First elected: 7th May 2015
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).
Hold a public inquiry into Government contracts granted during Covid-19
Gov Responded - 5 Jan 2021 Debated on - 21 Jun 2021 View 's petition debate contributionsThere should be a public inquiry into Government contracts granted during Covid-19. Many contracts have been granted without full and open procurement processes. A public inquiry would be able to ascertain whether contracts had been procured fairly and represent value for money for tax payers.
These initiatives were driven by Deidre Brock, 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.
Deidre Brock has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
Deidre Brock has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Ministerial Interests (Emergency Powers) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Owen Thompson (SNP)
Arms (Exports and Remote Warfare) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Alyn Smith (SNP)
Workers (Definition and Rights) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Chris Stephens (SNP)
Prime Minister (Nomination) and Cabinet (Appointment) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Pete Wishart (SNP)
Prime Minister (Nomination) and Cabinet (Appointment) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Pete Wishart (SNP)
Multi-employer Pension Schemes Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Alan Brown (SNP)
The Government is committed to supporting the growth of the UK’s video games sector which brings economic, cultural and social benefits across the UK.
To help recruit skilled staff from overseas, the Home Office launched a dedicated Temporary Work route for creative workers. This route maintains generous provisions for creative workers, allowing them to enter the UK to undertake paid engagements for up to twelve months, which can be extended by a further twelve months in some circumstances.
This Government is working with industry to deliver a new generation of highly skilled workers, and will articulate these plans as part of the upcoming Creative Industries Sector Vision. The £8 million expansion of the UK Games Fund is providing valuable support to early stage games development businesses and talented graduates throughout the UK. This includes its Tranzfuser programme which mentors teams of talented and entrepreneurial graduates in regional hubs across the UK.
This Government is investing over £100 million to support research and development across the creative industries, which video games developers are able to apply for. This funding supports groundbreaking programmes including Innovate UK’s £30 million for the Creative Catalyst Programme and the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s £75.6 million CoSTAR programme.
The Government is committed to supporting the growth of the UK’s video games sector which brings economic, cultural and social benefits across the UK.
To help recruit skilled staff from overseas, the Home Office launched a dedicated Temporary Work route for creative workers. This route maintains generous provisions for creative workers, allowing them to enter the UK to undertake paid engagements for up to twelve months, which can be extended by a further twelve months in some circumstances.
This Government is working with industry to deliver a new generation of highly skilled workers, and will articulate these plans as part of the upcoming Creative Industries Sector Vision. The £8 million expansion of the UK Games Fund is providing valuable support to early stage games development businesses and talented graduates throughout the UK. This includes its Tranzfuser programme which mentors teams of talented and entrepreneurial graduates in regional hubs across the UK.
This Government is investing over £100 million to support research and development across the creative industries, which video games developers are able to apply for. This funding supports groundbreaking programmes including Innovate UK’s £30 million for the Creative Catalyst Programme and the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s £75.6 million CoSTAR programme.
The Government is committed to supporting the growth of the UK’s video games sector which brings economic, cultural and social benefits across the UK.
To help recruit skilled staff from overseas, the Home Office launched a dedicated Temporary Work route for creative workers. This route maintains generous provisions for creative workers, allowing them to enter the UK to undertake paid engagements for up to twelve months, which can be extended by a further twelve months in some circumstances.
This Government is working with industry to deliver a new generation of highly skilled workers, and will articulate these plans as part of the upcoming Creative Industries Sector Vision. The £8 million expansion of the UK Games Fund is providing valuable support to early stage games development businesses and talented graduates throughout the UK. This includes its Tranzfuser programme which mentors teams of talented and entrepreneurial graduates in regional hubs across the UK.
This Government is investing over £100 million to support research and development across the creative industries, which video games developers are able to apply for. This funding supports groundbreaking programmes including Innovate UK’s £30 million for the Creative Catalyst Programme and the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s £75.6 million CoSTAR programme.
I regularly meet ministerial colleagues to discuss important issues of common interest, including of course on matters relating to the UK’s exit from the EU. It would be inappropriate for me to comment on the detail of those discussions.
The question of the deadline for the EU Settlement Scheme is a matter for the Home Secretary, but I can assure the Member for Edinburgh North and Leith that the Home Office will publish guidance on what will constitue ‘reasonable grounds’ for missing the deadline for the EU Settlement Scheme.
The Cabinet Secretariat in the Cabinet Office exists to support the Prime Minister and the chairs of Cabinet committees in ensuring that government business is conducted in an effective and timely way and that proper collective consideration takes place. This includes providing secretariat support for the Domestic and Economic Affairs (Union) Cabinet committee.
The most recent Cabinet Office organogram of staff roles and salaries for the period ending 31 March 2023 is published at:
There is no individual budget for the Domestic and Economic Affairs (Union) committee, as it sits within the broader Cabinet Secretariat in the Cabinet Office.
Within the Cabinet Office there are 1.5 full time equivalent members of staff who support the operation of the Domestic and Economic Affairs (Union) Committee, working with policy teams across government departments, as is typical for Cabinet committees.
This reflects one full time member of staff supporting the Committee alongside other members of staff, which equates to 50% of a full time member of staff.
The Government’s position on domestic flights is outlined in my answer of 24 February 2023, PQ 143903. The Ministerial Code was last updated on 22 December 2022 and there are no plans for further updates.
The Domestic & Economic (Efficiency and Value for Money) Committee is a Cabinet Committee.
Membership of Cabinet Committees is decided by the Prime Minister. GOV.UK is updated regularly with the list of Cabinet Committees, their terms of reference, and membership.
The Domestic & Economic (Efficiency and Value for Money) Committee is a Cabinet Committee.
Membership of Cabinet Committees is decided by the Prime Minister. GOV.UK is updated regularly with the list of Cabinet Committees, their terms of reference, and membership.
The Domestic & Economic (Efficiency and Value for Money) Committee is a Cabinet Committee.
It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its Committees, and how often they have met, is not normally shared publicly.
Staffing costs for the Government Communication Service within the Cabinet Office, including No10, were approximately £18.3m in 2019-20, £25.1m in 2020-21 and £27.2m in 2021-22. Over this period, the Cabinet Office has responded to extraordinary national and global events, such as COVID-19 and UK Transition, through the running of large centralised public information campaigns.
The figures provided include staff loaned or seconded from other government departments who supported the centralised public information campaigns.
Staffing costs for the Government Communication Service within COP26 was approximately £623,000 in 2020-21 and £1.2m in 2021-22.
Staffing costs for the Government Communication Service within the Cabinet Office, including No10, were approximately £18.3m in 2019-20, £25.1m in 2020-21 and £27.2m in 2021-22. Over this period, the Cabinet Office has responded to extraordinary national and global events, such as COVID-19 and UK Transition, through the running of large centralised public information campaigns.
The figures provided include staff loaned or seconded from other government departments who supported the centralised public information campaigns.
Staffing costs for the Government Communication Service within COP26 was approximately £623,000 in 2020-21 and £1.2m in 2021-22.
Staffing costs for the Government Communication Service within the Cabinet Office, including No10, were approximately £18.3m in 2019-20, £25.1m in 2020-21 and £27.2m in 2021-22. Over this period, the Cabinet Office has responded to extraordinary national and global events, such as COVID-19 and UK Transition, through the running of large centralised public information campaigns.
The figures provided include staff loaned or seconded from other government departments who supported the centralised public information campaigns.
Staffing costs for the Government Communication Service within COP26 was approximately £623,000 in 2020-21 and £1.2m in 2021-22.
The Government Communication Service supports the Government's priorities, improves people’s lives and enables the effective delivery and operation of our public services.
The number of GCS staff working in the Cabinet Office, including No10 and the COP26 campaign, is currently 413.18 full time equivalent (FTE). 391 FTE are employed on full-time contracts, with 22.18 FTE employed on part-time contracts. We do not centrally hold details on flexible working arrangements.
The Government Communication Service supports the Government's priorities, improves people’s lives and enables the effective delivery and operation of our public services.
The number of GCS staff working in the Cabinet Office, including No10 and the COP26 campaign, is currently 413.18 full time equivalent (FTE). 391 FTE are employed on full-time contracts, with 22.18 FTE employed on part-time contracts. We do not centrally hold details on flexible working arrangements.
The Government Communication Service supports the Government's priorities, improves people’s lives and enables the effective delivery and operation of our public services.
The number of GCS staff working in the Cabinet Office, including No10 and the COP26 campaign, is currently 413.18 full time equivalent (FTE). 391 FTE are employed on full-time contracts, with 22.18 FTE employed on part-time contracts. We do not centrally hold details on flexible working arrangements.
My officials have been in discussions with their EU counterparts since the publishing of the EU’s proposals on 13 October in response to our Command Paper. We are seeking to understand the detail of some of the headline claims the EU has made on issues such as SPS and customs checks.
We welcome the fact that the EU is ready to change its laws to reflect the unique context of Northern Ireland.
Our officials are continuing to work closely with their EU counterparts, and Lord Frost remains in close contact with Vice-President Šefčovič. While significant gaps remain, we are working intensively to see if they can be bridged.
The attendance list for the recent meeting between Ministers and campaigners was the subject of careful consideration by Cabinet Office to ensure representation from a wide range of groups across the infected and affected communities.
The agenda for the 28 January meeting was circulated to attendees before the meeting. The record of the meeting has been circulated to attendees for comments on factual accuracy. The Cabinet Office has no plans to publish the minute.
The attendance list for the recent meeting between Ministers and campaigners was the subject of careful consideration by Cabinet Office to ensure representation from a wide range of groups across the infected and affected communities.
The agenda for the 28 January meeting was circulated to attendees before the meeting. The record of the meeting has been circulated to attendees for comments on factual accuracy. The Cabinet Office has no plans to publish the minute.
The Cabinet Office and Scotland Office campaign teams required a creative agency to support the early development of concepts and content for a public information campaign to support UK Government policies in Scotland.
The subject matter was the same for the CCCO19A12 contract, which was not awarded after assessing the bids. The contract was subsequently awarded following an open market procurement conducted by the Crown Commercial Service.
The Cabinet Office and Scotland Office campaign teams required a creative agency to support the early development of concepts and content for a public information campaign to support UK Government policies in Scotland.
The subject matter was the same for the CCCO19A12 contract, which was not awarded after assessing the bids. The contract was subsequently awarded following an open market procurement conducted by the Crown Commercial Service.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.
Further to my answer of 1 November 2019 to Question 7172, any such publication would be released on GOV.UK.
The Department speaks regularly with employers and business representative organisations about flexible working. These discussions have covered a range of issues, including the importance of flexible working in managing employees with long term health conditions, such as long covid.
In December 2022 the Government announced plans[1] to make the right to request flexible working a day one right, alongside other changes to make flexible working more accessible to all employees. The Government is pleased to support the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Private Members’ Bill[2] which will deliver several of these changes.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/making-flexible-working-the-default
The Government keeps energy efficiency support for all non-domestic organisations under review. Existing initiatives which may be applicable include an exemption on business rates for green technology and providing grants under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
The Government are reviewing what additional levers can be introduced to help organisations to be more energy efficient, including financial support. As part of this, the Government have launched a new Energy Efficiency Taskforce to help achieve our target to reduce our energy consumption from buildings and industry by 15% by 2030.
This Government is making the UK the best place in the world to work in science, innovation and technology.
Our Science and Technology Framework sets out how we will attract and retain the brightest talent, including to take advantage of the opportunities of the UK’s departure from the EU.
We are working across Government and sectors to develop the best technical, innovative and entrepreneurial talent to meet the UK's science and technology superpower ambitions.
I am delighted to confirm that the UK SRTI economy is creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs for the whole of the UK, which we are harnessing to create new career opportunities, nowhere more than in Scotland with Satellite City in Glasgow, gaming, and computing in Edinburgh, and many more. Since 2018, there has been a 19% increase in business R&D employment from 596,000 jobs in 2018 to 712,000 in 2021.
The Government is monitoring effectiveness of the scheme closely, including receiving monthly data from energy suppliers. 4,044,554 vouchers were issued to 1 December. The latest figures were published on gov.uk on 20 December. Redemption of vouchers issued to traditional prepayment meter customers rose from 59% in October to 72% in November.
The Government requires suppliers to evidence that they have attempted to make a minimum of three attempts by more than one method to contact customers who have not redeemed a voucher.
Customers with smart prepayment meters receive the discount credited directly to their meter by their supplier.
The Government is monitoring effectiveness of the scheme closely, including receiving monthly data from energy suppliers. 4,044,554 vouchers were issued to 1 December. The latest figures were published on gov.uk on 20 December. Redemption of vouchers issued to traditional prepayment meter customers rose from 59% in October to 72% in November.
The Government requires suppliers to evidence that they have attempted to make a minimum of three attempts by more than one method to contact customers who have not redeemed a voucher.
Customers with smart prepayment meters receive the discount credited directly to their meter by their supplier.
The Government is monitoring effectiveness of the scheme closely, including receiving monthly data from energy suppliers. 4,044,554 vouchers were issued to 1 December. The latest figures were published on gov.uk on 20 December. Redemption of vouchers issued to traditional prepayment meter customers rose from 59% in October to 72% in November.
The Government requires suppliers to evidence that they have attempted to make a minimum of three attempts by more than one method to contact customers who have not redeemed a voucher.
Customers with smart prepayment meters receive the discount credited directly to their meter by their supplier.
On 4 December 2022, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to all energy suppliers with customers on traditional prepayment meters reiterating the importance of ensuring these customers receive their vouchers and exhorting them to ensure customers receive prompt service and accurate information.
I then met CEOs of supplier companies on 7 December to press them further and hear about ongoing improvements.
The Government does not hold constituency data.
The Innovate UK call for business-led innovation in response to global disruption due to the pandemic was originally launched as a £20 million competition awarding grants of up to £50,000 to technology and research-focussed businesses. Due to the record breaking level of interest from across the UK, it was announced on the 20th May that over 800 companies that applied to this would share grant funding of £40 million, double the amount first planned for this competition. The additional money was allocated according to the existing terms and reference of the competition, eligibility requirements and conditions can be found on the UK Research and Innovation and GOV.UK website.
On 20th April, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a £1.25 billion coronavirus package to protect firms driving innovation in the UK. This included £750 million of targeted support for the most R&D intensive small and medium size firms which will be available through Innovate UK’s grants and loan scheme.
The Government has since confirmed that up to £500 million of this is for existing customers including £200 million of accelerated payments and up to £300 million for continuity grants and loans. £20 million of the remainder has been used to double the number of businesses receiving funding through the Innovate UK call for business led innovation in response to the crisis which was open to new customers. Over 800 companies have been successful in this competition. Innovate UK has also allocated up to £39 million to increase the business advisory support services available new and existing high-growth potential SMEs.
The final part of this package was announced on the 27th June. The £191 million Sustainable Innovation Fund is open to new customers to help cutting-edge companies of all sizes recover, grow, and drive a re-building economy as well as support new green innovations, unleashing the sustainable industries of the future along the way.
Beyond the Fast-Response competition, it is currently too early to state the number of businesses that have accessed this funding
COP26 is the most important Climate Conference since Paris in 2015 and delivering success at COP26 is a top priority for the Government. We are determined to use the COP26 Conference in November to demonstrate that the zero carbon economy is the growth story of the future. We must show that this transition is irreversible and accelerating; and that it will be fair and inclusive.
The Prime Minister spoke to President Xi of China on the 18th Feb and agreed to work closely together on the issue of climate change ahead of COP26 in Glasgow and the Convention on Biological Diversity Summit in China.
As part of our incoming COP Presidency, in partnership with Italy, we are encouraging all countries to submit increased Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and long term net zero strategies ahead of COP26 which represent their highest possible ambition. The UK will play its part and come forward with an enhanced NDC well ahead of COP26 in November.
The Government is committed to supporting the growth of the UK’s games sector. As part of a wider package to support the growth of the creative industries, the Government has expanded the UK Games Fund with over £8 million investment over three years starting in April 2022. The Government recognises the high potential of UK games companies and the UK Games Fund will continue to provide targeted support to early-stage games development and talented graduates throughout the UK. In addition, the Video Games Tax Relief continues to make the UK one of the leading destinations in the world for making video games.
While we are not taking forward the proposal on the Video Games Investment Fund at this point in time, we welcome continued discussions with the games industry on how best to support a thriving UK games sector.
The Government is committed to supporting the growth of the UK’s games sector. As part of a wider package to support the growth of the creative industries, the government is delivering an £8 million expansion of the UK Games Fund. The UK Games Fund will provide valuable support to early stage games development businesses and talented graduates throughout the UK. In addition, the Video Games Tax Relief continues to make the UK one of the leading destinations in the world for making video games.
We are not seeking to take forward a proposal for a new Video Games Investment Fund. We welcome continued discussions with the games industry on how best to support a thriving UK games sector.
Expenditure (pay costs) on communications staffing was £1,904,000 in 2019-20, £2,489,000 in 2020-21 and £2,788,000 in 2021-22. This increase reflects changes the Department has made to pay band minimums and specialist communication allowances over the three year period, whilst the communication function in the department has reduced from 4% to 2% as a proportion of the departmental FTE headcount as DCMS' responsibilities have increased significantly.
The number of staff working in the DCMS central Communications team to deliver the communications function is currently 44 (41.63 FTE). 36 are employed on full time contracts, 8 are employed on part time contracts. DCMS has a flexible working policy, which is available to all staff.
The government is committed to supporting the growth of the UK’s video games sector which brings economic, cultural and social benefits across the UK.
Through the Strategic Priorities Grant, the department is providing funding on an annual basis to support teaching and students in higher education, including expensive to deliver subjects, such as computer game and computer game design degrees, in addition to science and engineering more widely. The department is investing an additional £750 million over the three-year period from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to support high quality teaching and facilities, including in science and engineering. This includes £450 million in capital funding to invest in teaching and learning facilities.
We are also increasing the level of overall investment in the further education (FE) and skills sector, worth £3.8 billion over the course of this parliament.
It is important that lecturers enhance their teaching skills and keep their practical knowledge of game development current. The Skills for Jobs White Paper introduces a ‘Workforce Industry Exchange’ policy commitment to ensure that FE teachers have the relevant industry experience to make sure that young people are being taught the skills that employers need. This will help support the sector by encouraging collaboration with industry staff teaching FE provision and upskilling existing teachers with relevant industry skills. This will allow staff to continuously develop their professionalism and insight and ensure that FE is able to adapt to the needs of a changing economy.
To facilitate this we are working with business leaders to develop resources supporting knowledge exchange and detailing how employers can get involved in FE learning. We are keen to create a pipeline of talented individuals from industry who can teach the next generation in FE and to support industry to upskill existing teachers in the latest practices and innovations in their sector.
The government is committed to supporting the growth of the UK’s video games sector which brings economic, cultural and social benefits across the UK.
Through the Strategic Priorities Grant, the department is providing funding on an annual basis to support teaching and students in higher education, including expensive to deliver subjects, such as computer game and computer game design degrees, in addition to science and engineering more widely. The department is investing an additional £750 million over the three-year period from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to support high quality teaching and facilities, including in science and engineering. This includes £450 million in capital funding to invest in teaching and learning facilities.
We are also increasing the level of overall investment in the further education (FE) and skills sector, worth £3.8 billion over the course of this parliament.
It is important that lecturers enhance their teaching skills and keep their practical knowledge of game development current. The Skills for Jobs White Paper introduces a ‘Workforce Industry Exchange’ policy commitment to ensure that FE teachers have the relevant industry experience to make sure that young people are being taught the skills that employers need. This will help support the sector by encouraging collaboration with industry staff teaching FE provision and upskilling existing teachers with relevant industry skills. This will allow staff to continuously develop their professionalism and insight and ensure that FE is able to adapt to the needs of a changing economy.
To facilitate this we are working with business leaders to develop resources supporting knowledge exchange and detailing how employers can get involved in FE learning. We are keen to create a pipeline of talented individuals from industry who can teach the next generation in FE and to support industry to upskill existing teachers in the latest practices and innovations in their sector.
The Department purchases land and buildings for new free school projects. As of 1 September 2022, there were 653 open free schools and more than 150 in pre-opening.
The attached table includes the disposal of surplus sites and buildings from 1 September 2017. These addresses relate to sites that the Department disposed of after having purchased them for new free schools, studio schools, or university technical colleges.
Where sites earmarked for new free schools become surplus, the Department will always aim to prioritise alternative educational or public sector uses for them where this is possible, before considering commercial disposal.
The Department for Education’s spend on Government Communications Service staff in the Communications Directorate, in the requested years, can be found in the table below. The expenditure includes pay, pension costs, overtime, and travel.
Financial year | Spend |
2019/20 | £3,146,805 |
2020/21 | £4,978,933 |
2021/22 | £4,966,306 |
As of 25 April 2022, the Communications Directorate in the Department for Education employed 96 Government Communications Service staff, including 76 full-time and 20 part-time.
HM Government has a manifesto commitment to crack down on puppy smuggling and the low welfare import of pets.
The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill was reintroduced to the House of Commons following the Queen's Speech in May 2022 and will progress to Report stage as soon as parliamentary time allows. The Bill allows us to further protect the welfare of pets by introducing restrictions to crack down on the low welfare movements of pets into the United Kingdom and includes powers to introduce new restrictions on pet travel and the commercial import of pets on welfare grounds, via secondary legislation.
We operate one of the most rigorous and robust pet travel checking regimes in Europe. All non-commercial dogs, cats and ferrets entering the United Kingdom on approved routes under the Pet Travel rules and all commercial imports of pets undergo 100% documentary checks, and this includes checking animal health records. All pets entering Great Britain must be vaccinated against rabies, with a minimum 21 day wait period, and all dogs entering the United Kingdom must be treated for tapeworm no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours (five days) before entry unless coming from tapeworm-free countries.
Tick surveillance has shown that tick distribution and abundance is changing throughout the United Kingdom for many reasons, including habitat and climate change. Small numbers of localised infestations with non-native tick species have been reported in recent years. For these reasons, we strongly encourage pet owners to treat their pets to safeguard their animals against ticks and tick transmitted diseases when travelling.
We remain aware of the concerns around non-endemic diseases and continue to monitor the disease situation carefully. Our future policy will be guided by risk assessment.
We operate one of the most rigorous and robust pet travel checking regimes in Europe. All non-commercial dogs, cats and ferrets entering the United Kingdom on approved routes under the Pet Travel rules and all commercial imports of pets undergo 100% documentary checks, and this includes checking animal health records. All pets entering Great Britain must be vaccinated against rabies, with a minimum 21 day wait period, and all dogs entering the United Kingdom must be treated for tapeworm no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours (five days) before entry unless coming from tapeworm-free countries.
Tick surveillance has shown that tick distribution and abundance is changing throughout the United Kingdom for many reasons, including habitat and climate change. Small numbers of localised infestations with non-native tick species have been reported in recent years. For these reasons, we strongly encourage pet owners to treat their pets to safeguard their animals against ticks and tick transmitted diseases when travelling.
We remain aware of the concerns around non-endemic diseases and continue to monitor the disease situation carefully. Our future policy will be guided by risk assessment.
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 17 May 2022 to the hon. Member for Rotherham, PQ 1511.
Defra Group Communications is the first single employer shared service communications team in Whitehall, working for six organisations. Alongside the core department it also provides communications support for five of the department’s largest Arm’s Length Bodies including the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, the Forestry Commission and the Rural Payments Agency. Defra Group Communications staff work to different organisations across policy and operational areas and the communications spend covers six organisations. The department communications budget for the last three years has been £15.3 million for 2019-20, £14.5million for 2020-21 and £14.1 million for 2021-22.
Defra is working closely with industry to help our world-leading farmers and food and drink businesses access the labour they need, and to ensure that our sectors are appropriately supported both this year and in the future.
On 22 December 2020, the Government extended the Seasonal Workers Pilot into 2021, with up to 30,000 visas available, granted for workers to come to the UK, from EU or non-EU countries, for a period of up to six months to work in the edible horticulture sector.
In December 2020, a Defra-led review into automation in horticulture was also announced alongside the extension of the Seasonal Workers Pilot. The review will report on ways to increase automation in the horticulture sector and meet the Government’s aim of reducing the need for migrant seasonal labour.
There are a number of initiatives across Government to bring these technologies to market as fast as possible, including Transforming Food Production, Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme and Farming Investment Fund as well as other public funding initiatives.
The Farming Innovation Programme opened for applications on 20 October 2021 and will support the sector to develop new technologies, systems and processes to deliver enhanced productivity and support wider net zero goals.
On 1 January 2021 the Government introduced the new points-based immigration system, under which EU and non-EU citizens are treated equally. The Skilled Worker route is open to all nationals who wish to come to the UK for the purpose of working in a skilled job they have been offered.
Alongside this, food and drink businesses will also be able to recruit those who come to the UK through our youth mobility schemes, dependents of skilled workers, plus those who arrive through other routes, such as our humanitarian protection ones, who have free access to the UK labour market.
In 2021 and beyond, the food and drink industry continues to be able to rely on EU nationals living in the UK with settled or pre-settled status. Over 5.3 million EU citizens and their families have been granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme and EU nationals who have settled status can continue to travel to the UK to do seasonal work in the food and drink sector.
Defra is also working closely with the Home Office to ensure there is a long-term strategy for the food and farming workforce beyond 2021.
For the longer term, the Government is encouraging all sectors to make employment more attractive to UK domestic workers through offering training, careers options, wage increases and to invest in increased automation technology.
To support these efforts, Defra is working with industry and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to raise awareness of career opportunities within the food and drink sectors among UK workers. All food and drink businesses are encouraged to advertise roles through DWP's Find A Job website, where they can upload and manage their vacancies. DWP does not charge for this service and it is available across the United Kingdom.
Defra welcomes the Ministry of Justice’s work on the Release On Temporary Licence (ROTL) scheme for work across a number of sectors, including the food and drink sector. The scheme aims to help prisoners gain useful skills and work experience as they approach their release.
The Government is continuing to work extensively to understand employers’ needs through regular engagement with industry and encourage them to invest in the best home-grown talent through Government-backed schemes such as apprenticeships and T Levels.
The catching sector contributes £467m to the economy per year (35% of the seafood industry) (2018). There are around 12,000 fishermen in the UK fleet – most (78%) of them working full time. In 2019, UK vessels landed a total of 622,000 tonnes of sea fish, with a value of £987m. The economic benefits of the catching sector also provide jobs and incomes for other sectors supporting the fisher including firms that produce fishing vessels and gear, exporters, processers etc.
The Aquaculture sector contributed £375m (GVA) to the UK economy in 2018.
The seafood processing sector employs around 19,000 people (full time equivalents) (2018), contributing £537m to the UK economy (2018).
The fishing industry will generate economic benefits through a variety of means including: income from UK resident crew; the sale and transportation of catch; the construction, sale, maintenance and repair of vessels; and the development of harbour and port infrastructure. The economic link licence condition ensures that those people who fish the UK’s quota contribute to the UK economy. This is a devolved issue and we have not made an assessment of the impacts.
The European Commission is supplying the UK with records of catches of quota species by EU vessels from the UK EEZ on a monthly basis. Defra officials remain engaged in ongoing technical conversations with the European Commission to establish a mechanism to allow sharing of additional data to support implementation of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
The Government is committed to take action to mitigate climate change and to adapt to its impact. Environmentally sustainable farming is fundamental to our new approach to England's agricultural system. We are introducing three schemes that reward the delivery of environmental benefits: The Sustainable Farming Incentive, the Local Nature Recovery scheme and the Landscape Recovery scheme.
The three schemes are being designed collaboratively with stakeholders. We are considering how more environmentally sustainable farming approaches, including organic farming and agro-ecological approaches, may fit within the schemes where these contribute towards the delivery of environmental public goods. While designing the three schemes, we are running tests and trials. The tests and trials will co-design the component parts of the schemes, while the scheme pilots will test the whole end-to-end process. Two of the tests and trials are looking at organic farming. While we do not use tests and trials to validate if specific delivery methods achieve particular environmental outcomes, the pilots will pay farmers and land managers for delivering environmental outcomes.
Defra plays a key role in supporting emissions reduction by providing scientific advice and evidence and all our publicly funded research is published as standard practice. Systems assessments of the role of organic and other extensified farming approaches in reducing greenhouse gas emissions have concluded that although such practices can reduce emissions at farm level, comparatively lower typical yields mean that, for a given level of demand, such systems do not consistently lead to reduced emissions compared to more conventional systems. Despite this, these systems can provide wider welfare and environmental benefits, for example through increasing biodiversity. The Government believes farmers are best placed to determine the best method of farming for their land and specific circumstances. While this is a private business decision, we encourage environmentally friendly farming through numerous routes which includes organics.
The Government is committed to take action to mitigate climate change and to adapt to its impact. Environmentally sustainable farming is fundamental to our new approach to England's agricultural system. We are introducing three schemes that reward the delivery of environmental benefits: The Sustainable Farming Incentive, the Local Nature Recovery scheme and the Landscape Recovery scheme.
The three schemes are being designed collaboratively with stakeholders. We are considering how more environmentally sustainable farming approaches, including organic farming and agro-ecological approaches, may fit within the schemes where these contribute towards the delivery of environmental public goods. While designing the three schemes, we are running tests and trials. The tests and trials will co-design the component parts of the schemes, while the scheme pilots will test the whole end-to-end process. Two of the tests and trials are looking at organic farming. While we do not use tests and trials to validate if specific delivery methods achieve particular environmental outcomes, the pilots will pay farmers and land managers for delivering environmental outcomes.
Defra plays a key role in supporting emissions reduction by providing scientific advice and evidence and all our publicly funded research is published as standard practice. Systems assessments of the role of organic and other extensified farming approaches in reducing greenhouse gas emissions have concluded that although such practices can reduce emissions at farm level, comparatively lower typical yields mean that, for a given level of demand, such systems do not consistently lead to reduced emissions compared to more conventional systems. Despite this, these systems can provide wider welfare and environmental benefits, for example through increasing biodiversity. The Government believes farmers are best placed to determine the best method of farming for their land and specific circumstances. While this is a private business decision, we encourage environmentally friendly farming through numerous routes which includes organics.
The UK does not currently have access to a comprehensive feed of all data covering volumes of fish caught in the UK Exclusive Economic Zone by EU registered fishing vessels. The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides the framework for continued data exchange and we are currently engaged in ongoing technical conversations with the European Commission to rapidly establish a mechanism to allow sharing of this data moving forward.
On 31 December 2020 the UK Single Issuing Authority (UK SIA) issued licences to EU registered vessels permitting them access to fish in the UK Exclusive Economic Zone. There are currently 1,464 EU vessels licenced by the UK SIA and the latest list is published online at the following link: www.gov.uk/guidance/united-kingdom-single-issuing-authority-uksia
According to data held by the Marine Management Organisation, 334 EU flagged fishing vessels have fished within the UK Exclusive Economic Zone since 1 January 2021. This can be broken down into the following:
Exclusive Economic Zone | Number of unique vessels |
England | 221 |
Northern Ireland | 5 |
Scotland | 89 |
Wales | 46 |
United Kingdom | 334 |
Data provided includes Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) equipped* (≥12 m) foreign flagged fishing vessels with VMS pings at fishing speeds** inside UK EEZ in 2021.
* excludes any vessels without VMS (
** fishing speeds defined as > 0 and ≤ 6 knots
The PM confirmed during his press conference on Christmas Eve that UK fishing communities will be helped with a £100 million programme to modernise their fleets and the fish processing industry. This funding will directly benefit the seafood sector in Scotland and throughout the United Kingdom.
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We will set out more detail on this programme in due course.
The PM confirmed during his press conference on Christmas Eve that UK fishing communities will be helped with a £100 million programme to modernise their fleets and the fish processing industry. This funding will directly benefit the seafood sector in Scotland and throughout the United Kingdom.
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We will set out more detail on this programme in due course.
Defra has established a strong relationship with the wood packaging material industry, and we have worked closely to develop policies that will ensure our biosecurity is maintained and trade continues to flow with as little disruption as possible. As part of this, some businesses involved in the wood packaging material industry have shared, in confidence, estimates of the costs involved in treatment of wood packaging material. The need for ISPM15-compliant wood packaging material is, however, an international requirement for trade and is in place to protect trading nations, including the UK, from harmful plant pests and diseases.
Defra has routinely highlighted to the EU Commission the impacts our listed status will have on users of assistance dogs. We are also proactively and positively engaging with the assistance dog community and relevant stakeholders on the impacts on dog movements to the EU after the end of the transition period. We will continue to closely work with assistance dog organisations to share the latest advice and guidance (in accessible formats) with their members on pet travel requirements.
On 3 December 2020 the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed of the EU voted in favour of giving the United Kingdom Part 2 listed status for the purposes of non-commercial pet travel after the transition period.
Part 2 listed status means similar health requirements to travel to the EU as now. However, new documentation will be required for pets and assistance dogs. We intend to publish further guidance shortly on what this development means for travellers, on GOV.UK.
We are disappointed not to become a Part 1 listed third country. We are clear we meet all the requirements for this and have one of the most rigorous pet checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity. Our disease risk will also not change after the transition period and so we will continue to press the EU Commission on securing Part 1 listed status.
There will be no changes to the current pet travel health requirements for entry into Great Britain and we will continue to accept EU pet passports.
On 3 December 2020 the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed of the EU voted in favour of giving the United Kingdom Part 2 listed status for the purposes of non-commercial pet travel after the transition period. It will be for the EU to decide on any future grace period relating to the regulations governing pet travel.
This status will mean, from 1 January, similar health requirements to travel to the EU as now. However, new documentation will be required for pets and assistance dogs. We intend to publish further guidance shortly on what this development means for travellers, on GOV.UK.
We will continue to press the EU Commission on securing Part 1 listed status as we are clear we meet all the requirements for this, and have one of the most rigorous pet checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity.
There will be no changes to the current pet travel health requirements for entry into Great Britain and we will continue to accept EU pet passports.
Pet travel is a devolved matter. For health and documentary requirements and future plans for pet travel between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, travellers should seek advice from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Marine in the Republic of Ireland and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland.
On 3 December 2020 the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (PAFF) of the EU voted in favour of giving the United Kingdom Part 2 listed status for the purposes of non-commercial pet travel after the transition period. We intend to publish further guidance shortly on what this development means for travellers from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, on GOV.uk.
Defra has been in correspondence with the EU Commission on our listed status application for pet travel since its initial submission in 2019, and our re-submission in February 2020. The decision to list the United Kingdom and Crown Dependencies as a Part 2 listed third country for pet travel was taken via a vote at the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed.
We have always been clear that we meet all the requirements for a Part 1 listed third country status, and have one of the most rigorous pet checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity. We will continue to press the EU Commission for Part 1 listed status.
Defra’s initial application to be listed as a Part 1 listed third country for pet travel was submitted to the EU Commission in 2019. This application was updated, but not materially changed in February 2020. We have no plans to publish these applications at this time.
Challenges exist in estimating the number of Export Health Certificates (EHCs) required at the end of the Transition Period. Modelling was carried out to assess possible demand for certification of fish exports and certifier supply in Scotland, to support an understanding of the requirements from 1 January 2021. Demand was calculated using consignment estimates provided by the Scottish Government. The current certifier supply, or number of Food Competent Certifying Officers (who are usually EHOs) per local authority, was provided by APHA. We applied assumptions on the amount of time spent on certification based on local authority engagement and on the range of time taken to certify a consignment. The shortfall of approximately 100 Environmental Health Officers fell within this range.
On 28 April the Government announced that, in England, in recognition of the disruption to cash flow for rural businesses caused by coronavirus, eligible farmers and land managers would be offered bridging payments (interest-free loans) for 75% of the current estimated value for unpaid 2019 revenue claims on their stewardship agreements.
More than 3,800 bridging payments, worth around £43 million, were made to farmers and land managers by the end of May.
This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
The Rural Payments Agency has continued to improve its payment performance and as of the 8 June 2020 has issued around £233 million 2019 Countryside Stewardship, Environmental Stewardship and legacy Woodland Grant payments to eligible farmers, land managers, foresters and rural businesses in England. We expect to issue a further £19 million by the end of June 2020.
At the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP15, to be held in Kunming, China in October 2020, the 196 Parties to the CBD are set to adopt a post-2020 global biodiversity framework.
The UK is seeking an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework to spur global action, recognising the transformative change needed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. The Government wants to see new targets agreed that are ambitious, implementable and measurable.
We are proactively engaging in the CBD process in the lead up to CBD COP15. UK officials are currently attending the second CBD Open Ended Working Group in Rome where negotiations on the proposed post-2020 framework are beginning. The UK is holding an extensive program of meetings with member countries to form ongoing working partnerships, to secure agreement for an ambitious post-2020 framework.
Outside of the formal CBD process ministers, officials and our diplomatic network will continue to press to raise ambition and secure ambitious outcomes and delivery, notably with China as the host of CBD COP15.
We are focusing, among other topics, on the contribution of nature-based solutions to climate change mitigation and on effective and supportive communications to spur global ambition in the time leading to CBD COP15. The UK is also leading the Global Ocean Alliance in support of a new global target of protecting at least 30% of the global ocean within Marine Protected Areas by 2030.
The UK-led Global Ocean Alliance is currently made up of 12 countries (Belgium, Belize, Costa Rica, Finland, Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria, Palau, Portugal, Seychelles, Sweden, Vanuatu) and we are proactively lobbying many more countries to join.
Both the UK and the EU have committed in the Political Declaration to reaching an agreement on our future relationship by the end of 2020. Defra will continue to work closely with seed potato businesses as the Withdrawal Agreement is signed and discussions on the future relationship start.
The principles underpinning any future trade deal with the EU were set out in the Political Declaration which accompanied the Withdrawal Agreement. We would expect formal discussions on the Political Declaration to commence after we leave the EU at the end of this month.
In England, the Marine Management Organisation has increased the number of frontline warranted officers by 50% (35 people) for 2019/2020. A framework is in place to increase aerial surveillance by a maximum of two surveillance aircrafts as risk and intelligence demands. Two additional commercial vessels have been chartered to enable an increase in routine sea-based inspections to supplement provision from the Royal Navy Fisheries Protection Squadron. A framework of agreements has been put in place with other Government departments and relevant agencies which enables provision for up to 22 further vessels to be activated, should the operational situation demand it.
As fisheries management is a devolved matter, it is for the devolved administrations to decide on appropriate levels of fisheries control and enforcement provision in their waters. However, we continue to work closely with the devolved administrations to ensure a coordinated approach to fisheries control and enforcement across UK waters.
Since the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) wrote to third countries on 21 December 2018, we have continued to work with third countries to ensure that the UK’s Export Health Certificates (EHCs) remain when the UK leaves the EU.
93 countries have responded and no notifications have been received from third countries stating the UK’s EHCs will be not be accepted.
The UK Government is committed to ensuring UK businesses can continue to trade with our EU partners as easily as possible after Brexit, while continuing to protect the UK’s high level of biosecurity.
Defra has built and tested a new import notification system and is in the final testing phase of a new online system for processing Export Health Certificates. Both of these could be used after the implementation period, if required, to ensure trade continues.
We’re clear that more trade doesn’t have to come at the expense of the environment. We are exploring all options in the design of future trade and investment agreements, including possible environmental provisions.
We are committed to upholding the UK’s high environmental standards and will consider the full range of mechanisms available to us.
The Department is considering ways to maximise trade and investment opportunities in clean growth sectors during, and in the run up to, COP26.
The UK is also seeking an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework to spur global action, recognising the important role of nature-based solutions.
The figures below cover how much the core department and its executive agencies have spent on communications staff over the last 3 financial years:
19/20: £11,269k
20/21: £13,336k
21/22: £11,443k
The figures reflect the total payroll cost including Employers’ NI and pension contributions.
As of 19 April 2022, communications staff within the department and agencies are below. Please note the definitions as follows:
Full time - Anyone working 37 hours over 5 days a week.
Part-time - anyone working fewer than 37 hours per week as standard.
Flexible working - anyone working 37 hours in fewer than 5 days eg compressed hours, 10 days in 9 etc.
DfTc:
Total staff = 87
Full time = 80
Part time = 2
Flexible working = 5
The figures include the central communications directorate, including 5 corporate team members, one of whom is a contractor, and 21 communications professionals embedded in policy teams across the department. The two part time members of staff are a job share.
DVLA:
Total staff = 46
Full time = 36
Part time = 10
DVSA:
Total staff = 45
Full time = 32
Part time = 11
Flexible working = 3
The figures include 5 full time contractors and 1 communications person working in Operations who is a part-time FTA.
MCA:
Total staff = 13
Full time = 10
Part time = 3
VCA:
Total staff = 3
Full time = 3
This is a matter for the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
Now the that transition period has ended goods are required to undergo further checks than those required when the UK was in the EU customs union. We have always been clear there would be changes now that we are out of the customs union and single market, so full compliance with the new rules is vital to avoid disruption, and the best way to ensure readiness is to follow the guidance on gov.uk and use the ‘Check an HGV’ service.
As yet it is too early to use observed data to provide an estimate, as freight volumes have been low, as they usually are in early January. We stand ready to help keep goods flowing smoothly as we adjust to our new relationship with the EU and ensure we take advantage of the opportunities it brings.
All individuals issued with a migration notice informing them that they must make a claim to Universal Credit will be assessed for transitional protection at the point of making a claim to Universal Credit.
Transitional protection, by way of a transitional element, will be then awarded to eligible claimants to ensure their entitlement to Universal Credit is not lower than the entitlement they received as part of their legacy benefits.
When a claimant’s tax credit claim is closed, for whatever reason, including a move to Universal Credit, the debt is transferred to the Department’s Debt Management team.
Once Universal Credit is in payment, the overpayment will be recovered in line with the Universal Credit regulations.
The Department has issued guidance on the circumstances in which the deadline for an application for Universal Credit could be extended. This guidance is regularly reviewed and updated.
It is a fundamental principle of social security in the United Kingdom that people need to make a claim for benefits. For those already in receipt of benefits, Parliament made it clear, though its passage of the Welfare Reform Act 2012, that entitlement to those benefits would cease as Universal Credit (UC) was implemented.
The Department provides a range of support to individuals, to assist them during migration including a dedicated DWP telephone line and signposting to independent support through the Help to Claim service. Help to Claim is an independent service and is available to those moving from legacy benefits because of managed migration, voluntary moves, or a change of circumstances.
The Migration Notice is the key way in which we initially communicate with legacy benefit claimants to inform them of the requirement to migrate to UC within 3 months. However, we also provide a reminder after 7 weeks and at week 10. If claimants haven’t made a claim for UC and after the 3 month period, on a case by case basis, there is a grace period of 1 month within which a tax credit claimant can make a claim for UC without losing eligibility for transitional protection.
Terminating benefits is our last resort. If a claimant does not claim by their extended deadline, they will be notified that their current benefit(s) will be terminated, unless they have significant support needs requiring a further extension. For those claimants who require significant support, we hold case conferences with Advanced Customer Support Senior Leaders who provide local expertise, working with different organisations to take a multi-agency approach. Where a claimant’s legacy benefit(s) has been terminated and they make a claim to UC within one month, their claim can be backdated to their deadline date and still be awarded Transitional Protection where applicable.
People who are being moved to Universal Credit (UC) from Employment and Support Allowance take with them their Work Capability Assessment decision. They are not required to have another assessment to get the disability element they are entitled to on Universal Credit.
At the point of moving over to Universal Credit as part of the managed migration process, all claimants will be assessed for transitional protection and paid where appropriate. Transitional protection is designed so that eligible claimants will not have a lower entitlement to Universal Credit than they had entitlement to legacy benefits, at the point they move to the new benefit system.
I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a range of issues.
The DWP already offers financial support through Universal Credit and New Style Employment and Support Allowance for people who are unable to work due to long-Covid, subject to them satisfying the eligibility criteria and contribution conditions. In addition, people with Long-Covid may be eligible for Personal Independence Payment. This support is available regardless of keyworker status. The department is not currently planning to establish a hardship fund for keyworkers with Long-Covid.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is an extra-costs benefit available as a contribution to the extra costs associated with being disabled to those children under the age of 16 who, due to a disability or health condition, have mobility issues and/or have needs which are substantially in excess of a child the same age without the disability or health condition. Entitlement to DLA depends on the effects that severe disability has on a child’s life, and not on a particular disability or diagnosis. The needs arising from Long Covid are assessed in the same way as for all other health conditions or disabilities.
From March 2021 we amended DLA statistical classifications to include the category “Coronavirus COVID-19”. Data on the DLA caseload by a range of factors, including main disabling condition, can be extracted from Stat-Xplore - Log in (dwp.gov.uk). Information on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found at Getting Started (dwp.gov.uk).
No such assessment has been made.
The Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment is a functional assessment that assesses the impact of a person’s disability or health condition, rather than the condition itself. This means that a person with any health condition that has impacts on their functioning, and who meets eligibility criteria, can be assessed and, if they meet the appropriate assessment criteria, an award for PIP can be made. The impacts from Long Covid are assessed in the same way as for all other health conditions or disabilities.
The department is advised by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC), an independent scientific body, on changes to the list of occupational diseases for which Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit can be paid.
Their report, ‘COVID-19 and Occupational Impacts’, was published in November 2022 and recommended prescription for health and social care workers with five serious pathological complications following COVID-19 infection. The department is currently carrying out a detailed assessment of the report’s recommendations. Once this work is complete, the department will provide a formal response.
IIAC considered that the evidence is not, at present, sufficient to recommend prescription for Long Covid. IIAC will continue to investigate the occupational implications of COVID-19, including any post-infection associations.
No assessment has been made of the potential merits of introducing linking rules to Universal Credit.
Linking rules were not carried over into Universal Credit. This is because Universal Credit is a separate, simplified benefit system. Instead, each Universal Credit claim is assessed in its own right. However, Universal Credit does have a reclaims process, which provides a simple route back onto Universal Credit for claimants who experience a short break in entitlement. This process also reduces the administrative burden on claimants and encourages them to increase their earnings and protects them in periods of reduced employment.
No assessment has been made of the potential merits of introducing linking rules to Universal Credit.
Linking rules were not carried over into Universal Credit. This is because Universal Credit is a separate, simplified benefit system. Instead, each Universal Credit claim is assessed. However, Universal Credit does have a reclaims process, which provides a simple route back onto Universal Credit for claimants who experience a short break in entitlement. This process also reduces the administrative burden on claimants and encourages them to increase their earnings and protects them in periods of reduced employment.
Claimants with long term health conditions or disabilities, whether or not they are experiencing symptoms directly arising from infection with Covid-19, may be supported in a range of ways through social security benefits and other support measures, depending on their particular circumstances. Up-to-date information about the support available for individuals can be found on GOV.UK:
Newly unemployed claimants
Moving into work
https://www.gov.uk/moving-from-benefits-to-work
Personal Independence Payment
The Department introduced temporary non-contractual COVID-19 sickness guidance at the start of the pandemic, to ensure National Health Service staff received full pay should they be advised to self-isolate or become ill with COVID-19.
As we learn to live with COVID-19, we have withdrawn this temporary non-contractual COVID-19 guidance. Staff who were on COVID-19 sickness pay have moved back to the normal terms and conditions (T&Cs) sickness arrangements. The NHS T&Cs pay up to six months full pay and six months half pay, depending on length of service. The Department has no plans to assess the potential merits of extending sick pay support for healthcare staff with long COVID-19.
We have no plans to do so. Information on meetings at Ministerial and Permanent Secretary level only are routinely published at GOV.UK.
As of 1 April 2021, award notices have been published for 1,151 contracts worth an estimated £19 billion by the Department in response to the pandemic for a wide range of products and services. The majority of these contracts have been let using a direct award. Contract Award Notices are published for each contract which contain information on the reasons for the selected procurement route, the value of the contract, its duration and the name of the supplier.
Advanced payments have been used on a number of personal protective equipment contracts. Each contract is different as some are payment on delivery and others have permitted a percentage of payment upfront. Our approach has been to take some managed risk in order to secure supplies in an exceptional and globally highly competitive market. Contracts have break clauses in them, meaning if the company supplies faulty products or misses delivery dates, we can cancel the contracts and reclaim the money.
Different commercial teams within the Department are responsible for manging these contracts in terms of negotiating with suppliers for refunds or other forms or redress against the supplier. This information is not currently collated and held centrally, consequently to provide a validated assessment of how many suppliers the Department has reclaimed money from would involve disproportionate cost.
To obtain the information requested and publish Baroness Harding's complete diary would incur disproportionate cost.
United Kingdom food and feed safety and hygiene law lays down the principles, requirements and procedures that underpin decision-making in matters of food and feed safety. Since 1 January 2021 the Food Standards Agency (FSA), alongside Food Standards Scotland, has been responsible for providing many of the risk analysis functions previously undertaken by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and European Commission, with Government ministers making the final decisions, ensuring that the high standard of food safety and consumer protection we enjoy in the UK is maintained. Information on the UK food and feed risk analysis process is provided on the FSA’s website.
The Department’s procurement records show that the Department has had no contracts with these companies over the last five years prior to the award of the personal protective equipment contracts.
The Department’s procurement records show that the Department has had no contracts with these companies over the last five years prior to the award of the personal protective equipment contracts.
The Department’s procurement records show that the Department has had no contracts with these companies over the last five years prior to the award of the personal protective equipment contracts.
The Department’s procurement records show that the Department has had no contracts with these companies over the last five years prior to the award of the personal protective equipment contracts.
The Department’s procurement records show that the Department has had no contracts with these companies over the last five years prior to the award of the personal protective equipment contracts.
The Department’s procurement records show that the Department has had no contracts with these companies over the last five years prior to the award of the personal protective equipment contracts.
The Department’s procurement records show that the Department has had no contracts with these companies over the last five years prior to the award of the personal protective equipment contracts.
The Department’s procurement records show that the Department has had no contracts with Hologic Ltd and Randox Laboratories Ltd over the last five years prior to the awarding of SARS-Cov-2 test and COVID-19 testing contracts respectively.
The Department’s procurement records show that the Department has had no contracts with Hologic Ltd and Randox Laboratories Ltd over the last five years prior to the awarding of SARS-Cov-2 test and COVID-19 testing contracts respectively.
The Department’s procurement records show that the Department has had no contracts with Ramfoam over the last five years prior to the award of the personal protective equipment contract.
The Department’s procurement records show that the Department has had no contracts with Unispace Global Health over the last five years prior to the award of the personal protective equipment contract.
The Department’s procurement records show that the Department has had no contracts with Ayanda Capital over the last five years prior to the award of the personal protective equipment contract.
Since 1988, successive Governments have voluntarily provided ex-gratia financial and non-financial support for people affected by HIV and/or hepatitis C through historic treatment with National Health Service-supplied blood or blood products in the 1970s and 80s.
In 2017, country specific support schemes were set up in Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland. These four schemes are devolved, and each nation has made different choices around their offers of support over time.
We are working with our partners in the devolved nations and other relevant Government departments to improve parity of support across the United Kingdom.
We will consider any recommendations when the Infected Blood Inquiry reports, including any on compensation and other support.
Since 1988, successive Governments have voluntarily provided ex-gratia financial and non-financial support for people affected by HIV and/or hepatitis C through historic treatment with National Health Service-supplied blood or blood products in the 1970s and 80s.
In 2017, country specific support schemes were set up in Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland. These four schemes are devolved, and each nation has made different choices around their offers of support over time.
We are working with our partners in the devolved nations and other relevant Government departments to improve parity of support across the United Kingdom.
We will consider any recommendations when the Infected Blood Inquiry reports, including any on compensation and other support.
The UK is working with a range of partners, including Quad (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, US, UK), African and European countries, as well as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the African Union and the United Nations, to bring warring parties together and secure a permanent ceasefire. As a member of the African Union-convened Core Group on Sudan, the UK is working with regional and international partners to end hostilities and secure a peace process. UK Ministers attended the UN General Assembly in September, hosting a Ministerial-level Quad meeting reaffirming our shared interests in resolving the Sudan conflict. Ministers also raised Sudan in bilateral meetings with Egypt and South Sudan, paying tribute to their generosity in accepting refugees and calling for urgent action and the coordination of regional initiatives. UK leadership with 'Sudan Core Group' partners at the UN Human Rights Council led to a robust resolution on Sudan being passed. This resolution establishes an independent, international, Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) for Sudan so that those responsible can be held to account and to deter perpetrators from further crime.
We are working with international partners and humanitarian agencies to scale-up aid delivery in Sudan and neighbouring countries if and when the access situation improves, and through our ongoing work in the neighbouring countries and the UN. On 2 June the UK secured unanimous Security Council support for the renewal of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) which is leading coordination of international humanitarian efforts. We will look to renew its mandate further by 3 December. As Chair of the 'Sudan Core Group' (US, Norway, Germany, UK), we led on a UN Human Rights Council resolution, adopted on 11 October, which established an independent, international, Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan to investigate atrocities committed by all sides.
The FCDO Crisis Response Centre has the capacity to surge staff and resources to respond to a crisis depending on the scale and nature of the incident. Following the Afghanistan response, the FCDO implemented a full review of these cadres, as well as the cross-FCDO crisis response training package, to ensure that staffing and resources are fit for purpose. This led to a full refresh of surge lists, many of whom served within the recent Sudan response.
Since 25 April, the UK has supported the departure of 2,450 people, including British nationals, dependants, and other eligible nationals out of Sudan. The UK Government continues to provide limited consular assistance to British nationals still in Sudan and to those who have left by alternative means to neighbouring countries.
Securing the safe passage for civilians fleeing Sudan, the protection of civilians and respect of International Law is an FCDO priority. To achieve this, we are pursuing all diplomatic avenues, including at the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council, through engagement with the conflicting parties, and through cooperation with counterparts from African, Quad (KSA, UAE, UK, USA) and European countries, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the African Union and United Nations agencies.
Whilst an immediate successor to the Special Representative has not been appointed, our resource and senior representation within the FCDO on climate and environment has grown significantly in recent years. Climate change remains an area of utmost importance to this government, and to the Foreign Secretary.
We are aware of the difficult humanitarian situation in Haiti, which is worsened by the chronic security issues caused by armed criminal gangs. We are supporting Haiti through our contributions to the United Nations and other international agencies who have a strong presence on the ground, including the World Bank. Through the British Embassy in Port-au-Prince we remain in regular contact and coordination with these agencies. The UK continues to use our platform both in country and at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to help international efforts in realising a Haitian-led solution to Haiti's multifaceted challenges.
Egypt is a human rights priority country for the UK and we regularly raise concerns with the Egyptian authorities, both in private and public. The former Prime Minister did so during his call with President Sisi on 25 August. Also, both Lord Ahmad and the then Foreign Secretary raised human rights with Foreign Minister Shoukry during his visit to London in July. The UK COP Presidency continues to work closely with the Egyptian authorities regarding COP27, urging them to ensure an inclusive summit, where civil society, youth, and independent media can participate freely.
UK citizens have made, and continue to make, a valuable contribution to educational exchange between the UK and Italy. The UK Government has been following this issue closely for several years. Her Majesty's Government Ministers and officials have made representations to their counterparts and will continue to advocate for a solution.
We are concerned about reports of serious and wide-ranging human rights violations and abuses by parties to the Yemen conflict. In March we co-sponsored a joint statement at the Human Rights Council recognizing the collective effort needed to respond to these allegations. The statement called for all parties to comply with their obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
We regret that the mandate of the UN Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen was not renewed last October. The UK voted in favour of renewing the mandate.
We are discussing with international partners the potential for a follow-up mechanism to support human rights accountability in Yemen. Justice and accountability are key for inclusive and durable peace.
The UK is committed to the principle of non-discrimination on any grounds, including on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or race. Combating violence and discrimination against minorities forms an important part of our wider international human rights work. We have pledged £395 million of aid to the current crisis, which includes £220 million of humanitarian assistance and deployed UK humanitarian experts to support Ukraine's neighbours, who are receiving and supporting refugees fleeing Ukraine, through providing logistics advice and analysis of needs on the ground.
The UK Government advises people to donate cash through trusted charities and humanitarian partners, rather than donating goods. Unsolicited donations, although well-meaning, can obstruct supply chains and delay more urgent support from getting through. Trusted humanitarian partners are working with the Government of Ukraine and countries in the region to assess needs and deliver the assistance most required. It is usually more efficient for aid organisations to procure required items themselves, and locally, than to process, store, and distribute donated goods.
The UK Government advises people to donate cash through trusted charities and humanitarian partners, rather than donating goods. Unsolicited donations, although well-meaning, can obstruct supply chains and delay more urgent support from getting through. Trusted humanitarian partners are working with the Government of Ukraine and countries in the region to assess needs and deliver the assistance most required. It is usually more efficient for aid organisations to procure required items themselves, and locally, than to process, store, and distribute donated goods.
Advancing gender equality and women's rights are a core part of the UK Government's mission, and Global Britain's role as a force for good in the world, including fulfilling every girl's right to 12 years of quality education. The Government remains steadfast in its commitment to this agenda.
As part of the launch of the new Department, we will refresh and build on existing strategies, as well as develop new approaches, but we do not see the core ambitions or principles of the Strategic Vision for Gender Equality changing. The challenges of advancing girls' education, sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR), women's political empowerment, women's economic empowerment and ending violence against women and girls (VAWG) are as acute now, if not more so, as when we published the strategy in 2018.
The new FCDO will continue to be a progressive force for women and girls, including for their sexual and reproductive health and rights, right to education and ensuring that their needs are central to our COVID-19 humanitarian response. We are committed to highlighting the needs and rights of all women and girls.
Since 2010, the Government has introduced over 200 measures to tackle tax avoidance, evasion, and non-compliance, and in 2021-22 HMRC secured and protected £30.8 billion for public services that would otherwise have gone unpaid.
Last week the Government went further, closing an avoidance loophole within capital gains tax and setting out plans to double the maximum prison sentences for the most egregious tax fraudsters. The Government will also shortly consult on a new criminal offence for promoters of tax avoidance.
Spending Review 2021 provided the devolved administrations with their largest annual block grants, in real terms, of any spending review settlement since 1998. As a result, the devolved administrations’ funding is still growing in real terms over the Spending Review period despite higher inflation, which means they remain well-funded to deliver their devolved responsibilities. I continue to actively engage on this issue with my counterparts in the devolved administrations.
The Government recognises the valuable economic and cultural contribution of the video games industry. The Video Games Tax Relief (VGTR) has supported £5.1 billion of UK expenditure on 1,940 games since its introduction in 2014.
At Spending Review 2021 the government confirmed £8 million for the continuation of the UK Games Fund which provides bespoke support for the UK’s independent video game industry.
The Government regularly receives proposals for changes to tax reliefs. When considering changes, the Government must ensure they provide support to businesses in a fair way and that taxpayer money is effectively targeted. An uplift in the rate of VGTR is not currently under consideration. However, the Government keeps all tax reliefs under review.
The Government recognises the valuable economic and cultural contribution of the video games industry. The Video Games Tax Relief (VGTR) has supported £5.1 billion of UK expenditure on 1,940 games since its introduction in 2014.
At Spending Review 2021 the government confirmed £8 million for the continuation of the UK Games Fund which provides bespoke support for the UK’s independent video game industry.
The Government regularly receives proposals for changes to tax reliefs. When considering changes, the Government must ensure they provide support to businesses in a fair way and that taxpayer money is effectively targeted. An uplift in the rate of VGTR is not currently under consideration. However, the Government keeps all tax reliefs under review.
The current VAT treatment of the repair of personal and household goods is subject to the standard rate of VAT at 20 per cent, as is the case for the vast majority of goods and services.
Introducing any new VAT relief would come at a cost to the Exchequer, and the Government has received over £50 billion worth of requests for relief from VAT since the EU referendum.
Although the Government keeps all taxes under review, introducing a new relief on the repair of personal and household goods would impose additional pressure on the public finances, to which VAT makes a significant contribution. VAT raised around £130 billion in 2019/20, and helps to fund key spending priorities, including health, education, and defence.
The Government strongly recommends that, wherever possible, organisations and people who would like to help should donate cash rather than donating goods. This can be done through the Disasters Emergency Committee campaign and other trusted charities and humanitarian aid organisations. Cash can be transferred quickly to areas where it is needed, and individuals and aid organisations can use it to buy what is most needed.
However, the Government recognises that many individuals and organisations have already worked hard within their communities to collect aid and wish to see those donations reach those in need as quickly as possible. That is why we have introduced a customs easement to help ensure humanitarian aid goods sent to support those affected by the Ukraine crisis are fast-tracked. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/taking-humanitarian-aid-out-of-great-britain-to-support-ukraine.
The Government strongly recommends that, wherever possible, organisations and people who would like to help should donate cash rather than donating goods. This can be done through the Disasters Emergency Committee campaign and other trusted charities and humanitarian aid organisations. Cash can be transferred quickly to areas where it is needed, and individuals and aid organisations can use it to buy what is most needed.
However, the Government recognises that many individuals and organisations have already worked hard within their communities to collect aid and wish to see those donations reach those in need as quickly as possible. That is why we have introduced a customs easement to help ensure humanitarian aid goods sent to support those affected by the Ukraine crisis are fast-tracked. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/taking-humanitarian-aid-out-of-great-britain-to-support-ukraine.
I refer the Honourable Member for Edinburgh North and Leith to the answer I gave on 17 May 2021.
I refer the Honourable Member for Edinburgh North and Leith to the answer I gave on 17 May 2021.
I refer the Honourable Member for Edinburgh North and Leith to the answer I gave on 17 May 2021.
In my Written Ministerial Statement on 17 December 2020, I outlined the three main channels through which London Capital & Finance plc (LCF) bondholders can seek compensation. These are the administration process, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), and the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Complaints Scheme.
My statement also announced that, taking into consideration the specific and complex set of circumstances surrounding the collapse of LCF, the Treasury will set up a compensation scheme which will assess whether there is justification for further one-off compensation payments in certain circumstances for some LCF bondholders . The Government will announce further details, including on timescales, the scheme’s administering body, and the eligibility of compensation, in due course.
In my Written Ministerial Statement on 17 December 2020, I outlined the three main channels through which London Capital & Finance plc (LCF) bondholders can seek compensation. These are the administration process, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), and the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Complaints Scheme.
My statement also announced that, taking into consideration the specific and complex set of circumstances surrounding the collapse of LCF, the Treasury will set up a compensation scheme which will assess whether there is justification for further one-off compensation payments in certain circumstances for some LCF bondholders . The Government will announce further details, including on timescales, the scheme’s administering body, and the eligibility of compensation, in due course.
In my Written Ministerial Statement on 17 December 2020, I outlined the three main channels through which London Capital & Finance plc (LCF) bondholders can seek compensation. These are the administration process, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), and the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Complaints Scheme.
My statement also announced that, taking into consideration the specific and complex set of circumstances surrounding the collapse of LCF, the Treasury will set up a compensation scheme which will assess whether there is justification for further one-off compensation payments in certain circumstances for some LCF bondholders . The Government will announce further details, including on timescales, the scheme’s administering body, and the eligibility of compensation, in due course.
In my Written Ministerial Statement on 17 December 2020, I outlined the three main channels through which London Capital & Finance plc (LCF) bondholders can seek compensation. These are the administration process, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), and the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Complaints Scheme.
My statement also announced that, taking into consideration the specific and complex set of circumstances surrounding the collapse of LCF, the Treasury will set up a compensation scheme which will assess whether there is justification for further one-off compensation payments in certain circumstances for some LCF bondholders . The Government will announce further details, including on timescales, the scheme’s administering body, and the eligibility of compensation, in due course.
In registering for the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme, businesses agreed to publication of the names and addresses of their restaurants or other outlets. HMRC do not have permission to publish other details about the businesses or their claims and are bound by a duty of confidentiality.
HMRC have published data about the number of registered establishments and claims totals and will publish a detailed analysis of the scheme in the near future. This will include breakdowns of claims values between small and larger businesses (those with more than 25 establishments).
The Treasury has been reviewing Small Brewers Relief (SBR) since 2018, and before recess announced several changes to the SBR scheme in order to make it easier for small independent breweries to expand and grow.
As part of the review, I have met with the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) and the Small Brewers Duty Reform Coalition (SBDRC), most recently in July. My predecessor Simon Clarke MP met with both groups in a roundtable in September 2019. Officials have also had frequent meetings with both groups.
The review is still ongoing and will be subject to a consultation on further technical details. This will be published later this Autumn.
The Treasury has been reviewing Small Brewers Relief (SBR) since 2018, and before recess announced several changes to the SBR scheme in order to make it easier for small independent breweries to expand and grow.
As part of the review, I have met with the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) and the Small Brewers Duty Reform Coalition (SBDRC), most recently in July. My predecessor Simon Clarke MP met with both groups in a roundtable in September 2019. Officials have also had frequent meetings with both groups.
The review is still ongoing and will be subject to a consultation on further technical details. This will be published later this Autumn.
The Treasury has been reviewing Small Brewers Relief (SBR) since 2018, and before recess announced several changes to the SBR scheme in order to make it easier for small independent breweries to expand and grow.
As part of the review, I have met with the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) and the Small Brewers Duty Reform Coalition (SBDRC), most recently in July. My predecessor Simon Clarke MP met with both groups in a roundtable in September 2019. Officials have also had frequent meetings with both groups.
The review is still ongoing and will be subject to a consultation on further technical details. This will be published later this Autumn.
The Treasury has been reviewing Small Brewers Relief (SBR) since 2018, and before recess announced several changes to the SBR scheme in order to make it easier for small independent breweries to expand and grow.
As part of the review, I have met with the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) and the Small Brewers Duty Reform Coalition (SBDRC), most recently in July. My predecessor Simon Clarke MP met with both groups in a roundtable in September 2019. Officials have also had frequent meetings with both groups.
The review is still ongoing and will be subject to a consultation on further technical details. This will be published later this Autumn.
Following UK government decisions at Spending Round 2019, the Scottish Government benefited from an increase of over £1.3 billion in the Barnett-based block grant, which will therefore increase to £34.5 billion in 2020-21. This is the biggest day-to-day funding settlement for Scotland in a decade.
It is for the Scottish Government to allocate this funding across their devolved responsibilities, including to victims of contaminated blood if they so choose.
The government transposed the vast majority of the provisions in the Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive into domestic law through, ‘The Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Amendment) Regulations 2019’, which came into force on 10 January 2020.
This transposition ensures the UK’s AML/CTF regime remains comprehensive, responsive to emerging threats, and in line with evolving international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force.
The consultation on the implementation of the Directive committed to a further technical consultation on the details of the implementation of measures related to trust registration. This consultation will launch in early 2020 and will ensure the Trust Registration Service contains a robust and proportionate framework, which will be transposed into domestic law during 2020.
HM Treasury is responsible for the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 (‘the Regulations’). The Regulations set out the high-level requirements on regulated firms to combat money laundering and ensure that key professionals identify their customers and understand the purpose behind transactions, including the source of funds. The Regulations are designed to combat illicit finance, while minimising the burden on legitimate customers.
The Regulations require firms in scope of the regulations to have in place appropriate risk-management systems and procedures to determine whether a customer (or their beneficial owner) is a Politically Exposed Person (PEP), family member of a PEP or close associate of a PEP.
PEPs are individuals entrusted with a prominent public function. This definition includes but is not limited to heads of state, heads of government, ministers and deputy or assistant ministers, members of parliament or of similar legislative bodies.
PEPs can pose a high money laundering risk because they may be able to abuse their position for private gain. Not all PEPs, however, pose the same money laundering risk; there is a hierarchy depending on country of origin and rank, from middle tier officials to individuals with significant or absolute control over the levers, patronage and resources in a given area. For example, the Financial Conduct Authority’s guidance states that UK PEPs should be considered as lower risk.
Where a firm has identified that a customer (or their beneficial owner) is a PEP, family member or close associate of a PEP, it must conduct an appropriate range of Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) measures. When carrying out EDD on PEPs, firms must take adequate measures to establish the source of wealth and source of funds which are involved in the proposed transaction or business relationship, get approval from senior management to establish or continue a relationship with that person and carry out enhanced monitoring of the business relationship.
As has been the practice under successive Governments the Home Office does not routinely comment on individual cases.
We remain committed to providing protection for vulnerable and at-risk people fleeing Afghanistan and so far have brought around 24,600 people impacted by the situation back to the UK.
We continue to work with likeminded partners and countries neighbouring Afghanistan on resettlement issues, and to support safe passage for eligible Afghans. We also continue to welcome individuals to the UK through the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP).
The Home Office met with representatives of Scottish government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) on several occasions in May to discuss the possibility of placing a vessel in Leith to accommodate asylum seekers.
In addition, the Home Office established a Multi-Agency Forum (MAF), involving the Council, Health, Police and other public agencies, as a structured forum for discussion with statutory bodies and key stakeholders.
The City of Edinburgh Council opposed the use of this site.
Cost information is prospective and commercially sensitive, and as such is not available to be released. Our proposal was to use the same berth, the same quayside infrastructure and the same principal contractor that was put in place by Scottish Government officials. Furthermore, this is the same vessel used by the Scottish Government. The Home Office also proposed introducing new financial incentives for local authorities to encourage the uptake of dispersal accommodation and delivering large accommodation sites that will produce safe and secure accommodation for thousands of asylum seekers.
The Home Office met with representatives of Scottish government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) on several occasions in May to discuss the possibility of placing a vessel in Leith to accommodate asylum seekers.
The last Multi-Agency Forums (MAF) were held on the 22nd June. We are committed to work closely with all local authorities and stakeholders through MAF meetings to address any concerns of the local community and reduce the impact on local services.
If you would like to put forward specific proposals, please do contact the Home Office at: rasiengagementhubregionalconsultation@homeoffice.gov.uk and officials will happily discuss this in greater detail with you.
His Majesty’s Passport Office policy on who can act as a referee is kept under review as part of the general programme of work to transform and modernise the passport application process. Any changes to the policy would be announced to Parliament and reflected in published HM Passport Office guidance.
The list of recognised professions can be found online. This is not a definitive list, and any alternatives a customer provides must be considered. Countersigning passport applications and photos: Accepted occupations for countersignatories - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Both the Ukraine Extension Scheme and the Ukraine Family Scheme can be applied for by Ukrainian nationals in the UK, who meet the eligibility criteria – which can be found on GOV.UK (UK visa support for Ukrainian nationals - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)).
Ukrainian nationals seeking to travel to the UK for sanctuary must use either Homes for Ukraine, or the Ukraine Family Scheme.
Individuals are able to contact an independent Immigration Adviser registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) for advice relevant to their own circumstances. Further guidance is available on GOV.UK (Find an immigration adviser: Search for an adviser - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)).
Over 2,000 people have been evacuated to safety in the longest and largest airlift of any western nation during the crisis in Sudan. As well as British nationals, the UK has also evacuated Sudanese clinicians who work in the NHS.
In addition, those individuals who were evacuated from Sudan by other governments who would have met the criteria for evacuation by the UK government will also be able to come to the UK.
We recognise that some people displaced by the fighting may wish to join family in the UK, and where those family members do not have a current UK visa, they can apply for one via one of our standard visa routes, which remain available, and applications can be submitted at the nearest Visa Application Centre (VAC).
Applications can be made at any VAC and we will accept applications which would normally have to be made in the country where the person is living at any VAC from someone who has been evacuated, or self-evacuated, from Sudan.
Due to the current situation in Sudan, the Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Khartoum is temporarily closed until further notice.
Whilst the VAC is closed, the Home Office is proactively contacting these customers by email to liaise directly on what options and support are available to them.
The Government remains committed to providing protection for vulnerable and at-risk people fleeing Afghanistan. However, the situation is complex and presents significant challenges, including how those who are eligible for resettlement in the UK can leave the country. This includes eligible immediate family members of those being resettled under the ACRS.
For those evacuated from Afghanistan under the ACRS without their immediate family members, further information will be made available in due course about options for reuniting with them. We are unable to provide a target date at this time.
In response to Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine, we launched one of the fastest and biggest visa schemes in UK history, with over 220,000 visas issued under Ukraine Schemes; 67,000 through the Ukraine Family Scheme and 156,000 through the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
We firmly believe that Ukraine will be safe again and we will continue to support the Ukrainian Government for as long as is necessary in their efforts against Putin.
The Government of Ukraine has been clear that it needs citizens to return to Ukraine when it is safe to do so, to help rebuild the country.
Therefore, our approach has been to provide Ukrainians with access to a three-year visa for temporary sanctuary in the UK, providing them with certainty and stability while they are here, to settle into jobs, schooling and accommodation.
Of course, we keep any future need for an extension of leave in the UK under review, in line with developments of the situation in Ukraine.
In response to Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine, we launched one of the fastest and biggest visa schemes in UK history, with over 220,000 visas issued under Ukraine Schemes; 67,000 through the Ukraine Family Scheme and 156,000 through the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
We firmly believe that Ukraine will be safe again and we will continue to support the Ukrainian Government for as long as is necessary in their efforts against Putin.
The Government of Ukraine has been clear that it needs citizens to return to Ukraine when it is safe to do so, to help rebuild the country.
Therefore, our approach has been to provide Ukrainians with access to a three-year visa for temporary sanctuary in the UK, providing them with certainty and stability while they are here, to settle into jobs, schooling and accommodation.
Of course, we keep any future need for an extension of leave in the UK under review, in line with developments of the situation in Ukraine.
In response to Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine, we launched one of the fastest and biggest visa schemes in UK history, with over 220,000 visas issued under Ukraine Schemes; 67,000 through the Ukraine Family Scheme and 156,000 through the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
We firmly believe that Ukraine will be safe again and we will continue to support the Ukrainian Government for as long as is necessary in their efforts against Putin.
The Government of Ukraine has been clear that it needs citizens to return to Ukraine when it is safe to do so, to help rebuild the country.
Therefore, our approach has been to provide Ukrainians with access to a three-year visa for temporary sanctuary in the UK, providing them with certainty and stability while they are here, to settle into jobs, schooling and accommodation.
Of course, we keep any future need for an extension of leave in the UK under review, in line with developments of the situation in Ukraine.
In response to Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine, we launched one of the fastest and biggest visa schemes in UK history, with over 220,000 visas issued under Ukraine Schemes; 67,000 through the Ukraine Family Scheme and 156,000 through the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
We firmly believe that Ukraine will be safe again and we will continue to support the Ukrainian Government for as long as is necessary in their efforts against Putin.
The Government of Ukraine has been clear that it needs citizens to return to Ukraine when it is safe to do so, to help rebuild the country.
Therefore, our approach has been to provide Ukrainians with access to a three-year visa for temporary sanctuary in the UK, providing them with certainty and stability while they are here, to settle into jobs, schooling and accommodation.
Of course, we keep any future need for an extension of leave in the UK under review, in line with developments of the situation in Ukraine.
The incidences of technical issues preventing Biometric Resident Permit (BRP) card production are low. Where issues are encountered operational case working teams and IT Support endeavour to resolve the issue swiftly without any adverse impacts for the customer.
For the very small proportion of cases that could not be resolved immediately, the Employer Checking Service (ECS) and Landlord Checking Service (LCS) are available to provide support to customers to verify their immigration status and permission to work and rent properties in the UK.
Longer term, the Home Office is developing a border and immigration system which will be digital by default. The ambition is to phase out physical documents, such as BRP’s, before the end of 2024 as we move towards a system of online evidence of immigration status (eVisas).
The incidences of technical issues preventing Biometric Resident Permit (BRP) card production are low. Where issues are encountered operational case working teams and IT Support endeavour to resolve the issue swiftly without any adverse impacts for the customer.
For the very small proportion of cases that could not be resolved immediately, the Employer Checking Service (ECS) and Landlord Checking Service (LCS) are available to provide support to customers to verify their immigration status and permission to work and rent properties in the UK.
Longer term, the Home Office is developing a border and immigration system which will be digital by default. The ambition is to phase out physical documents, such as BRP’s, before the end of 2024 as we move towards a system of online evidence of immigration status (eVisas).
Following the evacuation of Kabul any children who we became aware of in the UK, that were not with their parents, have been dealt with on a case-by-case basis. When this has happened, we work in close collaboration with social services and the relevant local authority.
The Government has provided, and it continues to provide, a warm welcome to Afghans arriving in the UK. This includes the provision of accommodation, food, integration support, English lessons, and healthcare.
The situation in Afghanistan remains very complex and presents significant challenges, including how those who are eligible for resettlement in the UK can leave the country. This includes the eligible family members of those who arrived during Operation Pitting.
For those evacuated from Afghanistan and resettled under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), without their immediate family members, further information will be made available in due course about options for reuniting with them.
Otherwise, anyone without refugee status - including those resettled under ACRS Pathway 1 and the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) - wishing to bring family members would need to apply through the regular family visa route under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules.
The Government currently has no plans to create specific schemes for those impacted by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria to join family members in the UK. Existing visa routes for those wishing to come to the UK are already available.
The UK continues to provide lifesaving and emergency support, coordinating closely with the Turkish government and United Nations in Syria to ensure our support meets the needs on the ground and that we can stay responsive to emerging needs.
From 9 January 2023, UKVI re-introduced priority visa services for customers with an outstanding family overseas visa application.
Priority visa services for new family overseas visa applications will be made available from 20 February 2023.
Super Priority visa services are currently offered for individuals applying for family leave to remain and family indefinite leave to remain applications from within the UK, and this service has been available throughout 2022.
Customers who submit a family overseas visa application prior to 20 February 2023 will be offered the opportunity to use the Priority visa service in line with the current offer for customers who have an outstanding application.
Data on the number of applicants retrospectively offered priority service since the service was temporarily suspended does not form part of any current transparency data and is not published.
However, the transparency data does include a range of processing and service standard data and can be found at: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
UKVI are offering the Priority visa service to customers with existing family visa applications in date order. Customers with the oldest outstanding family visa applications have been contacted first in fairness to those who have waited the longest in the queue. Alongside this, work has continued to reduce standard processing times for family visa applicants currently awaiting a decision.
From 9 January 2023, UKVI re-introduced priority visa services for customers with an outstanding family overseas visa application.
Priority visa services for new family overseas visa applications will be made available from 20 February 2023.
Super Priority visa services are currently offered for individuals applying for family leave to remain and family indefinite leave to remain applications from within the UK, and this service has been available throughout 2022.
Customers who submit a family overseas visa application prior to 20 February 2023 will be offered the opportunity to use the Priority visa service in line with the current offer for customers who have an outstanding application.
Data on the number of applicants retrospectively offered priority service since the service was temporarily suspended does not form part of any current transparency data and is not published.
However, the transparency data does include a range of processing and service standard data and can be found at: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
UKVI are offering the Priority visa service to customers with existing family visa applications in date order. Customers with the oldest outstanding family visa applications have been contacted first in fairness to those who have waited the longest in the queue. Alongside this, work has continued to reduce standard processing times for family visa applicants currently awaiting a decision.
From 9 January 2023, UKVI re-introduced priority visa services for customers with an outstanding family overseas visa application.
Priority visa services for new family overseas visa applications will be made available from 20 February 2023.
Super Priority visa services are currently offered for individuals applying for family leave to remain and family indefinite leave to remain applications from within the UK, and this service has been available throughout 2022.
Customers who submit a family overseas visa application prior to 20 February 2023 will be offered the opportunity to use the Priority visa service in line with the current offer for customers who have an outstanding application.
Data on the number of applicants retrospectively offered priority service since the service was temporarily suspended does not form part of any current transparency data and is not published.
However, the transparency data does include a range of processing and service standard data and can be found at: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
UKVI are offering the Priority visa service to customers with existing family visa applications in date order. Customers with the oldest outstanding family visa applications have been contacted first in fairness to those who have waited the longest in the queue. Alongside this, work has continued to reduce standard processing times for family visa applicants currently awaiting a decision.
From 9 January 2023, UKVI re-introduced priority visa services for customers with an outstanding family overseas visa application.
Priority visa services for new family overseas visa applications will be made available from 20 February 2023.
Super Priority visa services are currently offered for individuals applying for family leave to remain and family indefinite leave to remain applications from within the UK, and this service has been available throughout 2022.
Customers who submit a family overseas visa application prior to 20 February 2023 will be offered the opportunity to use the Priority visa service in line with the current offer for customers who have an outstanding application.
Data on the number of applicants retrospectively offered priority service since the service was temporarily suspended does not form part of any current transparency data and is not published.
However, the transparency data does include a range of processing and service standard data and can be found at: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
UKVI are offering the Priority visa service to customers with existing family visa applications in date order. Customers with the oldest outstanding family visa applications have been contacted first in fairness to those who have waited the longest in the queue. Alongside this, work has continued to reduce standard processing times for family visa applicants currently awaiting a decision.
The Home Office has re-allocated resources following the conclusion of the seasonal student visa application surge and recruited additional staff to deal with the extremely high demand. As a result, we expect the time taken to assess a skilled work visa application continues to reduce.
The Home Office publishes data on visas in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release(opens in a new tab)’. Data on the number of applications and granted applications of the Skilled Worker visa are published in tables Vis_D01 and Vis_D02 of the entry clearance visas applications and outcomes(opens in a new tab) dataset, respectively.
The Home Office has re-allocated resources following the conclusion of the seasonal student visa application surge and recruited additional staff to deal with the extremely high demand. As a result, we expect the time taken to assess a skilled work visa application continues to reduce.
The Home Office publishes data on visas in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release(opens in a new tab)’. Data on the number of applications and granted applications of the Skilled Worker visa are published in tables Vis_D01 and Vis_D02 of the entry clearance visas applications and outcomes(opens in a new tab) dataset, respectively.
The Home Office has re-allocated resources following the conclusion of the seasonal student visa application surge and recruited additional staff to deal with the extremely high demand. As a result, we expect the time taken to assess a skilled work visa application continues to reduce.
The Home Office publishes data on visas in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release(opens in a new tab)’. Data on the number of applications and granted applications of the Skilled Worker visa are published in tables Vis_D01 and Vis_D02 of the entry clearance visas applications and outcomes(opens in a new tab) dataset, respectively.
Processing times for Marriage & Family visa applications as of 8 June 2022 have not yet been published. They will be published as part of transparency data in due course.
The transparency data does, however, include a range of processing data and the latest data can be found at: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Home Office is currently prioritising Ukraine Visa Schemes applications in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Staff from other government departments, including DWP and HMRC, are being surged into the Home Office to help with Ukraine work and enable normal visa routes to return to normal service levels in due course.
The Home Office is currently prioritising Ukraine Visa Schemes applications in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Applicants were informed of the change to a 24-week service standard on 11 May 2022 and the department is currently operating within this.
Staff from other government departments, including DWP and HMRC, are being surged into the Home Office to help with Ukraine work and enable normal visa routes to return to normal service levels in due course.
The 24-week service standard is based on expected processing times due to the increased number of outstanding spouse, fiancé, and unmarried partner visa applications. This increase was due to the prioritisation of Ukraine Visa Schemes applications in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Processing times for the 24-week service standard have not yet been published. They will be published as part of transparency data in due course. The transparency data does, however, include a range of processing data and the latest data can be found at: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) continues to prioritise Ukraine Visa Scheme applications in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the invasion of Ukraine, so applications for family visa routes are taking longer to process. In addition, we continue to see unpredictable levels of demand across all visa routes globally following the easing of international travel restrictions.
UKVI are committed to providing customers with information on global visa processing times, and will continue to provide updates on the Visa decision waiting times page on GOV.UK and via our commercial partners’ websites. Spouse, fiancé, and unmarried partner applicants have been informed of extended processing times via email. Customers are encouraged to consider the information on processing times before booking travel to the UK.
UKVI transparency data is published at regular intervals and the latest data can be found at: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
The department have not made any assessment of the potential merits of extending the £350 per month thank you payment to refugees arriving in the UK through the Ukraine Family Scheme as this is a matter for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Nationals of Ukraine coming to the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme will be given access to work, benefits and public services as laid down in the Immigration Rules Appendix Ukraine, details of which can be found at:
Immigration Rules Appendix Ukraine Scheme - Immigration Rules - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The department have not made any assessment of the potential merits of extending the £350 per month thank you payment to refugees arriving in the UK through the Ukraine Family Scheme as this is a matter for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Nationals of Ukraine coming to the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme will be given access to work, benefits and public services as laid down in the Immigration Rules Appendix Ukraine, details of which can be found at:
Immigration Rules Appendix Ukraine Scheme - Immigration Rules - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Since the beginning of the Ukraine crisis, there has been a significant increase in calls to the MP Enquiry Line which has led to lengthy wait times. More staff are now being deployed to operate the line and we anticipate call wait times volumes will drop significantly as a result.
Performance and efficiency of visa processing is continually reviewed to ensure performance is as strong as possible.
Information on our immigration routes with service standards and whether they have been processed against these standards is available as part of our transparency data, at: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
We are, however, currently flexing resources across all routes to ensure a robust response to the Ukrainian crisis while still processing standard applications within service standard wherever possible. As a result, individuals with standard applications in study, work, and family routes may experience some temporary impact to the processing of their application.
This Government has made clear its support for Ukrainians fleeing in fear of their lives clear by introducing the Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine Scheme.
The Homes for Ukraine scheme will allow individuals, charities, community groups and businesses in the UK to bring Ukrainians to safety.
To qualify for the Scheme a person must be Ukrainian, or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national, have been residing in Ukraine on or immediately before 1 January 2022 (including those who have now left Ukraine).
The Government has no plans to extend the eligibility beyond this cohort.
The scheme has only been running for a short period so far; details on the number of visas issued will be released in due course.
The Home Office is continually making efforts to simplify the application process for Ukrainian refugees, and keeps this under regular review.
The latest developments can be found in the Home Secretary’s statement of 10 March which can be found: Home Secretary update on support for Ukrainians - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Home Secretary updated Parliament on 10 March about the government's support for people fleeing Ukraine, including the need to visit a visa application centre to provide biometric data.
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/home-secretary-update-on-support-for-ukrainians
We recognise the deeply troubling circumstances faced by all Ukrainians who are caught up in this conflict, including unaccompanied minors, and the role many countries will need to play to safeguard those children. With respect to UK charities we are aware of a significant interest in assisting Ukrainian children.
Safeguarding and protection of these vulnerable children is paramount. It will generally be in the best interests of a child to reunite with their family members in the first instance. This is also the position of the Ukrainian Government. We have held a number of discussions with leading international organisations who are working hard to ensure appropriate processes are put in place to process and safeguard unaccompanied minors who are fleeing Ukraine.
The Ukraine Family Scheme (UFS) provides an immediate pathway for those Ukrainians, including unaccompanied minors, with family already settled in the UK to come to our country. The relevant safeguarding checks will be performed as part of the application process. The UFS is designed to allow as many people as possible to come to Britain and gives them immediate access to the support they need.
The routes and visa changes which we have announced so far follow extensive engagement with the Ukrainian Government to ensure they respond directly to their needs and asks. We will continue to work closely with them going forward.
We are committed to working with local government to ensure appropriate arrangements are in place, particularly for any unaccompanied children who may arrive and for whom there is no option of being reunited with extended family. The UK already has well established policies in this area for looked after migrant children.
We recognise the deeply troubling circumstances faced by all Ukrainians who are caught up in this conflict, including unaccompanied minors, and the role many countries will need to play to safeguard those children. With respect to UK charities we are aware of a significant interest in assisting Ukrainian children.
Safeguarding and protection of these vulnerable children is paramount. It will generally be in the best interests of a child to reunite with their family members in the first instance. This is also the position of the Ukrainian Government. We have held a number of discussions with leading international organisations who are working hard to ensure appropriate processes are put in place to process and safeguard unaccompanied minors who are fleeing Ukraine.
The Ukraine Family Scheme (UFS) provides an immediate pathway for those Ukrainians, including unaccompanied minors, with family already settled in the UK to come to our country. The relevant safeguarding checks will be performed as part of the application process. The UFS is designed to allow as many people as possible to come to Britain and gives them immediate access to the support they need.
The routes and visa changes which we have announced so far follow extensive engagement with the Ukrainian Government to ensure they respond directly to their needs and asks. We will continue to work closely with them going forward.
We are committed to working with local government to ensure appropriate arrangements are in place, particularly for any unaccompanied children who may arrive and for whom there is no option of being reunited with extended family. The UK already has well established policies in this area for looked after migrant children.
We recognise the deeply troubling circumstances faced by all Ukrainians who are caught up in this conflict, including unaccompanied minors, and the role many countries will need to play to safeguard those children. With respect to UK charities we are aware of a significant interest in assisting Ukrainian children.
Safeguarding and protection of these vulnerable children is paramount. It will generally be in the best interests of a child to reunite with their family members in the first instance. This is also the position of the Ukrainian Government. We have held a number of discussions with leading international organisations who are working hard to ensure appropriate processes are put in place to process and safeguard unaccompanied minors who are fleeing Ukraine.
The Ukraine Family Scheme (UFS) provides an immediate pathway for those Ukrainians, including unaccompanied minors, with family already settled in the UK to come to our country. The relevant safeguarding checks will be performed as part of the application process. The UFS is designed to allow as many people as possible to come to Britain and gives them immediate access to the support they need.
The routes and visa changes which we have announced so far follow extensive engagement with the Ukrainian Government to ensure they respond directly to their needs and asks. We will continue to work closely with them going forward.
We are committed to working with local government to ensure appropriate arrangements are in place, particularly for any unaccompanied children who may arrive and for whom there is no option of being reunited with extended family. The UK already has well established policies in this area for looked after migrant children.
As the Home Secretary set out in her Written Statement of 21 February, the review is being finalised and it is our aim to publish it shortly.
Recognising the extraordinary circumstances facing businesses currently, Government is providing visas as a time-limited, temporary measure for the food sector until longer term measures to improve the supply of skills domestically start to have an impact. This includes visas for up to:
It will be for the sectors and companies concerned to make use of these opportunities to recruit labour over this period.
However, we must see long-term solutions delivered by employers through improved training and hiring, with better pay and working conditions, as immigration routes do not provide a guarantee of being able to recruit in a competitive global market for skilled workers. Therefore, we have no further plans to provide more temporary visas in this sector.
The Points Based System already provides for a range of roles in the food and drink sector, including roles such as Butchers, to be recruited on a global basis subject to the rules and requirements of the system being met, including on salary.
The UK Government is working with the haulage sector to promote jobs, training and a range of other initiatives to get more people into HGV driving.
Like other sectors the focus should be on training and recruiting from the UK based workforce in the first instance, especially given the impact of the pandemic resulting in more UK based workers looking for new employment. Reported shortages of HGV drivers across the EU and much of the developed world also indicate the ability to recruit abroad is no guarantee of being able to do so.
The temporary visa provision for HGV drivers was introduced in response to potential reduced availability of some food products in the run up to Christmas, enabling drivers to work in the UK until 28 February 2022. There are no plans to extend the validity of these visas beyond this date.
It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on the security arrangements for protected individuals. To do so could compromise the integrity of those arrangements and affect the security of the individuals concerned
It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on the security arrangements for protected individuals. To do so could compromise the integrity of those arrangements and affect the security of the individuals concerned.
The Government has announced at the end of the transition period, EEA and Swiss nationals will be able to continue to travel to the UK for holidays or short-term trips, without needing a visa.
The current Immigration Rules, including those for visitors, contain a wide range of provisions to cater for artists, entertainers and musicians.
The Home Office is currently engaging with the creative sector and other government departments, including DCMS, to ensure the future immigration system continues to support the thriving cultural sector in the UK.
The Government has made clear, where a person eligible for leave under the EU Settlement Scheme has reasonable grounds for missing the
application deadline of 30 June 2021, they will be given a further opportunity to apply.
We have not published a list of reasonable grounds for missing the deadline as it is a year away and the focus should be on encouraging people to apply. We will however publish clear guidance for caseworkers in due course to ensure consistency of approach.
We are not able to provide a precise figure because our app statistics include transactions for applications which have been started, but not yet submitted. However, we estimate over 3.2 million applicants have used the EU Exit: ID Document check app to scan their Passport as part of their application to the EU Settlement Scheme.
We do not currently publish data on calls into the Settlement Resolution Centre. We do ensure that resource allocated is maximised to allow our dedicated teams to answer and support as many callers as possible to assist them through the EU Settlement scheme process. Our current average answer time is 25 seconds. (January 2020)
Published information for financial years 2016-17, 2017-18 & 2018-19 for revenue from visa applications can be found in the Home Office’s Annual Report and Accounts via the links below:
The cost of processing applications is not reported separately from other UKVI expenditure in the accounts, but unit cost information is published, and the link to that is also below.
2018-19
2017-18
2016-17
Income generated via visa applications for the current financial year 2019-20 is expected to be published in June 2020.
Published visa unit costs are provided in the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-fees-transparency-data
The EU Settlement Scheme already provides resident EU citizens with the UK immigration status they will need to continue living here after the end of the implementation period on 31 December 2020. The status granted under the scheme will guarantee them the same rights to work, study and access benefits and services as they have now.
The Home Secretary provides the Home Affairs Select Committee with updates on the work of the department in connection with Windrush. This includes information on decisions made by the Taskforce under the Windrush Scheme. The correspondence can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/correspondence-on-the-work-of-the-home-office-windrush
The published Windrush guidance confirms what documentation is provided to the applicant dependent on the individual’s circumstances, and that there is no charge for an application under the Windrush Scheme. The guidance can be found at:
The table below provides the number of Nuclear Site Event Reports (NSERs) at Coulport and Faslane recorded between January 2022 to March 2023. These are shown according to their categorisation using criteria agreed locally in 2015.
Nuclear Site Events- 2022 | Category A | Category B | Category C | Category D | Below Scale |
Coulport | 0 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 40 |
Faslane | 0 | 0 | 20 | 73 | 47 |
Nuclear Site Events- 2023 | Category A | Category B | Category C | Category D | Below Scale |
Coulport | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
Faslane | 0 | 1 | 6 | 26 | 10 |
In line with Industry Good Practice and in common with other defence and civil nuclear sites, His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde has a well-established system for raising NSERs.
NSERs are raised to foster a robust safety culture that learns from experience, whether that is equipment failures, human error, procedural failings, documentation shortcoming or near-misses.
The safety significance of all reported events remains low and are below Level 1, the lowest of the seven-point Internal Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES).
None of the events caused harm to the health of any member of staff on the Naval Base or to any member of the public or have resulted in any radiological impact to the environment.
In preparation for the answer of 21 April 2022 to Question 154058 the Department understood that a manual trawl through personnel files would be required to answer the question, which resulted in a disproportionate cost response. A different methodology was used for the answer in April 2021 and using that same approach I am now able to provide the following information in answer to the hon. Member's Questions 154058, 154059 and 154060 of 14 April 2022.
At 1 April 2022, a total of 3,751 uniformed Royal Navy Service Personnel were stationed at locations in Argyll and Bute, which comprise the Faslane and Coulport sites. Of these, 1,367 personnel were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 36% of the total.
At 1 April 2022, 534 uniformed contractors were employed at Faslane. Of these, 478 were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 90% of the total.
At 1 April 2022, 409 uniformed contractors were employed at Coulport. Of these, 364 were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 89% of the total.
These figures reflect Ministry of Defence Police and Ministry of Defence Guard Service employees, who are Ministry of Defence civilian employees. The term 'uniformed contractor' has been translated to mean those employees who are neither civilian contractor, non-uniform civilian, or Service Personnel.
At 1 April 2022, 1,026 civilian employees who are not contractors were employed at Faslane. Of these, 942 were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 92% of the total.
At 1 April 2022, 479 civilian employees who are not contractors were employed at Coulport. Of these, 434 were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 91% of the total.
No submariners have received radiation doses in excess of safe limits in any of the last ten years.
The requested figures cannot easily be disaggregated due to the format the data is held in and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, it will be the case that anyone who works at these locations and has a Scottish address will pay tax in Scotland. It is estimated that c.90% of staff working at these sites will be Scottish taxpayers.
The requested figures cannot easily be disaggregated due to the format the data is held in and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, it will be the case that anyone who works at these locations and has a Scottish address will pay tax in Scotland. It is estimated that c.90% of staff working at these sites will be Scottish taxpayers.
The names, locations, property descriptions and sale years for sites disposed of in Scotland from 2017 to 2022 are listed below:
Establishment Name | Property Description | Sale Year (By Financial Year) |
STRATHCLYDE VOLUNTEER ESTATE | Disposal Part ATC Site, Hillington Park | 2017 |
LTPA LOCH GOIL | Remaining Land 0.164 to Community 0.046 to Castle Carrick | 2018 |
KIRKCUDBRIGHT TRAINING AREA | 25 sq m site for electricity sub station with associated servitude rights for overhead and underground cabling | 2018 |
GPSS LINKSWOOD | Part of field south of redundant GPSS site Linkswood | 2018 |
GPSS LINKSWOOD | Amenity land north of redundant GPSS site Linkswood | 2018 |
VULCAN NAVAL REACTOR TEST ESTABLISHMENT | Former family quarter | 2018 |
VULCAN NAVAL REACTOR TEST ESTABLISHMENT | Service Family Accommodation | 2018 |
VULCAN NAVAL REACTOR TEST ESTABLISHMENT | Single Living Accommodation | 2018 |
GPSS TURRIFF | Redundant GPSS site Turriff | 2019 |
GPSS LINKSWOOD | Redundant GPSS site, Linkswood | 2019 |
GPSS HEATHFIELD | Redundant GPSS site, Heathfield | 2019 |
GPSS FORFAR | Redundant GPSS site, Forfar | 2019 |
LEUCHARS STATION | Telecommunications Site, Outhmuir | 2019 |
GRAMPIAN VOLUNTEER ESTATE | Surplus land to rear of Army Reserve Centre | 2019 |
MOD CALEDONIA | Solum of Foreshore and Seabed | 2020 |
RRS SAXA VORD | Old Radar Station, Vallafield RAF | 2020 |
GARELOCHEAD TRAINING AREA | Land at Feorlinbreck and Carpark/Playpark at Upland Wynd, Garelochhead | 2021 |
The purchaser details and sale prices for the disposed sites has been withheld in view of the contractual confidentiality.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 27 April 2021 to Question 185922.
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2021-04-22/185922
Updated figures are shown below which indicate payments the Ministry of Defence has made to Leidos to operate the Logistics, Commodities and Services Transformation programme from 2020-21 to 2022-23 to date.
Year | £million (ex-VAT) |
2020-21 | 355 |
2021-22 | 416 |
2022-23 | 16 |
The cost for 2021-22 has yet to be finalised and fully paid. The figure for 2022-23 covers the period 1 April 2022 to 19 April 2022.
The following table shows the costs of AWE ML under the Management and Operations contract for each financial year since 2000-01, at outturn prices.
Financial Year | £ million |
2000-01 | 275 |
2001-02 | 264 |
2002-03 | 258 |
2003-04 | 286 |
2004-05 | 354 |
2005-06 | 493 |
2006-07 | 687 |
2007-08 | 894 |
2008-09 | 800 |
2009-10 | 870 |
2010-11 | 944 |
2011-12 | 941 |
2012-13 | 830 |
2013-14 | 901 |
2014-15 | 921 |
2015-16 | 887 |
2016-17 | 815 |
2017-18 | 867 |
2018-19 | 901 |
2019-20 | 994 |
2020-21 | 984 |
2021-22 | 266* |
*On 1 July 2021 the contract between AWE ML and MOD ended as AWE ML reverted to direct Government ownership, becoming a Non-Departmental Public Body wholly owned by the MOD.
The table below provides the number of Improvement Notices issued by the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator since 2010.
2010 | 2 |
2011 | - |
2012 | - |
2013 | - |
2014 | - |
2015 | - |
2016 | 2 |
2017 | 1 |
2018 | 2 |
2019 | 2 |
2020 | 1 |
2021 | 1 |
2022 | - |
It will take some time to collate the data required to answer the hon. Member's question. I will write with the requested information in due course.
The safety significance of all reported events remains low and are below Level 1, the lowest of the seven-point International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES).
None of the events caused harm to the health of any member of staff on the Naval Base or to any member of the public or have resulted in any radiological impact to the environment.
The table below provides the number of Nuclear Site Event Reports (NSERs) at Coulport and Faslane recorded for 2019, 2020 and 2021. These are shown according to their categorisation using criteria agreed locally in 2015.
Nuclear Site Events - 2019 | Category A | Category B | Category C | Category D | Below Scale |
Coulport | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 13 |
Faslane | 0 | 1 | 5 | 46 | 88 |
Nuclear Site Events - 2020 | Category A | Category B | Category C | Category D | Below Scale |
Coulport | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
Faslane | 0 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 96 |
Nuclear Site Events - 2021 | Category A | Category B | Category C | Category D | Below Scale |
Coulport | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 32 |
Faslane | 0 | 2 | 10 | 33 | 67 |
The removal of component low level radioactive waste has been successfully and safely completed on the submarine, REVENGE, marking the completion of its initial phase of dismantling work.
A demonstrator submarine is being used to define and refine the dismantling process. As the demonstrator programme progresses, the outcomes will provide more certainty in the date when REVENGE will be fully dismantled.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 July 2021 to Question 27009 to the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne (Mr John Healey).
The following table shows the costs of AWE ML under the Management and Operations contract for each financial year since 2000-01, at outturn prices.
Financial Year £ million
2000-01 275
2001-02 264
2002-03 258
2003-04 286
2004-05 354
2005-06 493
2006-07 687
2007-08 894
2008-09 800
2009-10 870
2010-11 944
2011-12 941
2012-13 830
2013-14 901
2014-15 921
2015-16 887
2016-17 815
2017-18 867
2018-19 901
2019-20 994
In the preparation of this response for the hon. Member it came to light that in response to two previous PQs (on 22 November 2018 and 3 February 2015, Questions 194785 and 222312) the amount stated as paid to AWE ML was erroneously overstated in respect of the financial years 2012-13 to 2017-18.
The first stage of the remediation work has not been completed; however work is underway on the site, following the granting of a licence by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, which was granted on 17 May 2021.
The target remains to complete all work by September 2022.
No submariners have received radiation doses in excess of safe limits in any of the last ten years.
As announced in the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, published on 16 March 2021, the UK will move to an overall nuclear weapon stockpile of no more than 260 warheads. I am withholding further details on the size of the stockpile for the purposes of safeguarding national security.
The Ministry of Defence has made the following payments to Leidos to operate the Logistics, Commodities and Services Transformation programme since 2015:
Year | £million (ex-VAT) |
2015-16 | 89 |
2016-17 | 268 |
2017-18 | 326 |
2018-19 | 385 |
2019-20 | 432 |
2020-21 | 355 |
2021-22 | 13 |
The cost for 2020-21 has yet to be finalised and fully paid. The figure for 2021-22 covers the period 1 April 2021 to 26 April 2021.
The names, locations, property descriptions and sale years for sites disposed of in Scotland from 2016 to 2021 are listed below:
Establishment Name | Property Description | Sale Year (By FY) |
TAYSIDE VOLUNTEER ESTATE | Army Reserve Centre | 2016 |
MORMOND HILL COMMS SITE - RETIRED | Former Forward Scatter Site | 2016 |
STRATHCLYDE VOLUNTEER ESTATE | Disposal Part ATC Site, Hillington Park | 2017 |
LTPA LOCH GOIL | Remaining Land 0.164 to Community 0.046 to Castle Carrick | 2018 |
KIRKCUDBRIGHT TRAINING AREA | 25 sq m site for electricity sub station with associated servitude rights for overhead and underground cabling | 2018 |
GPSS LINKSWOOD | Part of field south of redundant GPSS site Linkswood | 2018 |
GPSS LINKSWOOD | Amenity land north of redundant GPSS site Linkswood | 2018 |
VULCAN NAVAL REACTOR TEST ESTABLISHMENT | Former family quarter | 2018 |
VULCAN NAVAL REACTOR TEST ESTABLISHMENT | Service Family Accommodation | 2018 |
VULCAN NAVAL REACTOR TEST ESTABLISHMENT | Single Living Accommodation | 2018 |
GPSS TURRIFF | Redundant GPSS site Turriff | 2019 |
GPSS LINKSWOOD | Redundant GPSS site, Linkswood | 2019 |
GPSS HEATHFIELD | Redundant GPSS site, Heathfield | 2019 |
GPSS FORFAR | Redundant GPSS site, Forfar | 2019 |
LEUCHARS STATION | Telecommunications Site, Outhmuir | 2019 |
GRAMPIAN VOLUNTEER ESTATE | Surplus land to rear of Army Reserve Centre | 2019 |
MOD CALEDONIA | Solum of Foreshore and Seabed | 2020 |
RRS SAXA VORD | Old Radar Station, Vallafield RAF | 2020 |
The purchaser details and sale prices for the disposed sites has been withheld in view of contractual confidentiality.
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation manage the Defence Training Estate across the UK in partnership with its industry partner, Landmarc Support Services Ltd. Landmarc Support Services Ltd is the company who undertakes internal audits of Environmental Management Systems across the UK Defence Training Estate, including Cape Wrath.
Since Tax Year (TY) 2018-19, retrospective mitigation payments have been made to those Regular Service personnel adversely affected, by £12 or more, through having to pay higher rates of income tax in Scotland compared to their counterparts resident outside Scotland. Not all Service personnel meeting the residency requirement for paying Scottish income tax serve in Scotland, and not all those who serve in Scotland are resident there for tax purposes.
So far, the Ministry of Defence has made just over 14,000 mitigation payments covering TYs 2018-19 and 2019-20. These have been triggered where gross taxable earnings (i.e. not just pay) have been £27,200 or more in TY 2018-19, or £28,193 or more in TY 2019-20. Payments covering TY 2020-21 will be made in June, to those whose gross taxable earnings have been £28,443 or more.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is intending to extend the scope of defence greenhouse gas emissions reporting in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts for 2021-22.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.
The table below provides the number of Improvement Notices issued by the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator since 2010.
2010 | 2 |
2011 | - |
2012 | - |
2013 | - |
2014 | - |
2015 | - |
2016 | 2 |
2017 | 1 |
2018 | 2 |
2019 | 2 |
2020 | 1 |
2021 | 1 |
The base port of HMS TALENT was transferred to Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde in July 19 however her base port is temporarily HMNB Devonport, whilst she undergoes a maintenance period. She will return to HMNB Clyde on completion of the maintenance.
The base port of HMS TRIUMPH will change to HMNB Clyde on completion of her refit, which is expected to be later this year.
I refer the hon. Member to the information on the Submarine Dismantling Project provided in "The United Kingdom's future nuclear deterrent: the 2020 update to Parliament" published on 17 December 2020.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-united-kingdoms-future-nuclear-deterrent-the-2020-update-to-parliament/the-united-kingdoms-future-nuclear-deterrent-the-2020-update-to-parliament
The table below provides the number of Nuclear Site Event Reports (NSERs) at Coulport and Faslane recorded for 2018, 2019 and 2020. These are shown according to their categorisation using criteria agreed locally in 2015.
Nuclear Site Events - 2018 | Category A | Category B | Category C | Category D | Below Scale |
Coulport | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 16 |
Faslane | 0 | 0 | 6 | 23 | 86 |
Nuclear Site Events - 2019 | Category A | Category B | Category C | Category D | Below Scale |
Coulport | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 13 |
Faslane | 0 | 1 | 5 | 46 | 88 |
Nuclear Site Events - 2020 | Category A | Category B | Category C | Category D | Below Scale |
Coulport | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
Faslane | 0 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 96 |
In line with industry good practice, and in common with other defence and civil nuclear sites, Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde has a well-established system for raising NSERs and investigating and categorising them according to their safety significance, whether equipment failures, human error, procedural failings, documentation shortcomings or near-misses.
The safety significance of all reported events remains low and they are all below Level 1, the lowest level of the seven-point International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES).
None of the events caused harm to the health of any member of staff at the Naval Base or to any member of the public, and no event resulted in any unauthorised discharge of radioactive waste to the environment.
At 31 December 2020, 535 uniformed contractors were employed at Faslane. Of these, 470 were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 88% of the total.
At 31 December 2020, 419 uniformed contractors were employed at Coulport. Of these, 370 were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 89% of the total.
These figures reflect Ministry of Defence Police and Ministry of Defence Guard Service employees, who are Ministry of Defence civilian employees. The term 'uniformed contractor' has been translated to mean those employees who are neither civilian contractor, non-uniform civilian, or Service personnel.
At 31 December 2020, 1,015 civilian employees who are not contractors were employed at Faslane. Of these, 925 were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 91% of the total.
At 31 December 2020, 475 civilian employees who are not contractors were employed at Coulport. Of these, 425 were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 89% of the total.
At 1 January 2021, 3,624 uniformed Royal Navy Service personnel were stationed at locations in Argyll and Bute, comprising the Faslane and Coulport sites. Of these, 1,393 personnel were Scottish taxpayers, which translates to 38.4% of the total.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not record the total carbon emissions of the British Forces South Atlantic Islands.
As part of the MOD Climate Change and Sustainability Review we are developing a methodology to expand the scope of defence greenhouse gas emissions reporting to include overseas activities.
A list of names and locations of the non-inhabited listed buildings on the Ministry of Defence's (MOD) estate will be placed in the Library of the House.
The list consists of 463 sites that are located on the MOD's estate.
The list is limited to the UK estate.
As of 2 March 2020, there are 863 unused Ministry of Defence (MOD) properties in Scotland. These properties are Service Family Accommodation (SFA) and a complete list by county can be found below:
Aberdeenshire | 4 |
Angus | 27 |
Argyll and Bute | 133 |
Ayrshire | 7 |
Dumbarton | 4 |
Edinburgh | 159 |
Fife | 206 |
Inverness-shire | 29 |
Isle of Benbecula | 6 |
Midlothian | 23 |
Moray | 234 |
North Lanarkshire | 3 |
Perth | 1 |
Renfrewshire | 21 |
Stirling | 6 |
The Department needs to maintain a management margin of 10% vacant properties at each location so that there are sufficient homes of the appropriate size to accommodate Service Personnel when required. Although currently above this level at 27%, the Department has a plan to reduce these as part of the work to achieve a 10% management margin by Autumn 2021.
MOD continues to maintain vacant properties in Scotland at minimum Decent Homes Standard to allow their allocation to Service families, while looking for opportunities to better utilise or further rationalise the SFA estate.
A list of the location of Ramsar sites within the Defence estate will be placed in the Library of the House.
The list includes land that is either freehold, leasehold or a combination of both.
All sites on the list are deemed to be in Ministry of Defence (MOD) control by virtue of being Defence establishments.
The list is limited to the UK estate.
No information is held with regards to the condition of Ramsar sites with MOD ownership or control.
A list of the Sites and Areas of Special Scientific Interest; Special Protection Areas and Special Areas for Conservation within the Defence estate will be placed in the Library of the House.
The list includes land that is either freehold, leasehold or a combination of both.
All sites on the list are deemed to be in Ministry of Defence control by virtue of being Defence establishments.
The list is limited to the UK estate.
A list of names and locations of the listed buildings and scheduled monuments under his Department's ownership and control will be placed in the Library of the House.
The list includes 778 scheduled monuments and 851 listed buildings that are located on the Ministry of Defence's (MOD) estate.
All sites on the list are deemed to be in MOD control by virtue of being Defence establishments.
The list is limited to the UK estate.
Depending on the situation, the Ministry of Defence has a number of aircraft that could be used for Ministerial travel. This information is publicly available as part of the Government's commitment to publishing transparency information which includes Ministerial travel. The information is published every quarter and can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/search/all?keywords=Ministerial+travel&order=relevance
The number of unauthorised access incidents at HMNB Clyde, Faslane and Royal Naval Armaments Depot Coulport, is provided in the table below:
Year | Total | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
Unauthorised access Faslane | 10 | - | - | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | - | - | - |
Unauthorised access Coulport | ~ | - | - | ~ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 in line with disclosure control policy. Figures ending in 5 are rounded to the nearest 20 to avoid bias, 5 or fewer is represented by ‘~’, 0 is represented by ‘-‘.
Unauthorised access is defined as an individual, or individuals, gaining access to a defined Restricted access area within HMNB Clyde by circumventing the site security system. There was no risk to the safety of personnel or vessels arising from these incidents.
Devolved Administrations will play an equal role in co-design, decision-making and overseeing the delivery of Investment Zones. Officials are jointly developing proposals for Ministers to agree in due course.
The Secretary of State continues to engage regularly with DA Ministers through the Inter-ministerial Standing Committee, which last met on 14 May.
The Department works closely with the Devolved Administrations to discuss shared challenges, including regarding properties affected by cladding, wider building safety and related insurance issues.
On the 30 January 2023, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced that we will act to ban property managing agents, landlords and freeholders from receiving commissions and other payments from insurance firms, replacing such payments with more transparent fees.
The Department works closely with the Devolved Administrations to discuss shared challenges, including regarding properties affected by cladding, wider building safety and related insurance issues.
On the 30 January 2023, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced that we will act to ban property managing agents, landlords and freeholders from receiving commissions and other payments from insurance firms, replacing such payments with more transparent fees.
100% of the 73 officials detailed in the Department’s previous response were (a) working in the Department’s Communications directorate. None of these officials were (b) employed by the central Government Communications Service run out of the Cabinet Office or (c) loaned or seconded to the Department from other Government Departments at that time.
DLUHC has not disposed of any buildings for which it holds the freehold in the last five years. It has not owned any land in this period. The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has a property seal which is used by other Government departments on building and land transactions but we do not hold records of other departments transactions. For further details on these transactions please contact the Government Property Agency.
As of 19 April 2022 this Department’s communications function employed 73 payroll staff, of which 68 were (a) full time and 5 were (b) part time staff. 2 of those working full time have a formal (c) flexible working arrangement in place.
I refer the Hon Member to the Homes for Ukraine factsheet that has been published online. The factsheet, which has been translated into Ukrainian and Russian, explains how Ukrainians can apply to the sponsorship scheme before arriving in the UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homes-for-ukraine-factsheet-for-ukrainians.
The Home Office has established a 24/7 bespoke helpline to support people to come to the UK through the different routes available. Further guidance on visa applications and details of the helpline are published here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-visa-under-the-ukraine-sponsorship-scheme.
The UK government is committed to positive and effective intergovernmental relations with devolved governments and is ready to establish new ways of working.
The last year has shown that extensive collaboration on a range of issues is the best way to achieve the best outcomes for all UK citizens.
Departmental spend on communications staff was £358,430 in 2019-20, £331,262 in 2020-21 and £564,014 in 2021-22.
The number of staff working to deliver the communications function in the Northern Ireland Office is 13. All are employed on a full-time basis; there are no part-time communications staff. There are communications staff on flexible working arrangements but there are fewer than 5 on this arrangement.
The UK Government is committed to the promotion of Scottish trade and culture overseas, and our network of 280 diplomatic missions serves the whole of the UK with opportunities.
I recently appeared before the Scottish Affairs Committee, along with Ministerial colleagues, to outline the UK’s work in this space in detail. This includes the work of the new Trade Minister in DBT, Lord Offord of Garvel, who will continue to promote Scotland and Scottish business and cultural interests overseas.
The Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland is not responsible for the funding of a Union Unit.
Departmental spend on public information campaigns for 2020-21 was £75,681, for 2021-22 was £39,818, and for April-October 2022-23 was £16,003.
Departmental spend on communications staff for 2020-21 was £906,177, for 2021-22 was £944,645, and for April-October 2022-23 was £612,028.
The Scotland Office has four Special Advisers.
This information is publicly available and published in the Scotland Office Annual Report and Accounts: Scotland Office Annual Report and Accounts 2021/22.
As with other, comparable small Ministerial departments e.g. the Northern Ireland Office, Wales Office, the Scotland Office benefits from access to the recruitment services of larger organisations. In the case of the Scotland Office, it is the Scottish Government and the Ministry of Justice.
This supports our commitment to managing the public finances in a responsible way, promoting intergovernmental relations and providing easily accessible, rewarding career opportunities for civil servants.
The costs of all staff seconded to the Department from elsewhere in Government are included within the annual departmental budget.
The Scotland Office does not employ any staff directly. The Civil Service Statistics: 2022 reports that the Scotland Office (including the Office of the Advocate General) had 110 full time staff and 10 part time staff in post as at 31 March 2022. Information on flexible working arrangements is not collected.
Departmental spend on communications staff for 2019-20 was £870,159, for 2020-21 it was £906,177, and for 2021-22 it was £944,645.
The Department does not employ staff directly. All the department's staff are employed by the Scottish Government, Ministry of Justice, or other UK Government departments.
The number of staff working at the department as of 19 April 2022 to deliver the communications functions was 12. Categories with numbers less than 5 cannot be provided, as this would make individuals potentially identifiable.
We have a responsibility to support economic growth UK-wide. This year the Levelling Up Fund has delivered over £170m to locally championed Scottish projects, with MPs Scotland-wide supporting these applications.
The £2.6bn UK Shared Prosperity Fund will launch next year building on this success to support communities in every corner of our UK.
The Communications team cost for 2019-20 was £870,159, and for 2020-21 was £906,177.
The Office is resourced to enable effective engagement and communication with the public and organisations across Scotland. These functions have been essential to supporting the UK’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and providing information to people and businesses as we left the EU.
My officials and I are in regular contact with counterparts from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on a range of issues of importance to the seafood sector in Scotland, including the establishment of the UK Government's new £100 million support fund. We will provide further information after 6 May.
The Office delivers public information campaigns in Scotland to communicate important messages to the public, such as national awareness campaigns and policy initiatives. Total Office expenditure on digital campaigns from 1 October 2020 to 24 March 2021 was as follows:
| Facebook & Instagram | Total Expenditure | ||
October 2020 | £ 1,512.90 | £ 2,730.61 | £ 507.54 | £4,751.05 |
November 2020 | £ 2,141.13 | £ 5,202.38 | £ - | £7,343.51 |
December 2020 | £ 2,643.06 | £ 4,622.46 | £ - | £7,265.52 |
January 2021 | £ 790.86 | £ 8,238.15 | £ - | £9,029.01 |
February 2021 | £ 2,722.62 | £ 7,296.12 | £ - | £10,018.74 |
March 2021* | £ 2,811.22 | £ 5,868.42 | £ - | £8,679.64 |
* The Office has not run any public information campaigns since 24 March 2021, in line with pre-election requirements.
The costs incurred in each quarter for travel by Ministers and officials in the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland is enclosed.
The Office is resourced to deliver all of the communications functions and activities expected and required of a Government Department in its own right and on behalf of the UK Government in Scotland. The number of staff in communications reflects this requirement.
As well as frontline communications functions, such as media handling, the Government Communications Service Modern Communications Operating Model requires UK Government communications divisions to deliver the following functions: campaigns, digital, internal communications, strategic communications and external affairs - such as organising ministerial visits, events, committee meetings and stakeholder engagement activities.
The number of staff working at the Office is recorded in the Annual Report and Accounts, which are available online at gov.uk/scotland.
The Department spent the following on social media advertising since June 2019:
2019-2020 | Facebook & Instagram | Total Expenditure | |
June | £1,861.02 | £1,777.52 | £3,638.54 |
July | £747.30 | £807.06 | £1,554.36 |
August | £239.60 | £1,340.96 | £1,580.56 |
September | £768.74 | £595.78 | £1,364.52 |
October | £ - | £1,924.11 | £1,924.11 |
November | £ - | £1,307.89 | £1,307.89 |
December | £ - | £ - | £0.00 |
In 2018, the Office considered carefully whether or not it should retrospectively seek to publish online all of the responses to FOI requests since August 2014. We concluded that we did not have the resources to do so, and that the benefit to the public would not be proportionate to the cost.
There is no obligation to publish responses to requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Where requests relate to matters of wider public interest we consider publishing the responses on a case by case basis.
The total salary costs (including National Insurance and pension costs) spent on communications staff between 2010-11 to 2015-16 is shown below:
Financial Year | Salary Costs* (£) |
2010-11 | 201,848 |
2011-12 | 262,350 |
2012-13 | 326,146 |
2013-14 | 183,271 |
2014-15 | 350,637 |
2015-16 | 330,759 |
* The spend on salaries includes staff on maternity leave and those covering their post in their absence.
The total salary costs (including National Insurance and pension costs) spent on communications staff in 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 is shown below:
Financial Year | Salary Costs £ |
2016-17 | 312,560 |
2017-18 | 282,381 |
2018-19 | 344,975 |
The total salary costs (including National Insurance and pension costs) spent on communications staff in each of the last 3 financial years is shown below:
Financial Year | Salary Costs (£) |
2019-20 | 376,547 |
2020-21 | 392,857 |
2021-22 | 452,481 |
There are six full-time communications staff employed by the office. One further member of staff works part-time. Of the six full-time staff members, one has formal flexible working arrangements although all staff members have the option to work flexibly.
The UK Internal Market Act has not taken a single power away from the devolved administrations.
What it has done is protect seamless trade within our United Kingdom which is vital to Welsh business and the Welsh economy, with Wales selling more to the rest of the UK than to the rest of the World put together.