Gavin Shuker

UK Export Finance has been participating in discussions within the OECD with the aim of achieving a multilateral agreement on limiting the provision of export credits for coal-fired power projects.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number of defendants prosecuted for offences brought under section 47 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 or the ages of victims. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost. However, records are held showing the overall number of offences, rather than defendants, in which a prosecution commenced at magistrates’ courts. These are detailed below.

Note: A single defendant may be prosecuted for multiple offences.

In law that the UK is set to leave the EU on 31 October 2019. “Get Ready for Brexit” is a public information campaign providing the facts citizens and businesses need to know about the preparations they need to take to be ready for when the UK leaves the EU.

The campaign is a cross-government campaign using national advertising including TV, radio, press, digital and outdoor advertising. It also includes direct engagement and local elements including business preparedness events, ministerial visits and local authority activity.

In law that the UK is set to leave the EU on 31 October 2019. “Get Ready for Brexit” is a public information campaign providing the facts citizens and businesses need to know about the preparations they need to take to be ready for when the UK leaves the EU.

The campaign is a cross-government campaign using national advertising including TV, radio, press, digital and outdoor advertising. It also includes direct engagement and local elements including business preparedness events, ministerial visits and local authority activity.

Ministers regularly receive legal advice on a variety of topics to aid the decision making process.

The Government took all the legal steps necessary to prepare for the European Parliamentary
elections and put in place all the legislative and funding elements to enable Returning Officers to
make their preparations required for the polls on 23 May.

The necessity for EU citizens to complete a UC1 form to be able to vote in European Parliamentary
elections implements a requirement under EU law. This is not a new requirement and has been in
place for previous European Parliamentary elections. Similar provisions apply to UK citizens living
in other EU Member States

As with any election we will reflect on proceedings and outcomes. In line with their statutory duty,
the Electoral Commission will be publishing a report into the administration of the polls later this
year, which the Government will consider in due course.

All Government advertising is procured via our media buying agency, Carat. Their database shows that since May 2015, a total of 227,558 Out of Home advertising sites (which includes billboards/posters) have been purchased by central Government and the wider public sector.

The overall cost of Government communications last year was £330 million less than in 2009/10. Over the course of the last Parliament spending was reduced by a total of £1 billion, according to the latest audited figures.

Detail on purchase of sites by each campaign could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.

While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. Hosting or franchising of Post Office branches an operational matter for Post Office Limited. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

The Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office and allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business.  This strategy, backed by Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010, has delivered a branch network that is at its most stable and accessible in decades, with over 11,500 branches and 99.7% of the UK population living within 3 miles of their nearest branch.  This investment in the Post Office has also led to other benefits to the consumer including an extra 200,000 opening hours per week and over 7,500 modernised branches.

There is no Post Office closure or privatisation programme and the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy has not received any representations on the franchising of the Post Office in Luton. The Post Office ran a 6-week public consultation from 24 October 2018 to 5 December 2018 and will write to locally elected representatives, Consumer Advocacy Bodies and respondents to the consultation on its decisions and plans.

The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.

While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. There is no post office closure programme in Luton or across the UK, however, post offices are being franchised and this is an operational matter for the Post Office. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

The department does not maintain such a list of UK companies.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy does not hold information on the average salary of mothers or fathers taking Shared Parental Leave.

The government is determined to get more girls and women taking part in sport in a way that suits them, something we set out in our sport strategy, Sporting Future. Motor sports and motor cycling clubs and associations are eligible to apply to Sport England for funding and I would encourage them to consider this as an option to help increase participation.

I also welcome the recently launched W Series, including a race in the UK. The W Series will showcase women's motorsport to an international audience and provide new routes into the sport for women. I applaud the decision of Channel 4 to broadcast the W Series in the UK, celebrating female racing talent and hopefully inspiring a new generation of fans.

For the current academic year 2019-20, the department is protecting the base rate of funding at £4,000 for 16 to 19-year-olds at all types of provider, including sixth forms colleges. We are continuing to provide additional funding, for example over £500 million to support disadvantaged students. One new element of funding in this academic year is the advanced maths premium which provides additional funding of £600 for every additional young person studying specified level 3 maths qualifications. Our commitment to the 16 to 19 sector has contributed to the current record high proportion of 16 and 17-year-olds who are participating in education or apprenticeships, the highest since consistent records began.

My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of Exchequer announced on 31 August 2019 that the government will invest an extra £400 million in 16-19 education in 2020-21. This represents an increase of 7% in overall 16 to 19 funding and the biggest year-on-year increase since 2010, with funding increasing faster for 16-19 than in 5-16 schooling. This will ensure that we are building the skills that our country needs to thrive in the future. As part of this, the base rate of funding for all types of providers, including sixth form colleges, will be increased by 4.7% in academic year 2020-21, from £4,000 to £4,188.

Schools and local authorities cannot take into account nationality or immigration status when deciding which pupils to admit, and there will be no change to this after exiting the EU. Parents or carers of pupils who are EU, EEA or Swiss citizens will need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 2020.

The Department has issued advice for schools on how to prepare for exiting the EU, which includes information on the EU Settlement Scheme and on accessing school places after exiting the EU. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-exit-no-deal-preparations-for-schools-in-england/eu-exit-no-deal-preparations-for-schools-in-england.

Local authorities are responsible for ensuring sufficient school places for pupils, including accurately forecasting demand. The Department collects forecasts of future demand for pupil places from each local authority, covering the next five years, through the annual school capacity survey (SCAP). Local authorities do not distinguish the gender of pupils within this data.

The latest published SCAP data, relating to the position as reported at May 2015, can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-capacity-academic-year-2014-to-2015. Local authority level data for pupil forecasts can be found in tables A5 for primary and A6 for secondary. This data covers the periods 2015 to 2019 for primary and 2015 to 2021 for secondary.

In line with the Government’s transparency agenda the Department’s policy is to publish expenditure data in a manner helpful to the public. With that in mind we publish the full pre-opening revenue cost of cancelled or withdrawn free school projects once the amount of expenditure has been finalised. Once it has been finalised, the expenditure for Saint Anne’s High School for Girls will be published on: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/revenue-expenditure-for-free-schools

£155,153 of pre-opening expenditure was spent on Luton Girls’ Academy after taking into account a refund of £24,847 made by the Trust. This was published on GOV.UK in May 2016:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/revenue-expenditure-for-free-schools

The Government’s manifesto made it clear that we would take early steps to control the export of live farm animals for slaughter once we leave the EU.

Last year we launched a call for evidence on controlling live exports for slaughter and improving the welfare of all animals during transport. We passed this evidence to the Farm Animal Welfare Committee (FAWC), who recently submitted their advice to the Government and the devolved administrations. We are considering FAWC’s report and aim to publish it, along with a Government response, in the summer.

The Government recognises the importance of veterinary medicines in ensuring animal health and welfare in the UK.

The Government is working with the animal medicines industry to ensure that supplies of veterinary medicines remain available in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

The Government is keen that the welfare needs of racehorses are well met, both during their racing lives and afterwards. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is responsible for the safety of racehorses at British racecourses and the BHA works alongside the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare to make horseracing as safe as possible.

However, both I and the BHA consider that more can be done to make horseracing safer which is why I have been holding regular discussions with the BHA about this. Most recently on the 14 May, I met with the BHA as well as the new independent Chair of the BHA’s newly appointed Horse Welfare Board. This was a constructive meeting where the number of fatalities of racehorses was acknowledged and both sides agreed that further action is required to tackle avoidable harm and make the sport safer.

The Board committed to doing all it can to improve welfare outcomes. I stressed the need for the BHA to develop a robust action plan that will deliver tangible results and intend to stay in regular contact with the industry to continue to press for improvements in racehorse welfare.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bridgend, Madeleine Moon, on 22 May 2019, PQ 256270.

The Department, working with Treasury and other Government departments, is always planning for contingencies to ensure that the UK meets its ODA obligations. The consequences of leaving the European Union without a deal come within this broader contingency planning.

Two tropical cyclones – Sagar and Mekunu – hit parts of Yemen in the second half of May, with the most severe damage reported on the island of Socotra. A rapid assessment suggests that all the health facilities in Socotra are functioning but with low capacity and in urgent need of essential drugs. The humanitarian community has started to send shelter kits and other non-food items, as well as food and medical supplies to the island. A UN team is working with the local authorities to assess further needs and coordinate response efforts.

Only half of Yemen’s health facilities are fully functional and 16 million Yemenis require support to obtain healthcare. Our support of £170 million to Yemen this financial year (2018/19) includes support for improving the quality and availability of healthcare and medical supplies in Yemen.

Two tropical cyclones – Sagar and Mekunu – hit parts of Yemen in the second half of May. Early reports indicate that the damage was most severe on the island of Socotra, where the water network has been damaged and floods are increasing the risk of waterborne diseases. The humanitarian community has started to send emergency supplies, including hygiene kits and chlorine to purify water to Socotra, and a UN team is working with the local authorities to assess further needs and coordinate response efforts.

Some 16 million Yemenis require support to meet their basic water, sanitation and hygiene needs. The UK’s support of £170 million to Yemen this financial year (2018/19) is helping to provide clean water, sanitation and hygiene services to Yemen.

We recognise that Rohingya women and girls face risks in the camps including domestic violence, sexual harassment, forced labour and sexual exploitation. DFID is helping to provide services including psycho-social counselling, reproductive health services, child-friendly spaces, safe shelters and legal advice in the camps. We are also providing essential help in the camps such as improved lighting and alarms to help keep women and girls safer.

We recognise that Rohingya women and girls face risks in the camps including domestic violence, sexual harassment, forced labour and sexual exploitation. DFID is helping to provide services including psycho-social counselling, reproductive health services, child-friendly spaces, safe shelters and legal advice in the camps. We are also providing essential help in the camps such as improved lighting and alarms to help keep women and girls safer.