not been subject to the full level of quality assurance of National Statistics. Further details can be found in the Office for National Statistics Guide to Experimental Statistics.

The next published update will be August 2021, covering the period from 2015 to 2020.

The Common Travel Area (CTA) has never required the UK and Ireland to have entirely harmonised immigration arrangements for non-British or non-Irish citizens. However, everyone entering the UK, regardless of where they enter from, is required to meet the UK’s immigration framework. There is a high level of cooperation on border security to ensure that legitimate travel, including for business, is facilitated while those who intend to abuse the arrangements are prevented from entering.

The Home Office, Ireland’s Garda National Immigration Bureau and Border Management Unit, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and other police forces work together to tackle abuse of the CTA by conducting intelligence-led checks and enforcement operations. Anyone identified attempting to circumvent UK border controls is liable to be removed, if they are not lawfully present within the UK.

We also work closely with Ireland to secure the external CTA border, including data sharing and operational co-operation.

There is a high degree of co-operation between UK Government departments on all aspects of the CTA.

The Common Travel Area (CTA) has never required the UK and Ireland to have entirely harmonised immigration arrangements for non-British or non-Irish citizens. However, everyone entering the UK, regardless of where they enter from, is required to meet the UK’s immigration framework. There is a high level of cooperation on border security to ensure legitimate travel, including for business, is facilitated while those who intend to abuse the arrangements are prevented from entering.

The Home Office, Ireland’s Garda National Immigration Bureau and Border Management Unit, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and other police forces work together to tackle abuse of the CTA by conducting intelligence-led checks and enforcement operations. Anyone identified attempting to circumvent UK border controls is liable to be removed, if they are not lawfully present within the UK.

We also work closely with the Republic of Ireland to secure the external CTA border, including data sharing and operational co-operation to prevent exploitation of our two immigration systems by those not complying with the relevant provisions in each nation.

There is a high degree of co-operation between UK Government departments on all aspects of the CTA.

Non-EU citizens applying to the EU Settlement Scheme in the UK can prove their identity using a valid passport, biometric residence card or biometric residence permit.

Where they are applying to the scheme online from outside the UK, they need to use a valid biometric residence card for this purpose, as this is compatible with the identity verification app available as part of the online application process. A non-EU citizen who is unable to apply to the scheme from outside the UK because they do not have a valid biometric residence card can apply for an EU Settlement Scheme family permit to travel to the UK and then apply to the scheme in-country.

The UK already provides a number of legal routes for families to reunite in the UK. In particular:

1) Families can apply under the family Immigration Rules where there is a qualifying partner or child (British or lived continuously in the UK for at least seven years) and it is unreasonable to expect family life to continue outside the UK or for the child to leave.

2) Refugee family reunion policy allows a partner and children under 18 of those granted protection in the UK to join them here, if they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country.

3) The Dublin III Regulation contains provisions enabling family reunification. In 2019 the UK transferred in 528 people under these provisions. The UK will remain part of the Dublin Regulation until the end of the transition period. Mechanisms for family reunification beyond the transition period is subject to negotiations.

The Home Office has been working with a Public Health England embed during the current crisis and we have put in place a number of measures to support people in the asylum system who are affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, including working closely with providers to make sure the most vulnerable people within the system receive the support they need.

In Initial Accommodation facilities, which tends to be hostel based, PHE Guidance recommends that separate rooms?and segregation?be provided for symptomatic people, or they should be moved to hotels. Our providers have configured their accommodation estate to meet this guidance.

In Dispersed Accommodation, which is houses or homes of multiple occupancy accommodating small numbers, Service Users have been provided guidance to ensure they socially distance or self isolate in line with the advice provided to the general public. Additionally, services providers have enhanced their contact management and wraparound services to ensure access to medical care, food packages and other essential items.

We take the wellbeing of asylum seekers extremely seriously. As part of our response to COVID-19, we have introduced regional intake units to allow asylum claims to be registered in a safe way that adheres to social distancing guidance and minimises travel. These are contingency measures put in place to allow asylum claims to be registered in a safe manner and ensure those that are at immediate risk of destitution can access support.

Following guidance from Public Health England, Asylum Operations initially cancelled all face-to-face substantive asylum interviews. We are now in a position where we can ensure safe social distancing of our staff, customers and have started to issue invitations to interview using video conferencing in small numbers with an expectation that interview volumes will increase over the coming weeks, including those taking place face to face.

Additional work is still be being taken forward to ensure we can make the best use of technology and increase flexibility and capacity in a way that enhances both the staff and customer experience. We remain committed to an interview process that allows all participants - applicants, representatives, interpreters and interviewers - to do so safely.

Asylum Operations are continuing to make and serve decisions on cases where there is enough information to do so. We are continuing to review these on a case by case basis, ensuring those with significant safeguarding concerns or vulnerabilities are only served if appropriate to do so.

Support for asylum seekers in the UK who would otherwise be destitute is a Home Office responsibility. If an asylum seeker is in Northern Ireland and destitute, they can apply to the Home Office via Migrant Help for the same provision as is available in the rest of the UK. UKVI regularly engage with the NI Executive and other partners to enable the identification, discussion and resolution of any support and accommodation issues for asylum seekers in Belfast.

The statement of changes to the Immigration Rules laid before Parliament on 14 May will amend the EU Settlement Scheme so family members of the people of Northern Ireland can apply for immigration status on broadly the same terms as family members of Irish citizens.? This delivers the commitment made in the New Decade, New Approach agreement which restored the Northern Ireland Executive in January 2020.

Those living in Northern Ireland and currently eligible for leave under the EU Settlement Scheme have been able to make an application since the scheme opened fully in March 2019. In order for relevant operational preparations to be made for the changes announced on 14 May, applications from relevant family members of the people of Northern Ireland can be made from 24 August.

The statement of changes to the Immigration Rules laid before Parliament on 14 May will amend the EU Settlement Scheme so that family members of the people of Northern Ireland can apply for immigration status on broadly the same terms as family members of Irish citizens. This delivers the commitment made in the New Decade, New Approach agreement which restored the Northern Ireland Executive in January 2020.

Family members of the people of Northern Ireland will be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme from 24 August.

Family members of the people of Northern Ireland who cannot already apply to the EU Settlement Scheme and want to come to the UK or extend their current stay before 24 August can make an application under an existing immigration route.

The statement of changes to the Immigration Rules laid before Parliament on 14 May will amend the EU Settlement Scheme so family members of the people of Northern Ireland can apply for immigration status on broadly the same terms as family members of Irish citizens. This delivers the commitment made in the New Decade, New Approach agreement which restored the Northern Ireland Executive in January 2020.

Family members of the people of Northern Ireland will be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme from 24 August.

Family members of the people of Northern Ireland who cannot already apply to the EU Settlement Scheme and want to come to the UK or extend their current stay before 24 August can make an application under an existing immigration route.

The latest statistics on asylum intake since the UK left the EU can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-year-ending-march-2020/list-of-tables#asylum-and-resettlement. The Home Office will continue to support all devolved administrations and local authorities after the transition period in the same way as we do now.

The UK takes its relationship with Ireland and the Island of Ireland seriously and maintaining the integrity of the Common Travel Area is key to upholding an effective immigration system for all in the future. The UK is engaging with the EU on a future partnership and will collaborate with the NI Executive where concrete progress has been made.

The statement of changes to the Immigration Rules laid before Parliament on 14 May will amend the EU Settlement Scheme so that family members of the People of Northern Ireland can apply for immigration status on broadly the same terms as family members of Irish citizens. This delivers the commitment made in the ‘New Decade, New Approach’ agreement which restored the Northern Ireland Executive in January 2020.

Family members of the people of Northern Ireland will be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme from 24 August.

Family members of the people of Northern Ireland who have paid a fee to secure immigration status under another route, such as the UK’s family Immigration Rules, or who do so in order to come to the UK or to extend their stay before 24 August, will not be refunded.

The overall purpose of the Surcharge is to benefit the NHS, help to care for the sick and save lives.

NHS and wider health and social care workers from abroad make a fantastic contribution. However, it is fair to expect people arriving in the UK to work in non-healthcare roles to make a contribution to the brilliant NHS services to which they can access.

We routinely help people with no right to remain in the UK return to their country of origin and we are committed to removing foreign national offenders wherever possible.

We take the welfare of those in our care very seriously. A safer system of work was adapted in line with Public Health England guidance; this included social distancing in transit and on the flight and appropriate Personal Protective Equipment for both escorting staff and detainees.

Visa nationals whose leave expired after the 24 January and who cannot leave the country because of the COVID-19 pandemic are able to extend their visas. This will last until 31 May, but will be kept under regular review in case further extensions are needed.

No individual who is in the UK legally and whose visa expired after 24 January 2020, or is due to expire, will be regarded as an overstayer or suffer any detriment in the future if they cannot leave the UK because of travel restrictions related to coronavirus.

We are taking compassionate and pragmatic measures to ensure appropriate support is available to individuals affected by and as a result of Covid-19.

Those looking to stay in the UK long-term can apply from the UK online to switch to a long-term UK visa until 31 May. The terms of individuals’ existing leave will remain the same until applications are decided. Further Guidance is available on Gov.uk.

Many existing measures also provide relevant support, for instance those eligible to apply for leave to remain or further leave to remain on a specified human rights route are also eligible to apply for a fee waiver.

A coronavirus immigration mailbox CIH@homeoffice.gov.uk has also been set up and there is a freephone number 0800 678 1767 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) for those who wish to discuss their individual circumstances.c

The Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those affected by the covid-19 outbreak.

We continue to monitor the situation closely and may make adjustments to requirements where necessary and appropriate.

The Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those affected by the covid-19 outbreak. We are continually reviewing the situation to consider what more can be done.

Individuals who have leave to remain on human rights grounds can already apply to have their no recourse to public funds condition lifted if they would otherwise be destitute. We are working to ensure that those who are eligible to have the condition lifted can have a decision taken as swiftly as possible.

Local authorities may also provide basic safety net support if it is established that there is a genuine care need that does not arise solely from destitution, for example, where there are community care needs, migrants with serious health problems or family cases.

Covid-19 has been added to the list of communicable diseases so anyone experiencing symptoms regardless of their immigration status will be treated for free.

A dedicated covid-19 immigration help-centre has been set up to deal with queries. The best way to contact the help-centre is via email on CIH@homeoffice.gov.uk.

The number of people who are subject to “no recourse to public funds” is not part of the published statistics. Home Office analysts are looking at the available data to determine what figures could be produced using internal management information. However, given the fluid nature of migration in and out of the country, and the number of individuals making applications to change their status at any given time; it would be too complex to produce an accurate figure of how many people are subject to “no recourse to public funds” at any given time that could be assured to the standard required by the Code of Practice for Statistics for publication.

This Government has taken action?across the system to support those with?no recourse to public funds, including protections from eviction for renters and mortgage holidays, helping the employed, self-employed and those on zero-hour contracts.?Migrants with leave under the Family and Human Rights routes can apply to have the restriction lifted by making a ‘change of conditions’ application if there has been a change in their financial circumstances.? The Home Office has recently digitised the application form to make sure it is accessible for those who need to remain at home, and those who do not have internet access or are not confident using a computer can access phone support to complete their application.?Individuals with leave under the 5-yr parent route, or the 10-yr family or private life route, can apply for a fee waiver if they are destitute, would be rendered destitute by payment of the fee, or where there are other exceptional circumstances.?More information for migrants living in the UK can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-get-support-if-youre-a-migrant-living-in-the-uk

The Home Office intends to change the Immigration Rules to enable eligible family members of the people of Northern Ireland to apply for UK immigration status on broadly the same terms as the family members of Irish citizens in the UK. This route will be opened in the near future.

Any rights held by such individuals by virtue of the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 will be unaffected by the implementation of this route.

The Home Office intends to change the Immigration Rules to enable eligible family members of the people of Northern Ireland to apply for UK immigration status on broadly the same terms as the family members of Irish citizens in the UK. This route will be opened in the near future.

Any rights held by such individuals by virtue of the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 will be unaffected by the implementation of this route.

The Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement sets out the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both, as they may so choose, and confirms their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship.

In line with this commitment, the people of Northern Ireland are legally able to hold British, or Irish citizenship or both.

The reciprocal Common Travel Area arrangements between the UK and Ireland ensure that the people of Northern Ireland are not required to choose and assert an identity, or to align their citizenship with their choice of identity, in order to access public services and other entitlements in the UK.

The Home Office intends to change the UK’s Immigration Rules so that family members of the people of Northern Ireland can apply for immigration status on broadly the same terms as family members of Irish citizens and will open the route as soon as delivery allows. This will enable the people of Northern Ireland to bring their family members to the UK on an equal basis regardless of whether they are British, Irish or both, and regardless of how they identify.

We have published guidance for landlords, tenants and local authorities in the context of coronavirus (COVID-19) which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-and-renting-guidance-for-landlords-tenants-and-local-authorities. Landlords or letting agencies who rent private accommodation to students must continue to comply with existing legislation including, in the case of some shared accommodation, specific Houses in Multiple Occupation licensing rules. (See here: https://www.gov.uk/house-in-multiple-occupation-licence.)

During this period, landlord, letting agency and tenant obligations have not changed and tenants remain liable for rent. Some universities and private accommodation providers have chosen to release students from their contracts early and not charge rent for students returning home. However, in the case of private landlords and letting agencies, the negotiation of rent waivers with student tenants is a matter between the parties concerned. We encourage landlords, letting agencies and tenants to adopt a pragmatic, common-sense approach to issues that may arise in the current circumstances.

On 18 March, we announced a radical package of measures to protect renters and landlords affected by coronavirus. Emergency legislation has been brought forward as an urgent priority so that landlords will not be able to start proceedings to evict tenants for at least a three-month period. As a result of these measures, no renter in private or social accommodation needs to be concerned about the threat of eviction during this time.

Tenants will continue to be liable for their rent, and those tenants who can afford to pay should continue to do so. The Government also announced unprecedented measures to support workers to stay in work during this period by paying up to 80 per cent of their wages, increasing the amount available to welfare claimants and raising the Local Housing Allowance rate to the 30^th percentile, supporting tenants who may have already been struggling with their rent. These significant financial measures will help to support tenants to continue to pay their living costs, including rental payments.

We have not had any discussions with Natwest regarding their review of Ulster Bank. The transfer reflects internal restructuring within Natwest Group and is a matter for them and the relevant financial regulators.

I welcome the fact that Ulster Bank have said that customers will see no changes to their day-to-day banking when the transfer is completed, and in particular their commitment that local jobs will not be impacted as a result.

The Government’s clear position is that there is no rational justification for pet movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland not to continue in a very similar way to how they do today. Discussions are ongoing with the EU on this point and further information will be provided subsequent to those discussions.

The Business Engagement Forum provides a space for Northern Ireland’s businesses and business representatives to put forward proposals and provide feedback on how to maximise the free flow of trade.

The Government has now held at least 16 meetings of the Forum with over 60 businesses from a variety of sectors and geographical regions. Most recently this included meetings on FTA negotiations and agriculture, as well as a targeted session with representatives from the aerospace sector. This is complemented by regular engagement carried out by Ministers and officials from across Whitehall.

To ensure that the Business Engagement Forum continues to provide a genuinely safe and flexible space for two-way conversations between the Government and Northern Ireland’s business community, the Forum has no restrictive work plan or programme for delivery, and meetings are held in confidence.

Northern Ireland Ministers and officials continue to engage regularly with the Northern Ireland Executive as we get on with delivering the Protocol and preparing for the end of the transition period.

The Devolved Administrations are critical partners and our engagement is intended to enhance understanding of approach and ensure appropriate planning.

In addition, the Northern Ireland Executive attends meetings of the Joint Committee and Specialised Committees on Protocol implementation and are represented at our meetings of the Business Engagement Forum.

The UK Government made legislation establishing a victims’ payments scheme in January. The Regulations provide for the Executive Office to be able to provide funding to the Department responsible for supporting the Victims’ Payments Board. The devolved funding settlement means that the Executive is funded through the Block Grant together with its own revenue raising capabilities to fund its statutory responsibilities, including this scheme.

The Government welcomes the designation of the Department of Justice to lead on administrative support for the scheme and the Executive must now deliver on implementation, so that applications can be processed and payments made to victims. We will continue to prioritise supporting the Executive’s delivery of this scheme.

The Home Office intends to change the UK’s Immigration Rules so that family members of the people of Northern Ireland can apply for immigration status on broadly the same terms as family members of Irish citizens and will open the route as soon as delivery allows.

The Government remains firmly committed to upholding the Belfast Agreement and the rights it protects, including the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British or both, as they may so choose, and the right to hold both British and Irish citizenship. In line with this commitment, the people of Northern Ireland are legally able to hold Irish or British citizenship or both. Further, their right to identify as Irish, British or both is facilitated by the Common Travel Area arrangements, under which the people of Northern Ireland are not required to assert and choose a specific citizenship or identity in order to live, work, study and access public services and other entitlements in the UK.