Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
These initiatives were driven by Clive Betts, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Clive Betts has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Clive Betts has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
Clive Betts has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Brain Tumours Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Siobhain McDonagh (Lab)
Social Housing (Emergency Protection of Tenancy Rights) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Helen Hayes (Lab)
Supported Housing (Regulation) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Kerry McCarthy (Lab)
New Homes (New Development Standards) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Con)
Planning (Affordable Housing and Land Compensation) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Helen Hayes (Lab)
Fetal Dopplers (Regulation) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Antoinette Sandbach (LD)
A total of 660,782 individuals are in receipt of a pension under classic terms.
Of those, 552,327 are retired classic members, the rest are those in receipt of a dependent’s pension.
This is split as follows:
Male/Female | Dependent/Pensioner | Number |
Male | Dependent | 15,905 |
Male | Pensioner | 273,565 |
Female | Dependent | 92,550 |
Female | Pensioner | 278,762 |
MyCSP, the pension administrator, is unable to provide a split between active and deferred members due to how their data is held.
This is due to the fact that a large number of cases still in payment relate to members retiring or crystallising their benefits before the advent of bespoke administration and payroll systems that would hold this information. All historic, legacy cases were processed manually and unfortunately this level of detail is not available for this population.
A total of 660,782 Civil Servants are in receipt of a pension under classic terms.
Of those
92,550 are in receipt of a widows pension and;
15,905 a widowers pension.
552,327 are in receipt of the classic pension
50.47% (278,762) of retired Civil Servants in receipt of a classic pension are women.
The number of widows and widowers who have had their pensions suspended is given in the below table.
| Number of pensions suspended in year | |
Year in which pension suspended | Widows | Widowers |
2017 | 42 | 48 |
2018 | 22 | 13 |
2019 | 5 | 7 |
2020 | 1 | 3 |
2021 | 3 | 0 |
2022 | 0 | 0 |
MyCSP, the pension administrator, are unable to split the numbers based on those remarrying and those cohabiting as their system does not record it in this manner.
The numbers provided are based on MyCSP’s current data holding and include those that were suspended and have not since been restored on their system.
Where a spouse’s Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP) remains payable and only the spouse pension in excess of this is suspended, MyCSP are unable to include these in the data provided because their system will show the benefit as ‘in payment’ although the excess element is suspended. Therefore, the record does not show as suspended.
A total of 660,782 Civil Servants are in receipt of a pension under classic terms.
Of those
92,550 are in receipt of a widows pension and;
15,905 a widowers pension.
552,327 are in receipt of the classic pension
50.47% (278,762) of retired Civil Servants in receipt of a classic pension are women.
The number of widows and widowers who have had their pensions suspended is given in the below table.
| Number of pensions suspended in year | |
Year in which pension suspended | Widows | Widowers |
2017 | 42 | 48 |
2018 | 22 | 13 |
2019 | 5 | 7 |
2020 | 1 | 3 |
2021 | 3 | 0 |
2022 | 0 | 0 |
MyCSP, the pension administrator, are unable to split the numbers based on those remarrying and those cohabiting as their system does not record it in this manner.
The numbers provided are based on MyCSP’s current data holding and include those that were suspended and have not since been restored on their system.
Where a spouse’s Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP) remains payable and only the spouse pension in excess of this is suspended, MyCSP are unable to include these in the data provided because their system will show the benefit as ‘in payment’ although the excess element is suspended. Therefore, the record does not show as suspended.
A total of 660,782 Civil Servants are in receipt of a pension under classic terms.
Of those
92,550 are in receipt of a widows pension and;
15,905 a widowers pension.
552,327 are in receipt of the classic pension
50.47% (278,762) of retired Civil Servants in receipt of a classic pension are women.
The number of widows and widowers who have had their pensions suspended is given in the below table.
| Number of pensions suspended in year | |
Year in which pension suspended | Widows | Widowers |
2017 | 42 | 48 |
2018 | 22 | 13 |
2019 | 5 | 7 |
2020 | 1 | 3 |
2021 | 3 | 0 |
2022 | 0 | 0 |
MyCSP, the pension administrator, are unable to split the numbers based on those remarrying and those cohabiting as their system does not record it in this manner.
The numbers provided are based on MyCSP’s current data holding and include those that were suspended and have not since been restored on their system.
Where a spouse’s Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP) remains payable and only the spouse pension in excess of this is suspended, MyCSP are unable to include these in the data provided because their system will show the benefit as ‘in payment’ although the excess element is suspended. Therefore, the record does not show as suspended.
Within the Cabinet Office, one fund is allocated to local authorities through a process of competitive bidding.
The One Public Estate programme is a partnership between the Office of Government Property in the Cabinet Office, the Local Government Association, and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). Through better use of land and property, it aims to deliver efficiencies, local economic growth (jobs and homes) and better, more-integrated public services. The programme offers early-stage project funding, support and expertise to cross-public sector projects, led by local authorities.
The One Public Estate programme also delivers the Land Release Fund on behalf of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. This capital fund enables local authorities to bring forward otherwise unviable land for housing development. Funding for the Land Release Fund is awarded to local authorities, through a competitive process, directly by DLUHC.
On 5 November, the Government acted swiftly in accordance with growing evidence of virus prevalence to put in place new national COVID-19 restrictions in England. Under these new restrictions, crematoria and burial grounds remain open only for the fundamental purpose of carrying out a funeral or burial; a commemorative event to celebrate the life of someone who has died; or to pay respects to someone who has died. Limiting the use of crematoria and burial grounds allows the bereaved to mourn appropriately while minimising the spread of the virus, and many other outdoor public places remain open for exercise.
From 2 December, we will return to a regional approach and any guidance, including the use of crematoria and burial grounds, will be updated depending on the Local COVID alert level of the area in which you live. For further information on COVID-19 restrictions, please see https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november. Please also refer to the Safer Public Places which provides advice on the safe use of outdoor public spaces.
The Government is working with the electoral sector and Public Health England to identify and resolve challenges involved in delivering the May 2021 elections, including supporting Returning Officers to ensure polling stations and count venues are safe and covid-secure.
The Government is working with the electoral sector and Public Health England to identify and resolve challenges involved in delivering the May 2021 elections, including supporting Returning Officers to ensure polling stations and count venues are safe and covid-secure.
The SMR technology selection process is an open and competitive process. The priority is to select the technologies best able to facilitate operational projects by the mid-2030s. As with any Government decision, this will be subject to value for money, relevant approvals, and technology readiness. This is an exciting time for nuclear and the scale of our ambition means there are likely to be significant supply chain opportunities associated with projects going forward.
The Department has 10 funds allocated to local authorities through a process of competitive bidding.
The list of names those funds are:
In contrast to the number of open calls that UKRI runs, which remained relatively stable with an additional surge to deliver specific COVID-19 related funding, the number of applications for funding from UKRI has risen over the last year, including in response to COVID-19. To date the trend has already shown an increase of over 1,000 applications ending December 2020, with a further projection of another 2,000 applications to be received in the final quarter. These increases are against an active portfolio of approximately 14,000 grants.
UKRI has also responded to increased demand to help stabilise the system and the pressures felt across the research and innovation community. Active grants continue to attract a high number of requested changes through their life, but more recently hundreds more enquiries have resulted from COVID-19 disruption, generating many requests for both costed and no cost extensions with £90 million in costed grant extensions paid this year.
Other stabilising interventions that UKRI has made in response to the pandemic include bringing forwards £100 million of Quality Related funding from Academic Year 2020-21 to AY 2019-20, and providing additional funding through the Sustaining University Research Expertise (SURE) Fund in financial year 2020-21.
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution and subsequent Energy White Paper, set out that the Government, working with industry, is aiming for 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity in the UK by 2030. In support of this we have also announced a £240m Net Zero Hydrogen Fund for capital co-investment in new low carbon hydrogen production, to bring forward a combination of CCUS-enabled ‘blue’ hydrogen and electrolytic ‘green’ hydrogen projects.
We have also committed to consulting on a preferred hydrogen business model in 2021 and will bring forward further details this year on the revenue mechanism to bring through private sector investment via our new business models. Again, our business model work will focus on supporting both green and blue hydrogen.
I meet with my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport regularly to discuss all aspects of transport decarbonisation including the role for green hydrogen. A good example of cross departmental working is the recent announcement in the spending review of £3 million to support the development of the UKs first Hydrogen Transport Hub in Tees Valley.
Hairdressers and barbers in England were able to reopen from 4 July to offer hairdressing services. Other close contact services, like tattoo parlours, remain closed until further notice. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister, in his speech on 3rd July, stated that a timetable for the reopening of these closed sectors would be set out this week.
We appreciate that this is difficult for some businesses. Our approach is guided by the scientific and medical advice, and every step is weighed against the evidence, remembering that the more we open up the more vigilant we will need to be.
Hairdressers and barbers in England were able to reopen from 4 July to offer hairdressing services. Other close contact services, like nail parlours, remain closed until further notice. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister, in his speech on 3rd July, stated that a timetable for the reopening of these closed sectors would be set out this week.
We appreciate that this is difficult for some businesses. Our approach is guided by the scientific and medical advice, and every step is weighed against the evidence, remembering that the more we open up the more vigilant we will need to be.
We have now published (23 June) new guidance for pubs, restaurants, and bars. This supports my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s announcement on 23 June for their reopening from 4 July, provided they are COVID-secure. The guidance was developed following consultation with representatives from the industry.
The guidance sets out various measures for these businesses to consider including calculating the maximum number of customers they can provide services to in a socially distanced manner, reconfiguring seating areas, setting up handwashing facilities, providing clear communications about the rules indoors and outdoors, considering contactless payment methods, adjusting working practices to minimise staff and customer contact, and using outdoor spaces as much as possible.
The guidance is non-statutory but does not change existing obligations relating to health and safety, employment, or equalities. Employers have a duty under UK law to protect the health and safety of their workers and other people who might be affected by their business. This includes considering the risks that COVID-19 represents.
As is the case now, individual business owners will be responsible for ensuring their customers adhere to social distancing guidelines wherever possible.
Depending on the business, the Health and Safety Executive and local authorities enforce health and safety in these workplaces and will monitor compliance including through inspections and following up on concerns raised by individuals with them.
They can take action against any business who isn’t complying with their legal health and safety obligations, including providing guidance and issuing enforcement notices to require them to take the necessary action or taking further action, including fines, if they continue to not comply.
There are currently no plans to increase Sunday trading hours, although we will keep measures like this under review as we examine ways to support the economy and consumers to manage the impact of covid-19. The views of retail workers and their representatives are an important consideration whenever considering a policy change relevant to the sector. Shop employees (except those employed to work exclusively on Sundays) have the right to opt out of Sunday working.
We are working at pace to develop safe ways for pubs, restaurants, bars and cafes to reopen at the earliest opportunity it is safe to do so, through our pubs and restaurants taskforce. As set out in the roadmap, it is our ambition to reopen pubs, cafes, bars and restaurants from 4 July at the earliest, subject to the scientific advice at the time. However, pubs, restaurants and cafes can continue to offer takeaway-enabled services as they have been during lockdown.
Our guidance forms part of employers’ normal health and safety practice. Health and safety legislation is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive, the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland and by local authorities. Social distancing is a key part of our scientific advice. This will be considered by employers as part of their risk assessment.
If the enforcing authority finds that an employer is not taking action to properly manage workplace risk, a range of actions are is open to them, including specific advice or issuing enforcement notices.
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy announced that up to £617 million is being made available to Local Authorities in England under the Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund (LADGF). This is in addition to the £12.33 billion funding previously announced for the Small Business Grants Fund (SBGF) and the Retail Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund (RHLGF).
The data return from Local Authorities of Monday 4th May 2020, which includes each Local Authority’s assessment of eligible hereditaments for the Small Business Grants Fund (SMGF) and Retail Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund (RHLGF), is used as the baseline for calculating the allocation of Discretionary Grant Funds for each Local Authority. The allocation for each local authority is 5% on top of their estimated spend of the Small Business Grants Fund (SMGF) and Retail Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund (RHLGF). All 314 Local Authorities administering the scheme will receive a letter this week setting out their guaranteed minimum allocation, giving them confidence to set up their local schemes. If a Local Authority subsequently identifies and is able to fund more businesses from the Small Business Grants and/or Retail Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund than they identified in their data return of the 4th May, we will increase their 5% allocation.
Guidance, intended to support Local Authorities in administering the Discretionary Grants Fund, was published 13th May.
Guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-business-support-grant-funding.
This will not replace existing guidance for the Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) or the Retail Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF).
Guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-business-support-grant-funding-guidance-for-businesses.
Higher rates of problem gambling are associated with certain products, particularly those online, compared to most land-based products. We want to take this into account in the design of the statutory levy, as well as the higher operating costs in the land-based sector. Public Health England’s evidence review of gambling-related harms, based on Health Survey data, showed football pools to have a 'problem gambling' rate of 5%, which is higher than the population level which has been at or below 1% for the past 20 years.
The consultation on the design of the statutory levy opened on 17 October and has now closed. Our consultation specifically invited views on the question of levy rates so that the Government has the best available evidence to inform our final policy decisions on the structure of the levy. The Government is carefully considering the evidence received, and we will publish our response to the consultation in due course.
The Premier League’s financial fair play rules are a matter for the Premier League and will not be will not be covered by the Football Regulator, which will have a tightly defined scope around ensuring financial sustainability. The Football Regulator will not involve itself in sporting matters or league rules, recognising the Government’s long standing respect for the autonomy of sport.
The Premier League’s financial fair play rules are a matter for the Premier League and will not be will not be covered by the Football Regulator, which will have a tightly defined scope around ensuring financial sustainability. The Football Regulator will not involve itself in sporting matters or league rules, recognising the Government’s long standing respect for the autonomy of sport.
The Premier League’s financial fair play rules are a matter for the Premier League and will not be will not be covered by the Football Regulator, which will have a tightly defined scope around ensuring financial sustainability. The Football Regulator will not involve itself in sporting matters or league rules, recognising the Government’s long standing respect for the autonomy of sport.
The Government published its response to the recommendations of the Fan Led Review of Football Governance in April 2022 and we recognise the need for football to be reformed to ensure the game’s sustainability in the long term.
We are now taking the time to consider the policy. We remain committed to publishing a White Paper setting out our detailed response to the Fan Led Review in due course.
The Government continues to liaise closely and regularly with all the football authorities about their work to tackle discrimination. This includes actions targeted at and around football grounds, such as improving reporting systems, providing better training and support for referees and stewards, and improving the quality of CCTV around stadia.
We also welcomed the launch of The FA’s ‘Football Leadership Diversity Code’ last year which is a step in the right direction to ensure English football better represents our modern and diverse society, on and off the pitch.
In January, the Government convened a roundtable with footballers, alongside the Chair of The FA’s Inclusion Advisory Board and the Professional Footballers’ Association, to discuss social media abuse and the upcoming Online Safety Bill.
However, there is still progress to be made and the Government will continue to press the football authorities to build on their work to date to tackle discrimination.
The Government continues to liaise closely and regularly with all the football authorities about their work to tackle discrimination. This includes actions targeted at and around football grounds, such as improving reporting systems, providing better training and support for referees and stewards, and improving the quality of CCTV around stadia.
We also welcomed the launch of The FA’s ‘Football Leadership Diversity Code’ last year which is a step in the right direction to ensure English football better represents our modern and diverse society, on and off the pitch.
In January, the Government convened a roundtable with footballers, alongside the Chair of The FA’s Inclusion Advisory Board and the Professional Footballers’ Association, to discuss social media abuse and the upcoming Online Safety Bill.
However, there is still progress to be made and the Government will continue to press the football authorities to build on their work to date to tackle discrimination.
The department is in regular contact with the Home Office, the National Police Chiefs’ Council Football Lead, and the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) across a range of issues including tackling discrimination.
I understand the Premier League and English Football League also meet frequently with the UKFPU, including recently with social media companies to focus on tackling online abuse, and hope they will continue to do so as we work together to rid this abhorrent behaviour from the game and society.
The department is in regular contact with the Home Office, the National Police Chiefs’ Council Football Lead, and the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) across a range of issues including tackling discrimination.
I understand the Premier League and English Football League also meet frequently with the UKFPU, including recently with social media companies to focus on tackling online abuse, and hope they will continue to do so as we work together to rid this abhorrent behaviour from the game and society.
The Home Office is the lead department for Football Banning Orders and has published football-related arrests and banning orders statistics, in England and Wales, for the 2019/20 season on gov.uk.
The Government fully recognises the disruptive impact that Coronavirus and restrictions has on the performing arts and particularly for theatres which have had to close to public performance. The Government continues to work with all its sectors to assess the impact of the tiers and to develop proposals for how venues can reopen when it is safe to do so.
We recognise the impact that closures across the country will have on our vital cultural sector and remain committed to supporting it as it suffers the impact of this virus. The remaining £400m of Culture Recovery Fund grants and loans announced on Friday 11th December will support significant cultural organisations who now face financial distress as a result of closure, as well as helping them transition back to fuller opening in the spring.
More than 440 theatres across the country have received more than £183 million from the Culture Recovery Fund, which is nearly 30% of the funding awarded by Arts Council England so far.
Elite and professional athletes may continue to use facilities to train and to compete. It is set out in regulation and in guidance that an ‘elite athlete’ is defined as a person who is:
an individual who derives a living from competing in a sport
a senior representative nominated by a relevant sporting body
a member of the senior training squad for a relevant sporting body
on an elite development pathway.
It is for the relevant governing body to set their own guidance and define the threshold at which these criteria are met in their sport.
My Department is taking a number of steps to support bowling centres impacted by COVID-19 restrictions. Bowling centre operators can access the Government’s comprehensive support package - including the extended furlough and self-employed support schemes, new grant schemes, as well as various government-backed loans. We have also provided business rates relief and grants for many in the retail, leisure and hospitality sector.
We are listening to stakeholders’ concerns, and will continue to closely monitor the ongoing impact of Government restrictions on bowling alleys.
Since 2 December, as set out in the COVID Winter Plan, we have returned to a tiered approach to COVID-19 restrictions in England. Relevant venues in the entertainment, leisure and tourism sectors - including bowling alleys - will be permitted to reopen in tiers 1 and 2, subject to curfew restrictions and in line with COVID-19 Secure guidance. In tier 3 areas, indoor venues and attractions - including bowling alleys - must close.
Sports and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health, and are a vital weapon against coronavirus. That’s why we made sure that people could exercise at least once a day even during the height of the first period of enhanced national restrictions and why we opened up grassroots sport and leisure facilities as soon as it was safe to do so.
Under Tier 3, Ice Rinks are able to open for disability sport, sports as part of the curriculum in education and supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s (including those who were under 18 on 31 August 2020). Elite and professional athletes may continue to use facilities including ice rinks to train and to compete Behind Closed Doors.
Sports and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health, and are a vital weapon against coronavirus. That’s why we made sure that people could exercise at least once a day even during the height of the first period of enhanced national restrictions and why we opened up grassroots sport and leisure facilities as soon as it was safe to do so.
As the Prime Minister said on 23 November national restrictions will end on Wednesday 2 December, and gyms and sport facilities will reopen across all tiers. Outdoor skating rinks can stay open across all tiers and indoor skating rinks can open in Tiers 1 and 2. Unfortunately in Tier 3 areas indoor skating rinks will remain closed, because these areas have a very high or rapidly rising level of infections, so tighter restrictions will be in place. However, elite athletes will still be able to access relevant facilities.
The Government has provided unprecedented support to businesses throughout this period, including a comprehensive and sizable package of direct fiscal support for business such as the business rates relief. Many football clubs have benefited from these measures.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport continues to work closely with other Government Departments as part of our coordinated response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Guidance on tax requirements can be found on gov.uk.
Bowling alleys will be able to reopen from 1 August provided they have written a Covid-19 risk assessment.
We have worked closely with stakeholders to develop further Covid-19 Secure reopening guidance for venues such as bowling alleys. Specific guidance on bowling alleys has been published within UKHospitality’s ‘Covid-19 Secure Guidelines for Hospitality Businesses’. We continue to meet regularly with the wider sector through the Cultural Renewal Taskforce’s Sport and Visitor Economy working groups.
As with all aspects of the Government’s response to Covid-19, our decisions have been and will continue to be based on scientific evidence and public health assessments.
Forms of holiday accommodation such as caravan parks will be allowed to reopen for overnight stays in Phase 3 of the government’s recovery strategy on 4 July.
My Department has been working closely with the sector, including the British Holiday & Home Parks Association (BH&HPA), through the Visitor Economy Working Group to produce guidance on the reopening of the tourism sector. This will include guidance on reopening hotels, caravans and other guest accommodation. The guidance will be published shortly.
VisitEngland are working on a common industry standard quality mark. While work is ongoing, it will be designed to complement COVID-19 Secure Guidelines produced by the Government.
While arcades are mentioned in the BEIS guidance on shops and branches published on 11 May, the government made it clear that a final decision on which premises would reopen on 15 June would be made nearer the time and would be based on the current situation and scientific advice.
The government’s decision was that adult gaming centres, like other amusement arcades and leisure and entertainment venues, should remain closed at this time. These businesses differ from retailers in several ways, including the contact with hard surfaces which is a necessary part of playing their games. As detailed in the government's roadmap “Our Plan to Rebuild” the next phase of easing Covid-19 lockdown restrictions will begin no earlier than 4 July, subject to public health advice. My department is working through the next steps with the arcades sector in line with further announcements on the roadmap.
People will be allowed to travel to second homes - including static caravans - for overnight stays in England from 4 July, in Phase 3 of the government’s recovery strategy
My Department has been working closely with the holiday accommodation sector, including the British Holiday & Home Parks Association (BH&HPA), through the Visitor Economy Working Group to produce guidance on the reopening of the tourism sector. This will include guidance on reopening hotels, caravans and other guest accommodation. The guidance will be published shortly.
VisitEngland are working on a common industry standard quality mark. While work is ongoing, it will be designed to complement COVID-19 Secure Guidelines produced by the Government.
The government gave a commitment to update the statutory guidance, ‘Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked-after children’ and extend it to care leavers up to age 25, in the ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’ strategy for the reform of children’s social care. The update forms part of the wider mission in the strategy, to reduce the disparities in long-term mental and physical health outcomes and improve wellbeing for care-experienced people.
The Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care are taking forward this update together, and work is underway to understand how the current guidance is working in practice and where changes are necessary. This includes consideration of whether there is a need to include further guidance regarding mental health support for looked-after children and care leavers, as well as consideration of whether there is a need to include further guidance relating to cohorts with particular characteristics.
The department will work with a wide range of stakeholders with a diversity of professional and personal experience to ensure that the guidance is sensitive to the health and wellbeing needs of all looked-after children and care leavers, including those with protected characteristics as part of government’s duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010.
The department recognises that children in care are more likely than their peers in the general population to have contact with the criminal justice system. That is why, in 2018, the department published a joint national protocol with the Home Office and Ministry of Justice (MoJ) on reducing the unnecessary criminalisation of looked after children and care leavers. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-protocol-on-reducing-criminalisation-of-looked-after-children.
The department is also taking action on the risk factors that can lead to criminal behaviour, including through our work to improve school attendance.
Through the care leaver Ministerial Board, the department is working closely with MoJ to improve support and outcomes of care-experienced people in the criminal justice system.
MoJ is currently updating its strategy for care-experienced people, to ensure that their time in the criminal justice system is used to support them to lead crime-free lives. The strategy will include a focus on race and its role in shaping the experiences and outcomes of those with care experience and will link to wider departmental efforts to address racial disproportionality in the criminal justice system. MoJ is aiming to publish this strategy in 2024.
The department is continuing to provide £320 million in the academic year 2021/22 for the primary PE and sport premium. This is enabling children and young people to access competitive sport and supporting primary schools to improve the quality of the PE, sport and physical activity which they deliver.
The department is considering arrangements for the primary PE and sport premium for the 2022/23 academic year and beyond. We are aware of the importance of providing schools with sufficient notice of future funding and will confirm the position as early as possible in the new year.
Similarly, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) are considering arrangements for the School Games Organisers programme and will confirm the position on future funding as soon as possible.
The department is also working to deliver on the nearly £30 million announced in October towards improving and opening school sports facilities in England, as well as to improve the teaching of PE at primary school. The department will continue to work closely with DCMS and DHSC to deliver on the aims of the school sport and activity action plan which we will be updating next year.
The department is continuing to provide £320 million in the academic year 2021/22 for the primary PE and sport premium. This is enabling children and young people to access competitive sport and supporting primary schools to improve the quality of the PE, sport and physical activity which they deliver.
The department is considering arrangements for the primary PE and sport premium for the 2022/23 academic year and beyond. We are aware of the importance of providing schools with sufficient notice of future funding and will confirm the position as early as possible in the new year.
Similarly, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) are considering arrangements for the School Games Organisers programme and will confirm the position on future funding as soon as possible.
The department is also working to deliver on the nearly £30 million announced in October towards improving and opening school sports facilities in England, as well as to improve the teaching of PE at primary school. The department will continue to work closely with DCMS and DHSC to deliver on the aims of the school sport and activity action plan which we will be updating next year.
The department is continuing to provide £320 million in the academic year 2021/22 for the primary PE and sport premium. This is enabling children and young people to access competitive sport and supporting primary schools to improve the quality of the PE, sport and physical activity which they deliver.
The department is considering arrangements for the primary PE and sport premium for the 2022/23 academic year and beyond. We are aware of the importance of providing schools with sufficient notice of future funding and will confirm the position as early as possible in the new year.
Similarly, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) are considering arrangements for the School Games Organisers programme and will confirm the position on future funding as soon as possible.
The department is also working to deliver on the nearly £30 million announced in October towards improving and opening school sports facilities in England, as well as to improve the teaching of PE at primary school. The department will continue to work closely with DCMS and DHSC to deliver on the aims of the school sport and activity action plan which we will be updating next year.
The department is still collating 2020-21 grant award data. We expect the collation and accuracy and completeness checks to be concluded in the new year. It is at this stage that the department would be able to provide the analysis requested. The 2020-21 grant scheme and award data is due to be published by Cabinet Office in March 2022.
The department is currently collating 2020-21 grant award data which we expect to be available in the new year following accuracy and completeness checks. The data is due to be published by Cabinet Office in March 2022 but may not contain the recipient category.
The 2019-20 scheme and award grant data is available on the link below in the DfE sheet. The 2019-20 scheme data does not contain the recipient category, but the recipient names are available in the awards data as is the allocation methodology and the grant scheme.
The Government has provided guidance on minimising the risk of transmission of COVID-19 on dedicated school transport in the autumn term. It is available here:www.gov.uk/government/publications/transport-to-school-and-other-places-of-education-autumn-term-2020/transport-to-school-and-other-places-of-education-autumn-term-2020#part-b-guidance-for-dedicated-transport-to-schools-and-other-places-of-education-for-autumn-term-2020.
The guidance explains that the social distancing guidelines for public transport, 2 metres or 1 metre plus other suitable precautions wherever possible, need not be uniformly applied on dedicated school transport, but that distancing should be maximised wherever possible. This approach is necessary to ensure all children can get to school or college. It is proportionate because dedicated transport often carries the same group of children or young people on a regular basis and they do not mix with the general public on those journeys. This helps limit the number of people with whom they come into contact.
The law that requires people aged 11 and over to wear a face covering on public transport does not apply to dedicated school transport. However, our guidance recommends that local authorities advise people aged 11 and over to wear a face covering unless they are exempt. We believe most local authorities expect children and young people to wear a face covering on dedicated school transport, and we support them in that.