Esther McVey

The Help to Grow: Management Programme will be delivered by Business Schools who have obtained the Small Business Charter (SBC) accreditation.

A list of the SBC schools can be found here: https://smallbusinesscharter.org/find-business-school/.

We are currently in the process of determining the criteria for eligible providers for the Help to Grow Digital scheme. These will be published in due course.

The Government’s new ‘Help to Grow’ scheme will help small businesses across the UK learn new skills, reach new customers, and boost profits. We have consulted with key stakeholders from industry when designing this scheme including those who represent the breadth of UK SMEs.

Businesses across all sectors are welcome to apply for the Help to Grow Scheme so long as they meet the eligibility criteria as follows:

- Size of 5 to 249 employees​

- More than a year old​

- Attendee should be a decision-maker within the business e.g. CEO, Finance Director​​

- Must have at least one line of management in business employment structure

Those interested in participating can find further details about the Help to Grow Scheme by visiting: https://helptogrow.campaign.gov.uk/.

Throughout the national restrictions, we have sought to keep as much of the retail sector open as possible, whilst balancing the need to reduce our day-to-day contact. All along we have taken evidence from SAGE into account when making decisions.

Click-and-collect services allow goods to be pre-ordered and collected without customers entering the premises. Customers thus remain in well ventilated spaces - which are, by definition, safer environments and where transmission is less likely to occur.

All retailers, both essential and non-essential, can offer click-and-collect services during the current national restrictions.

We have published safer workplace guidance which provides information to help employers make their workplaces COVID-Secure for their employees, visitors, and customers. The guidance does not replace existing employment, health and safety or equalities legislation. It provides information to employers on how best to meet these responsibilities in the context of COVID-19.

Each individual business should complete a risk assessment which should be shared with their employees.

Throughout the national restrictions, we have sought to keep as much of the retail sector open as possible, whilst balancing the need to reduce our day-to-day contact. Throughout this we have taken evidence from SAGE into account when making decisions.

It is also important that consumers have access to food and essential items that they need.

Restrictions have been brought in because we have to limit social contact. That is why the decision to close non-essential retail is part of a wider package of measures to make clear that people should stay at home except for a limited set of exemptions – allowing non-essential retail to remain open would run contrary to that aim.

On 22 February, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister published the Government’s COVID-19 Response-Spring 2021. The roadmap is a step-by-step plan to ease restrictions in England gradually , starting with education. Across the four steps, the roadmap sets out the sequencing and indicative timing for easing restrictions, including those on the wedding sector.

A breakdown on the number of loans provided through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, as of 24 January 2021, are provided in the table below.

The figures reported under the heading Total Number of Applications includes: approved applications; applications that are still to be processed; applications that have been declined; and applications that may turn out not to be eligible or cases where customers will decide not to proceed.

Decisions on whether to specifically capture information relating to declined loans are at the discretion of the lender.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has met the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s robust standards of safety, quality, and effectiveness, and the safety data from the trials has set out how the COVID-19 vaccine works in different types of people. A robust and proactive safety monitoring strategy for COVID-19 vaccines is in place, which allows for rapid, real-time safety monitoring at population level.

We are not able to disclose details of commercially sensitive contracts between the Government and vaccine manufacturers while negotiations are ongoing.

The latest data shows that, in 2018, an estimated 6.0 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) were emitted from waste incineration in the energy supply sector and 0.3 MtCO2e from waste incineration in the waste sector.

The UK’s climate change framework enables the Government to determine how best to balance emissions reductions across the economy. Emissions are managed within the Government’s overall strategy for meeting carbon budgets and the 2050 net zero target, as part of an economy-wide transition.

The UK Government has reduced carbon emissions by over 40% since 1990.

The Government Response to the Future of UK Carbon Pricing set out that the scope of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme will provide continuity and a smooth transition for participants. Most consultation respondents agreed with this approach. Energy from waste plants will not be in scope of the UK ETS for the period of 2021 to 2025. We do recognise the case for expanding carbon pricing and we committed to considering the option of expanding the scope of the UK ETS in the 2023 review.

UKRI have acted to support PhD students during the pandemic. In March, UKRI worked to ensure that all the students it funds would continue to receive their maintenance stipend during the lockdown and would not have to suspend their studies; UKRI-funded students in receipt of a costed extension will continue to receive this stipend during their extension period. In April it was announced that UKRI-funded PhD students in the final year, whose studies have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic would be provided with additional support.

A review of the initial UKRI COVID-19 extension policy was published, bringing together evidence from students, grant holders and university management teams. On the 11th November, UKRI provided a further £19.1 million of funding, which particularly aims to support students who have recently gone into their final year of study (funding end date before or on 30 September 2021) and those with ongoing support needs. Students with ongoing support needs include disabled students, students with a long-term illness, those who are neurodivergent or those with caring responsibilities.

Combined, these two interventions have meant that UKRI has made over £60 million of financial support available to students most impacted by the pandemic. It is estimated that this funding is available for up to 12,000 students (over half of the students that UKRI funds). We are encouraging all PhD students to discuss with their supervisors how projects can be adjusted to complete their doctoral education within their funded period. We will continue to monitor how the pandemic is affecting PhD students and the wider research system.

In regard to the long term research environment, all UKRI funded PhD students are guaranteed their funding within their funded period. The support noted above should ensure the vast majority of students are able to complete their studies on time, or later with support, and able to embark on the next step of their research career.

My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has laid out the Government’s Winter Economy Plan. This includes measures to support all businesses, such as extending the current government-backed loan schemes and introducing the Pay as You Grow and Job Support Schemes. There are also specific measures to support the self-employed, such as the SEISS Grant Extension.

The Government has put in place a package of support to help employees and businesses through these exceptional times. These include business support grants for qualifying businesses, extended government-backed loans and the Job Support Scheme.

My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has laid out the Government’s Winter Economy Plan. This includes measures to support all businesses, such as extending the current government-backed loan schemes and introducing the Pay as You Grow and Job Support Schemes. There are also specific measures to support the self-employed, such as the SEISS Grant Extension.

Celebrations such as wedding receptions pose increased risks for transmission of COVID-19 as they involve people from multiple households meeting and spending extended periods of time together. They are by their nature events which bring people closely together. Wedding receptions and celebrations are one of the few exceptions to the gatherings limit of 6 people, which has applied from 14 September 2020.

We have now provided close contact services like Soft Tissue Therapists in England, except Leicester, with the certainty they need to reopen from Monday 13 July, subject to them following the COVID-secure guidelines.

We appreciate that this has been difficult for some businesses. Our approach is guided by the scientific and medical advice, and every step is weighed against the evidence, remembering that the more we open up the more vigilant we will need to be.

There is clearly a risk of greater transmission in close contact services. That is why we have had to phase their introduction. We had to make difficult choices to keep the R rate below 1.

We have now provided close contact services like Soft Tissue Therapists in England, except Leicester, with the certainty they need to reopen from Monday 13 July, subject to them following the COVID-secure guidelines.

We appreciate that this has been difficult for some businesses. Our approach is guided by the scientific and medical advice, and every step is weighed against the evidence, remembering that the more we open up the more vigilant we will need to be.

We recognise the events industry’s disappointment at the delayed reopening of large business conferences and exhibitions.

We have always been clear that our roadmap to recovery is dependent on continued progress against the virus. Due to the sharp rise in cases over recent weeks, we needed to pause the planned 1st October reopening of business conferences and exhibitions.

Meetings of up to 30 for training, education and work purposes can still take place in permitted venues, as per the Covid-19 Secure guidance for the visitor economy. Since 11 July, a range of outdoor events have been able to take place, although again this is subject to COVID secure guidelines.

We are also aware that many in the sector support the notion of an events reopening roadmap. We continue to engage with stakeholders, including through the Visitor Economy Working Group and the Events Industry Senior Leaders Advisory Panel, to assess how we can best support the sector’s safe reopening. The business events pilots we carried out in September will ensure that the correct advice and guidance is put in place to help larger events reopen when it is safe to do so.

According to Thinkbroadband (https://labs.thinkbroadband.com/local/), coverage at UK premises for different broadband speeds is currently:

• Superfast (30Mbps) = 96.48%

• Ultrafast (100Mbps) = 63.02%

• Gigabit (1,000Mbps) = 27.22%

• Full Fibre (Gigabit+) = 17.12%

Virgin Media are in the process of activating gigabit services across their entire network by the end of 2021, and this currently covers over 52% of the UK. BT Openreach and CityFibre also have multi-billion pound fibre rollout programmes underway so a leap in gigabit coverage during 2021 is anticipated. This planned build predominantly covers urban areas so DCMS’s focus is on stimulating build in the more rural and disadvantaged areas of the UK where the commercial market will not build unaided.

The government has invested significant amounts in digital infrastructure over the last decade. The DCMS portfolio of active projects is currently c.£4 billion (detailed below) and in the Spring Budget, a further £5 billion of investment was announced for the hardest to reach areas of the UK. More details regarding the programme will follow in the Autumn Spending Review.

Current and future programmes are as follows:

• The Building Digital UK (BDUK) Superfast Broadband Programme is investing over £1.9 billion of public money (much of this match funded on top of this figure by local bodies, EU funds and suppliers) to ensure over 96.4% of UK premises have access to superfast broadband.

• The Local Full Fibre Networks Programme (LFFN) is investing £278 million to stimulate commercial investment in full fibre networks in both rural and urban locations across the whole of the UK. Currently 17% of UK premises have access to a full fibre connection, up from 0.9% in 2016. 27.2% of UK premises have access to gigabit-capable broadband.

• The Rural Gigabit Connectivity Programme (RGC) is investing up to £200 million on gigabit broadband connections in rural areas. This includes a rural voucher scheme where up to £3,500 is available to rural SMEs and up to £1,500 for rural premises is available to support the installation of gigabit-capable broadband when part of a group scheme. To date, the programme has issued vouchers to the value of £33.5 million. Top-up schemes are also operating across the UK where Local Authorities / Devolved Administrations provide their own funding on top of our values.

• The Shared Rural Network Programme (SRN) is investing £500 million of public funding with a further £500 million of match funding from industry to improve rural 4G coverage across the UK. The programme has just started but has already seen the first handful of new 4G sites go live.

• The 700MHz Spectrum Clearance Programme is investing up to £400 million on reconfiguring the use of the airwave in the UK to make more capacity available for 5G broadband. That programme completed its airwave clearance activity in August 2020.

• The 5G Trials and Testbeds Programme is investing c.£250 million in a number of 5G projects across the UK.

• We are in the process of mobilising our new £5 billion UK Gigabit Programme which was announced in the Spring Budget. Procurements will commence in early 2021.

Building Digital UK (BDUK) uses information collected from Ofcom’s Connected Nations Report. This dataset distinguishes between urban and rural premises, and an easy to read version can be found in the Commons Library (https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/constituency-data-broadband-coverage-and-speeds/).

However, Connected Nations does not yet hold information on specific Gigabit connectivity and therefore we use the next best source, Thinkbroadband, which does provide gigabit statistics. According to Thinkbroadband, at this moment in time 27.2% of the UK have access to gigabit capable speeds, up from 0.9% in 2016. A full list of Gigabit availability by area can be found here: http://labs.thinkbroadband.com/local/england.

According to Thinkbroadband, currently 27.1% of premises have access to gigabit-capable broadband - up from 0.9% in 2016. 17.1% of premises have access to full fibre connections.

The Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) programme is investing £278 million to stimulate commercial investment in full fibre networks in both rural and urban locations across the whole of the UK. There are 36 projects ongoing across the UK, 34 of which are in delivery.

The Superfast Programme has delivered superfast broadband to 5.3 million premises, which constitutes 17% of all households in the UK. In 2019, the majority of delivery on the Superfast Programme moved from Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) to Fibre to the Premise (FTTP). For example, for the financial quarter April-June 2020, ~90% (27k premises out of 30k) of delivery through the programme was FTTP. The Superfast Programme, therefore, is now a significant contributor to the government’s gigabit ambitions, as well as satisfying its commitment to Superfast coverage.

Universities and private accommodation providers are autonomous and responsible for setting their own rent agreements. The government plays no direct role in the provision of student accommodation.

This has been a very difficult time for students, and we encourage universities and accommodation providers to review their accommodation policies to ensure they are fair, transparent and have the best interests of students at heart.

Officials speak regularly with representatives of private and university owned accommodation, as well as sector bodies. The government worked closely with universities to ensure they were well prepared for the return of students in the autumn term, and we have published updated guidance to help them keep students and staff as safe as possible.

If students have concerns about their accommodation fees, they should first raise their concerns with their accommodation provider. If their concerns remain unresolved, and their higher education provider is involved in the provision of the accommodation, students at providers in England or Wales can ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education to consider their complaint.

If a student thinks their accommodation provider is treating them unfairly, they can raise a complaint under the accommodation codes of practice as long as their provider is a code member. The codes can be found at: https://www.thesac.org.uk/, https://www.unipol.org.uk/the-code/how-to-complain and https://www.rla.org.uk/about/nrla-code-of-practice.shtml

We recognise that in these exceptional circumstances some students may face financial hardship. The Department for Education has worked with the Office for Students to clarify that providers are able to draw on existing funds, worth around £256 million for academic year 2020/2021, towards hardship support. On the 2 February 2021 we announced that we are making available a further £50 million of hardship funding for this financial year, for higher education providers to use to support students in greatest need. This funding is in addition to the £20 million of hardship funding made available in December 2020.

International GCSEs are not regulated by Ofqual and are not part of the arrangements we have put in place for summer 2021 for GCSEs and A/AS levels. We are in contact with the exam boards that provide international GCSEs and understand that they have not yet taken final decisions on whether or not exams should go ahead in England this summer.

The Government is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care services, including securing 1.3 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people.

Since April 2020, we have been working with Google and Microsoft to support all state-funded primary and secondary schools in England who did not have student user accounts already set up on an appropriate online platform.

Schools can choose to use their Government funded support to get set up on a free-to-use digital education platform: either a G Suite for Education (Google Classroom) or Office 365 Education (Microsoft Teams).

Once a school applies, Google or Microsoft confirm their eligibility for the programme and assign the school to an IT supplier. The IT supplier then sets up the platform for all staff and pupil/student accounts.

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the Government considers that exams cannot be held in a way which is fair. We have therefore announced that GCSE, AS and A level exams will not go ahead this summer as planned.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has asked the Chief Regulator at Ofqual to find a clear and accessible route for private candidates, and those not in school this year, to be assessed and receive a grade. The Department and Ofqual have launched a two-week consultation on how to fairly award all pupils a grade that supports them to progress to the next stage of their lives, including consulting specifically on four different approaches for private candidates to receive a grade.

The consultation will be open until 23:45 on 29 January 2021. The Department and Ofqual strongly encourage all our stakeholders, including private candidates and their representatives, to respond. We will continue to engage with a range of relevant stakeholders when developing plans for our policy on GCSE, AS and A level assessments in 2021, as will the exams regulator Ofqual.

It is critically important to ensure that all children and young people continue to learn during the national lockdown. That is why we have updated the expectations for schools to clarify and strengthen what is expected during the period of restricted attendance and drawing on our evolving understanding of best practice in remote education. Further details on best practice can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak#section-5-contingency-planning-for-outbreaks.

With most children now being taught remotely and schools and colleges having made huge progress in developing their remote education provision, it is right that we have high expectations on what remote education they receive. The number of hours expected for different age groups has changed. Hours include either recorded or live direct teaching alongside time for pupils to work independently to complete assignments that have been set. Schools are now expected to provide, as a minimum:

• 3 hours a day for KS1, on average across the cohort with less for younger children
• 4 hours a day for KS2
• 5 hours a day for KS3 and KS4

Schools are also expected to have a system in place for checking on a daily basis whether pupils are engaging actively with their work. Schools will need to work with families to identify swiftly where pupil engagement is a concern and find effective solutions.

Schools and colleges are expected to teach a planned and well sequenced remote curriculum, and to consider how to transfer into remote education what we already know about effective teaching in the classroom. This includes, for example: providing clear explanations of new content; providing opportunities for interactivity and reflective discussion; and using assessment to ensure teaching is responsive to pupils’ and students’ needs. Schools need to be confident that pupils are taught the necessary knowledge and skills required for them to progress through the curriculum as expected. We also expect schools and colleges to identify a senior leader with overall responsibility for remote education provision. This role would include responsibility for reviewing the school or college’s remote education offer and ensuring that school and college policies are in place to effectively meet the remote education expectations.

A comprehensive package of support continues to be available to schools and colleges to help them meet these expectations which can be accessed via our get help with remote education page: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-with-remote-education. This includes helping schools and colleges to access technology that supports remote education, as well as peer-to-peer training and guidance on how to use technology effectively. It also includes practical tools, a good practice guide and school-led webinars to support effective delivery of the curriculum. Information is also available on issues such as safeguarding, statutory duties and expectations, supporting pupils and students with special educational needs and disabilities, and recovery and catch up to stop pupils and students falling behind.

Technology in education has been essential for continuing to teach remotely during the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent school and college closures. In the long term, it also has the potential to support teacher workload reductions, flexible working, cost savings, inclusive teaching practice and improved pupil outcomes.

A number of programmes which have been in place across the COVID-19 outbreak are providing valuable intelligence on the most impactful uses of remote education to deliver the curriculum to all pupils. The EdTech Demonstrator programme, which supports schools and colleges to use technology to strengthen remote education arrangements and develop a sustainable digital strategy, will provide an important evaluation of the impact of effective use of digital technology to improve outcomes for pupils. The Department’s digital platforms offer allows schools to provide remote online education and develop blended learning approaches for the longer term.

The Government has invested over £400 million in support for remote education, including securing over 1.3 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children. We will build on the foundations of this significant investment in technology and explore options for a strategy to create a more resilient digitally enabled education system which improves outcomes for all children and adults in education.

Higher education (HE) providers are autonomous institutions and as such they are responsible for providing clear systems for handling students’ complaints and appeals, including requests for refunds. The university’s formal complaints procedures should be easily accessible and available on the university’s website. We expect student complaints and appeals processes to be operated flexibly, accessibly, and sympathetically by providers to resolve any concerns.

Where a student completes the formal complaints process and they are dissatisfied with the outcome, they can take a complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA). The OIA offers a free service to students and can review complaints from students made against a higher education provider.

All higher education providers registered with the Office for Students provider must co-operate with the requirements of the student complaints scheme run by the OIA and make students aware of their ability to use the scheme. The OIA is independent of the government, and as such, is responsible for case allocation and timing. The OIA’s ‘Good Practice Framework on Handling Complaints and Appeals’ states that HE providers should normally be completed within 90 calendar days of the start of the formal complaints process: oia-good-practice-framework.pdf (oiahe.org.uk).

On 18 August, a higher education (HE) taskforce made up of various sector representatives was launched to initially advise on HE admissions. The scope of the taskforce has since been extended to include discussions on broader COVID-19 related challenges faced by the HE sector and students. We are aware of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on students’ mental health, wellbeing, and future life chances, and must do all we can to mitigate its effects. Several taskforce subgroups have looked at these areas in more detail.

The student mental health subgroup, for instance, had representatives from the Student Minds charity and the Office for Students (OfS) to discuss responses from students. The group also heard from a current second year student who attended to share their personal experience and thoughts directly.

I also regularly meet with the National Union of Students and have engaged in several Facebook live sessions organised by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service where I have had the opportunity to discuss with students the issues affecting them the most, as well as engaging with students through the student panel of the OfS, virtual visits and The Student Room.

We will continue to work with the sector and student representative bodies and engage students, as our top priority for January will be the welfare of students, staff, and the communities around higher education providers.

The Department recognises the financial challenges that small schools in rural areas can face, and frequently assesses evidence on this. We have increased the amount distributed through the national funding formula’s sparsity factor for the 2021/22 funding year, from £26 million to £42 million. This will help with the provision of extra support to small, remote schools.

The Department reviews the national funding formula on an ongoing basis, including the sparsity factor. We have made minimal changes to the design of the formula next year, in light of pressures caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. As such, the thresholds determining which schools attract sparsity funding will be unchanged in the 2021/22 funding year.

Increased funding through the sparsity factor next year is a first step toward wider changes in the 2022/23 funding year to further support small, remote schools. The Department plan to consult on exact changes, and the design of the factor in 2022/23, in the New Year.

The Department recognises the financial challenges that small schools in rural areas can face, and frequently assesses evidence on this. We have increased the amount distributed through the national funding formula’s sparsity factor for the 2021/22 funding year, from £26 million to £42 million. This will help with the provision of extra support to small, remote schools.

The Department reviews the national funding formula on an ongoing basis, including the sparsity factor. We have made minimal changes to the design of the formula next year, in light of pressures caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. As such, the thresholds determining which schools attract sparsity funding will be unchanged in the 2021/22 funding year.

Increased funding through the sparsity factor next year is a first step toward wider changes in the 2022/23 funding year to further support small, remote schools. The Department plan to consult on exact changes, and the design of the factor in 2022/23, in the New Year.

It is vital that students have access to high quality and consistent remote education. The Department believes that through the hard work of teachers and staff, pupils will continue to receive the education they deserve, whatever the circumstances.

As part of over £195 million invested in technology to enable access to remote education, over 220,000 laptops and tablets and over 50,000 4G wireless routers have already been delivered during the summer term for disadvantaged children in Year 10, children receiving support from a social worker and care leavers.

The Department estimated the number of disadvantaged pupils without access to an internet connection using data on pupils eligible for Free School Meals in each school, taking into consideration estimations by Ofcom and reflecting that some pupils would already have access to a private internet connection.

The 4G wireless routers come with free data for the autumn term and will allow local authorities and academy trusts to support children who may have their face-to-face education and care disrupted because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Local authorities and trusts are responsible for identifying the children who need internet access and providing the routers to them.

The Department is also working with the major telecommunications companies to improve internet connectivity for disadvantaged and vulnerable families who rely on a mobile internet connection. We are piloting an approach where mobile network operators are providing temporary access to free additional data, offering families more flexibility to access the resources that they need the most. In the pilot, schools, trusts, and local authorities identified children who need access to free additional data.

As my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, have both made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19. Higher Education (HE) providers take their responsibilities seriously and are best placed to identify the needs of their student body as well as how to develop the services needed to support it.

Many providers will have hardship funds to support students in times of need, including emergencies. The expectation is that where any student requires additional support, providers will support them through their own hardship funds.

We have worked closely with the Office for Students to help clarify that providers can draw upon existing funding to provide hardship funds and support disadvantaged students impacted by COVID-19. Providers are able to use the funding, worth around £23 million per month for April, May, June and July, towards student hardship funds.

Students with a part-time employment contract should speak to their employer about the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for-businesses-during-coronavirus-covid-19), which has been set up to help pay staff wages and keep people in employment. We have also asked that HE providers pay particular attention to the additional financial hardships that are being faced by student staff who have been reliant on income from campus-based jobs at this time.

Departmental officials are working hard with the sector to continue to monitor the situation.

We welcome the series of guides which the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) has published to support providers to secure academic standards and to support student achievement during the outbreak.

The government expects universities to continue delivering a high-quality academic experience and help students to achieve qualifications that they and employers value.

We are working with the Office for Students (OfS) to make sure all reasonable steps are being taken to enable students to continue their studies to the best of their abilities. Where it is clear to the OfS that reasonable steps have not been taken by providers, the OfS has a range of sanctions at its disposal.

The OfS has published guidance on student and consumer protection during the COVID-19 outbreak. This sets out that providers must make sure students can access complaints processes which are accessible, clear and fair.

If students have concerns, they should first raise their concerns with their university. If their concerns remain unresolved, students at providers in England or Wales can ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education to consider their complaint.

In the 2018/19 academic year, tuition fees from international students at UK higher education providers accounted for around £7 billion of sector income. The government recognises that the COVID-19 outbreak will have an unparalleled impact on all elements of the global and UK economy. The higher education sector, including student recruitment, is no exception. We have been working closely with the sector to monitor the likely impacts of COVID-19 on international student numbers, including restrictions on travel. We understand that the COVID-19 outbreak and a possible reduction in the number of international students poses significant challenges and we stand ready to help the sector with various mitigations.

On Monday 4 May, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced the package of measures to stabilise university admissions this autumn and ensure sustainability in higher education at a time of unprecedented uncertainty. Full details of the package have been published on GOV.UK: www.gov.uk/government/news/government-support-package-for-universities-and-students.

The government is also working to ensure that existing rules and regulations, including visa regulations, are as flexible as possible for international students under these unprecedented circumstances. For example, on 16 June, the government confirmed that distance/blended learning will be permitted for the 2020/21 academic year, provided students intend to transition to face-to-face learning as soon as circumstances allow. In addition, higher education providers will be flexible in accommodating applicants’ circumstances where possible, including if applicants are unable to travel to the UK in time for the start of the academic year.

The new graduate route, due to be launched in summer 2021, provides an opportunity for international students who have been awarded their degree to stay and work in the UK at any skill level for 2 years. This week, the government also confirmed that those studying by distance/blended learning will be eligible to apply for the graduate route provided they are in the UK by 6 April 2021.

On Friday 5 June, the Department for Education announced Sir Steve Smith as the International Education Champion, a key deliverable of the 2019 International Education Strategy. Sir Steve will assist with opening up export growth opportunities for the whole UK education sector, tackling international challenges such as those posed to attracting international students and forging lasting global connections. The International Education Strategy,?published in March 2019 by the Department for Education and the Department for International Trade, set out a commitment to review progress following its publication.??The review, which we intend to publish this autumn, will?ensure that the International Education Strategy?responds to this new context and the challenges that are?posed by COVID-19.

We are very proud and grateful for the leadership that we have seen from our higher education providers in the response to the COVID-19 outbreak, and the incredibly creative and pragmatic ideas they have managed to develop in such a short space of time.

This sector is one of those at the frontline in the battle we are facing – from developing ground-breaking research and supplying equipment to releasing thousands of volunteers to support our NHS.

We also know this has been a difficult and uncertain time for students, but we are working with the sector to make sure all reasonable efforts are being made to enable students to continue their studies. We have seen some fantastic and innovative examples of high-quality online teaching being delivered by providers across the country.

Furthermore, for the next academic year, providers are planning for a blended approach where teaching is delivered through a mix of online and face-to-face provision, or a dual approach with face-to-face provision replicated online to support those who are unable to attend in person and to allow self-isolation as and when required as societal and personal circumstances change. This will ensure a high quality academic experience can be delivered for students during 2020-21.

There is no need for students to defer entry this year unless they want to.

We understand this has been a difficult and uncertain time for students, but we are working with the sector to make sure all reasonable efforts are being made to enable students to continue their studies. We have seen some fantastic and innovative examples of high-quality online teaching being delivered by providers across the country.

Furthermore, for the next academic year, providers are planning for a blended approach, where teaching is delivered through a mix of online and face-to-face provision, or a dual approach with face-to-face provision replicated online to support those who are unable to attend in person and to allow self-isolation as and when required as societal and personal circumstances change.

If students do want to defer, it is a matter for individual providers and not the government, so students should speak to their providers directly to determine what flexibility exists.

Given the exceptional circumstances, the government would encourage all providers to offer as much flexibility as possible for all students, whether they are international or domestic.

For many years, UK higher education (HE) providers have delivered education online successfully and effectively, and a leading proponent of this has been the Open University, which in 2018/19 was the largest UK university - with over 63,000 UK full-time equivalent students.

The growth in the use of educational technology has enabled HE providers to develop and grow their online offers, something which has been significantly accelerated by the recent COVID-19 outbreak, where online provision has been key to ensuring that effective teaching, learning and assessment have been able to continue. A recent report [1] from the Higher Education Policy Institute, attached, suggested the possibility that remote learning post-lockdown had brought some closer engagement between teaching staff and students and that this had even led to improved directed independent learning.

To support the effectiveness of continued online provision, the Office for Students (OfS) has published information and guidance for providers and students, and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education has also published a series of guides to support providers to secure academic standards and to support student achievement during the outbreak.

The OfS has made it clear that all higher education providers must continue to meet conditions related to the quality of their courses and the standard of qualifications they award. This means ensuring that courses are high quality, students are supported and achieve good outcomes and standards are protected. The OfS will monitor outcomes to assess quality, using measures such as continuation rates, completion rates, student surveys and what students move onto after completing their studies. They will also be polling students in the next academic year to identify any providers or courses that are a cause for concern. This will allow for a targeted and focused approach to tackle any areas of concern.

[1] https://www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/The-Student-Academic-Experience-Survey-2020.pdf

The statutory independent student complaints scheme for higher education is run by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA). The scheme, guidance for students and the level of evidence has not changed during the COVID-19 outbreak. Students are still expected to raise formal complaints with their own university in the first instance, and if those cannot be resolved, students can approach the OIA. The OIA website outlines the process and the information required to submit a complaint: https://www.oiahe.org.uk/students/how-to-complain-to-us/.

On 22 June, the OIA published specific guidance outlining its approach to handling complaints that arose from the COVID-19 outbreak, including complaints on course delivery. The OIA will take a number of issues into account when considering a complaint and will consider what was promised against what was delivered. The OIA will also take into account the relevant legislation and related guidance (such as that published by the Competition and Markets Authority), and whether the higher education provider has been fair and reasonable in developing its policies.

The guidance is available at: https://www.oiahe.org.uk/resources-and-publications/latest-news-and-updates/oia-briefing-note-2-our-approach-to-complaints-arising-from-the-effects-of-coronavirus-covid-19-june-202/.

There are some issues that the OIA is unable to consider. These issues include matters relating to admissions and academic judgement. Guidance on the issues that the OIA can consider is available at: https://www.oiahe.org.uk/students/can-you-complain-to-us/.

As my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, have both made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.

Higher education providers take their responsibilities seriously and are best placed to identify the needs of their student body as well as how to develop the services needed to support it. When making changes to the delivery of their courses, providers need to consider how they support all students, particularly the most vulnerable, to achieve successful academic and professional outcomes.

Many providers will have hardship funds to support students in times of need, including emergencies. The expectation is that where any student requires additional support during this exceptional period (for example, they have no access to the internet, no computer at home or cannot afford to purchase a computer), providers will support them through their own hardship funds.

We have worked closely with the higher education regulator in England, the Office for Students (OfS), to help clarify that providers can draw upon existing funding to provide hardship funds and support disadvantaged students impacted by COVID-19. Providers can use the funding, worth around £23 million per month for April, May, June and July, towards student hardship funds, including the purchase of IT equipment.

The OfS has provided guidance for providers on the use of existing student premium funding to support students facing hardship:
www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/coronavirus/provider-guide-to-coronavirus/provider-faq/.

Details of the technology support available for children and schools are here: www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-with-technology-for-remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19. These measures are the result of a £100 million allocation to support remote education, including providing routers and laptops to vulnerable students, prioritising care leavers, including those at university.

As my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, have both made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.

Higher education providers take their responsibilities seriously and are best placed to identify the needs of their student body as well as how to develop the services needed to support it. When making changes to the delivery of their courses, providers need to consider how they support all students, particularly the most vulnerable, to achieve successful academic and professional outcomes.

Many providers will have hardship funds to support students in times of need, including emergencies. The expectation is that where any student requires additional support during this exceptional period (for example, they have no access to the internet, no computer at home or cannot afford to purchase a computer), providers will support them through their own hardship funds.

We have worked closely with the higher education regulator in England, the Office for Students (OfS), to help clarify that providers can draw upon existing funding to provide hardship funds and support disadvantaged students impacted by COVID-19. Providers can use the funding, worth around £23 million per month for April, May, June and July, towards student hardship funds, including the purchase of IT equipment.

The OfS has provided guidance for providers on the use of existing student premium funding to support students facing hardship:
www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/coronavirus/provider-guide-to-coronavirus/provider-faq/.

Details of the technology support available for children and schools are here: www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-with-technology-for-remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19. These measures are the result of a £100 million allocation to support remote education, including providing routers and laptops to vulnerable students, prioritising care leavers, including those at university.

The department is working closely with the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) to ensure that higher education providers are given advice on the practical steps they can take to support students during the COVID-19 outbreak. The QAA has published a series of guides on how providers can maintain quality and standards. This guidance has been developed in consultation with the government, regulators and funders of higher education as well as sector representative bodies. We will remain in close contact with the QAA throughout the COVID-19 outbreak.

Higher education (HE) providers in England are independent and autonomous bodies. They are responsible for the management of their own internal affairs, complying with any relevant legislation and for addressing student complaints. As such, responsibility for handling student complaints in the first instance and offering redress, including refunds where they consider it appropriate, is a matter for the relevant HE provider.

Regarding how many universities have offered refunds to students, this information is not held centrally.

For students who exhaust the internal university procedures and remain dissatisfied with the final outcome, they can contact the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) for Higher Education.

The OIA publishes an annual report each year which sets out the number and outcomes of complaints they received and closed as well as examples of complaints and the OIA’s recommendations.

As my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, have both made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.

Higher education providers take their responsibilities seriously and are best placed to identify the needs of their student body as well as how to develop the services needed to support it. When making changes to the delivery of their courses, providers need to consider how they support all students, particularly the most vulnerable, to achieve successful academic and professional outcomes.

Many providers will have hardship funds to support students in times of need, including emergencies. The expectation is that where any student requires additional support during this exceptional period (for example, they have no access to the internet, no computer at home or cannot afford to purchase a computer), providers will support them through their own hardship funds.

We have worked closely with the higher education regulator in England, the Office for Students (OfS), to help clarify that providers can draw upon existing funding to provide hardship funds and support disadvantaged students impacted by COVID-19. Providers can use the funding, worth around £23 million per month for April, May, June and July, towards student hardship funds, including the purchase of IT equipment.

The OfS has provided guidance for providers on the use of existing student premium funding to support students facing hardship:
www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/coronavirus/provider-guide-to-coronavirus/provider-faq/.

Details of the technology support available for children and schools are here: www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-with-technology-for-remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19. These measures are the result of a £100 million allocation to support remote education, including providing routers and laptops to vulnerable students, prioritising care leavers, including those at university.

In the academic year 2017/18, the total amount paid/awarded through the Student Loans Company to students domiciled in England and students domiciled in the EU and studying in England was £16.5 billion [1]. This included grants, allowances and tuition fee and maintenance loans. The equivalent figure for 2018/19 was £17.1 billion. Equivalent figures are not yet available for the 2019/20 academic year.

The value of the government’s contribution via the Student Loans Company loans is contingent upon future repayments and interest rates.

The Office for Students (OfS) is responsible for distributing funding to the sector on behalf of the Department for Education. While the OfS distributes funding to higher education providers based on the academic year, the department allocates funding based on the financial year.

In the financial year 2017/18, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (the OfS’s predecessor) allocated £1.607 billion [2] in recurrent and capital teaching funding. The equivalent figures for 2018/19 and 2019/20 were £1.538 billion and £1.487 billion respectively. The 2019/20 allocation was published in February 2019.

The teaching grant is allocated to providers to support various activities, including high-cost subject funding, where tuition fees alone do not cover the full costs of provision, and the costs of supporting students most at risk of discontinuing their studies.

Information on the full range of financial support made available to students from their providers is not held by the department.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/student-support-for-higher-education-in-england-2019

[2] https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/regulation/guidance-from-government/

Under the £5 billion Project Gigabit Programme we are working with industry to target a minimum of 85% gigabit-capable coverage by 2025 but will seek to accelerate rollout further to get as close to 100% as possible. We remain committed to investing £5 billion in bringing gigabit coverage to the hardest to reach areas and will continue to work with suppliers to accelerate this investment.

On 19 March we announced the launch of the new gigabit broadband voucher scheme which will go live on 8 April 2021. We will work closely with agricultural organisations, including the National Farmers Union, to promote the scheme with their members.

The call for evidence on improving connectivity for very hard to reach premises, also launched on 19 March, will help government explore all possible options for improving broadband connectivity in remote and very hard to reach areas of the UK. In particular, it references the need for, benefits of, and barriers to, improved broadband for agricultural businesses including both farming and horticulture.

As part of our engagement work with stakeholders to co-design a new entrant scheme we will explore and discuss the merits and impacts of establishing a land matching service drawing on the examples from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and other countries. We will report more details of the outcomes of our co-design process for a new entrant scheme in the summer of 2021 and aim to launch the scheme in 2022.

This Government values the role that county farm estates play in providing a route into farming for new entrants. We want to encourage local authorities to retain and invest in their farm estates. That is why we are developing a new entrant funding scheme to create lasting opportunities for new entrants to access the land, infrastructure and support they need to establish successful and innovative businesses.

We want to encourage applications from local authorities, cooperative and community land organisations, local partnerships, and private and institutional landowners who have innovative ideas and the capability to provide long-term opportunities for talented new entrants.

The details of the scheme including the funding criteria are being developed through a consultative co-design process with stakeholders which includes representatives of local authorities with county farm estates. We aim to report more details about the scheme in summer of 2021 and launch the scheme in 2022.

As set out in the Agricultural Transition Plan this Government will provide funding to create lasting opportunities for new entrants to access land, infrastructure and support to establish successful and innovative businesses.

Funding for this new entrant scheme will be allocated from savings resulting from reducing direct payments helping new farmers to access opportunities in the sector in future.

The details and eligibility criteria of the new entrant scheme are being developed through a consultative co-design process with stakeholders. The co-design steering group includes representatives of local authorities with council farm estates, new entrant farmers, providers of innovation support for new farmers, cooperative and community land organisations and private landowners. We will also be engaging a wide range of stakeholders through workshops on key issues between February and May 2021. We will report more details of the scheme in the summer of 2021 and aim to launch the scheme in 2022.

During the agricultural transition the Government also intends to offer eligible farmers the option of a lump sum payment in place of future Direct Payments if they wish to leave the industry. By making it easier for those farmers who wish to retire to do so, the lump sum payment should free up more land for new entrants to start up. We plan to consult farmers on the details of our lump sum scheme shortly.

In addition, the Government is working with the Skills Leadership Group to introduce a professional body for agriculture and horticulture creating clear career pathways and promoting the sector as a progressive career choice to those wishing to enter the industry.

As set out in the Agricultural Transition Plan this Government will provide funding to create lasting opportunities for new entrants to access land, infrastructure and support to establish successful and innovative businesses.

Funding for this new entrant scheme will be allocated from savings resulting from reducing direct payments helping new farmers to access opportunities in the sector in future.

The details and eligibility criteria of the new entrant scheme are being developed through a consultative co-design process with stakeholders. The co-design steering group includes representatives of local authorities with council farm estates, new entrant farmers, providers of innovation support for new farmers, cooperative and community land organisations and private landowners. We will also be engaging a wide range of stakeholders through workshops on key issues between February and May 2021. We will report more details of the scheme in the summer of 2021 and aim to launch the scheme in 2022.

During the agricultural transition the Government also intends to offer eligible farmers the option of a lump sum payment in place of future Direct Payments if they wish to leave the industry. By making it easier for those farmers who wish to retire to do so, the lump sum payment should free up more land for new entrants to start up. We plan to consult farmers on the details of our lump sum scheme shortly.

In addition, the Government is working with the Skills Leadership Group to introduce a professional body for agriculture and horticulture creating clear career pathways and promoting the sector as a progressive career choice to those wishing to enter the industry.

As set out in the Agricultural Transition Plan this Government will provide funding to create lasting opportunities for new entrants to access land, infrastructure and support to establish successful and innovative businesses.

Funding for this new entrant scheme will be allocated from savings resulting from reducing direct payments helping new farmers to access opportunities in the sector in future.

The details and eligibility criteria of the new entrant scheme are being developed through a consultative co-design process with stakeholders. The co-design steering group includes representatives of local authorities with council farm estates, new entrant farmers, providers of innovation support for new farmers, cooperative and community land organisations and private landowners. We will also be engaging a wide range of stakeholders through workshops on key issues between February and May 2021. We will report more details of the scheme in the summer of 2021 and aim to launch the scheme in 2022.

During the agricultural transition the Government also intends to offer eligible farmers the option of a lump sum payment in place of future Direct Payments if they wish to leave the industry. By making it easier for those farmers who wish to retire to do so, the lump sum payment should free up more land for new entrants to start up. We plan to consult farmers on the details of our lump sum scheme shortly.

In addition, the Government is working with the Skills Leadership Group to introduce a professional body for agriculture and horticulture creating clear career pathways and promoting the sector as a progressive career choice to those wishing to enter the industry.

Attracting bright new talent into agricultural and horticultural careers is vital for the future of food and farming.

In the recently published Agricultural Transition Plan document, the Government committed to contributing towards the establishment of a new industry-led professional body, the Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture. The Institute will be the home of professional development and training for the agriculture and horticulture industry in England.

Through raising awareness of agriculture as an exciting and attractive career path, the Institute will promote the opportunities available within the farming and land management industry.

As set out in the Agricultural Transition Plan this Government will provide funding to create lasting opportunities for new entrants to access land, infrastructure and support to establish successful and innovative businesses.

Funding for this new entrant scheme will be allocated from savings resulting from reducing direct payments helping new farmers to access opportunities in the sector in future.

The details and eligibility criteria of the new entrant scheme are being developed through a consultative co-design process with stakeholders. The co-design steering group includes representatives of local authorities with council farm estates, new entrant farmers, providers of innovation support for new farmers, cooperative and community land organisations and private landowners. We will also be engaging a wide range of stakeholders through workshops on key issues between February and May 2021. We will report more details of the scheme in the summer of 2021 and aim to launch the scheme in 2022.

During the agricultural transition the Government also intends to offer eligible farmers the option of a lump sum payment in place of future Direct Payments if they wish to leave the industry. By making it easier for those farmers who wish to retire to do so, the lump sum payment should free up more land for new entrants to start up. We plan to consult farmers on the details of our lump sum scheme shortly.

In addition, the Government is working with the Skills Leadership Group to introduce a professional body for agriculture and horticulture creating clear career pathways and promoting the sector as a progressive career choice to those wishing to enter the industry.

The Government supports the excellent work already underway to connect classrooms and farmyards. Industry-led initiatives such as the ‘countryside classroom’, Farming and Countryside Education (FACE) and Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) Education are doing a fantastic job delivering educational experiences to young people and promoting the career opportunities available in agriculture and horticulture.

Employers and professional bodies in the agriculture and horticulture sector can sign up to ‘Inspiring the Future’, run by the Education and Employers charity. This free programme allows volunteers to visit state schools to talk to pupils about their job. This will raise the profile of various careers within this sector.

As set out in the Agricultural Transition Plan this Government will provide funding to create lasting opportunities for new entrants to access land, infrastructure and support to establish successful and innovative businesses.

Funding for this new entrant scheme will be allocated from savings resulting from reducing direct payments helping new farmers to access opportunities in the sector in future.

The details and eligibility criteria of the new entrant scheme are being developed through a consultative co-design process with stakeholders. The co-design steering group includes representatives of local authorities with council farm estates, new entrant farmers, providers of innovation support for new farmers, cooperative and community land organisations and private landowners. We will also be engaging a wide range of stakeholders through workshops on key issues between February and May 2021. We will report more details of the scheme in the summer of 2021 and aim to launch the scheme in 2022.

During the agricultural transition the Government also intends to offer eligible farmers the option of a lump sum payment in place of future Direct Payments if they wish to leave the industry. By making it easier for those farmers who wish to retire to do so, the lump sum payment should free up more land for new entrants to start up. We plan to consult farmers on the details of our lump sum scheme shortly.

In addition, the Government is working with the Skills Leadership Group to introduce a professional body for agriculture and horticulture creating clear career pathways and promoting the sector as a progressive career choice to those wishing to enter the industry.

As set out in the Agricultural Transition Plan this Government will provide funding to create lasting opportunities for new entrants to access land, infrastructure and support to establish successful and innovative businesses.

Funding for this new entrant scheme will be allocated from savings resulting from reducing direct payments helping new farmers to access opportunities in the sector in future.

The details and eligibility criteria of the new entrant scheme are being developed through a consultative co-design process with stakeholders. The co-design steering group includes representatives of local authorities with council farm estates, new entrant farmers, providers of innovation support for new farmers, cooperative and community land organisations and private landowners. We will also be engaging a wide range of stakeholders through workshops on key issues between February and May 2021. We will report more details of the scheme in the summer of 2021 and aim to launch the scheme in 2022.

During the agricultural transition the Government also intends to offer eligible farmers the option of a lump sum payment in place of future Direct Payments if they wish to leave the industry. By making it easier for those farmers who wish to retire to do so, the lump sum payment should free up more land for new entrants to start up. We plan to consult farmers on the details of our lump sum scheme shortly.

In addition, the Government is working with the Skills Leadership Group to introduce a professional body for agriculture and horticulture creating clear career pathways and promoting the sector as a progressive career choice to those wishing to enter the industry.

Research has shown that restored peatland achieves a variety of natural capital objectives, including carbon sequestration, water regulation and quality, optimising biodiversity, preserving archaeology, and minimising wildfire hazards. A 2019 BEIS report stated that a near natural bog can remove the equivalent of 3.54 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare per year, and a near natural fen can remove 5.44 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare per year. We are working towards reducing England’s peatland annual greenhouse gas emissions through restoration, and the Government has committed £640 million through the Nature for Climate Fund part of which will deliver 35,000 hectares of peatland restoration by 2025.

The Government also continues to be committed to phasing out the use of peat in horticulture in England. The biggest user of peat is the amateur sector and this is an important part of our policy focus. We signalled to the industry that if we have not seen sufficient movement to peat alternatives by 2020, then we would look at further measures that could be taken, and we are currently considering what these potential further measures could look like.