Gary Streeter

I refer the hon Member to the statement I made in the House on 15 December where I announced that the moral case for compensation was formally accepted. I also set out the work being carried out across government in consideration of the compensation framework study - which included specific reference to those groups who were not able to claim interim compensation.

This work is intended to ensure that the Government is prepared to act swiftly in response to Sir Brian Langstaff’s final report when it is delivered.

While publicly owned, the Post Office operates at arm’s length from Government. Government sets the high-level parameters for the Post Office, but it is the Post Office Chief Executive, together with the Board of Directors, who are responsible for running Post Office day-to-day and the company has the commercial freedom to deliver the branch network within the parameters set by Government.

Government continues to protect the branch network by setting minimum access criteria, and protects services by setting minimum services to be provided at post offices across the country. Decisions about individual branches are made by Post Office Limited.

I have not had any discussions with Ofcom on the resumption of Royal Mail’s international delivery services, however the Government welcomes Royal Mail’s recent announcement that it has resumed international export services to all destinations.

The Government meets regularly with the energy sector to monitor levels of global production and supply of renewable liquid fuels.

The Government expects heat pumps will be the primary technology for decarbonising off-grid buildings. The Government recognises that not all off-grid properties will be suitable for a heat pump and there will be a role for alternative low carbon technologies where heat pumps cannot be used.

The Department plans to publish the Biomass Strategy before summer recess.

Analysis conducted by Government suggests it would be technically feasible to install a heat pump in around 90% of British homes, based on analysis of homes’ current energy efficiency and internal electrical limit. Practical considerations, like space availability or compliance with planning regulations, may limit where heat pumps can be installed, but we are supporting innovation to develop solutions to these challenges.

The Government is investing £6.6 billion over this Parliament towards clean heat and improving energy efficiency in buildings, including the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, Home Upgrade Grant and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, which support the installation of heat pumps.

The Government is currently investigating what role renewable liquid fuels such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil could play in the future low carbon heating mix. As sustainable biomass is a limited resource, the Government believes that the use of biofuels in heating is likely to be limited to properties where heat pumps cannot be used. The Government will prioritise its use in sectors that offer the greatest opportunity to reduce emissions, and where there are fewest options to decarbonise through alternative low carbon technologies.

Electrolytic (‘green’) hydrogen is essential to meeting the UK's net zero target. Government analysis suggests that by 2030 the sector could support over 12,000 jobs and unlock over £9 billion in private investment. The UK is aiming to develop up to 10GW of low carbon hydrogen generation by 2030, with at least half from electrolytic hydrogen, subject to affordability and value for money.

The Government has set out a comprehensive package of support, combining upfront capital funding with a long-term business model, to instigate electrolytic hydrogen projects. The Government aims to run yearly electrolytic allocation rounds for the Hydrogen Business Model.

Since publishing the UK Hydrogen Strategy, the Government has doubled its ambition from 5GW to 10GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030 - subject to affordability and value for money.

The first electrolytic allocation round opened in July, offering support from our Net Zero Hydrogen Fund and the Hydrogen Business Model. In August, four CCUS-enabled hydrogen projects were selected to proceed to due diligence as part of the Government’s plan for industrial clusters.

The “Hydrogen Strategy Update to the Market” was published in July and summarises government policy development and delivery since the publication of the strategy.

The UK Hydrogen Strategy sets out government’s ambition to support a variety of low carbon hydrogen production methods, including electrolytic and CCUS-enabled hydrogen, alongside innovative hydrogen production methods.

The Government welcomes UK innovation towards this ambition. As part of the £1bn Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, the Government is providing £60m in funding for innovation work on the supply of hydrogen and £55m for fuel switching which includes switching processes to hydrogen power. The Government is committed to working with industry to identify, support and then develop credible innovative hydrogen production technologies.

Support will be provided for non-domestic customers, including schools, that use alternative fuels, such as heating oil, instead of gas for heating. Further details will be announced shortly.

The Government has commissioned several comparative assessments of nuclear energy technologies over the last decade, many of which have included consideration of Molten Salt technologies.

The outputs of these assessments were considered, alongside other evidence sources, in the development of the “Advanced modular reactors (AMRs): technical assessment” published in July 2021 as part of the decision on the technology choice for the Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) Research, Development & Demonstration (RD&D) programme. This can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advanced-modular-reactors-amrs-technical-assessment.

The Prime Minister established the post of Special Envoy for the Mayflower commemorations in the Spring Budget of 2017 and invited Oliver Colvile to take up the position. Following the 2017 General Election, the Prime Minister invited Mr Colvile to continue in the role, which he accepted.

Local authorities are responsible for the continuous professional development of their workforces, including social workers.

Social workers are critical to the functioning of the wider children’s social care system. They must meet the professional standards set by Social Work England to practise as a social worker. In relation to the altruism of those seeking to foster and adopt, the standards recognise the importance of family and community networks, requiring social workers to work in partnership with these.

To support child and family social workers to continuously improve their practice, the department funds professional development for around 4,000 social workers each year. The new Early Career Framework for child and family social workers will significantly extend the training and support they receive in the early stages of their career, helping to equip them with the knowledge skills they need to support children and families.

Local authorities are responsible for the continuous professional development of their workforces, including social workers.

Social workers are critical to the functioning of the wider children’s social care system. They must meet the professional standards set by Social Work England to practise as a social worker. In relation to the altruism of those seeking to foster and adopt, the standards recognise the importance of family and community networks, requiring social workers to work in partnership with these.

To support child and family social workers to continuously improve their practice, the department funds professional development for around 4,000 social workers each year. The new Early Career Framework for child and family social workers will significantly extend the training and support they receive in the early stages of their career, helping to equip them with the knowledge skills they need to support children and families.

The following Higher Education Institutions have at least one nursing student who has received an overpayment of grant and/or maintenance loan in the academic year 2017/18.

Brunel University London

Cardiff University

Glyndwr University

Plymouth Marjon University

University of Brighton

University of Manchester

University of Southampton

University of Suffolk

University of West London

Leeds University

University of Essex

University of Bedfordshire

University of Worcester

Anglia Ruskin University

London Metropolitan University

University of Central Lancashire

University of Derby

University of Portsmouth

University of Reading

University of Salford

We are aware of 804 NHS funded students who may have been overpaid maintenance loans and/or grants in the academic year 2017/18.

None of the students affected should suffer hardship as a result of the error, and students affected should contact the Student Loans Company.

Our priority is to support those affected by the maintenance loan and grant overpayments. None of the students affected should suffer hardship as a result of the error, and students affected should contact the Student Loans Company.

Legislation was laid on 21 November to ensure householders do not face financial barriers to dispose of small-scale DIY waste at Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs). The legislation will come into force from 31 December 2023, subject to parliamentary procedure.

The Environment Agency is responsible for monitoring chemicals in the water environment in England. This includes drugs that are typically associated with discharges of treated waste water, including pharmaceuticals, substances used in personal care products and veterinary medicines. Data can be found at: Defra Data Services Platform.

Section 102 of the Environment Act 2021, the general duty to conserve and enhance biodiversity, came into force on 1st January 2023 and applies to National Park Authorities and to Local Authorities which host Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty partnerships.

We are considering a range of options to tackle the drain blockages and fatbergs caused by wet wipes and are working to assess the effects of wet wipes containing plastic on sewers to identify possible solutions. In general, we prefer to help people and companies make the right choice, rather than banning items outright. Alongside our upcoming consultation on single-use plastic items, we will be asking some questions about wet wipes to help us build our evidence base, inform our policy approach and take appropriate action.

The Defra guidance on making an environmental claim has been updated recently to include the Competition Markets Authority’s published guidance available here: Make an environmental claim for your product, service or organisation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). This guidance aims to help businesses understand and comply with their existing obligations under consumer protection law when making any environmental claims.

We will continue to encourage the water industry and wet wipe manufacturers to work together to raise consumer awareness about the appropriate disposal of wet wipes and other non-flushable products, and to ensure that the labelling is clear. This will be crucial for generating meaningful behavioural change with consumers.

We are considering a range of options to tackle the drain blockages and fatbergs caused by wet wipes and are working to assess the effects of wet wipes containing plastic on sewers to identify possible solutions. In general, we prefer to help people and companies make the right choice, rather than banning items outright. Alongside our upcoming consultation on single-use plastic items, we will be asking some questions about wet wipes to help us build our evidence base, inform our policy approach and take appropriate action.

The Defra guidance on making an environmental claim has been updated recently to include the Competition Markets Authority’s published guidance available here: Make an environmental claim for your product, service or organisation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). This guidance aims to help businesses understand and comply with their existing obligations under consumer protection law when making any environmental claims.

We will continue to encourage the water industry and wet wipe manufacturers to work together to raise consumer awareness about the appropriate disposal of wet wipes and other non-flushable products, and to ensure that the labelling is clear. This will be crucial for generating meaningful behavioural change with consumers.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency operates a 12-week booking window for approved driving instructor (ADI) part 2 [driving ability] tests, and part 3 [instructional ability] tests. A ‘book to hold’ system is in place for people booking a test outside of that window. The book to hold list is assessed daily to monitor demand.

In Plymouth, as of 15 March 2023:

• there is availability for the ADI part 2 test within the booking window;
• no part 2 tests booked to hold; and
• one part 3 test booked to hold.

Highway England’s delivery plan to be published later this year will contain details of the schemes which will contribute to provision of a high quality dual carriageway link between the London and the South East and the South West.

The Transforming Cities Fund Call for Proposals process launched on 13 March 2018 and bidding closed on Friday 8 June. The Department is currently considering the proposals received and cities will be notified if they are successful when the assessment is complete.

The Veterans’ Oyster Photocard scheme in London is not part of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme, but is provided by Transport for London (TfL) and funded by the Mayor as a discretionary enhancement. Concessionary travel is devolved in other administrations.

There are no plans at present to introduce a statutory national bus travel concession for armed forces veterans across the UK, however, all local authorities in England have the powers to introduce concessions in addition to their statutory obligations, as TfL have done.

The Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy identified £1.2 billion that may be invested in cycling and walking between 2016/17 to 2020/21. Many of the decisions on the allocation of these funds will be made by the relevant local body in line with the Government’s devolution and localism agenda.

The tables below provide a guide to the funding allocated in 2017/18 to Plymouth and Devon identified in the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy.

Plymouth City Council

Devon County Council

The Department is also providing technical support to Plymouth City Council to assist with the development of their Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan. The level of support has yet to be determined. The Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership has allocated £18.330m to cycling and walking projects between 2016/17 and 2020/21.**

*This is based on a survey of Local Transport Authorities published by the Department in February 2016 revealed that 11% of this fund supports cycling schemes and 4% supports streetscape and Rights of Way schemes.

** This is based on self-reported data received from the Local Enterprise Partnership.