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).
VALERIE'S LAW Compulsory Training for Agencies Supporting Black DV Victims
Gov Responded - 6 Jul 2021 Debated on - 28 Mar 2022 View Florence Eshalomi's petition debate contributionsMake specialist training mandatory for all police and other government agencies that support black women and girls affected by domestic abuse. Police and agencies should have culturally appropriate training to better understand the cultural needs of black women affected by domestic abuse.
Make it a legal requirement for nightclubs to thoroughly search guests on entry
Gov Responded - 4 Nov 2021 Debated on - 8 Nov 2021 View Florence Eshalomi's petition debate contributionsI would like the UK Government to make it law that nightclubs must search guests on arrival to prevent harmful weapons and other items entering the establishment. This could be a pat down search or metal detector, but must involve measures being put in place to ensure the safety of the public.
Improve Maternal Mortality Rates and Health Care for Black Women in the U.K.
Gov Responded - 25 Jun 2020 Debated on - 19 Apr 2021 View Florence Eshalomi's petition debate contributionsBlack Women in the U.K. are 5 times more likely to die during pregnancy and after childbirth compared to White Women (MBRRACE, 2019). We need more research done into why this is happening and recommendations to improve health care for Black Women as urgent action is needed to address this disparity.
Allow golf to be played with appropriate safety measures
Gov Responded - 18 Jan 2021 Debated on - 22 Mar 2021 View Florence Eshalomi's petition debate contributionsThe Government should allow golf courses to remain open during the second lockdown, and any future restrictions. Shops and clubhouses can close, but courses should be allowed to remain open, with social distancing in place.
Shut all nurseries and early years settings during lockdown
Gov Responded - 26 Jan 2021 Debated on - 22 Mar 2021 View Florence Eshalomi's petition debate contributionsUrgent call for the government to close all nurseries and early years settings in light of the new lockdown to protect early years staff.
Keep gyms open during Tier 4 lockdown
Gov Responded - 14 Jan 2021 Debated on - 22 Mar 2021 View Florence Eshalomi's petition debate contributionsConsider keeping gyms open during lockdown because so many people have mental health and stress and they need something to do to take their mind off it closing all fitness facilities can affect us pretty badly.
Open gyms first as we come out of lockdown & fund a Work Out to Help Out scheme
Gov Responded - 16 Mar 2021 Debated on - 22 Mar 2021 View Florence Eshalomi's petition debate contributionsWe want the government to recognise the importance of gyms, health clubs, leisure centres and swimming pools in empowering people to look after their health and stay fit and for them to open first as we come out of lockdown.
We're also calling for government to fund a Work Out to Help Out scheme.
Repeal the Coronavirus Act 2020
Gov Responded - 20 Oct 2020 Debated on - 22 Mar 2021 View Florence Eshalomi's petition debate contributionsThe Coronavirus Act grants potentially dangerous powers including to detain some persons indefinitely, to take biological samples, and to give directions about dead bodies. Powers last up to 2 years with 6 monthly reviews, and lockdown powers could prevent protests against measures.
These initiatives were driven by Florence Eshalomi, 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.
Florence Eshalomi has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Florence Eshalomi has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
Florence Eshalomi has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Pedicabs (London) Bill 2019-21 - Private Members' Bill (under the Ten Minute Rule)
Sponsor - Nickie Aiken (CON)
This Government has set an ambitious mission to halve the number of non-decent homes and drive up standards in all rented sectors by 2030 - with the biggest improvements in the lowest-performing areas.
I was delighted that the Queen's Speech confirmed we will bring forward a Social Housing Regulation Bill.
The Bill will create a strong and proactive consumer regulation regime that will drive up standards in social housing and help tenants and the Regulator hold landlords to account.
The Government is aware that some buildings are currently unable to secure adequate, affordable building insurance. On the 28 January, I called on the FCA and the CMA to conduct a review of the buildings insurance market to review buildings insurance premiums for people living in medium and high rise blocks of flats. In his oral statement on the 10 January, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities noted Lord Greenhalgh’s intention to work with insurers on new industry-led approaches that bring down the premiums facing leaseholders. Lord Greenhalgh has written to the Association of British Insurers, encouraging them to investigate the possibility of an industry-led risk pool with their members.
An EWS1 assessment is as a valuation tool and is not a safety assessment. We have been clear that EWS1 should not be a requirement on buildings below 18 metres. We have withdrawn the Consolidated Advice Note which has been wrongly interpreted and ensure that it is not used to justify disproportionate assessment and unnecessary EWS1 forms.
Where remediation of a building is recommended by an assessor, material supporting this conclusion should be transparent and there should be evidence that alternatives, such as management or mitigation, have been clearly considered. Leaseholders who wish to challenge proposed remediation works should ask their building owner if there is a clear reason why an EWS1 is needed, for example the block of flats over 18 metres high. If the building is lower, an expert panel commissioned by Government, has recommended that an EWS1 should not be needed, although some lenders may still request one. Leaseholders can ask whether costs can be met via warranty or insurance. Leaseholders can also ask the building owner to seek a second opinion from another fire risk assessor.
For free initial advice on residential leasehold, leaseholders can contact LEASE, an organisation supported by government.
The additional £27 million funding scheme announced on 10 January 2022, on top of the existing £35 million already being provided, to pay for the installation of fire alarm systems in buildings with a waking watch, opened on 27 January 2022. It will cover all buildings in England with a waking watch regardless of height or the reason for the waking watch being in place.
The Downing Street complex is a working building and also contains two Ministerial residences. As has always been the case, refurbishments and maintenance are made periodically. Substantive refurbishment works are outlined in the Cabinet Office's annual report and accounts.
The Cabinet Office is leading the programme of work to improve the Business Appointment Rules, in collaboration with the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments. The work will encompass the scope, clarity and enforcement of the Rules. Since last summer, there have been a number of reports and recommendations relevant to the Rules and we will carefully consider them all as part of this work.
The Prime Minister has tasked ministers to work closely with their respective sectors to test preparations and contingency planning so that disruption caused by increased COVID-19 infection is minimised in public services and supply chains.
Public and private sector leaders are best placed to manage their workforces. The Government is working with sector leaders to ensure that robust plans are in place and any disruption to services is minimised, as far as possible.
The Government has already deployed a number of interventions and will continue to monitor developments.
The Prime Minister has tasked ministers to work closely with their respective sectors to test preparations and contingency planning so that disruption caused by increased COVID-19 infection is minimised in public services and supply chains.
Public and private sector leaders are best placed to manage their workforces. The Government is working with sector leaders to ensure that robust plans are in place and any disruption to services is minimised, as far as possible.
The Government has already deployed a number of interventions and will continue to monitor developments.
Biographical information about the Cabinet Secretary and departmental Permanent Secretaries can be found on GOV.UK.
This information is not collected. At the time, staff were expected to work from home and undertake meetings remotely wherever possible.
The Cabinet Office's investigations, led by the Second Permanent Secretary, will establish the facts surrounding allegations made of a gathering in No10 Downing Street on 27 November 2020 and on 18 December 2020. Where there are credible allegations relating to other gatherings, these may also be investigated.
Reflecting the security practices of successive administrations, Downing Street does not publish information on details of visitors admitted to No.10 Downing Street. Details of formal meetings with external organisations are published on GOV.UK.
Reflecting the security practices of successive administrations, Downing Street does not publish information on details of visitors admitted to No.10 Downing Street. Details of formal meetings with external organisations are published on GOV.UK.
This information is not collected. At the time, staff were expected to work from home and undertake meetings remotely, wherever possible.
We are considering the National Audit Office report and its recommendations.
Ministers will use a range of digital forms of communication for discussions in line with relevant guidance on information handling and security.
Ministers will have informal conversations from time to time, in person or remotely, and significant content relating to government business from such discussions is passed back to officials.
The Cabinet Office has previously published guidance on how information is held for the purposes of access to information, and how formal decisions are recorded for the official record. Ministers are also given advice on the security of electronic communications.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy does not operate such a rating system for Freedom of Information requests.
For those business who fall outside of the business rates system support may be available through the Additional Restrictions Grant. The Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) continues to enable Local Authorities to put in place discretionary business support and target businesses who may not be eligible to receive Grant Support under the mandatory schemes. Local Authorities are responsible for the administration for the Additional Restrictions Grant.
My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced an additional £425m will be made available via the Additional Restrictions Grant meaning that more than £2bn has been made available to Local Authorities since November 2020. Local Authorities are responsible for the administration of the Grant Scheme.
Businesses and entrepreneurs that have not been able to access support, or who are unsure about the support that may be available, can also contact their nearest Business Growth Hub. Government has supported the establishment of a network of 38 of these hubs, led by each Local Enterprise Partnership area in England. Expert advisers can offer businesses of all sizes free, tailored 1-1 guidance on areas such as planning, building resilience, and funding. The hubs can also signpost further resources such as webinars and networking opportunities. LEP and Growth Hub contact details are listed online: www.lepnetwork.net/local-growth-hub-contacts/. Firms based in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales can access similar business support through the devolved governments.
The Government’s free Business Support Helpline FREEPHONE 0800 998 1098 also provides impartial advice and can often signpost firms to further specialised sources of information.
This information is not collected. At the time, staff were expected to work from home and undertake meetings remotely, wherever possible.
Ministers will use a range of digital forms of communication for discussions in line with relevant guidance on information handling and security.
Ministers will have informal conversations from time to time, in person or remotely, and significant content relating to government business from such discussions is passed back to officials.
The Cabinet Office has previously published guidance on how information is held for the purposes of access to information, and how formal decisions are recorded for the official record. Ministers are also given advice on the security of electronic communications.
The department does not operate such a system for categorising Freedom of Information requests. All FOI requests are treated exactly the same, regardless of who the request is from and their occupation.
The Government has taken and continues to take action to support media organisations, and all those who work in them, during this time.
For those who are self-employed, the Government has set up the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, which has helped millions of people across the UK, with those eligible receiving a cash grant worth 80% of their average monthly trading profit over the last three years. This covers 95% of people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment. The scheme has helped many eligible freelance workers, including those in the media, receive up to £2,500 per month in grants, and our support for those who are self-employed is far more comprehensive, generous and longer lasting than almost any other country.
In addition, from 1 July employers have been able to bring back to work employees who have previously been furloughed for any amount of time and any shift pattern, while still being able to claim for their normal hours not worked.
The Government remains determined to do all it can to help sectors, including the Media, in their recovery and return to profitability. Only by helping the overall economy to stabilise and grow will we be able to ensure a safe and prosperous future for freelance workers.
On 5 July, DCMS announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of sectors, including performing arts and theatres, museums and galleries, heritage sites, live music venues and independent cinema.
We want this package, which will be delivered through Arts Council England, Historic England, National Lottery Heritage Fund, and the British Film Institute, to support organisations across the cultural, heritage and creative sectors. We will publish further detailed guidance - including eligibility and application processes - as soon as possible in July.
On 5 July, DCMS announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of sectors, including performing arts and theatres, museums and galleries, heritage sites, live music venues and independent cinema.
We also recognise the crucial role that individuals play in making our arts and creative industries world-leading. As a result of these grants and loans, organisations will be more able to resume cultural activity, albeit in a socially distanced way, which will increase employment opportunities for freelancers.
Alongside this, cultural and heritage organisations have been able to take advantage of the unprecedented support made available by the Government, including the Job Retention Scheme and a years' business rates holiday. Many will also benefit from VAT reductions announced this week. DCMS’ Arms Length Bodies Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund have also made emergency response packages available, totalling £55 million, for those organisations most in need. In March, Arts Council England (ACE) also announced a £160m emergency response package to complement the Government’s financial measures - this includes £140 million of support for artistic organisations, and £20 million for individuals, including self-employed practitioners, so they can better sustain themselves, and their work, in the coming months. More than 9000 individuals and organisations have been successful in applying for this emergency funding.
In addition to the Government’s Self-employment Support Scheme and support available via these tailored support packages, the newly announced £120 million for investment in capital projects in the culture and heritage sectors will help to get projects back on track, generating a pipeline of work for the heritage sector and supporting many freelancers and self-employed workers, including skilled crafts people.
On 5 July, DCMS announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of sectors, including performing arts and theatres, museums and galleries, heritage sites, live music venues and independent cinema.
We also recognise the crucial role that individuals play in making our arts and creative industries world-leading. As a result of these grants and loans, organisations will be more able to resume cultural activity, albeit in a socially distanced way, which will increase employment opportunities for freelancers.
Alongside this, cultural and heritage organisations have been able to take advantage of the unprecedented support made available by the Government, including the Job Retention Scheme and a years' business rates holiday. Many will also benefit from VAT reductions announced this week. DCMS’ Arms Length Bodies Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund have also made emergency response packages available, totalling £55 million, for those organisations most in need. In March, Arts Council England (ACE) also announced a £160m emergency response package to complement the Government’s financial measures - this includes £140 million of support for artistic organisations, and £20 million for individuals, including self-employed practitioners, so they can better sustain themselves, and their work, in the coming months. More than 9000 individuals and organisations have been successful in applying for this emergency funding.
In addition to the Government’s Self-employment Support Scheme and support available via these tailored support packages, the newly announced £120 million for investment in capital projects in the culture and heritage sectors will help to get projects back on track, generating a pipeline of work for the heritage sector and supporting many freelancers and self-employed workers, including skilled crafts people.
On 5 July, DCMS announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of sectors, including performing arts and theatres, museums and galleries, heritage sites, live music venues and independent cinema.
We want this package, which will be delivered through Arts Council England, Historic England, National Lottery Heritage Fund, and the British Film Institute, to support organisations across the cultural, heritage and creative sectors. We will publish further detailed guidance - including eligibility and application processes - as soon as possible in July.
While the Government has taken the decision not to seek participation in Creative Europe’s 2021-27 programme, we remain committed to supporting the UK’s thriving cultural and creative economy. We will continue to invest money directly into the UK's cultural and creative sectors, continuing to support and grow their world-class activity on the international stage. Now we have taken back control of our money, we are able to focus spending on specific UK priorities including on our world class arts, heritage and creative industries. Officials are developing options for domestic alternatives to Creative Europe, which will be considered in line with upcoming fiscal events including the Comprehensive Spending Review.
Relationships Education is compulsory for all primary school pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) is compulsory for all secondary school pupils, and Health Education is compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools.
Mental wellbeing is a key topic in Health Education and there is a recognition that mental wellbeing and physical health are linked. Pupils are taught about mental wellbeing and physical health to give them the information they need to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing. Pupils are taught to recognise early signs of mental wellbeing concerns and common types of mental ill health, such as anxiety and depression, and, where issues arise, seek support as early as possible from appropriate sources.
Promotion of good mental wellbeing through the teaching of Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) is key to the recovery of schools, and the socialisation of pupils once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. The statutory RSHE guidance on mental wellbeing is therefore a key priority within the Department’s package of support. The training material, covering mental wellbeing, is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health. This is alongside other teacher training modules, which aim to help teachers identify the core knowledge pupils may be taught as part of RSHE, and to share this through peer training. These have been developed with subject matter experts and teachers, and are available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health#train-teachers-on-relationships-sex-and-health-education.
During this period of national lockdown, schools should allow only vulnerable children and the children of critical workers to attend. All other pupils should not attend and should learn remotely. We have resisted restrictions on attendance at schools since the first lockdown but, in the face of the rapidly rising numbers of cases across the country and intense pressure on the NHS, we now need to use every lever at our disposal to reduce all our social contacts wherever possible. Limiting attendance is about supporting the reduction of the overall number of social contacts in our communities.
Parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 outbreak and EU transition response can send their children to school if required. The guidance for ‘Children of critical workers and vulnerable children who can access schools or educational settings’ sets out who is able to attend school to receive face-to-face education. The document sets out the high-level role types, and the list in the guidance is not exhaustive, but it should offer sufficient information to help parents and carers to identify if their work is considered critical to the nation’s COVID-19 response. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision.
The Department will continue to review the restrictions on schools and will ensure that children and young people return to face-to-face education as soon as possible.
We continue to work with stakeholders to provide advice and support to schools. Guidance has been prepared jointly by the Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA), Public Health England and the Department for Education, setting out some general principles for putting together a food parcel, which will allow parents and carers to prepare simple and healthy lunches for their children at home across the week. This guidance is available on LACA’s website here:
https://laca.co.uk/laca-view/free-school-meals-guidance-producing-food-parcels.
A further updated version of our guidance will be published shortly and the current version is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance-for-schools.
Now schools and their kitchens are open, normal free school meal provision resumes, enabling children to have a nutritious healthy meal at school. Schools should provide meal options for all pupils who are in school and meals should be available free of charge to all infant pupils and all pupils who meet the benefits-related free school meals eligibility criteria. As set out in our guidance, schools are able to support pupils eligible for benefits-related free school meals who have to remain at home due to self-isolation with food parcels.
Approximately 88% of pupils on roll in state-funded schools were in attendance on 10 September. Attendance estimates include pupils absent for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related reasons. Further data on school attendance of free school meal eligible children will be published in due course.
We continue to work with stakeholders to provide advice and support to schools. Guidance has been prepared jointly by the Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA), Public Health England and the Department for Education, setting out some general principles for putting together a food parcel, which will allow parents and carers to prepare simple and healthy lunches for their children at home across the week. This guidance is available on LACA’s website here:
https://laca.co.uk/laca-view/free-school-meals-guidance-producing-food-parcels.
A further updated version of our guidance will be published shortly and the current version is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance-for-schools.
Now schools and their kitchens are open, normal free school meal provision resumes, enabling children to have a nutritious healthy meal at school. Schools should provide meal options for all pupils who are in school and meals should be available free of charge to all infant pupils and all pupils who meet the benefits-related free school meals eligibility criteria. As set out in our guidance, schools are able to support pupils eligible for benefits-related free school meals who have to remain at home due to self-isolation with food parcels.
Approximately 88% of pupils on roll in state-funded schools were in attendance on 10 September. Attendance estimates include pupils absent for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related reasons. Further data on school attendance of free school meal eligible children will be published in due course.
We continue to work with stakeholders to provide advice and support to schools. Guidance has been prepared jointly by the Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA), Public Health England and the Department for Education, setting out some general principles for putting together a food parcel, which will allow parents and carers to prepare simple and healthy lunches for their children at home across the week. This guidance is available on LACA’s website here:
https://laca.co.uk/laca-view/free-school-meals-guidance-producing-food-parcels.
A further updated version of our guidance will be published shortly and the current version is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance-for-schools.
Now schools and their kitchens are open, normal free school meal provision resumes, enabling children to have a nutritious healthy meal at school. Schools should provide meal options for all pupils who are in school and meals should be available free of charge to all infant pupils and all pupils who meet the benefits-related free school meals eligibility criteria. As set out in our guidance, schools are able to support pupils eligible for benefits-related free school meals who have to remain at home due to self-isolation with food parcels.
Approximately 88% of pupils on roll in state-funded schools were in attendance on 10 September. Attendance estimates include pupils absent for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related reasons. Further data on school attendance of free school meal eligible children will be published in due course.
The department publishes the number of pupils who are eligible for free school meals in the Schools, pupils and their characteristics publication, available at:
https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics.
The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals in January 2020 was 34.5% in Vauxhall constituency compared with 18.8% in Greater London and 17.3% in England as a whole.
Ordinarily, provision for free school meals (FSM) is during term-time only. However, during the Easter holidays, the department met the costs of offering FSM to eligible pupils not attending school during term-time weeks. This was in recognition of the unprecedented levels of disruption and uncertainty for schools during this time.
These are rapidly developing circumstances. We will continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.
Childcare providers are making a vital contribution in our fight against COVID-19. Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 18 March, they will continue to do so by focusing on childcare for the children of critical workers, and vulnerable children. To assist this change, the Department for Education has confirmed that it will not claw back funding from local authorities for any periods of closures where settings are closed or children are not able to attend due to COVID-19. The government expects local authorities to follow the department’s position, and continue early years entitlements funding for childminders, pre-schools and nurseries. This should also apply to those infant and primary schools that deliver the early years entitlements. This will minimise short-term disruptions to early years providers’ finances and allow the system to recover more quickly.
The Chancellor has also announced a package of support for businesses that will include many early years and childcare providers. This includes business rates relief, a range of loans and grants and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. This scheme allows all UK employers access to support to continue paying part of their employees’ salary for those employees that would otherwise have been laid off during this crisis. HMRC will reimburse 80% of furloughed workers wage costs, up to a cap of £2,500 per month.
We have also issued guidance for local authorities and providers about childcare for specific groups. However, we recognise that when all adults in a household are hospitalised, and there are no family and friends able to provide support, children may need to be cared for in emergency and temporary foster care until parents recover.
The department continues to work alongside Public Health England and early years and children’s social care sector representatives to ensure support is in place for children that need it, and that all measures taken are in the best interests of the health of our nation.
Ministers will use a range of digital forms of communication for discussions in line with relevant guidance on information handling and security.
Ministers will have informal conversations from time to time, in person or remotely, and significant content relating to government business from such discussions is passed back to officials.
The Cabinet Office has previously published guidance on how information is held for the purposes of access to information, and how formal decisions are recorded for the official record. Ministers are also given advice on the security of electronic communications.
No. All FOI requests are treated in exactly the same way.
Ministers will use a range of digital forms of communication for discussions in line with relevant guidance on information handling and security.
Ministers will have informal conversations from time to time, in person or remotely, and significant content relating to government business from such discussions is passed back to officials.
The Cabinet Office has previously published guidance on how information is held for the purposes of access to information, and how formal decisions are recorded for the official record. Ministers are also given advice on the security of electronic communications.
The Department for Transport commenced a regulatory review in March 2019, as announced in the Future of Mobility: Urban Strategy.
As stated at that time, we expect the review to take place over a number of years. However we also said that we would not wait until the full process is complete before acting on our most significant and pressing findings.
The call for evidence published on 16 March 2020 is an important milestone in the review. It asks for information and views on micromobility vehicles, flexible bus services and mobility as a service (MaaS). The call for evidence deadline has recently been extended to 3rd July.
The Government will continue to engage with the sector on our plans for reforming the regulation of taxis and private hire vehicles, including options to introduce new legislation. The Department is supporting licensing authorities to make use of their extensive existing powers through statutory taxi and private hire vehicle standards, which will be issued shortly. The Department will consult on updated best practice guidance on other matters later this year.
The Government will continue to engage with the sector on our plans for reforming the regulation of taxis and private hire vehicles, including options to introduce new legislation. The Department is supporting licensing authorities to make use of their extensive existing powers through statutory taxi and private hire vehicle standards, which will be issued shortly. The Department will consult on updated best practice guidance on other matters later this year.
The Government will continue to engage with the sector on our plans for reforming the regulation of taxis and private hire vehicles, including options to introduce new legislation. The Department is supporting licensing authorities to make use of their extensive existing powers through statutory taxi and private hire vehicle standards, which will be issued shortly. The Department will consult on updated best practice guidance on other matters later this year.
Outside London, in England and Wales, pedicabs are treated as taxis for the purposes of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 and Part II of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976. Accordingly, pedicabs may be regulated as taxis under the provisions of the 1847 and 1976 Acts.
The Government is aware of concerns raised about unregulated pedicabs in London and as such, has committed to seek opportunities to introduce legislation that will enable the regulation of pedicabs.
In the majority of cases station accessibility in London is a matter for Transport for London. However, 42 London stations have been given step free access under the Department’s Access for All programme since 2006 with a further 19 due to be completed by 2024. In addition, all 41 Elizabeth Line stations will have step free access when the line opens.
In the majority of cases station accessibility in London is a matter for Transport for London. However, 42 London stations have been given step free access under the Department’s Access for All programme since 2006 with a further 19 due to be completed by 2024. In addition, all 41 Elizabeth Line stations will have step free access when the line opens.
In the majority of cases station accessibility in London is a matter for Transport for London. However, 42 London stations have been given step free access under the Department’s Access for All programme since 2006 with a further 19 due to be completed by 2024. In addition, all 41 Elizabeth Line stations will have step free access when the line opens.
It is a general requirement that a claimant must be in Great Britain (GB) to be entitled to Universal Credit but there are circumstances when a person is still entitled to Universal Credit whilst temporarily being absent from GB.
Claimants generally should notify Universal Credit of the intention to go abroad. Claimants can go abroad on holiday for any reason for up to one month, but they must still satisfy their work related requirements on the claimant commitment. An absence can be extended and in some specific circumstances work-related requirements may be ‘switched-off’.
The Department has put into place measures to support existing benefit recipients in exceptional cases where their absence abroad goes over the period allowed under the temporary absence benefit rules and are awaiting repatriation due to covid-19 travel restrictions.
Foreign, Commmonwealth & Development Office consular staff continue to provide advice and support to British nationals who face financial difficulties overseas due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Those in real financial distress whilst stranded overseas can seek advice and support from their local consular team, who will be able to advise on any local support that may be available, as well as facilitate contact with friends and families who may be able to help.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has existing guidance for employers of people with disabilities: https://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/employers.htm which remains applicable to those returning to work following absence related to COVID-19. Employers are required to ensure that their workplaces are COVID secure for all employees and there is extensive guidance on the HSE web site to help them do that.
Under equality law, employers are required to make reasonable adjustments to ensure, as far is reasonable, that employees with disabilities have the same access to everything required to do the job as a non - disabled worker.
The Government is committed to transforming the lives of disabled people, and will publish the National Strategy for Disabled People this year.
It will be informed by insights from the lived experience of disabled people. The Government has already engaged widely to support the development of the National Strategy and future work. This has taken place with a diverse range of stakeholders, including: the Disability Charities Consortium, Disabled People’s Organisations Forum and Regional Stakeholder Network (which includes disability organisations and individual disabled people), as well as businesses and business organisations, regulators, academia, professional bodies and the Devolved Administrations.
This engagement will include online surveys and virtual round tables across the UK to enable disabled people to share views and insights on key challenges as the National Strategy is developed and implemented.
The Government is committed to transforming the lives of disabled people, and will publish the National Strategy for Disabled People this year.
It will be informed by insights from the lived experience of disabled people. The Government has already engaged widely to support the development of the National Strategy and future work. This has taken place with a diverse range of stakeholders, including: the Disability Charities Consortium, Disabled People’s Organisations Forum and Regional Stakeholder Network (which includes disability organisations and individual disabled people), as well as businesses and business organisations, regulators, academia, professional bodies and the Devolved Administrations.
This engagement will include online surveys and virtual round tables across the UK to enable disabled people to share views and insights on key challenges as the National Strategy is developed and implemented.
The Government is committed to transforming the lives of disabled people, and will publish the National Strategy for Disabled People this year.
It will be informed by insights from the lived experience of disabled people. The Government has already engaged widely to support the development of the National Strategy and future work. This has taken place with a diverse range of stakeholders, including: the Disability Charities Consortium, Disabled People’s Organisations Forum and Regional Stakeholder Network (which includes disability organisations and individual disabled people), as well as businesses and business organisations, regulators, academia, professional bodies and the Devolved Administrations.
This engagement will include online surveys and virtual round tables across the UK to enable disabled people to share views and insights on key challenges as the National Strategy is developed and implemented.
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Routine pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for the prevention of HIV began in England in autumn 2020. The UK Health Security Agency’s Sexually Transmitted Infections Surveillance System collects data from sexual health services on PrEP eligibility, offer and use and the number of tablets prescribed. This data is due to be published later in 2022, after a full year of data for 2021 has been reported. Where possible, this will be presented by key population group and geographical region.
The Government has no current plans to review the legislation related to the quality and safety of reproductive tissues and cells.
The Care Quality Commission and Ofsted’s joint inspections of special educational needs and disability (SEND) services within integrated care system areas will provide an independent, external evaluation of a local area’s arrangements for children and young people with SEND. Where appropriate, recommendations can be made for improvements. These inspections of local areas will provide information to the Government on the effectiveness of service and enable action to be taken where necessary.
Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, NHS England will have powers of intervention where an integrated care board has failed, or is at risk of failing, to meet its statutory obligations with regards to children and young people with SEND.
The Government has no current plans to review the legislation related to the quality and safety of reproductive tissues and cells.
The Department recently contributed to a response to correspondence on the current guidance for gamete donation and people living with HIV. In the reply we stated that, in view of the current scientific understanding of HIV transmission risk, the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs does not support or advise a change to the current guidance.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
From 1 April 2022, free access to asymptomatic and symptomatic tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make free testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be available in due course. We will review the impact of these policies on people who are at risk of serious illness.
From 1 April 2022, free access to asymptomatic and symptomatic tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be available in due course. Equalities impact assessments were completed to inform decisions on Living with COVID-19 and we will continue to consider the impacts on all groups.
From 1 April 2022, free universal access to asymptomatic and symptomatic tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be made available in due course. We will continue to review the impact of these policies on those who are at risk of serious illness from COVID-19 and their contacts.
There are regular discussions on a wide range of issues including the need to provide medicines to those affected in Ukraine. The United Kingdom is working with the World Health Organization and other international partners to address the health impacts of the crisis in Ukraine.
The information is not held in the format requested. In addition to the Civil Service Code, the Government Communications Service offers propriety in digital and social media guidance and is available to discuss questions relating to social media when working with ministers.
The Department employs an in-house social media team to use digital channels and create content to communicate departmental policies online. It is often appropriate for content relating to Government policies, guidance and announcements, created by civil servants, to be amplified or posted on other channels including ministers' own social media accounts where this facilitates wider engagement from the public. Content creation is one part of the digital team’s responsibilities, there is no individual cost per video or graphic created. The creation of these assets, as well with other communications products, is funded by the Department’s Communications Directorate staffing budget.
The HIV Action Plan, published in December 2021, set out our plans to increase HIV testing in England for the whole population, including heterosexual men and women. There will also be a focus on those populations and settings where testing rates should increase, such as black African communities. We will continue to invest over £3.5 million to deliver a national HIV Prevention Programme over the next three years. The Programme aims to raise awareness of HIV and increase knowledge of testing. During National HIV Testing Week from 7 to 13 February 2022, self-sampling HIV testing services were available in England. In addition, we are expanding opt-out testing in accident and emergency departments in local authority areas with the highest prevalence, supported by an investment of £20 million over three years.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has commissioned an independent evaluation of the Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation fund. This work is due to be completed by the end of March 2022 and the findings will be made available in spring 2022.
The Department is awaiting the findings from the evaluation of the Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund to inform its decision on the future of the Fund. The evaluation is due for completion at the end of March 2022. A decision will be made in spring 2022.
The Department’s impact assessment estimates of the number of workers who may remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 at the end of the 12-week grace period and are not medically exempt. For National Health Service staff, this is estimated to be 4.9% or 73,000. However, the exact behavioural response to the regulations is uncertain and is dependent on the decisions of health and care workers. We continue to encourage unvaccinated staff to make the positive choice to be vaccinated. Since the Government’s consultation in September, the latest data shows an overall net increase of NHS trust healthcare workers vaccinated with a first dose of over 75,000.
Following the continued success of the vaccination programme, on 31 January 2022, the Government announced that vaccination will no longer be a condition of deployment for health and social care staff, subject to a public consultation and parliamentary process.
We are unable to provide the information requested as it is commercially sensitive.
The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) (No.2) Regulations 2021 introduces a requirement for all providers of Care Quality Commission regulated services to deploy vaccinated workers to certain roles.
These requirements do not apply for workers where vaccination is not clinically advised due to a specific medical condition. Other workers exempt from these requirements are those aged under 18 years old; those who do not have face-to contact with patients or service users; those providing care as part of a ‘shared lives’ agreement; and those who have participated in a clinical trial for a COVID-19 vaccination, either currently or previously.
The current clinical advice is that individuals who contract COVID-19 should not be vaccinated until at least four weeks after onset of symptoms, or first positive test for those who are asymptomatic. As such, individuals who contract COVID-19 and must postpone their vaccination would be temporarily exempt from vaccination. Workers would have a period of 42 days following a positive test to receive their vaccine.
Each pharmacy is able to order is almost 2,500 tests every week. Increased ordering limits are available as requested by individual pharmacies as well as providing additional stock on a one-off basis.
We continue to work with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and pharmacies to ensure sufficient supplies are maintained to meet increased demand.
Lateral flow device tests are available for all key workers either at a local pharmacy, some community sites and via GOV.UK.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) procured additional stocks of lateral flow device (LFD) tests and increased delivery capacity. Over 350 million additional LFD tests were secured, additional home delivery capacity was provided through the Royal Mail, while more tests were supplied to pharmacies and community testing.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) procured additional stocks of lateral flow device (LFD) tests and increased delivery capacity. Over 350 million additional LFD tests were secured, additional home delivery capacity was provided through the Royal Mail, while more tests were supplied to pharmacies and community testing.
As set out in the Plan, we will tackle stigma and improve knowledge and understanding across the health and care system about transmission of HIV and the role of treatment and prevention. We have committed to increase the number of people retained in care and receiving effective treatment through innovations in care models and supporting those with multiple or complex needs.
Decisions on funding and access to social care support services for people with HIV will continue to be made by local authorities.
The Public Health Grant will be maintained in real terms for 2022 to 2025, which will support local authorities to continue to invest in essential sexual and reproductive health services and prevention. This includes £23.4 million in 2021/22 for the HIV prevention drug pre-exposure prophylaxis.
The HIV Action Plan aims to ensure that all underserved populations benefit equally from improvements made in HIV outcomes. This includes increased HIV testing in targeted, high-risk populations, including in black African communities. The Plan seeks to expand access to pre-exposure prophylaxis, including the development of a plan to drive innovation in its delivery to improve access for key groups.
The HIV Action Plan is due to be published on 1 December 2021. The Plan will be followed by a monitoring and evaluation framework to be published in 2022, which will measure progress in ending new HIV transmission against 2019 levels.
Local Government action on HIV testing and prevention is funded through the ring-fenced Public Health Grant. It was announced in the Spending Review that the Public Health Grant will be maintained in real terms for 2022/25. We will continue to invest in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) through the Grant, with £11 million provided in 2020/21 and £23.4 million in 2021/22. We will set out our plans to expand the settings in which PrEP might be made available outside of sexual health services in the HIV Action Plan.
The HIV Action Plan is due to be published on 1 December 2021. The Plan will be followed by a monitoring and evaluation framework to be published in 2022, which will measure progress in ending new HIV transmission against 2019 levels.
Local Government action on HIV testing and prevention is funded through the ring-fenced Public Health Grant. It was announced in the Spending Review that the Public Health Grant will be maintained in real terms for 2022/25. We will continue to invest in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) through the Grant, with £11 million provided in 2020/21 and £23.4 million in 2021/22. We will set out our plans to expand the settings in which PrEP might be made available outside of sexual health services in the HIV Action Plan.
The HIV Action Plan is due to be published on 1 December 2021. The Plan will be followed by a monitoring and evaluation framework to be published in 2022, which will measure progress in ending new HIV transmission against 2019 levels.
Local Government action on HIV testing and prevention is funded through the ring-fenced Public Health Grant. It was announced in the Spending Review that the Public Health Grant will be maintained in real terms for 2022/25. We will continue to invest in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) through the Grant, with £11 million provided in 2020/21 and £23.4 million in 2021/22. We will set out our plans to expand the settings in which PrEP might be made available outside of sexual health services in the HIV Action Plan.
The overall impact of the change will be reviewed by the ‘For Assessment of Individualised Risk steering group and the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs one year after implementation. Both groups will review any changes in the number of people coming forward to donate blood and the type of infections identified when all donations are screened for possible infections before being used. In addition, NHS Blood and Transplant will review the risk factors associated with markers of infection on a weekly basis, as well as reviewing the numbers and rates of new and past infections and current trends.
Following the Government’s announcement on 11 October, this change will be implemented by the end of 2021 at the latest. NHS Blood and Transplant is currently implementing the safe removal of the question from the blood donor safety check and providing training to staff.
The Department has considered the evidence presented by the For the Assessment of Individual Risk steering group on the removal of the question that asks potential blood donors about whether they have recently had sex with a partner who may ever have had sex in an area where HIV is endemic.
Retaining this deferral ensures we maintain a robust and careful approach to blood donation that protects both donors and those receiving this potentially life-saving intervention. The safeguards in place to ensure the safety of those donating and those receiving blood and blood products remain under regular review.
The Department has considered the evidence presented by the For the Assessment of Individual Risk steering group on the removal of the question that asks potential blood donors about whether they have recently had sex with a partner who may ever have had sex in an area where HIV is endemic.
Retaining this deferral ensures we maintain a robust and careful approach to blood donation that protects both donors and those receiving this potentially life-saving intervention. The safeguards in place to ensure the safety of those donating and those receiving blood and blood products remain under regular review.
We have no current plans for a cross-Government strategy specifically on obsessive compulsive disorder.
We remain committed to the ambitions in the NHS Long Term Plan to invest at least an additional £2.3 billion a year into mental health services by 2023/24. This will provide at least an additional 345,000 children and young people with timely access to National Health Service-funded mental health support by 2023/24. The proposals set out in the Green Paper on transforming children and young people’s mental health provision include the piloting of a four-week access and waiting time for children and young people’s mental health services.
In addition, on 5 March, the Department announced an additional £79 million for mental health support for children and young people in 2021/22. This will allow approximately 22,500 more children and young people to access community health services, 2,000 more children and young people to access eating disorder services and a faster increase in the coverage of mental health support teams in schools and colleges over the next financial year.
We have no plans to do so. All consultant child and adolescent psychiatrists and the extended multi-disciplinary team have specific training and qualifications to work with young people presenting with obsessive compulsive disorder as a core element of their specialist clinical role. This is integral to the provision of all community-based and specialised mental health inpatient services for children and young people.
The Department has three non-executive directors as shown in the following table.
Kate Lampard (Lead Non-Executive Director) | Appointed 2017 |
Gerry Murphy (Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee) | Appointed 2014 |
Doug Gurr | Appointed 2020 |
Recruitment to non-executive roles is overseen by Departmental officials on behalf of Ministers in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance. Those recruited are selected on the basis of the skills and experience set out in the Cabinet Office’s guidance, which is available at the following link:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/role-of-government-non-executives
Non-executive directors are entitled to an allowance of £15,000 per annum. An additional allowance of £5,000 per annum is available for the lead non-executive director role and the Audit and Risk Committee Chair. The Departmental board meets four times a year. In common with all Government departments, the role of the Departmental Board and the work of non-executive directors is set out in the Cabinet Office’s guidance, which is available at the following link:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/role-of-government-non-executives
EMCOR UK are contracted to provide security services to the Department’s buildings. Closed circuit television cameras are not installed in each of the Ministers’ offices.
Non-executive directors comply with the provisions of the Cabinet Office’s Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Board members are required to submit any declarable interests annually. This information forms part of the independent National Audit Office review ahead of the publication of Departmental annual report and accounts.
Information on any relevant interests will be published in the Department’s annual report and accounts, which is available on GOV.UK.
The information is not held in the format requested and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost.
Since 2016, the Department has occasionally referred Freedom of Information requests to the central Cabinet Office Clearing House for advice on handling in accordance with referral criteria, which is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-and-freedom-of-information
Prioritisation for COVID-19 vaccination in phase one of the programme is based on reducing mortality, morbidity and protecting the health and social care system. Phase two, which started on 13 April, has been based on risk of serious health outcomes from COVID-19 therefore individuals have not been prioritised on the basis of factors such as responsibility for child-care. There are currently no plans to prioritise on this basis.
We will publish a national strategy for disabled people later this spring, taking into account the impacts of the pandemic. Additionally, National Health Service recovery guidance makes clear that community services must be prioritised for children and young people aged up to 25 years old with special educational needs and disabilities and who have an Education Health and Care Plan in place or who are going through an assessment.
The Government remains committed to achieving zero new HIV transmissions in England by 2030. As part of this commitment, we will be developing a Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy and HIV Action Plan on reaching the 2030 target, which we plan to publish in 2021. We will consider issues related to improving gender parity, and issues around research, data and services for women as part of the process to develop both the Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy and HIV Action Plan.
The Government remains committed to achieving zero new HIV transmissions in England by 2030. As part of this commitment, we will be developing a Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy and HIV Action Plan on reaching the 2030 target, which we plan to publish in 2021. We will consider issues related to improving gender parity, and issues around research, data and services for women as part of the process to develop both the Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy and HIV Action Plan.
For workers in the National Health Service, Infection Prevention and Control guidance published on GOV.UK sets out what personal protective equipment (PPE), including FFP3 masks, should be used and on what occasions. The equivalent guidance for workers in social care settings is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-social-care-guidance
In December we established a four-month stockpile of COVID-19 critical PPE, including FFP3s. We are confident that we have secured enough FFP3s for the winter period and that we have the processes and logistics in place to distribute them to where they are required.
As a result of the FFP3 fit-testing project, a further eight types of mask were made available, and we now supply over 12 different models to the NHS, with over 41 million units of FFP3 face masks available for distribution.
The programme currently includes a team of up to 160 fit testers being mobilised for approximately five months and we are in the process of doubling the size of the team.
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies has provided expert strategic scientific advice to the Government throughout the COVID-19 pandemic which is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies
Individuals who are eligible to form a support bubble may choose to do so with their partner and where this is not possible, couples can meet up outside. The guidance states that those in an established relationship do not need to socially distance outdoors but those in the early stages of a relationship should follow the guidance on social distancing.
The Department has provided £5 million of grant funding to Mind and the Mental Health Consortia to distribute to mental health charities to support adults and children as part of a Coronavirus Mental Health Response Fund. We provided a further £4.2 million of grant funding directly to mental health charities. These investments are supporting a wide range of groups that include LGBTQ+, black, Asian and minority ethnic communities and people with disabilities.
In providing grant funding, the Department ensures the Government’s duties under the Equalities Act 2010 are met to ensure we are taking into account the needs of a diverse range of groups. The Coronavirus Mental Health Response Fund also has an independently chaired governance group, including officials from the Department, which monitors the allocations from the Fund to ensure fairness and diversity.
Monitoring and tracking the impact of COVID-19 on people's mental health is a key part of the overall national response to the pandemic. We recognise the disproportionate impacts that have been experienced by some groups during this time.
The Government Equalities Office is engaging with other Government departments and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) sector to understand how we can best support the LGBT population at this time and as we move into recovery.
As with all NHS services during the COVID-19 pandemic, gender dysphoria clinics experienced a disruption to their services. However, the clinics did not close and offered remote appointments and electronic repeat prescriptions where appropriate.
To address the continuing increase in the number of people seeking care from gender dysphoria clinics, NHS England ran a number of contract award processes, in 2019, with the aim of increasing clinical capacity and reducing waiting times. As a result, three new adult gender dysphoria services will begin to see patients in 2020/21 as pilots for evaluation.
The Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust was selected to run a new gender dysphoria service as a pilot in London and the first patients were seen in July 2020. The Merseycare NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded a contract to deliver a similar pilot service in Cheshire and Merseyside, and a contract award is imminent for a provider to deliver a similar pilot service in Greater Manchester.
The UK has now committed £395 million in aid to the current crisis. This includes £220 million of humanitarian assistance which will be used to save lives, protect vulnerable people inside Ukraine and in neighbouring countries. It will also be used to support refugees fleeing Ukraine through the provision of logistics, advice and analysis of needs on the ground. This funding will help aid agencies respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation by providing access to basic necessities and medical supplies.
Content creation is one part of the digital team's responsibilities, there is no individual cost per video or graphic created. The creation of these assets, as well with other communications products, is funded by the FCDO's Communications Directorate staffing budget.
Content produced centrally is shared on the FCDO social media channels, including embassy and high commission social media channels overseas.
The UK were pleased to join with others on the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to approve their new strategy for 2023-2028. The Global Fund will outline the resources needed to deliver this new strategy in an investment case in the coming months. We look forward to reviewing this in due course.
The UK is the second largest donor to the sixth replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria with our pledge of up to £1.4 billion supporting the implementation of their 2017-2022 strategy.
We are grateful to the Global Fund for submitting evidence to our public Call for Evidence, which will help inform the upcoming UK International Development Strategy. The launch of this strategy in Spring 2022 and the publication of the Global Funds new investment case in the coming months will underpin the UK's contribution to the next replenishment of the Global Fund.
This information is not collected. At the time, staff were expected to work from home and undertake meetings remotely, wherever possible.
As has been the case under successive Administrations, it is not government policy to comment on security procedures in government buildings.
Non-executive directors comply with the provisions of the Cabinet Office's Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Board members are required to submit any declarable interests annually; this information forms part of the independent National Audit Office review ahead of the publication of Departmental annual report and accounts. Information on any relevant interests will be published alongside the Department annual report and accounts, which are available on gov.uk.
The FCDO's Non-Executive Directors bring independent challenge and external expertise, an important function as we complete the merger of the two legacy Departments. In line with Cabinet Office guidance, the time commitment expected from Non-Executive Directors is approximately 20 days per year, for which they are paid £15,000 each per annum, except the lead Non-Executive Director who is paid £20,000.
All four are members of the FCDO's departmental board, the Supervisory Board, which meets quarterly. They are also all members of the Management Board, which meets monthly, and between them they chair the Staff Advisory Board and the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, and sit on the Strategy Committee, Investment Committee, Delivery Committee, Senior Leadership Board, Transformation Board, and People Committee. They also provide support and challenge to teams and projects across the FCDO.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) do not hold this information centrally, and it can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The FCDO (and its former legacy departments) has referred requests to the Cabinet Office Clearing House where appropriate and in line with the published criteria. This is available on the gov.uk website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-and-freedom-of-information.
No HM Treasury employees are responsible for managing ministerial social media accounts.
This information is not collected. At the time, staff were expected to work from home and undertake meetings remotely, wherever possible
Some staff came into the office to work on the Spending Review 2020, on 25th November 2020, and we are aware that a small number of staff had impromptu drinks at and around their desks at the end of the working day.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation
The department employs an in-house social media team whose core responsibility it is to use digital channels to effectively and efficiently increase public awareness and understanding of the work and policies of the department. It is the role of the team to devise strategies and plans, as well as create and distribute digital content, for all Home Office social medial channels, to meet that objective.
Content created by this team regarding Government policies, guidance and announcements is also to be posted from ministerial accounts when necessary - this includes ministerial statements, content from official visits or government announcements.
There is not an incremental cost to the creation of these assets. Like all other communications products, they are funded by the Home Office Communications Directorate staffing budget.
We are now in a digital age, where social media and digital communications are an essential part of government, helping inform the public directly about matters which may affect their lives or interests.
In addition to the Civil Service Code, the Government Communications Service offers propriety in digital and social media guidance and is available to discuss questions relating to social media when working with ministers.
The Home Office employs an in-house social media team to use digital channels and create content to communicate departmental policies online. It is often appropriate for content relating to Government policies, guidance and announcements, created by civil servants, to be amplified or posted on other channels including ministers' own social media accounts where this helps drive wider engagement from the public.
Tackling domestic abuse is a key priority for this Government and we are committed to supporting all victims of this abhorrent crime. Under our landmark Domestic Abuse Act 2021, economic abuse is now recognised in law as part of the statutory definition of domestic abuse - in recognition of the devasting impact in can have on victims’ lives.
In the coming months we will publish a strategy dedicated to tackling domestic abuse, which will seek to transform the whole of society’s response in order to prevent offending, support victims and pursue perpetrators, as well as to strengthen the systems in place needed to deliver these goals.
It is vital that the financial sector is also able to appropriately respond to economic abuse and provide victims with the support they need. In February 2021, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published updated guidance for firms on the fair treatment of vulnerable customers, including specific reference to economic control and abuse when considering what can contribute to an individual’s vulnerability. Financial services should also refer to UK Finance’s updated Financial Abuse Code which aims to increase awareness of economic abuse and sets out how participating banks and building societies should support customers.
In addition, we support and fund organisations that promote awareness of economic abuse, including Surviving Economic Abuse who have received £567,000 of funding between 2018-2022 to increase awareness of economic abuse and support victims.
The Government also offers “Support for Mortgage Interest” (SMI) loans to homeowners in receipt of an income-related benefit to help prevent repossession. The Mortgage Pre-Action Protocol also makes clear that repossession must always be the last resort. As such, it is vital that homeowners who are having trouble paying their mortgage or are worried about meeting payments, make early contact with their lender.
The Home Office funded the Domestic Homicide and Suspected Victim Suicides Project in 2020. This was led by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing and hosted by the Vulnerability Knowledge and Practice Programme to monitor domestic homicides during the pandemic to build our evidence base on domestic homicides and suicides following domestic abuse.
This project is the first-time data on victim suicides has been collected nationally for the Home Office. The Government does not routinely collect data on the relationship between domestic abuse and death by suicide. Official suicide death registrations data is collected and published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) but this does not include information about possible contributory factors in a suicide such as domestic abuse.
The first 12-month Domestic Homicide and Suspected Victim Suicides Project Domestic Homicides and Suspected Victim Suicides During the Covid-19 Pandemic 2020-2021 (publishing.service.gov.uk) report was published on 25 August 2021 and includes some limited information on suspected suicides of individuals with a known history of domestic abuse victimisation. We continue to fund the project, which is now in its second year.
In addition to this, Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) must be considered for all deaths involving a person over the age of 16 where domestic abuse has, or appears to have been a factor. This includes deaths by suicides. We are undertaking a project to create a central repository for all DHRs which will allow us to better understand the patterns and trends of domestic homicides and suicides of individuals with a known history of domestic abuse victimisation.
Under the Terrorism Act 2000, the Home Secretary may proscribe an organisation if she believes it is concerned in terrorism, and it is proportionate to do so.
We keep the list of proscribed organisations under regular review.
For Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), applicants must meet continuous residence requirements and are generally only allowed to be out of the UK for a maximum of 180 days in a 12-month period.
However, absences beyond 180 days can be allowed if there are serious or compelling reasons. Examples in current guidance include reference to a pandemic, and certain extended absences due to Covid-19 could fall within this definition. Each case would be considered on its own facts.
Police Forces in England and Wales, including the Metropolitan Police can use small drones, in accordance with Civil Aviation Authority regulations. These are used for public order events; missing people search operations and to support ground teams.
The Home Office has not allocated funding to Beyond the Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Drones for use by the Metropolitan Police. The Home Office is working with the policing aviation sector to assess the potential merits of the use of BVLOS Drones, including significant reductions in carbon emissions and the future potential for them to become electrically powered, reduced noise levels and longer flying times.
There are two main factors that will determine when this technology is available to safely use across London. The first is operational viability, which is currently being assessed by the policing aviation sector; the second is ensuring that this new technology can be used safely within busy airspace and overhead densely populated areas.
Police Forces in England and Wales, including the Metropolitan Police can use small drones, in accordance with Civil Aviation Authority regulations. These are used for public order events; missing people search operations and to support ground teams.
The Home Office has not allocated funding to Beyond the Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Drones for use by the Metropolitan Police. The Home Office is working with the policing aviation sector to assess the potential merits of the use of BVLOS Drones, including significant reductions in carbon emissions and the future potential for them to become electrically powered, reduced noise levels and longer flying times.
There are two main factors that will determine when this technology is available to safely use across London. The first is operational viability, which is currently being assessed by the policing aviation sector; the second is ensuring that this new technology can be used safely within busy airspace and overhead densely populated areas.
Police Forces in England and Wales, including the Metropolitan Police can use small drones, in accordance with Civil Aviation Authority regulations. These are used for public order events; missing people search operations and to support ground teams.
The Home Office has not allocated funding to Beyond the Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Drones for use by the Metropolitan Police. The Home Office is working with the policing aviation sector to assess the potential merits of the use of BVLOS Drones, including significant reductions in carbon emissions and the future potential for them to become electrically powered, reduced noise levels and longer flying times.
There are two main factors that will determine when this technology is available to safely use across London. The first is operational viability, which is currently being assessed by the policing aviation sector; the second is ensuring that this new technology can be used safely within busy airspace and overhead densely populated areas.
Police Forces in England and Wales, including the Metropolitan Police can use small drones, in accordance with Civil Aviation Authority regulations. These are used for public order events; missing people search operations and to support ground teams.
The Home Office has not allocated funding to Beyond the Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Drones for use by the Metropolitan Police. The Home Office is working with the policing aviation sector to assess the potential merits of the use of BVLOS Drones, including significant reductions in carbon emissions and the future potential for them to become electrically powered, reduced noise levels and longer flying times.
There are two main factors that will determine when this technology is available to safely use across London. The first is operational viability, which is currently being assessed by the policing aviation sector; the second is ensuring that this new technology can be used safely within busy airspace and overhead densely populated areas.
Ministers' social media accounts are primarily personal accounts, and will include political or constituency content created by Ministers themselves or their parliamentary offices and political advisers. It is often appropriate however, for content relating to Government policies, guidance and announcements to be posted from these accounts - this includes ministerial statements, content from official visits or government announcements.
Where this is the case, content can be created by civil servants where this helps to inform and explain to the public about the policies overseen by a minister or highlights their work as a government Minister, rather than in any political role.
In addition to the Civil Service Code, the Government Communications Service offers propriety in digital and social media guidance and is available to discuss questions relating to social media when working with ministers.
Security equipment installed and maintained at MOD Main Building which contains Ministerial private offices is provided through PFI contractor MODUS. Operation of the security equipment at MOD Main Building is not carried out by external companies. There are no closed-circuit television cameras in any Ministerial private office.
Non-executive directors comply with the provisions of the Cabinet Office's Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies.
Board members are required to submit any declarable interests annually; this information forms part of the independent National Audit Office review ahead of the publication of Departmental annual report and accounts.
Information on any relevant interests will be published in the Department annual report and accounts, which are available on gov.uk.
This information is published in the Department's annual report and accounts, available on gov.uk.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-defence-annual-report-and-accounts-2019-to-2020
The Department's report and accounts for 2021-22 will be published in due course, in the usual way.
Departmental boards provide strategic leadership for each central Government department, as well as advising on/challenging how the department is performing. Each board is chaired by the Secretary of State and includes junior Ministers, the Permanent Secretary and non-executive board members. Non-executives are appointed to Government departments from the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Their role is to provide advice and bring an external perspective.
A summary of the work of non-executive directors across Government can be found in the Government Lead Non-Executive's annual report, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-lead-non-executives-annual-report-2019-to-2020
The Ministry of Defence has referred requests to the Cabinet Office Clearing House where appropriate and in line with the published criteria which is available on gov.uk here –
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-and-freedom-of-information
Departments follow the principles set out in Cabinet Office/HM Treasury 'Corporate governance in central government departments: code of good practice'. Information on all appointments can be found on the Government website.
Non-executive directors comply with the provisions of the Cabinet Office's Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies which will be available on Gov.uk.
This information is published in the Department's annual report and accounts, available on Gov.uk.
The Department's report and accounts for 2021-22 will be published in due course, in the usual way.
Departmental boards provide strategic leadership for each central government department, as well as advising on/challenging how the department is performing. Each board is chaired by the Secretary of State and includes junior ministers, the permanent secretary and non-executive board members. Non-executives are appointed to government departments from the public, private and voluntary sectors. Their role is to provide advice and bring an external perspective.
Board meetings are scheduled on a regular basis in line with best practice subject to availability of members.
A summary of the work of non-executive directors across Government can be found in the Government Lead Non-Executive's annual report, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-lead-non-executives-annual-report-2019-to-2020.
As has been the case under successive Administrations, it is not government policy to comment on security procedures in government buildings.
The Department’s most recent estimate on the total number of residential buildings between 11 metres and 18 metres in height can be found in the Building Safety Programme Monthly data release. The most recent publication is available online here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-safety-programme-monthly-data-release-may-2021
This information is not held. External wall surveys, in the form of EWS1 assessments, are an industry process and data on them is not collected by MHCLG.
The Department has published estimates regarding EWS1 requirements on residential buildings in England, which are available online here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-safety-programme-estimates-of-ews1-requirements-on-residential-buildings-in-england/building-safety-programme-estimates-of-ews1-requirements-on-residential-buildings-in-england
EWS1 is not a Government form or regulatory requirement, and it is not a safety certificate. EWS1 was created by industry to help with mortgage valuations for flats in blocks with cladding. It is designed to identify whether a block is likely to need value-affecting remediation work.
Building owners are responsible for ensuring their building is safe and they have a legal duty to maintain an up-to-date fire risk assessment. This should include the external walls and Government has clarified the Fire Safety Order, through the Fire Safety Bill, to ensure this is abundantly clear.
We will continue to work with lenders to help them to recognise alternative forms of assurance of building safety such as a comprehensive Fire Risk Assessment which includes the external walls.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has referred requests to the Cabinet Office Clearing House where appropriate and in line with the published criteria which is available on gov.uk here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-and-freedom-of-information.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will help to level up and create opportunity across the UK in places most in need, such as ex-industrial areas, deprived towns and rural and coastal communities.
As set out at Spending Review 2020, one portion of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will support investment in people and skills, in communities and places and in local businesses, all tailored to local needs. A second portion of the Fund will be targeted differently to people most in need, through bespoke employment and skills programmes. This will support improved employment outcomes for those in and out of work in specific groups of people who face labour market barriers.
The Government will publish a UK-wide investment framework later this year.
The Government has been very clear that it is the responsibility of the building owner, landlord or responsible person to ensure the safety of residents in buildings with unsafe cladding systems. We expect building owners and landlords to pursue all avenues to fund the remediation costs for unsafe cladding without passing on costs to leaseholders, by meeting these costs from their own resources, by claiming on insurance policies or warranties, or taking legal action. Where this is not possible the Government is making an unprecedented £5 billion available to fund the cost of replacing unsafe cladding for leaseholders in residential buildings 18 metres and over in England. Building owners and landlords should therefore not be seeking to charge leaseholders for the costs of remediation of unsafe cladding on buildings that are eligible for Government funding and should instead apply for the funding.
The Waking Watch Relief Fund is a £30 million fund to install alarms in high rise residential buildings. Common alarm systems will enable costly waking watch measures to be replaced in buildings waiting to have unsafe cladding removed. The National Fire Chief’s Council (NFCC) have welcomed the Fund and guidance published by the NFCC is clear that alarms are preferable to waking watches.
The Fund is targeted at buildings which are at the greatest risk and where cost to leaseholders is highest. However, the Government is also providing a long-term, low interest financing scheme to help pay for remediation costs in buildings between 11-18 metres. This will speed up the pace of remediation and remove the need for costly interim measures.
However, the Government expects building owners, who are responsible for their buildings, to meet costs without passing them on to leaseholders wherever possible, through their own resources or by recovering costs from applicable warranty schemes or from the developers or contractors who were responsible for the installation of unsafe cladding.
Interim measures such as waking watch should only be used as a short-term option to mitigate an immediate risk. They are not an alternative to remediation. Building owners are responsible for the safety of their buildings, which includes remediating their buildings as swiftly as possible.
The purpose of Government funding is to make homes safer, quicker. The Building Safety Fund does not cover the costs of remediation work on buildings with non-ACM cladding systems that had been committed to, or where work had started on site, prior to the Budget announcement on 11 March 2020. We will be publishing further details on the financing scheme for buildings between 11-18 metres.
The Government has rightly targeted funding at the removal of unsafe cladding on higher rise buildings (over 18 metres), where the risk is greater and the cost of cladding remediation is higher. It is our strong expectation that building owners will have completed ACM remedial works on all high-rise residential buildings by the end of 2021. We also expect owners of buildings with unsafe non-ACM buildings systems supported by the Building Safety Fund to be started on site by September 2021. Our monthly published updates on ACM remediation progress and Building Safety Fund statistics can be found at: www.gov.uk/guidance/building-safety-programme.
We will announce further details on the additional £3.5 billion in funding announced on 10 February, and how it will work alongside existing funding schemes.
We are taking decisive action to improve building safety and prioritising unsafe cladding which is a higher risk and can act as a fire accelerant – and is a greater risk in higher rise blocks. Home Office analysis of fire and rescue service statistics shows buildings between 18 and 30 metres are four times as likely to suffer a fire with fatalities or serious casualties than apartment buildings in general. 18 metres is also the height at which building standards become more restrictive in England and presumptions about firefighting tactics change
It is right that we prioritise action on higher rise buildings (over 18 metres) where risk to multiple households is greater when fire spreads. It is therefore the height criterion we have chosen for the Building Safety Fund and the Waking Watch Relief Fund. For the purposes of the Building Safety Fund we are allowing a tolerance of 30cm to this measurement so where there is appropriate evidence that a building measures 17.7 metres or above it will be eligible in regard to its height. This is to allow for measurement error, the potential for ground levels to have varied from the original design and the settlement of the building over time.
On 10 February, we announced a generous finance scheme, which will provide leaseholders in buildings of 11-18m with access to finance for cladding remediation costs, and a commitment that their monthly cladding repayment costs will not exceed £50 a month.
We will publish more information soon.
On 10 February, we announced a generous finance scheme, which will provide leaseholders in buildings of 11-18m with access to finance for cladding remediation costs, and a commitment that their monthly cladding repayment costs will not exceed £50 a month.
The package of measures that we announced will not only provide greater certainty to leaseholders but also to mortgage lenders and the housing market and will help to restore the effective lending, purchasing and selling of properties.
We will publish more information on how the finance scheme will work as soon as we are in a position to do so.
MHCLG has begun a pilot data collection project for 11-18m residential buildings to identify materials in use and to inform the design of a wider national 11-18m data collection exercise, and we will be publishing further details.
We are taking decisive action to improve building safety and prioritising unsafe cladding which is a higher risk and can act as a fire accelerant – and is a greater risk in higher rise blocks. Home Office analysis of fire and rescue service statistics shows buildings between 18 and 30 metres are four times as likely to suffer a fire with fatalities or serious casualties than apartment buildings in general. 18 metres is also the height at which building standards become more restrictive in England and presumptions about firefighting tactics change
It is right that we prioritise action on higher rise buildings (over 18 metres) where risk to multiple households is greater when fire spreads. It is therefore the height criterion we have chosen for the Building Safety Fund and the Waking Watch Relief Fund. For the purposes of the Building Safety Fund we are allowing a tolerance of 30cm to this measurement so where there is appropriate evidence that a building measures 17.7 metres or above it will be eligible in regard to its height. This is to allow for measurement error, the potential for ground levels to have varied from the original design and the settlement of the building over time.
The Department has ongoing engagement with developers and building owners of private sector high-rise residential buildings with unsafe cladding. This has led to the remediation of over half of high-rise residential buildings with unsafe Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding being funded by the developer, freeholder or through warranty claims, without passing the costs onto leaseholders. Furthermore, the Private Sector ACM Remediation Fund and the Building Safety Fund for the remediation of buildings with unsafe non-ACM cladding both require applicants to demonstrate that they have taken all reasonable steps to recover the costs of replacing the unsafe cladding from those responsible through insurance claims, warranties or legal action.
High-rise buildings (private and social sector buildings over 18 metres) with unsafe cladding systems where there is a waking watch in place and costs are being passed on to leaseholders are eligible for the scheme. We will work with local authorities and Fire and Rescue Services on the delivery of the fund and expect to publish a prospectus with further information on eligibility criteria and evidence requirements in January.
The Waking Watch Relief Fund will open in January with the aim of providing funding for the installation of alarms as quickly as possible.
The Government is focussing public funding on buildings with the highest risk, which are those buildings over 18m in height. The Waking Watch Relief Fund will not be available for buildings below this height.
The Waking Watch Relief Fund does not cover retrospective costs where waking watch services are no longer in place because alarms have been installed prior to 17 December 2020. The purpose of the Fund is to incentivise the purchase of alarm systems in buildings where there is currently a waking watch in place and there is no common alarm system.
The Government has made £1 billion available to fund the removal of unsafe non-Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding. This is in addition to the £600 million made available already to ensure the remediation of the highest risk ACM cladding
The Government’s decision to place the scope of the Building Safety Fund at external wall systems, and buildings over 18m, reflects the exceptional fire risk that certain cladding products pose at that height, but also because unsafe cladding acts as an accelerant to fire spread
Our guidance is clear that it remains building owners’ responsibility to address unsafe cladding on buildings of all heights. We have provided advice from the Expert Panel on the measures building owners should take to ensure their buildings are safe
We recognise that in many cases, leasehold agreements will allow building owners or their managing agents to pass remediation costs on to leasehold owners of individual flats. It is unacceptable for leaseholders to have to worry about the cost of fixing historic safety defects in their buildings that they didn’t cause
The Government is determined to remove barriers to fixing historic defects and identify financing solutions that protect leaseholders from unaffordable costs and we will provide an update when the draft Building Safety Bill returns to Parliament.
The EWS1 form was introduced by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) to assist in valuation of high-rise residential buildings for mortgage purposes. The Department does not support a blanket approach In EWS1 requests for lower rise properties and is encouraging mortgage lenders to accept other equivalent evidence from building owners for valuation purposes.
Building owners must take swift action to remediate their buildings. The Department is supporting industry in responding to this challenge including consideration of ways to address capacity issues across the sector.
The Government is clear that ‘No DSS’ requirements -- or any blanket ban on tenants on the basis that they are in receipt of benefits -- have no place in a modern housing market.
We noted the recent court judgement on this matter, and strongly encourage landlords and agents to look at all potential and existing tenants claiming housing benefit on an individual basis. We have engaged with the sector to encourage prevention of the practice of 'No DSS' restrictions. Last year major lettings portals Zoopla and Rightmove agreed to stop use of 'No DSS' adverts on their websites, and several major lenders agreed to remove restrictions on mortgages which prevented landlords from letting to tenants on benefits.
We have no plans at present to introduce legislation on this issue but are committed to bringing forward a Renters Reform Bill in due course, to deliver a better deal for renters, and a fairer and more effective rental market.
We have provided an unprecedented package of support for renters during this pandemic. On 5 June, we announced that the government’s suspension on evictions would be extended for another 2 months until 23 August, taking the moratorium on evictions to 5 months. We are committed to ensuring that no one is evicted from their home this summer due to coronavirus.
On Friday June 5 2020 the Government announced that the current suspension of evictions from social or private rented accommodation will be extended by 2 months until 23 August 2020. This means that no action to evict a tenant will proceed before 24 August 2020. The emergency measures in the Coronavirus Act, which require landlords to give at least 3 months' notice to evict tenants, are unaffected by this and remain in place until 30 September 2020.
We will also continue to work with the judiciary, legal representatives and the advice sector on arrangements, including new rules, to ensure that when the moratorium on evictions ends, the courts are better able to address the need for appropriate protection of all parties, including those shielding from coronavirus. This is to ensure that judges have all the information necessary to make just decisions and that the most vulnerable tenants can get the help they need.
On 18 March, we announced a radical package of measures to protect renters and landlords affected by coronavirus. Emergency legislation will be taken forward as an urgent priority so that landlords will not be able to start proceedings to evict tenants for at least a three-month period. As a result of these measures, no renters in private or social accommodation needs to be concerned about the threat of eviction.
More information on these plans can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/complete-ban-on-evictions-and-additional-protection-for-renters.
Landlords cannot in general increase rent without their tenants' permission and there are no plans to change the rules regarding rent rises at this stage. We will protect renters and landlords affected by coronavirus through a radical package of measures announced on 18 March, including emergency legislation to prevent landlords from starting eviction proceedings for at least a three-month period.
More information on these plans can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/complete-ban-on-evictions-and-additional-protection-for-renters.
We are now in a digital age, where social media and digital communications are an essential part of government, helping inform the public directly about matters which may affect their lives or interests.
In addition to the Civil Service Code, the Government Communications Service offers propriety in digital and social media guidance and is available to discuss questions relating to social media when working with ministers.
The Ministry of Justice employs an in-house social media team to use digital channels and create content to communicate departmental policies online. It is often appropriate for content relating to Government policies, guidance and announcements, created by civil servants, to be amplified or posted on other channels including ministers' own social media accounts where this helps drive wider engagement from the public.
We are now in a digital age, where social media and digital communications are an essential part of government, helping inform the public directly about matters which may affect their lives or interests.
In addition to the Civil Service Code, the Government Communications Service offers propriety in digital and social media guidance and is available to discuss questions relating to social media when working with ministers.
The Ministry of Justice employs an in-house social media team to use digital channels and create content to communicate departmental policies online. It is often appropriate for content relating to Government policies, guidance and announcements, created by civil servants, to be amplified or posted on other channels including ministers' own social media accounts where this helps drive wider engagement from the public.
The law at the moment does not automatically change inheritance rights for any conviction other than preventing those guilty of unlawful killings from being beneficiaries (the ‘forfeiture rule’). The rationale is that people would take steps such as divorce or making a will to prevent abusers benefitting from their estate once the abusive relationship has ended.
The Government is currently giving consideration to this issue, and I understand that my colleague Lord Wolfson is soon to meet the honourable member on the matter.
The Ministry of Justice does not operate a red, amber and green rating system for categorising Freedom of Information requests in terms of sensitivity. It does, however, use a process by which requests are assessed according to their complexity and sensitivity of the subject matter. On that basis, requests are assigned as either a “trigger” or a “non-trigger” request. If a request is complex and or concerns a sensitive topic it will be a “trigger” request. Responses to such requests will attract extra levels of compliance check by officials and may include contextual lines to explain any information being disclosed.
The Information Commissioner’s Office’s guidance requires public authorities to be requester and motive blind. This means that responses provided are not influenced by whom has submitted a request, or by the motive that may have prompted it. Any information being disclosed under the terms of the Act will be the same, no matter whom the requester.
The Ministry of Justice consistently receives some of the highest volumes of Freedom of Information requests compared to other Government Departments and has sustained performance above the ICO timeliness target of 90% for 43 consecutive months.