Harriett Baldwin

The first T levels were introduced in September 2020 and these are part of a managed roll-out that continues over the next 3 years. We have selected a relatively small number of high performing providers for the initial roll-out to ensure high quality from the very start. We are working closely with these providers on their implementation planning to ensure readiness for delivery. Heart of Worcestershire College is one of 64 providers planning to deliver T levels from 2021 and will offer T levels in Digital and Education & Childcare to students in Worcestershire. As the roll-out continues and coverage widens, we will work to ensure that T levels are more widely available in all areas, including West Worcestershire.

The table below shows the number of learners aged 16 to 24, participating on apprenticeships in the West Worcestershire Parliamentary Constituency, and England, from the 2017/18 to 2019/20 academic years:

To note:

1. Data source is the Individualised Learner Record (ILR).
2. Volumes are rounded to the nearest 10.
3. The 2019/20 data covers the period affected by COVID-19 and the nationwide lockdown (i.e. from March 2020 onwards), which will have impacted on apprenticeship and traineeship learning and also provider reporting behaviour via the ILR.
4. The above West Worcestershire PCON figures - and further breakdowns - are available in this link: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/8f8ab92a-20f0-44f5-b973-3b0ffe72d1a1.
5. The above England figures - and further breakdowns - are available in this link: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/105ced16-d615-4f77-80ad-ba362d2ca443.
6. Participation is the count of learners that participated at any point during the year. Learners undertaking more than 1 course will appear only once in the grand total.
7. Age for apprenticeship participation is based on age as of 31 August of the academic year.
8. Age is based upon self-declaration by the learner.
9. Geography is based upon the home postcode of the learner. Where the postcode is outside of England or not known it is included in the 'Other' category.
10. Geographies are taken from the National Statistics Postcode Lookup based on boundaries as of April 2019.

​The Department has recently announced the high needs funding allocations for local authorities for 2020-21. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2020-to-2021. These allocations include an additional £780 million compared to 2019-20, and every local authority will see a minimum increase of 8% per head for those aged 2-18 years old.

In the autumn of 2019, the Department undertook a consultation on clarifying the status of the Dedicated Schools Grant and we will respond to this consultation shortly.

In July 2022 the Government announced the £100 million Frequently Flooded Allowance to support communities that have experienced repeated flooding. The allowance will help schemes that already qualify for Defra’s Flood Defence Grant-in-Aid funding under the current capital programme but have not been able to secure all the funding necessary to progress their scheme. The Secretary of State has written to all MPs with successful bids in their constituencies. Further details will be set out next week.

Britain sources both nitrogen-based and non-nitrogen fertiliser from a wide range of countries and produces ammonium nitrate (AN) fertiliser domestically. While global fertiliser prices have risen, the supply chain providing imports of fertiliser to the UK has remained dynamic in sourcing products. CF Fertilisers continues to produce ammonium nitrate fertiliser from its plant at Billingham

We are continuing to monitor the security and stability of fertiliser and other supply chains, and work closely with colleagues across government and devolved administrations as well as industry figures

Defra hosts regular Fertiliser Industry Taskforce meetings with devolved administrations and key industry figures including the National Farmers Union, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and the Agricultural Industries Confederation

To support farmers the Basic Payment Scheme payment is being made in 2 instalments to give farmers greater financial fluidity. Other actions taken include changes to guidance on farmers using manures, increased grants for farmers and growers, boosting research and development

Indicative data suggest that farmers have made a slight shift to using more urea based fertilisers this year, because of higher AN prices. Urea fertilisers emit greater amount of ammonia, after spreading, than other inorganic fertilisers so care must be taken to optimise application for agronomic and environmental benefit. The Government will monitor the success of industry action on reducing ammonia emissions from use of urea fertilisers and if regulation is needed this is likely to require use of ammonia inhibitors rather than a complete ban on urea

Defra recently laid a Statutory Instrument (SI) to enable continued ammonium nitrate supply and importation, by extending the current provision allowing use of both EU and UK laboratories for Detonation Resistance Testing

Support in the form of guidance from fertiliser suppliers and agricultural organisations such as National Farmers Union can be found from various public sources. Furthermore, AHDB recently published reports commissioned by Defra, modelling the potential impact on arable and grassland yields of fertiliser price rises, and have also published a new fertiliser price dashboard.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive opened for applications in June 2022. To date we have received over 1,700 eligible applications and more than 1,400 agreements are live. We have received positive feedback from farmers about how quick and easy it is to apply for an SFI agreement, that they are paid quarterly and have flexibility to choose how to deliver actions in their agreement.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive is being introduced incrementally between now and 2025, and as the offer is expanded, we expect uptake to accelerate.

We have plans in place to monitor the effectiveness of the scheme as farmers join and the offer is expanded and continue to learn from our SFI Pilot and Environmental Land Management Tests and Trials.

Egg Marketing Standards provides a 16-week derogation period during which the free-range description can be retained on eggs even if hens have been housed.  Defra currently has no plans to review this derogation period

In recognition of the pressures the egg sector is currently facing, Defra has granted a concession which will apply if the housing orders that are currently in place in England exceed the 16-week derogation period. This concession will allow producers and packers, on a one-off basis, the option to use either direct print to pack or an affixed label on free-range boxes. Accompanying clear and transparent point of sale signage should also be in place to ensure consumers are not misled and to avoid undermining consumer confidence in the free-range industry.

Poultry Meat Marketing Regulations provide a 12-week derogation period during which the free-range description can be retained on meat from poultry that has been housed. As most free-range poultry is slaughtered at around 8 weeks, in practice the derogation period of 12 weeks is rarely exceeded. When this does happen then the free-range description cannot be used and the relevant production method must be indicated. There are no plans to review this derogation period

Egg and Poultry Meat Marketing are both devolved policy matters. Any review of, or changes to, these standards outside England is therefore the responsibility for each of the devolved administrations.

The Government recognises the progress already made in transitioning to peat-free alternatives. Nevertheless, some sectors within the horticulture industry are encountering particular challenges. Therefore, we consulted industry representatives to develop our planned time limited exemptions for the professional sector.

We are currently co-funding with the horticultural industry monitoring of the composition of growing media (including peat) that is supplied for horticultural use. We are also working with the industry to continue to develop a Responsible Sourcing Scheme for Growing Media, which allows manufacturers and retailers to make informed choices of growing media inputs to amateur or retail products. Defra will continue to work with the industry to identify blockages and develop solutions to ending the use of peat and peat containing products.

Fly-tipping incidents should be reported to the relevant local authority. This can be done by visiting the local authority's website. Individuals can find help on identifying the relevant local authority webpage on Gov.uk at https://www.gov.uk/report-flytipping

There are also several mobile reporting apps available which allows members of the public to report fly-tipping incidents to their local council. We are developing a fly-tipping toolkit in partnership with the National Fly-tipping Prevention Group and an upcoming part of the toolkit will cover the use of new technology to report fly-tipping including how reporting apps can be best utilised by local authorities.

Defra have committed to review the statutory guidance, issued to the Environment Agency on the application of the Farming Rules for Water, by September 2025. This is to ensure that it continues to serve its function and reflect the priorities and best practice of the time.

Defra is driving forward an ambitious strategy to eradicate bovine TB in England which includes a range of evidence-led interventions to tackle the disease in both cattle and wildlife.

Our comprehensive strategy includes strengthening cattle testing and movement controls, introducing new help for herd owners to improve biosecurity measures on farms and to help manage down the risk of bringing the disease into their herds and supporting the deployment of badger vaccination.

Developing new and better tools is an important part of our programme of work. We continue to fund major research, including on cattle vaccination and improved diagnostics. That funding has already resulted in a major breakthrough by APHA in developing a test that can differentiate TB-infected among vaccinated cattle (a DIVA test). World-leading BCG vaccination trials in cattle began in England and Wales in June 2021. Our aim is to have a deployable TB vaccine for cattle within the next 5 years.

To help producers deal with the impacts of the UK’s worst ever avian influenza outbreak on 28 October 2022, Defra announced a new package of measures to support domestic producers with the impacts of avian influenza. This included changes to the compensation scheme allowing compensation to be paid to farmers from the outset of planned culling rather than at the end. This will give earlier certainty about entitlement to compensation, better reflect the impact of outbreaks on premises and lead to swifter payments to help stem any cash flow pressures. Compensation is paid for birds culled by HM Government for avian influenza disease control purposes is designed to promote prompt reporting of suspicion of disease and is only payable for healthy birds as set out in the Animal Health Act 1981. In addition, in consultation with the Food Standards Agency, Defra announced a relaxation to marketing rules to give farmers who rear turkeys and other seasonal poultry products the option to slaughter birds early, to freeze them and then sell them to consumers defrosted between the period 28 November and 31 December 2022. The Welsh Government announced a similar concession on 3 November as did the Scottish Government via legislation on 28 November. This was introduced to help businesses get their birds off the ground early to avoid losing flocks to avian influenza, and to help them plan ahead for Christmas and ensure the supply of turkeys. Defra will continue to review policy options to support the poultry sector.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) leads the Government’s action on animal disease control and during any significant avian influenza outbreak, APHA’s resource capacity and capability are kept under close review. APHA have outbreak response and contingency plans in place, these include measures to contract companies to support eradication and cover such matters as the deployment of non-Government vets and experts in culling and disposal of birds. APHA also works closely with other agencies from within the Defra group to provide additional capacity.

Alongside the Government's continued investment in the Avian Influenza National Reference Laboratory and APHA's Weybridge site, earlier this year an eight-strong consortium 'FluMap' led by APHA and funded by Defra and the Biotechnology and Biosciences Research Council was launched that received £1.5 million in funding to develop new strategies to tackle avian influenza outbreaks.

This year long research project will help build our understanding in a number of key areas, including why the current virus strains have formed larger and longer outbreaks, transmission and infection in different bird populations, the ability for the virus to survive in the environment and the impact environmental persistence may have on transmission to both wild and/or kept birds. The Government is committed to the strongest possible standards of protection against animal diseases. Defra continues to invest in avian influenza research, and we continue to monitor the current situation both in Europe and globally, as well as the effectiveness of any disease control measures taken.

The final outline designs and costings are expected to be agreed shortly. The designs will inform the Outline Business Case, which will be submitted for approval in late February 2022, and inform the Planning Permission submission expected in May 2022.

On 22 December 2020, the Government extended the Seasonal Workers Pilot for one year and expanded the number of visas from 10,000 to 30,000.

The extension and expansion of the Pilot for 2021 will allow for further review of the Pilot, including how growers will reduce their reliance on migrant labour now we have left the EU, whilst also easing some of the pressure experienced on farms when they are at their busiest. We intend to publish the first-year review later this year.

Defra is working closely with industry and the Home Office – who engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including non-governmental organisations, when designing and implementing immigration policy – to understand better the effectiveness of interventions and to ensure there is a long-term strategy for the food and farming workforce beyond 2021.

The Government recognises the UK's proud hops growing tradition. We recognise the challenges that the sector has faced and continues to face due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

To support businesses impacted by Covid-19, the Government made available financial support under several schemes during 2020. In April 2021, the Government also launched the Recovery Loan Scheme. This is intended to help give UK businesses ongoing access to finance as they recover from the economic impact of the Covid-19. In addition to this, Defra officials have also engaged with the relevant local authorities to assist the hops sector in accessing financial support under the discretionary Additional Restrictions Grant Fund.

Defra officials continue to meet regularly with the British Hop Association to discuss the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the hops industry and are working closely with them to help preserve the long-term future of the sector.

Beauty, heritage and engagement with the environment is an important part of our new environmental schemes.

These could support the creation of active travel routes through providing funding for access to infrastructure or for educational visits, for example. We will engage with a range of stakeholders as we develop the scheme. This includes through our tests and trials programme. Several tests and trials are considering how access can be incorporated in the new schemes.

We are working with stakeholders and end users to determine the specific land management actions that will be paid for under the Environmental Land Management scheme. We will set out more details on this later this year. 'The Path to Sustainable Farming: An Agricultural Transition Plan 2021 to 2024' set out examples of the types of actions that we envisage paying for under the scheme.

We'll also be testing and piloting key aspects of the new schemes in real situations with farmers and land managers beginning in 2021. This aims to learn and innovate prior to the start of an early prototype of the Sustainable Farming Incentive Scheme in 2022.

This Government is committed to improving the environment in the UK and internationally. Environmental laws and other safeguards are in place and monitored by effective regulators and tiers of Government.

The Environment Bill will create a new, independent statutory body (the Office for Environmental Protection) with the principal objective of contributing to environmental protection and the improvement of the natural environment.

The Government is also consulting on a new law designed to prevent forests and other important natural areas from being converted illegally into agricultural land. If approved, this will require a relatively small number of larger businesses to ensure that the ‘forest risk’ commodities they use – commodities that can cause wide-scale deforestation – have been produced legally.

The Farming Recovery Fund offers funding for the repair of infrastructure and land recovery, which may include crop damage, and agreements can include a range of recovery work. Sixty applications to the fund have been received from farmers in Worcestershire, of which twenty-six cited land recovery as the principle work area.

The window for applications to the Farming Recovery Fund closed on 1 September 2020 and claims under successful applications can be submitted by farmers into spring 2021. Payments are made once the recovery work has been completed and claimed. All applications from the Worcestershire area have been from farmers in West Worcestershire.

To date, one agreement has been paid in full, totalling around £750. There are 35 successful applications, from which we expect to pay around £217,000. We have a further 19 applications, valued at around £300,000, in appraisal.

These figures will continue to change as projects move through their lifecycle.

The Environment Agency (EA) is continuing to work with partners and the local community to reduce the impacts of flooding in Severn Stoke and is reviewing all delivery options for a full flood defence scheme in Tenbury Wells, including engaging with Local Enterprise Partnerships, businesses and the local authority.

The Government is investing £2.6 billion between 2015 and 2021, delivering over 1,000 schemes to better protect 300,000 homes.

Funding decisions are made on the basis of a rigorous assessment of local needs and the value for money of proposed schemes. Funding for all projects is allocated according to the rules that govern Defra’s existing six-year capital programme.

We will continue to work with the EA and HM Treasury to consider future investment needs and the Government’s role in supporting the resilience of communities.

Ensuring 12 years of quality education for all children, especially girls, is a UK priority, particularly in responding to the COVID 19 pandemic. This entails mitigating short term risks by focussing on safety, nutrition, wellbeing and learning whilst schools are closed; and supporting countries to protect and maintain education budgets in the longer term.

DFID is adapting its bilateral education programmes in 18 countries. The UK has announced £20 million for the UN Children’s Fund crisis appeal, which includes education, and a further £5 million to the Education Cannot Wait fund to support emergency education in fragile contexts. The Global Partnership for Education, to which the UK is the largest donor, is flexing over £200 million to support education sector stability in response to the pandemic.

The Prime Minister announced a commitment of up to £300 million for the International Finance Facility for Education (IFFEd) at the UN General Assembly in September 2019, consisting of £100 million in grant funding and around £200 million in paid-in cash and guarantees.

The UK is working closely with the Education Commission and Netherlands to finalise plans for the Facility, which will be based in London. IFFEd will be a vital tool to help ensure education systems are adequately funded during and after the COVID 19 pandemic.

DFID’s objective in responding to the pandemic is to support a robust global public health response that empowers local leadership and works through national and regional systems.

Global education has a critical role to play in this and we are adapting programmes to raise community awareness of the pandemic and protect the most vulnerable. We are using lessons from Ebola and the current response to improve our approach.

DFID is helping to deliver remote learning to children during the COVID19 crisis through radio, television and many mobile telephone networks that are providing educational applications free of charge.

Satellite internet technology has specific potential benefits in reaching children in remote areas where mobile telephone coverage is limited. The DFID-funded EdTech Hub is researching how to effectively scale this type of learning in low income countries, with a key focus on the Value for Money compared to non-tech interventions.

We are aware of the learning benefits of using onebillion, as shown by research and as the UK winner of the Global Learning X-Prize. Onebillion’s approach has demonstrated learning benefits for both girls and boys in areas of the world where access to education is limited. DFID has previously funded onebillion through Comic Relief and through an in-kind donation in Malawi.

The world must take increased, urgent action to tackle climate change and environmental degradation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Across the world governments, businesses, financial institutions, communities and individuals all need to play a part, and the Government is working hard so that, at the international climate summit next year in Glasgow, we accelerate progress to address these twin global challenges. Education, training and public awareness have a vital role in increasing the understanding of the impacts of climate change and our ability to respond and adapt.

There are currently no plans for a Secretary of State for International Development visit to Sudan. However, as Minister for Africa, I am considering plans to travel to the continent, including to Sudan, in the near future.

DFID’s largest programme in South Sudan is our Humanitarian Assistance and Resilience programme, which provides life-saving assistance and helps people cope with conflict and climate shocks. Our Building Resilience through Asset Creation and Enhancement programme provides complementary support to help reduce hunger and mitigate conflict in rural areas.

DFID also makes a major contribution to the delivery of essential services in South Sudan, through our Girls Education South Sudan programme, which has a particular focus on supporting girls to complete their schooling; and through the DFID-led multi-donor Health Pooled Fund, through which we are supporting over 800 frontline health centres across South Sudan.

Finally, DFID is providing modest support to improve conflict sensitivity of donor aid to South Sudan and to pilot sub-national peace-building approaches through our Better Aid in Conflict and our Peace-building Opportunities Fund programming.

We are familiar with the Project Drawdown report and recognise the strong links between our work on girls’ education, gender, and tackling climate change, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Coping with climate change is a challenge that faces us all and it is having wide ranging effects on economies, livelihoods, access to education and natural resources. The poorest communities, and girls and women within them, are likely to be hardest hit, which is why we are investing in building the resilience of the world’s poorest by doubling our International Climate Finance. This has helped 57 million people cope with the effects of climate change since 2011.

The UK is firmly committed to working to ensure that all girls have access to twelve years of quality education. This access is significantly impacted by climate change. Girls are often the first to be taken out of school when climate affects livelihoods and household food security. Girls and women can also be powerful agents of change, at political, community and household level. For example, women in developing countries currently play critical roles in supplying and managing household energy which means they can make a significant contribution to the uptake of solid fuel alternatives and sustainable energy solutions. Indeed, educating women and girls has been described as one of the ‘best climate change disaster prevention investments’ both because educated women are better able to adapt their homes and livelihoods to climate extremes and because the evidence suggests that when a girl has an education, she marries later, has better employment and fewer children, who are healthier and better educated.

In 2019, the UK announced new work to tackle period poverty and shame overseas and allocated £2m of funding for projects through UK Aid Direct in DFID priority countries.

DFID takes an integrated approach to tackling period poverty and shame, from reproductive health and sanitation programmes, to girls’ education and humanitarian programmes. Our programmes in Africa and Asia support access to products and safe and hygienic facilities. They also equip girls and women with knowledge about their bodies, seeking to address harmful stigma and shame.

We do not disaggregate the numbers of sanitary pads donated through UK aid programmes. We believe women and girls should be able to access a choice of period products that meet their needs, including sanitary pads. In some countries, UK aid is supporting women to make reusable products locally. This helps them generate an income and creates eco-friendly options that meet local women’s preferences.

The Prime Minister has publicly stated that education, particularly girls’ education, is a priority for the UK.

He announced a commitment of up to £300 million for the International Finance Facility for Education at the UN General Assembly in September 2019, consisting of £100 million in grant funding and $250 million in paid-in cash and guarantees.

The Facility will make a generate additional finance for education in up to 40 lower-middle income countries where funding is inadequate, learning is off track, and around 155 million children are out of school.

Distribution of the £7.08 billion spent bilaterally on education between 2009 and 2018 is listed below:

These amounts include contributions which cannot be disaggregated by country, some of which is channelled through multilateral programmes such as the Global Partnership for Education and Education Cannot Wait.

Top ten country spend over this time period is as below:

The UK launched our flagship Girls’ Education Challenge programme – the world’s largest global fund dedicated to girls’ education – in May 2012.

The first phase of the Girls’ Education Challenge (2012-2017) directly provided quality education for over a million marginalised girls through 37 different projects in 18 countries across Africa and Asia, many operating in conflict and crisis. The programme also benefitted other girls, boys, and wider communities through activities such as teaching training and improving school infrastructure.

The second phase of the Girls’ Education Challenge (2017-2025) is supporting up to 1.5 million marginalised girls with access to education through 41 projects across 17 countries. This second phase includes support for highly marginalised girls who have never attended school, or have dropped out due to poverty, motherhood, disability or conflict.

The UK is the largest donor to Education Cannot Wait. Education Cannot Wait has supported over 2 million children since its inception.

The funding provided directly to Education Cannot Wait in each financial year has been:

- 2016/17 - £7.5m

- 2017/18 - £10m

- 2018/19 - £12.1m

- 2019/20 - £38.5m

Total - £68.1m

Planned future spend provided directly is anticipated as:

- 2020/21 - £25.6m

- 2021/22 - £14.9m

- 2022/23 - £10m

Total - £50.5m

Exact disbursements are based on performance in annual reviews, together with reviews of financial documentation to ensure payments are not in advance of need. Allocations beyond 2022/2023 will be determined closer to the time, based on progress made.

Exact disbursements are based on performance in annual reviews, together with reviews of financial documentation to ensure payments are not in advance of need. Allocations beyond 2022/2023 will be determined closer to the time, based on progress made.

1. The Prime Minister has publicly stated that education, particularly standing up for the right of every girl in the world to have 12 years of quality education, is a priority for the UK. Between 2009 and 2018, the Government spent £7.08 billion bilaterally from the public purse to support the fulfilment of the UN sustainable development goal on education. This does not include all multilateral spend. Between 2015 and 2019 DFID supported 14.8 million children to gain a decent education, of which at least 5.8 million were girls. UKAid is spent in the countries that need it the most. From 2015 to 2018, the largest number of children supported by DFID education programmes was in Africa, where the majority of out of school children live. Most of the children supported by DFID’s education programmes live in fragile states.

The Department for Transport received Network Rail’s assessment on 26 August. A copy has been forwarded to North Cotswold Line Task Force representatives with an invitation to discuss the next steps for progressing the Business Case.

The J4a-6 M5 smart motorway scheme started construction in January 2016 and was opened for traffic in May 2017. The table below contains the number of reported traffic collisions reported by Highways England for this stretch of road, where a lane closure has been implemented:

The Department’s review of the safety of Smart Motorways across England, published in March 2020, showed that overall, the evidence shows that in most ways, smart motorways are as safe as, or safer than, the conventional ones. But not in every way. To ensure we are doing all we can do to improve safety, a package of 18 measures were published in March. This will allow us to retain the benefits of smart motorways while addressing the concerns that have been identified.

The Secretary of State has not made any representations regarding the North Cotswold Line SOBC to the Prime Minister. Network Rail is continuing undertake a review of the business case at the Department’s request, which is close to completion.

The Infrastructure Delivery Taskforce, named ‘Project Speed’, will be led by the Chancellor and will bring forward proposals to deliver government’s public investment projects more strategically and efficiently. This will ensure we are building the right things better and faster than before. All infrastructure projects will be in scope of this work.

Network Rail is continuing undertake a review of the business case at the Department’s request. This is expected to be completed in early summer, however the constraints of the current COVID19 situation may have an impact on the timescales for both the review and the Department’s subsequent consideration of the Task Force’s request for funding to develop the case and its entry into the Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline (RNEP).

I have asked Network Rail to carry out an assessment of the Task Force’s Strategic Outline Business Case, and to work with Great Western Railway to assess the operational aspects of the scheme. I am expecting Network Rail to provide me with the first draft of their assessment by early Summer. This will enable the Department to take an informed decision on the Task Force’s funding request to take the proposal forward. I have also written to Lord Faulkner setting out the way forward.

The Government does not hold records of public chargepoints. According to data from Zapmap, as of 1 October 2019 there are 97 chargepoints (of which 46 are rapid) in the Worcestershire area. In the district council area of Malvern Hills there are 12 chargepoints (of which 4 are rapid) and in Wychavon district council, 21 chargepoints (of which 10 are rapid).

My Right Hon Friend the Secretary of State has recently written to local authorities across the country, urging them to take advantage of funding on offer to build up their electric car charging infrastructure and to increase local access to chargepoints for drivers.

The Government is committed to improving local infrastructure and expects to announce details of the available funding shortly. Individual allocations of this funding will be subject to Ministerial decisions.

The Department and West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) regularly monitor train service performance across the entire Franchise, and meet frequently with West Midlands Trains to support their plans for making services better and hold them to account when things go wrong. Since the timetable change, there has been a 3.89% (38.93% to 35.04%) reduction in right time arrivals in the Great Malvern and Malvern Link area, which is very disappointing. Since April 2019, a new ‘On Time’ performance measure was introduced. This new, tougher measure looks at the performance at every station along the route – not just whether trains reach their destination on time. This shows a collective commitment by industry and Government to provide a service on which passengers can rely.

In response to crowding issues, West Midlands Trains have added extra carriages to the 0650, 0739, 0810, and 0839 departures from Malvern Link, and the 1550 service from Birmingham New Street to Hereford. West Midlands Trains will also retain the Class 153 units until the delivery of their new trains later in 2020. These carriages will provide extra capacity for customers at Malvern Link station. West Midlands Trains has advised us they intend to recruit additional traincrew to make service delivery more robust.

The Department and West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) regularly monitor train service performance across the entire Franchise, and meet frequently with West Midlands Trains to support their plans for making services better and hold them to account when things go wrong. Since the timetable change, there has been a 3.89% (38.93% to 35.04%) reduction in right time arrivals in the Great Malvern and Malvern Link area, which is very disappointing. Since April 2019, a new ‘On Time’ performance measure was introduced. This new, tougher measure looks at the performance at every station along the route – not just whether trains reach their destination on time. This shows a collective commitment by industry and Government to provide a service on which passengers can rely.

In response to crowding issues, West Midlands Trains have added extra carriages to the 0647, 0736, 0807, and 0836 departures from Great Malvern, and the 1550 service from Birmingham New Street to Hereford. West Midlands Trains will also retain the Class 153 units until the delivery of their new trains later in 2020. These carriages will provide extra capacity for customers at Great Malvern station. West Midlands Trains has advised us they intend to recruit additional traincrew to make service delivery more robust.

Worcestershire County Council and its rail industry partners agreed in December 2019 that the new Worcestershire Parkway station would become fully operational early this year. The Department understands that the date for this will be confirmed as soon as possible, and that the ORR authorisation process is currently underway.

Franchisees are contractually obliged under their Franchise Agreements to provide compensation to passengers in accordance with the National Rail Conditions of Carriage (NRCoC) and their Passenger’s Charter. All Franchise Agreements require Franchisees to pay the compensation for delays which passengers are entitled to.

West Midlands Railway’s Passenger’s Charter commits them to offer a Delay Repay scheme. This entitles customers holding valid tickets to compensation for delays of 15 minutes or more, regardless of the cause. The Passenger’s Charter was approved by the Secretary of State, and any future revisions to it must also achieve my consent.

The provisions within the Passenger’s Charter are enforced by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) as part of the railway licencing arrangements.

The Department oversees the delivery of the West Midlands Franchise in conjunction with the West Midlands Railway Executive (WMRE), a consortium of 14 local authorities. The Department and WMRE monitor the performance of West Midlands Trains (WMT) performance against its obligations on a four weekly basis and meets with WMT regularly (both formally and informally) to discuss these matters. Operational performance since WMT implemented its new timetable in May 2018 has been particularly disappointing and the Department and WMRE are closely monitoring the steps WMT are taking to address the performance problems and, if appropriate, will be using the full range of remedies available under the Franchise Agreement.

The Franchise Agreement with West Midlands Trains (WMT) contains a large number of contractual commitments, ranging from targets for train service performance, customer satisfaction, and service quality, to over 90 committed obligations designed to transform the quality of services operated by the Franchisee.

The Franchise Agreement is available on the Department’s website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/west-midlands-2017-rail-franchise-agreement

The Department oversees the delivery of the West Midlands Franchise in conjunction with the West Midlands Railway Executive (WMRE), a consortium of 14 local authorities. The Department and WMRE monitor the performance of West Midlands Trains (WMT) against its obligations on a four weekly basis and meets with WMT regularly (both formally and informally) to discuss these matters. Operational performance since WMT implemented its new timetable in May 2018 has been particularly disappointing and the Department and WMRE are closely monitoring the steps WMT are taking to address the performance problems and, if appropriate, will be using the full range of remedies available under the Franchise Agreement.

We have no plans to do so.

Electroconvulsive therapy is regulated under the Mental Health Act 1983 and can only be given when a patient consents.

The information requested is not collected centrally.

An enormous amount of work has already taken place to ensure we have the required workforce to roll out a COVID-19 vaccine to the United Kingdom population at the pace and scale required.

To enable this, the Department made changes to the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 in Oct 2020 (The Human Medicines (Coronavirus and Influenza) (Amendment) Regulations 2020). This allows additional health care professionals and those who have passed a programme of extensive training developed by Public Health England and Health Education England to safely administer a licensed or temporarily authorised influenza or COVID-19 vaccine.

Staff working in dental services – particularly those who are registered with relevant professional groups – have been encouraged to consider applying for temporary roles to support the COVID-19 vaccination programme, including as vaccinators. Information has been provided to dental staff groups on how they might apply for these opportunities.

Patients using the NHS 111 online service or calling NHS 111 will speak to a trained adviser, or if required a clinician, who will ask questions about the injury and any symptoms the patient is experiencing to identify the most appropriate treatment. This includes being invited to attend a face-to-face appointment at their local minor injuries unit.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published ‘Vitamin D for COVID-19: Evidence Review’ which is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/advice/es28/evidence/evidence-review-pdf-8777674477

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition also published ‘Rapid review: Vitamin D and acute respiratory tract infections’ which is available at the following link:

https://app.box.com/s/g0ldpth1upfd7fw763ew3aqa3c0pyvky

These rapid evidence reviews, published in June 2020, concluded that there is currently no evidence to support taking vitamin D supplements to reduce the risk and severity of COVID-19. My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care was referring to these publications when he responded to the hon. Member for Ealing Central and Acton (Rupa Huq MP).

Public Health England will keep this topic under review and will consider updating this assessment if emerging high-quality evidence suggests a change to existing conclusions, and advise the Government accordingly.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question 38910 on 5 August.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 28 July to Question 63335.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have purchased a total of 324,811 oximeters through the NHS Supply Chain to support blood oxygen monitoring, including identification of ‘silent hypoxia’ and rapid patient deterioration at home of patients with COVID-19 or suspected COVID-19.

National Health Service patients are benefitting from an unprecedented partnership with private hospitals in the United Kingdom as we battle the COVID-19 outbreak. The Government has provided additional funding to the NHS to allow them to continue to use additional hospital capacity from the independent sector until the end of March 2021.

Since 11 May, we have advised people to wear face coverings in enclosed spaces where they cannot easily social distance and might come into contact with people they do not normally meet, and from Friday 24 July, members of the public must wear a face covering when visiting a shop or supermarket in England.

In addition, the Government is running a major proactive communications campaign on face coverings to alert the public where they are now required to wear face coverings and educate the public on how to correctly wear one.

United Kingdom advice on face covering follows advice from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies. As always, we are committed to following the evidence and will keep reviewing evidence from around the world and update our position as and when we need to.

At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak in March there were more than 8,000 mechanical ventilators in hospitals across the United Kingdom. As of 27 May, we have around 14,000 mechanical ventilators available to National Health Service patients. In addition, there are also 10,344 non-invasive ventilators available to the NHS across the UK which were not available before the start of the crisis in mid-March plus a further 73 from the private healthcare sector.

Mechanical ventilators are allocated pro rata between England and the devolved administrations, but then within each nation decisions of where to send ventilators are based on clinical need. In England hospitals can make a bid for ventilators and these are discussed and allocated with regional NHS England and NHS Improvement teams. Two of the new mechanical ventilators have been sent to Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

As publicly stated by our Ambassador in Khartoum on 23 May, we are disappointed that the Sudanese authorities have chosen not to renew the visa for Dame Rosalind Marsden. The decision is unfortunate especially given the request of the Sudanese authorities for the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), and its partners to devote more attention to support for peacebuilding. In her capacity as a senior consultant to the UN in Sudan since July 2021, Dame Marsden has been supporting a series of integrated peacebuilding assessments, intended to help UN Agencies and partners design and prioritise support.

The crisis in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon has had tragic impacts on the lives of civilians. The UK has called for continued humanitarian access, and on 14 April, alongside the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Cameroon and other UN Member States, we joined the launch of the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP). The HRP outlines how humanitarian actors will support 2.6 million people living in crisis areas with multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance. Over the last five years, we have allocated over £21 million aid to Cameroon, which has included food supplies, sanitation, healthcare and social protection. This is supporting the World Food Programme and International Committee for the Red Cross to assist those affected in the North-West and South-West regions.

The humanitarian situation in the North West and South West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon continues to have a tragic impact on civilians. Violence between separatist groups and Government forces has displaced 1.1 million people; over 2 million people require humanitarian support and 850,000 children are without safe access to school. MSF is an important health actor in the North West and South West regions and its temporary withdrawal has left gaps in health service provision which will disproportionately impact vulnerable populations. The UN is trying to manage these gaps; for example in April it allocated $1.7 million Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) funds to address a cholera outbreak in the South West, which typically the MSF would have been well placed to cover.

We have allocated over £21 million of humanitarian support for needs in Cameroon over the last five years, and regularly call for continued humanitarian access. We continue to engage with UN and other humanitarian actors active across Cameroon to ensure that urgent needs are met, including most recently with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on 29 April, on the impact of the suspension of humanitarian activities.

Due to the security situation in Ukraine, we have temporarily removed potentially sensitive information from our Official Development Assistance (ODA) project monitoring systems to ensure the safety of partners. The most common sectors for ODA projects in Ukraine have been; Civilian peace-building, conflict prevention and resolution; Human Rights; Ending violence against women and girls; and Anti-Corruption organisations and institutions.

The Statistics on International Development (SID) National Statistics report, published on the gov.uk website, provide an overview of all official UK spend on Official Development Assistance (ODA). ODA is an international measure and is collected and reported on a calendar year basis.

In answer to the specific breakdowns requested:

A. UK bilateral ODA to Indonesia in 2020 (latest year available) was £33.3mn (as reported in SID Table A4b) https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-on-international-development-final-uk-aid-spend-2020

For more information on active Indonesia ODA programmes please see the DevTracker page on Indonesia (https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/countries/ID).

B. Details of Prosperity Fund ODA programmes that benefit Indonesia can also be found in "Data underlying the SID" using the "Extending Agency field".

C. As part of CDC / BII's new five year strategy which was launched at the start of 2022, they are seeking to expand their investment portfolio in South East Asia, including in Indonesia. CDC has a portfolio of three indirect investments in Indonesia made via two investment funds: Neoma South East Asia Fund II, and Sarataoga Asia II LP.

The estimated amount of UK ODA funding to the core budgets of multilateral organisations, which was then spent in Indonesia, is published in SID Table A10. This presents the UK Imputed Multilateral Shares for 2015 to 2019 (latest available year). Information on multilateral programmes that benefit Indonesia can also be found on the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) multilateral activity dataset (https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?ThemeTreeId=3) .

The UK has closely monitored the political situation in Tunisia since the changes brought in by President Kais Saied on 25 July 2021, and we will continue to do so. We engage regularly with government leaders in the country, most recently on 1 March when the British Ambassador called on Prime Minister Najla Bouden. Tunisia faces many economic and political challenges that can only be effectively addressed through democratic engagement, transparency, the protection of human rights, and free speech. The UK has expressed its views regarding the political situation, bilaterally and through statements on behalf of G7 Ambassadors. The most recent joint statement was on 8 February, conveying concerns about the decision to dissolve Tunisia's Supreme Judicial Council: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/supreme-judicial-court-in-tunisia-ambassadors-joint-statement-8-february-2022.

We have built on the momentum of the G7 and UK-hosted Global Education Summit to push forward progress on girls' education. At COP26, we shone a spotlight on the links between education and climate and called for countries to prioritise early learning in their efforts to mitigate climate change. In Afghanistan, the UK has called for girls' right to secondary education to be restored, and UK humanitarian funds are helping provide safe spaces for learning for 38,000 displaced children, including 28,000 girls.

As of mid-December, more than 647 million school children were still affected by partial or full school closures. Ministers are pressing national governments to reopen schools as a matter of priority, while our bilateral education programmes and flagship Girls' Education Challenge continue to support children to catch-up on the learning they have lost. On 26 January, the UK helped launch a new report by the Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel focused on recovering children's education.

The UK looks forward to the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) being held in Kigali, on a new date agreed by the Commonwealth Family. The UK is in regular touch with the Government of Rwanda (CHOGM host) and the Commonwealth Secretariat on preparations for CHOGM; we look forward to Leaders' endorsement of an ambitious package of commitments in due course.

The UK and Kenya co-hosted the Global Education Summit, in London in July 2021, which raised over $4 billion in pledges to help transform education for some of the world's most vulnerable children. In addition, 19 countries signed the Kenyatta declaration, thereby committing to protect, extend and improve their domestic financing to education. The UK will continue to encourage all Global Partnership for Education (GPE) partner countries, including in the Commonwealth, to prioritise domestic education spend.

We have committed to publish an annual report tracking progress against the two new global objectives, in collaboration with UNESCO and the UN Girls' Education Initiative. The report is due to be published in the summer of 2022 and annually will highlight the progress that low- and middle-income countries have made in getting 40 million more girls into school and 20 million more girls reading by the age of 10, as well as demonstrating the obstacles that are still to be overcome.

The Government is pressing the Taliban to respect human rights in Afghanistan, including the rights of human rights defenders, democratically elected representatives and women's rights champions. The Government has also doubled its aid to Afghanistan. Resettlement in the UK can be a solution for only a small minority of Afghanistan's people. During Op Pitting the Government evacuated more than 15,000 people from Afghanistan to the UK, including some in the groups referred to. The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme has resettled thousands of at-risk Afghans who have worked with or alongside the UK government, and their families. The Afghan citizens resettlement scheme (ACRS) will provide further protection for people at risk identified as in need. The scheme is not yet open and further details will be announced in due course.

The UK Government is prioritising support to the humanitarian response in Afghanistan. We are working closely with the World Bank and our partners on options to support essential basic services in Afghanistan to prevent an escalation in the humanitarian crisis. The UK has been at the forefront in supporting the repurposing of the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, including the recently announced release of $280m to support basic health care and food security. We are also supporting proposals to address banking and liquidity issue.

On 1 November, the UK's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation issued new guidance (https://ofsi.blog.gov.uk/2021/11/01/ofsi-updates-charity-sector-guidance/ ) to the charity sector on operating in Afghanistan. This was issued after close collaboration with FCDO, and is kept under constant review. The UK government is working closely with the UN and non-governmental organisations (NGO) to ensure that UK aid benefits Afghans in need while meeting our international obligations. We are providing life-saving humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan through the UN, NGOs and the Red Cross Movement on the ground, who are continuing to ensure vital aid reaches those who need it most. We have made the humanitarian situation and access a major subject of our engagement with the Taliban. They have assured us and the UN that aid workers are able to operate freely, and the UN is reporting that this is broadly happening. We continue to monitor this closely.

In the last three years South Sudan has seen widespread and protracted flooding driven by abnormally intense and extensive rains. We are deeply concerned at the impact such flooding has on millions of ordinary South Sudanese, exacerbating the existing humanitarian crisis. As a leading donor to South Sudan, HMG aims to reach 2 million people with some form of humanitarian assistance this year. Our humanitarian spend of £34.5 million this year includes help to those impacted by flooding. For example HMG contributions to the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund and the International Federation of Red Cross Disaster Relief Emergency Fund have provided emergency food, shelter, water and sanitation services to those affected.

In addition, we have provided emergency support to those affected by flooding through existing programmes. This includes in Jonglei State where we have supported more than 15,000 displaced people with soap, buckets, water purification supplies and mosquito nets. In Unity State plastic sheeting, blankets and cooking supplies have been provided to more than 9,400 affected by floods. We also continue to press the Government of South Sudan to prioritise providing their own funding for essential services for their citizens.

In the last three years South Sudan has seen widespread and protracted flooding driven by abnormally intense and extensive rains. We are deeply concerned at the impact such flooding has on millions of ordinary South Sudanese, exacerbating the existing humanitarian crisis. As a leading donor to South Sudan, HMG aims to reach 2 million people with some form of humanitarian assistance this year. Our humanitarian spend of £34.5 million this year includes help to those impacted by flooding. For example HMG contributions to the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund and the International Federation of Red Cross Disaster Relief Emergency Fund have provided emergency food, shelter, water and sanitation services to those affected.

In addition, we have provided emergency support to those affected by flooding through existing programmes. This includes in Jonglei State where we have supported more than 15,000 displaced people with soap, buckets, water purification supplies and mosquito nets. In Unity State plastic sheeting, blankets and cooking supplies have been provided to more than 9,400 affected by floods. We also continue to press the Government of South Sudan to prioritise providing their own funding for essential services for their citizens.

In the last three years South Sudan has seen widespread and protracted flooding driven by abnormally intense and extensive rains. In Bentiu, climate and conflict have put more people in need of humanitarian support. Flood waters have also made the delivery of aid even more challenging, impacting supply routes including around the Bentiu Internally Displaced People (IDP) camp.

In December £500,000 of HMG humanitarian programme funding was reallocated to provide additional helicopter capacity so that humanitarian organisations could deliver aid to areas severely impacted by flooding, including Bentiu. We have also provided funding to different UN bodies and funds such as the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which have allocated resources to Bentiu, and the World Food Programme who aim to support 37,000 people in Bentiu IDP camp. The South Sudan Humanitarian Fund that we contribute to has also recently allocated $2.3 million to support health, water and sanitation services for displaced people in Bentiu IDP camp. This additional funding which will support pregnant women, provide safe water and hygiene promotion, improve waste management, and help prevent further cases of hepatitis.

In the last three years South Sudan has seen widespread and protracted flooding driven by abnormally intense and extensive rains. In Bentiu, climate and conflict have put more people in need of humanitarian support. Flood waters have also made the delivery of aid even more challenging, impacting supply routes including around the Bentiu Internally Displaced People (IDP) camp.

In December £500,000 of HMG humanitarian programme funding was reallocated to provide additional helicopter capacity so that humanitarian organisations could deliver aid to areas severely impacted by flooding, including Bentiu. We have also provided funding to different UN bodies and funds such as the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which have allocated resources to Bentiu, and the World Food Programme who aim to support 37,000 people in Bentiu IDP camp. The South Sudan Humanitarian Fund that we contribute to has also recently allocated $2.3 million to support health, water and sanitation services for displaced people in Bentiu IDP camp. This additional funding which will support pregnant women, provide safe water and hygiene promotion, improve waste management, and help prevent further cases of hepatitis.

The humanitarian crisis in South Sudan is deeply concerning and at a scale that cannot be met by individual donors. We remain a leading donor in South Sudan. Our strategic ODA priorities are: global health security, girls' education, humanitarian preparedness and response, open societies, and conflict resolution. This year HMG will: help 400,000 girls to access education and improve the learning environment for all South Sudanese children; provide life-saving access to quality health services across 8 states in South Sudan; and reach an estimated 2 million people with at least one form of humanitarian assistance.

The UK spent over £164 million on mine action between 2014-21. We have committed a further £17 million for financial year 2021-22. Both GMAP and GMAP2 supported mine action across the globe including in Iraq, Lebanon, Myanmar, Vietnam, Angola, Cambodia and Zimbabwe. The programmes involved clearing land; risk education to help affected communities keep safe; and capacity development for national authorities to help them manage their contamination.

The Global Mine Action Programme 3 (GMAP3) is due to begin in 2022; we are working towards finalising funding and country allocations and hope to share our plans for the programme in due course.

UK has funded mine action in South Sudan through the Global Mine Action Programme 2 since 2018. To date we have spent over £3 million and have further committed just under £500,000 in financial year 2021/22. The Global Mine Action Programme 3 (GMAP3) is due to begin in 2022; we are working towards finalising funding and country allocations and hope to share our plans for the programme in due course.

Pacific Island Countries are amongst the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The UK provides a range of support across the Pacific to finance adaptation in order to increase resilience to climate change. Most UK aid in the Pacific is delivered through multilateral institutions such as the Green Climate Fund. The Green Climate Fund currently has two projects under implementation and in progress that benefit Tuvalu. The Tuvaluan Coastal Adaptation Project aims to protect Tuvalu from the impact of rising sea levels and increasing cyclone events that threaten the country. A second Green Climate Fund project aims to enhance the climate information services in five Pacific countries, including Tuvalu, and support increased climate-resilient sustainable development. The Green Climate Fund's performance was assessed as meeting expectations in its most recent FCDO Annual Review. Reviews of this nature assess performance at the portfolio-level, and do not look at individual projects

As COP26 Presidents, the UK is committed to driving action to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees and support countries most vulnerable to climate change, such as Madagascar, adapt to its impacts. The UK is a long-standing supporter of adaptation to climate change in Africa, with around half of the UK's £2.7 billion adaptation budget between 2016 and 2020 spent across the continent. Ahead of COP26, we have contributed £175 million to the Risk-informed Early Action Partnership, operating across Africa, which aims to make 1 billion people safer from disasters globally by 2025 through expanding early action financing, improving early warning systems and building the capacity to act on the risks they identify. At COP26, the UK has strengthened these commitments, joining African nations and other donors in contributing £20 million to the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Programme - an African-owned initiative which aims to support at-risk communities in countries such as Madagascar build resilience to extreme weather - as well as an additional £42m for adaptation through our flagship Africa Regional Climate and Nature programme. The UK is also a major contributor to the World Bank International Development Association (IDA)'s large-scale infrastructure programme operating in Madagascar, which will support longer-term adaptation through the creation of multi-use water systems throughout the country's three southern regions.

The UK also remains deeply concerned by the humanitarian crisis in southern Madagascar, which is driven by multiple factors including climate shocks. We are working closely with the UN, Government of Madagascar and other donors to ensure aid reaches those in need. In 2021, the UK has allocated £5 million to UN humanitarian agencies to provide life-saving food assistance, nutrition and health interventions, access to safe water and to reinforce humanitarian system coordination in southern Madagascar. This UK funding will reach 250,000 people, including the provision of food assistance in the form of emergency cash transfers to 132,000 people. In addition, the UK is a core contributor to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund which has allocated approximately £5.78 million to the international response this year.

The Government is actively considering its approach to the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit following the conclusion of the Spending Review. We will set this out as early as possible as part of the business planning process.

The FCDO is continuing to work closely with the Government of Japan to make sure that the 2021 Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit supports meaningful action by governments, donors, businesses, the UN, and civil society.

The FCDO undertakes reviews of all its programmes on an annual basis, which include a close look at value for money. These are published on DevTracker, and include consideration of the programme's value for money. We also invest in evaluating our programmes to enable us to learn what works, and to adapt our approaches accordingly.

Investments in optimum nutrition, particularly those focused on the critical first 1000 days of life, are some of the best value-for-money development actions. For every pound spent by donors on basic nutrition programmes, there is a £16 return to the local economy.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world saw moderate progress in the reduction of malnutrition globally. However, even in 2019, 144 million children under 5 years had stunted growth due to poor nutrition, and 47 million faced life-threatening wasting. Due to the impact of COVID-19 on economies, and on food and health systems, this improving trend has been reversed. Research estimates there will be an additional 9.3 million wasted, and 2.6 million stunted children from 2020 to 2022 compared to projections without COVID-19. (https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-123716/v1).

The UK spend on basic nutrition programmes was £117 million in 2018, £130 million in 2019, and £98 million in 2020. In addition, the UK also invests in nutrition-sensitive interventions, which address the underlying causes of malnutrition. As these cut across a range of sectoral activities, spend on them cannot be identified in the same way.

Information about our nutrition spend in 2021 and 2022 will be publicly available through Statistics for International Development (SIDS) in due course. We will continue to publish our spend information by project on DevTracker as always (updated monthly).

We are deeply concerned by reports of extrajudicial executions in Warrap state in South Sudan. The UK will continue to urge the Government of South Sudan to tackle human rights violations and to implement their commitments to address these, including through implementation of the 2018 Peace Agreement. We did this most recently in our statement at the Human Rights Council session on 6 October where we also urged for the continuation of robust monitoring and reporting as part of understanding the scale of the challenge and need for international attention and support. The UK supports the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan's call for the Government of South Sudan to prevent extrajudicial executions and carry out prompt, impartial, and independent investigations of all such acts in Warrap State, so the perpetrators can be held to account.

We strongly condemn the actions of the Sudanese military on 25 October to detain Prime Minister Hamdok and members of the civilian government, declare a state of emergency and unilaterally dissolve the transitional government. Over the past two years, the UK has taken a leading role to support Sudan on their delicate path from oppressive autocratic rule to freedom and democracy. The actions of the military represents a betrayal of the Sudanese people and their journey to democracy.

Prior to these recent events I spoke to Hamdok on 22 September to assure him of UK support to the civilian-led transition following the attempted coup of 21 September. I then had the opportunity to meet with Hamdok, General Burhan and other senior members of the government during my visit to Khartoum on 19/20 October. I urged all sides to work together and implement the Constitutional Declaration and Juba Peace Agreement in full; a message that still stands. We urge Sudan's military leadership to reverse their course, to release detained politicians, and to ensure Sudanese people can protest without fear of violence. The United Kingdom has, and will continue to be, a consistent and firm advocate for Sudan's transition to democracy.

The Prime Minister and President Kenyatta of Kenya will co-host the Global Education Summit: Financing the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) in London in July 2021. As co-hosts, it is our policy to use all the means at our disposal to host a successful Summit. A well-funded GPE will be central to delivering the two ambitious global objectives endorsed by G7 Foreign and Development Ministers in London on 5 May of getting 40 million more girls in school, and 20 million more girls reading by age 10 in the next 5 years.

Lobbying is underway with G7 partners, and guest countries in the run-up to the G7 to set the GPE on course to secure its financing target of $5 billion over the next five years. At the G7 Summit, the Prime Minister will call on leaders to make ambitious pledges to GPE in support of the G7-endorsed global objectives.

We have prioritised our aid to be more strategic and remain a force for good across the world. Following a thorough review, the FCDO's aid budget has been allocated in accordance with UK strategic priorities against a challenging financial climate caused by COVID-19. FCDO will now work through what this means for individual research programmes, in line with the priorities we have identified

While we recognise some programmes will close, this will be done in a measured and responsible way, working closely with our delivery partners. We will return to spending 0.7 per cent as soon as the financial climate allows.  All FCDO teams will now plan their work based on the budget that has been allocated to them. We will discuss specifics with each individual project.  Budgets for 2022/23 and beyond will be determined through the spending review process later this year.

Faith organisations such as South Sudan Council of Churches (SSCC) play an important role in supporting peacebuilding in South Sudan. SSCC's work, under their Action Plan for Peace, has promoted advocacy, peace and reconciliation at both a national and community level. SSCC remains an important partner and we will continue to engage with them regularly, as well as work closely with other international partners to support SSCC in delivering our shared goals on bringing a lasting end to the conflict.

The UK supports a number of initiatives aimed at promoting peace and stability at a grassroots level, on top of ongoing efforts to drive forward implementation of the 2018 Peace Agreement. This includes continued support to peace process grassroots mediation activities via the UK Peacebuilding Opportunities Fund and the UN Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan, to which the UK contributed £57.9 million in 2020-21. Earlier this year, through Peacebuilding Opportunities Fund, we supported peace dialogues in Jonglei state, an area of intractable conflict with extreme levels of humanitarian need, to bring fighting communities together and broker an agreement which has dramatically reduced violence. We will continue to support initiatives like this to help build lasting peace in South Sudan.

he UK is committed to supporting the people of South Sudan, including women and girls, on their path to peace and stability. While we are still working through what the reduction to UK ODA means for individual programmes in South Sudan, our aid budget will be allocated according to the UK's strategic ODA priorities: global health security, girls' education, humanitarian preparedness and response, open societies, and conflict resolution. This includes continuing to provide life-saving access to health services in eight states across South Sudan and reaching at least 2 million people with at least one form of humanitarian assistance. Our Girls' Education in South Sudan programme is expected to support 550,000 students to get a decent education between 2019 and 2024. Through this, we will increase access and enable South Sudanese children, especially girls, to stay in school and complete primary and secondary education.

The last published Statistics on International Development report that the UK spent £57,084,711 of Official Development Assistance on Anti-Corruption in 2019, across a wide range of programmes in support of the UK's Anti-Corruption Strategy. In addition, some ODA programmes focussing on other areas contributed to reducing corruption, including programmes to improve public sector financial management systems and scrutiny by audit and civil society bodies. Equivalent statistics for 2020 are expected to be published in September 2021.

As announced last year, the impact of the global pandemic on the UK economy has forced us to take the tough but necessary decision to reduce temporarily how much we spend on Official Development Assistance (ODA). The UK will remain a world-leading donor, spending over £10 billion in 21/22. No decisions on sectoral budgets have been made yet. The Foreign Secretary has set out seven core priorities for the UK's aid budget this year, including defending open societies. The recently published Integrated Review sets out the UK Government's commitment to fight corruption and illicit finance as significant threats to democratic values and open societies around the world.

The UK is deeply concerned by the violence in Geneina, West Darfur. This is part of a worrying trend of intercommunal violence across Darfur, which we are monitoring. We are also concerned by reports of the involvement of foreign militias but are not able to verify these claims as the area remains highly insecure. We have called for an end to the violence and for immediate humanitarian access. We have also urged the Government of Sudan to: deliver their commitment to assume full responsibility for the Protection of Civilians; implement swiftly their National Plan for Civilian Protection; and to implement the Juba Peace Agreement, particularly provisions relating to security arrangements.

We welcome the Government of Sudan's open engagement on the issue of Geneina intercommunal violence and willingness to acknowledge the security challenge they face. This includes at a UK-requested briefing with the UN Security Council on 14 April, where Sudan outlined their commitment to dispatch security forces to the area, to expedite humanitarian assistance, and acknowledged the need to work with the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission Sudan (UNITAMS) to address Protection of Civilian issues.

The UN Security Council ended the mandate of UNAMID at the insistence of the Government of Sudan, who asserted that they would assume full responsibility for Protection of Civilians. Recent violence has however exposed weaknesses that urgently need to be addressed. We welcome the Government of Sudan's open engagement on the issue of Geneina intercommunal violence and willingness to acknowledge the security challenges they face. This includes at a UK-requested briefing with the UN Security Council on 14 April, where the Sudanese outlined their commitment to dispatch security forces to the area, to expedite humanitarian assistance, and acknowledged the need to work with the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission Sudan to address Protection of Civilian issues.

During a visit to Sudan in April, the UK Special Envoy for Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Affairs travelled to Darfur and heard about some of the security challenges first hand; he drew on this in meetings with the Government of Sudan to urge them to prioritise humanitarian access and implement the Juba Peace Agreement (JPA) as part of providing Protection of Civilians in Darfur.

The UK welcomes the removal of Sudan from the United States State Sponsor of Terrorism list. This will enable Sudan to engage with international markets and investors as they reform and rebuild the economy. As a leading donor to Sudan, the UK is this year providing £125m in economic and humanitarian assistance to help build stability and improve the lives of ordinary Sudanese. On 21 January, the Foreign Secretary visited Sudan and reaffirmed the UK's commitment to support Sudan's democratic transition, including via £40m funding to the Sudan Family Support Programme, to support the Sudanese Government's programme of essential economic reforms. The Foreign Secretary also announced the UK's intent to provide a bridging loan to clear Sudan's arrears with the African Development Bank, as part of wider efforts on debt relief. Sudan falls within CDC's geographical remit for investment, but CDC does not currently have any investments in the country.

Girls' education is one of the most transformational interventions for tackling poverty. Standing up for the right of every girl to 12 years of quality education is a major priority for this Government. As Chair in Office of the Commonwealth, the UK has worked to promote girls' education across the Commonwealth - for example, through the work of the Platform for Girls' Education and its policy papers, which include recommendations for action by policymakers and governments.

We are looking forward to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which is being hosted by Rwanda this year. The UK will highlight the importance of girls' education, and encourage Commonwealth member states to continue committing to provide the opportunity for at least 12 years of quality education and learning for all girls and boys by 2030. We will also use our G7 Presidency this year to rally the international community in stepping up support for girls' education, and co-hosting the replenishment of the Global Partnership for Education with Kenya in July.

As announced last year, the impact of the global pandemic on the UK economy has forced us to take the tough but necessary decision to temporarily reduce how much we spend on Official Development Assistance. The FCDO is reviewing all individual country allocations as part of the Country Business Planning process, including specific implications for all spend in South Sudan

The Prime Minister announced on 19 February that the UK would share majority of any surplus COVID-19 vaccines with COVAX. This is part of the significant support the UK is providing to COVAX, including £548 million to COVAX's Advance Market Commitment which is providing access to COVID-19 vaccines for the 92 most vulnerable countries. However, it remains too soon to say when we will have any surplus doses. We will set out more details on funding mechanisms in due course, including implications for Official Development Assistance, if and when a surplus has been identified.

Despite significant delays to implementation of the 2018 Agreement, including a nine month delay in forming the Transitional Government of National Unity, the UK welcomes recent progress, notably finalising state governor appointments. Alongside our Troika partners (US and Norway), we continue to encourage South Sudan's leaders, including President Kiir and First Vice-President Machar, to expedite implementation, including setting the conditions for elections, ensuring a lasting end to violence and addressing the grave humanitarian crisis. As I [Minister Duddridge] made clear during a visit to South Sudan in October 2020, all parties must work together to create the conditions needed for elections to take place, including political progress and improvements to the security situation. More recently, the Foreign Secretary and I [Minister Duddridge] discussed stability issues including South Sudan with President Kenyatta on 20 January, given the important role of regional partners in supporting delivery of the 2018 Agreement. The UK Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan discusses these issues regularly with international and regional partners, including IGAD, Sudan, and with President Museveni in December 2020.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office salary scales for Ambassadors and High Commissioners at our overseas posts are shown below. Pay ranges for the Senior Management Structure were effective from 1 April 2020, and for delegated grades from 1 August 2020.

ODA budgets will be allocated based on the new strategic approach for aid set out to the House on 26 November. This will also take into account considerations of need, including levels of poverty, ability of countries to fund themselves and to ensure that every pound we spend on ODA goes as far as possible and has greatest impact the UK could help achieve.

Urbanisation in developing countries is resulting in a rapid increase in the use of charcoal for cooking, with consequent impacts on forest degradation and human health. Around 2.8 billion people rely on wood, charcoal, animal waste or other solid fuels for cooking and heating. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that household air pollution from cooking with traditional solid fuels, such as charcoal, contributes to 3-4 million premature deaths every year, which is more than malaria and tuberculosis combined.

Indoor air pollution is a source of health inequality, with women and children in least developed countries most vulnerable to experiencing the worst health outcomes. The WHO, which FCDO funds, works to increase recognition of air pollution as an important global public health issue, supporting developing countries to reduce air pollution and its impacts on the health and life chances of their citizens.

Renewable electric cooking represents a competitive alternative to charcoal without consequences for air pollution and forest resources. Our International Climate Finance includes up to £1 billion for the Ayrton Fund, which includes support for research, development and demonstration of new clean energy technologies with the potential to improve air quality, health outcomes, and reduce carbon emissions in developing countries. The £38m FCDO-funded Modern Energy Cooking Services research programme is working towards universal access to clean and affordable cooking technologies. Such technologies have the potential to displace harmful cooking practices, helping to eliminate indoor air pollution and the preventable deaths it causes.

Urbanisation in developing countries is resulting in a rapid increase in the use of charcoal for cooking, with consequent impacts on forest degradation and human health. Around 2.8 billion people rely on wood, charcoal, animal waste or other solid fuels for cooking and heating. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that household air pollution from cooking with traditional solid fuels, such as charcoal, contributes to 3-4 million premature deaths every year, which is more than malaria and tuberculosis combined.

Indoor air pollution is a source of health inequality, with women and children in least developed countries most vulnerable to experiencing the worst health outcomes. The WHO, which FCDO funds, works to increase recognition of air pollution as an important global public health issue, supporting developing countries to reduce air pollution and its impacts on the health and life chances of their citizens.

Renewable electric cooking represents a competitive alternative to charcoal without consequences for air pollution and forest resources. Our International Climate Finance includes up to £1 billion for the Ayrton Fund, which includes support for research, development and demonstration of new clean energy technologies with the potential to improve air quality, health outcomes, and reduce carbon emissions in developing countries. The £38m FCDO-funded Modern Energy Cooking Services research programme is working towards universal access to clean and affordable cooking technologies. Such technologies have the potential to displace harmful cooking practices, helping to eliminate indoor air pollution and the preventable deaths it causes.

Urbanisation in developing countries is resulting in a rapid increase in the use of charcoal for cooking, with consequent impacts on forest degradation and human health. Around 2.8 billion people rely on wood, charcoal, animal waste or other solid fuels for cooking and heating. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that household air pollution from cooking with traditional solid fuels, such as charcoal, contributes to 3-4 million premature deaths every year, which is more than malaria and tuberculosis combined.

Indoor air pollution is a source of health inequality, with women and children in least developed countries most vulnerable to experiencing the worst health outcomes. The WHO, which FCDO funds, works to increase recognition of air pollution as an important global public health issue, supporting developing countries to reduce air pollution and its impacts on the health and life chances of their citizens.

Renewable electric cooking represents a competitive alternative to charcoal without consequences for air pollution and forest resources. Our International Climate Finance includes up to £1 billion for the Ayrton Fund, which includes support for research, development and demonstration of new clean energy technologies with the potential to improve air quality, health outcomes, and reduce carbon emissions in developing countries. The £38m FCDO-funded Modern Energy Cooking Services research programme is working towards universal access to clean and affordable cooking technologies. Such technologies have the potential to displace harmful cooking practices, helping to eliminate indoor air pollution and the preventable deaths it causes.

The UK has consistently supported the development of democracy in Uganda as a vital part of it being stable and prosperous. We urged that the recent elections should be credible, including through my tweet on 13 January. I also spoke with Ugandan Foreign Minister Kutesa and the Ugandan High Commission on 12 January about the importance of ensuring that the UK was able to deploy election observers. To that end we deployed 15 teams consisting of a total of 51 Election Observers across Uganda on election day. They observed and evaluated over 120 polling stations and reported back to the British High Commission. We continue to consult with the diplomatic community in Kampala, civil society actors, other international observers, and the Government of Uganda to ensure we have a comprehensive and accurate picture of both the election and post-election period. We have also urged the Government of Uganda to respond to the concerns raised. We would also like to commend the Ugandan media for their reporting on the elections. The UK, as part of the Media Freedom Coalition underlined on 8 January the importance of the media's ability to provide accurate and reliable information, for journalists to be accredited ahead of Uganda's elections - and urged the Ugandan authorities to address restrictions. We will continue to work with Ugandan partners to build long-term political freedoms.

We are deeply concerned by assessments from the UN and NGOs that the US Administration's decision to designate the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation is likely to disrupt the humanitarian response and stop vital food supplies getting in to Yemen. We have already engaged with the US to urge them to ensure that the vital humanitarian response, including food supplies, are not disrupted.  Ministers and officials will continue to engage closely with the UN and other donors, including the US, to ensure life-saving humanitarian aid reaches the millions of Yemenis in need.

Information on how much ODA the UK channels through UN agencies, including UNICEF, is published in the National Statistics publication - Statistics on International Development (SID).

In calendar year 2019, the Department for International Development provided a total of £48 million core multilateral funding and a further £416 million bilateral through multilateral funding. In addition, other UK Government Departments provided a further £16.3 million bilateral through multilateral funding.

We are concerned by the ongoing violence between federal and regional forces in the Tigray region and the risk it poses to civilians, and by reports of ethnically-motivated attacks. We are gravely concerned at Amnesty International's report of killings of civilians on 9 November and are investigating. The Foreign Secretary called Prime Minister Abiy on 10 November to raise our concerns and stress the urgent need to prioritise the protection of civilian lives, restore services (including banks and telecommunications) and enable humanitarian access. I also spoke to the Ethiopian Ambassador in London on 18 November to reiterate our concerns. The UK has called for immediate de-escalation in Tigray and is working closely with humanitarian agencies to ensure that aid reaches civilians affected by the fighting.

We are reviewing the impact the conflict is having on the delivery of essential health, food and education services in the region and assessing the humanitarian need. Before the current conflict there were already more than one million highly vulnerable persons across Tigray including refugees, internally displaced persons and chronically food insecure communities. The UN predicts that an additional 800,000 people could be impacted by violence in Tigray, causing internal displacement within Ethiopia and across international borders, notably in Sudan where UNHCR reports more than 27,000 people have now crossed the border. We continue to monitor the situation and are appealing to the Government of Ethiopia and others to ensure humanitarian access to those in need in Tigray and affected areas.

We are concerned by the ongoing violence between federal and regional forces in the Tigray region and the risk it poses to civilians, and by reports of ethnically-motivated attacks. We are gravely concerned at Amnesty International's report of killings of civilians on 9 November and are investigating. The Foreign Secretary called Prime Minister Abiy on 10 November to raise our concerns and stress the urgent need to prioritise the protection of civilian lives, restore services (including banks and telecommunications) and enable humanitarian access. I also spoke to the Ethiopian Ambassador in London on 18 November to reiterate our concerns. The UK has called for immediate de-escalation in Tigray and is working closely with humanitarian agencies to ensure that aid reaches civilians affected by the fighting.

We are reviewing the impact the conflict is having on the delivery of essential health, food and education services in the region and assessing the humanitarian need. Before the current conflict there were already more than one million highly vulnerable persons across Tigray including refugees, internally displaced persons and chronically food insecure communities. The UN predicts that an additional 800,000 people could be impacted by violence in Tigray, causing internal displacement within Ethiopia and across international borders, notably in Sudan where UNHCR reports more than 27,000 people have now crossed the border. We continue to monitor the situation and are appealing to the Government of Ethiopia and others to ensure humanitarian access to those in need in Tigray and affected areas.

We welcome the commitment to delist Sudan from the US list of State Sponsors of Terrorism. The Foreign Secretary has commended this as a historic step for the two countries, one that will deliver compensation for victims of terror and support Sudan's transition to democracy. Over time, delisting will make an important contribution to Sudan's economic recovery. Our immediate priority is to support the economic reforms that Prime Minister Hamdok has committed to deliver, that will be key to stability and improving the investment climate. As these reforms deliver that change, we will consider the best way to support economic development and to promote UK private sector investment, along with the Department for International Trade and Her Majesty's Trade Commissioner for Africa.

The UK is concerned by the ongoing violence between federal and regional forces in the Tigray region. We are gravely concerned at Amnesty International's report of killings of civilians on 9 November and are investigating. The Foreign Secretary has written to Prime Minister Abiy and spoke with him on 10 November. He emphasised the need to protect civilians and allow humanitarian access. He also urged for a de-escalation of violence and called for swift moves to political dialogue. I have tweeted to urge the same.

Oromia and Amhara have also seen violent clashes in recent months. I condemn in the strongest terms the killing of Amharan civilians on 1 November in Oromia. I visited Ethiopia from 27 - 29 July and discussed growing ethnic tensions with the President and senior ministers. I expressed the need for more peaceful dialogue between ethnic groups and for space to be given for political debate. We will continue to monitor the situation and raise the importance of human rights with the Government of Ethiopia and regional leaders.

The UK is concerned by the ongoing violence between federal and regional forces in the Tigray region. We are gravely concerned at Amnesty International's report of killings of civilians on 9 November and are investigating. The Foreign Secretary has written to Prime Minister Abiy and spoke with him on 10 November. He emphasised the need to protect civilians and allow humanitarian access. He also urged for a de-escalation of violence and called for swift moves to political dialogue. I have tweeted to urge the same.

Oromia and Amhara have also seen violent clashes in recent months. I condemn in the strongest terms the killing of Amharan civilians on 1 November in Oromia. I visited Ethiopia from 27 - 29 July and discussed growing ethnic tensions with the President and senior ministers. I expressed the need for more peaceful dialogue between ethnic groups and for space to be given for political debate. We will continue to monitor the situation and raise the importance of human rights with the Government of Ethiopia and regional leaders.

The UK Government remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon, where high levels of violence are having a tragic impact on civilians. There are currently 1.4 million people in the regions suffering from moderate and severe food insecurity.

In September I announced £4.5 million in additional funding to humanitarian efforts in Cameroon, which will provide vulnerable people with vital food packs, sanitation provisions, medical supplies and fund training for health workers. This will bring our total humanitarian support to Cameroon to £13.5 million for 2020. We continue to call for an end to the violence, unhindered humanitarian access to the affected populations and inclusive dialogue which addresses the root causes of the crisis.

The UK Government remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon, where high levels of violence are having a tragic impact on civilians. Over the past three years, insecurity, displacement of teachers, threats and attacks on infrastructure and education personnel have left 850,000 children out of school. As we noted publicly on 4 November, we are appalled by the recent attacks on educational institutions in the Anglophone regions including in Kumba, Kumbo and Limbe. Every child has the right to a safe education and every teacher has the right to safety at work. The UK Government continues to call for the perpetrators of these acts to be held accountable.

Through the British High Commission in Yaoundé we will continue to work alongside local partners in Cameroon to promote the safe resumption of children's education in the North-West and South-West regions, conflict resolution, youth peacebuilders and human rights monitoring.

The UK Government remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon, where high levels of violence are having a tragic impact on civilians. We regularly discuss the crisis, including the humanitarian situation, with international partners such as France. Our senior officials raised the issue with their French counterparts on 30 October. I intend to travel to Paris when circumstances allow, to discuss areas of mutual interest across the continent where we can work together. Cameroon will be high on that list.

Difficult decisions have been necessary to identify the savings needed to ensure we meet the 0.7 per cent commitment this year, however all steps possible were taken to minimise the impact of the reduction in development assistance, including where appropriate and practical, delaying payments to future years instead of ending programmes completely. This was done in a way to ensure continued support for five Official Development Assistance (ODA) priorities; bottom billion poverty reduction, climate change, girls' education, COVID-19 and Britain as a force for good. As usual, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's National Statistics publication - 'Statistics on International Development' will provide a full breakdown of UK ODA spend for the previous calendar year. The Statistics for International Development published in Autumn 2021 will provide a full breakdown of the UK's ODA spend for 2020.

The UK is the largest bilateral donor to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the largest education-specific multilateral, providing approximately 15% of its funds. GPE is providing a five-year grant to Sudan worth US$62.62 million, which focuses on expanding access and improving the quality of basic education. Sudan has also received a US$11 million GPE grant specifically for COVID-19 education response, which includes support for distance learning and enhanced water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. In addition, FCDO has allocated almost £1 million to the UN's Refugee Agency, UNHCR, to support their work on education in Sudan. UK support will help provide primary education to over 38,000 refugee children and construct two schools.

The UK continues to be a leading humanitarian donor to Sudan. The UK's pledge of £150m at the Berlin Partnership Conference for Sudan includes £70m bilateral budget for 2020/21 and £80m to contribute to World Bank and International Monetary Fund to work with the Government of Sudan on economic reforms. The £70m bi-lateral budget is comprised of £60m in humanitarian aid to support the UN's $1.63bn appeal for Sudan. The remaining programming includes work to combat Female Genital Mutilation, provision of clean, affordable water to rural and urban communities and specialist support on the economy, health and media freedom.

The UK also delivers programmes that promote long-term stability in conflict- affected areas, to support marginalised groups, and to encourage reconciliation within conflicted communities. We also support the Chevening Scholarship programme.

The UK continues to support the civilian-led Transitional Government to achieve peace, agree a permanent constitution, and hold democratic elections. This is vital to our shared vision of a more stable and prosperous region.

While we do not currently have a programme that supports education for former combatants, the August 2020 peace agreement signed between the Government of Sudan and armed groups includes a Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process. This process will include removing weapons from members of armed groups, detaching those former combatants from their groups and helping them to reintegrate safely into civilian life. The establishment of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission which will assist Sudan in the implementation of any peace agreements will be central for the international community support of this process.

The UK is responding to requests by the Greek Government to provide specific humanitarian goods and are urgently making plans for their delivery.

The UK Government is deeply concerned about reports of human rights abuses and violations by both armed separatists and security forces in Cameroon. We continue to call for investigations into all such reports. As the UK's International Ambassador for Human Rights set out at the UN Human Rights Council on 15 September, those who have abused and violated human rights in Cameroon, as anywhere else in the world, must be held responsible.

On 6 July, the UK Government established the Global Human Rights ('Magnitsky') sanctions regime by laying regulations in Parliament under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018. This sanctions regime gives the UK a powerful new tool to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses by stopping them from entering our country, channeling money through UK banks, or profiting from our economy, through the use of both asset freezes and travel bans. It is longstanding practice not to speculate on future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce the impact of the designations.

The UK Government is deeply concerned about reports of human rights abuses and violations by both armed separatists and security forces in Cameroon. We continue to call for investigations into all such reports. As the UK's International Ambassador for Human Rights set out at the UN Human Rights Council on 15 September, those who have abused and violated human rights in Cameroon, as anywhere else in the world, must be held responsible.

On 6 July, the UK Government established the Global Human Rights ('Magnitsky') sanctions regime by laying regulations in Parliament under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018. This sanctions regime gives the UK a powerful new tool to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses by stopping them from entering our country, channeling money through UK banks, or profiting from our economy, through the use of both asset freezes and travel bans. It is longstanding practice not to speculate on future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce the impact of the designations.

The UK Government is deeply concerned about reports of human rights abuses and violations by both armed separatists and security forces in Cameroon. We continue to call for investigations into all such reports. As the UK's International Ambassador for Human Rights set out at the UN Human Rights Council on 15 September, those who have abused and violated human rights in Cameroon, as anywhere else in the world, must be held responsible.

On 6 July, the UK Government established the Global Human Rights ('Magnitsky') sanctions regime by laying regulations in Parliament under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018. This sanctions regime gives the UK a powerful new tool to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses by stopping them from entering our country, channeling money through UK banks, or profiting from our economy, through the use of both asset freezes and travel bans. It is longstanding practice not to speculate on future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce the impact of the designations.

DFID has provided UK Aid Match funding to 10 emergency humanitarian appeals since 2013, most recently the DEC Coronavirus appeal. There are no plans to use UK Aid Match to support charitable giving for the people of Sudan following the recent flooding. However, UK aid-funded relief items are already at work in response to the widespread flooding that is occurring in Sudan. In partnership with aid agencies, the UK is providing emergency shelter, water and hygiene kits as well as blankets and sleeping mats. We will continue to take preventative action including against disease.

In addition to supplies that were prepositioned in anticipation of this year's floods, the UK quickly responded through the UN's Sudan Humanitarian Fund which provided US $3.25 million, allowing UNHCR, UNICEF, WHO and NGOs to provide sleeping mats, clean water, food and medicines to help people affected. We also worked with our partners, Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to reallocate UK funding for sandbags, water and sanitation and other immediate needs.

Between 2011/12 and 2019/20 work supported through UK International Climate Finance (ICF) reduced or avoided 31,000,000 metric tonnes of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (tCO2e). The full set of results achieved through UK ICF is available here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/911393/ICF-Results-Publication-2020.pdf

Annual figures for each of the last ten years are not available.

The UK Government remains deeply concerned about the situation in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon. As the UK highlighted at a United Nations Security Council briefing on Central Africa, on 12 June, high levels of violence are having tragic consequences on civilians. These could be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UK has contributed approximately £540,000 to UNICEF to support with the COVID-19 response and related water, sanitation and hygiene activities in Cameroon. We have also contributed approximately £60,000 to the Centre Pasteur Cameroun to decentralise COVID-19 testing across the country, in support of the Government of Cameroon's National Response Plan. On 20 May the UK Government also announced investment of up to £20 million in the new African Union COVID-19 Response Fund, which will be used to tackle coronavirus, and save lives, including in Cameroon.

The UK welcomes the UN Secretary-General's call in February on armed actors to refrain from attacks against civilians in Cameroon. We also welcome his call on 23 March for an immediate global ceasefire in armed conflicts, and his appeal to open up spaces for diplomacy, protect the most vulnerable, allow humanitarian access, and focus our collective energies on fighting COVID-19.

On 19 May I spoke to the Prime Minister of Cameroon and discussed the need for a peaceful solution to the conflict. It is imperative that people are not prohibited by the violence from accessing testing or wider humanitarian assistance. We continue to call for an end to the violence in the North-West and South-West regions, and have shared experiences on conflict resolution with the Government of Cameroon. We will continue to work with international partners to support the restoration of peace in these regions, at the same time as we support Cameroon, and other African partners, to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on peace and security.

We are concerned that the people of Eritrea are facing food insecurity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 and the desert locust outbreak have impacted existing humanitarian need as a result of lasting effects of war and climate change. Humanitarian and development programmes in Eritrea are being adapted to address current food security challenges. UK Aid funds life-saving activity in Eritrea, including providing £4m to UNICEF in 2019-20 to help treat malnutrition in under-fives and provide access to safe hygiene and sanitation services.

We are also aware of reports that the Government of Eritrea is targeting the Red Sea Afar people in the Denkalya region during the COVID-19 pandemic. We raise our concerns about human rights in Eritrea with the Government at every opportunity, and we will continue to make clear that measures taken by them to tackle COVID-19 must be necessary, proportionate, time-bound, transparent and regularly reviewed. Eritrea remains a priority country for the FCO under our annual human rights reporting, and we will continue to monitor the situation there.

We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Eritrea, including the arrests of opposition leaders, journalists and religious figures. Since Aster Fissehatsion and others were detained in 2001, the UK Government, along with partners in the international community, have taken every opportunity to voice our concern about arbitrary arrests and detentions in Eritrea, and have called for their release. We have done so directly with the Government of Eritrea and publicly - through our annual reporting on human rights and at the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva.

On 26 February, the UK's International Ambassador for Human Rights, Rita French, delivered a statement during the 43rd Session of the HRC expressing concern at continuing human rights abuses. Although welcoming Eritrean acceptance of Universal Periodic Review recommendations and offering UK assistance in support of their implementation, she said that the UK would continue to press for the release of arbitrarily detained individuals including journalists, as well as reform of the National Service and freedom of religion or belief for worshippers of unregistered religions.

During visits to Eritrea, the FCO's Head of East Africa Department, in November 2019, and the Home Office International Director, in February 2020, both raised human rights issues with senior members of the Eritrean Government, including Freedom of Expression and National Service. In April our Ambassador in Asmara raised the prospect of releasing prisoners given their increasing risk of infection from Covid-19 with the President's chief political adviser, Yemane Gebreab. Eritrea remains a priority country for the FCO under our annual human rights reporting, and we will continue to monitor the situation there.

On 25 February, the Minister for Africa attended the first meeting of the Sahel Alliance General Assembly and G5 Leaders' Summit in Mauritania, where he reaffirmed the UK's commitment to increased efforts to improve security and encourage development in the Sahel. The UK is one of the largest humanitarian donors to the region, and provided over £450 million in bilateral humanitarian and development assistance to the Sahel between 2015 and 2019. Last August, we also committed £30million to the Sahel and surrounding countries to support access to education for 100,000 children in crisis areas.

The British Government continues to support Libya through the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund (CSSF), supporting the delivery of greater security and resilience; promoting a more inclusive political dialogue; and boosting economic development. The UK funds a humanitarian programme in Libya focussed on health care and humanitarian coordination. As part of our current £75 million migration programme along the Central Mediterranean Route, we have allocated over £7 million to humanitarian assistance and protection for migrants and refugees in Libya, including targeted healthcare provision. Decisions on future UK funding will be taken in the context of the Spending Review.

The British Government remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon. These regions suffer from high levels of violence, which have driven hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. We have consistently called for an end to the violence, and for investigations into all reports of human rights violations. On 19 February, I issued a statement about the appalling attacks in February and called for an urgent and transparent investigation so that the perpetrators can be held accountable.

We welcomed the passing of legislation concerning bilingualism and special status for the North-West and South-West regions in December 2019. This was a welcome initial step forward. Commitments and legislation now need to be implemented in a timely manner to support genuine decentralisation of power and to tackle the root causes of the conflict. We continue to shine a spotlight on the crisis and raise our concerns at the highest levels, including with the Government of Cameroon, in multinational fora and with international partners. At the UN Security Council on 12 February, the UK highlighted the significant impact of the crisis on children. At the UN Human Rights Council on 27 February, the UK raised concerns about the protection of civilians in Cameroon.

The UK continues to support all credible peacebuilding initiatives and remains ready to work with the Government of Cameroon, and international partners, to bring peace and stability to the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions.

The UK welcomes the Constitutional Declaration signed on 17 August 2019 which sets out the plan for Sudan's transition to civilian government with elections in 2021. The fragile political, economic and security situation makes this a difficult task; the UK is committed to supporting Sudan through this transition and beyond. To date UK support has included providing technical advice to the government to address immediate needs, particularly around economic reform and strategic communications. Further to our extensive humanitarian assistance to Sudan, the UK has taken a leading role in coordinating with international partners and organisations to shape a package of assistance to support the civilian-led government as it implements economic and political reforms. In addition, our longstanding engagement with the Sudanese government and civil society to strengthen human rights, including media freedoms, remains a key part of our work to foster Sudan's democratic transition ahead of elections.

Sudan's removal from the U.S. State Sponsor of Terrorism List, a bilateral matter between the US and Sudan, is an important step in opening the way to international financial institution engagement on economic reform and debt relief. The UK supports Sudan's transition, and its demonstration of meaningful political reform as it moves through the de-listing process.

Officials from the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office work together closely to assist the Government of Sudan as it addresses the large economic and political challenges the country faces in delivering the transition to democracy. HMG will continue to work closely with both the Sudanese government and international partners to provide support for the economic reforms, including mechanisms to mitigate the effects such reforms will have on the poorest in Sudan. In addition, through our humanitarian assistance the UK is committed to assisting all people in Sudan, and remains one of the largest bilateral humanitarian donors in the country.

The UK is deeply concerned at the continuing instability in the Sahel and Libya. The UK is clear that UK interests will be supported by lasting peace and stability in the Sahel and Libya. I represented the UK at the first meeting of the International Follow Up Committee for Libya, briefing fellow participants on recent UN Security Council Resolution 2510. The resolution demands full compliance with the UN arms embargo and an end to foreign military interference in Libya. The UK has also continued to urge both the Libyan parties and the key international players to engage fully with the UN-led political process. As part of the UK's new strategic approach to Africa we are increasing our support to the Sahel, bringing together our development, diplomacy and defence expertise to help tackle the underlying causes of poverty and conflict in the region.

As a member of the UN Security Council the UK has a long-standing role in supporting sustainable peace in those areas of Sudan where UN peacekeeping missions are in place (Darfur and Abyei). This includes the UK's commitment to funding peacekeeping missions globally through the "assessed contribution" system and our role as the penholder, alongside Germany, on the mandate for the UN/African Union (AU) peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID). This work has helped to ensure that the peacekeeping presence addresses the needs on the ground. We also welcomed the UN Security Council decision to extend the UNAMID mandate until 31 October while options for any future presence are developed. We continue to work with the UN, AU and the Government of Sudan to consider the appropriate scope of UN support to Darfur and Sudan.

We commend the role that UNAMID has played in the protection of civilians in Darfur since its creation in 2007 and its work to assist in bringing stability to the region. One of the largest factors influencing the effectiveness of the UNAMID mandate and its implementation has been the approach of the Government of Sudan. This has seen significant shifts since the revolution of 2019, including progress in peace talks on Darfur. We are encouraged by the recently appointed civilian-led government's pledge to facilitate unfettered access across Sudan, including in Darfur, for the UN. We remain concerned of reports that this has not been consistently implemented and continue to make clear the importance of unfettered access across Sudan for humanitarian actors and the UN at the highest levels.

We welcome the priority the civilian-led government of Sudan has given to securing a peace deal for Darfur, and the progress made in talks in Juba with armed opposition groups. Addressing the long-term drivers of conflict will contribute to the success of Sudan's transition to democracy and economic recovery. As a leading donor the UK is working closely with the civilian-led government and international partners to support implementation of the reforms needed to ensure that transition benefits all Sudanese.

The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) mandate is due for renewal by 15 March. We will continue to work with UN Security Council members to ensure this is extended and that the mission continues to have a mandate that focuses on: protection of civilians; human rights; peace process support; and humanitarian aid delivery. We continue to assess that these core tasks remain relevant and important, including as the peace process moves into the next phase if a government of national unity forms by the 22 February deadline.

As a member of the UN Security Council, the UK has a long-standing role in supporting the peace process in South Sudan and supporting UNMISS. This includes the UK's commitment to funding peacekeeping missions globally through contributed funds of £51.45m (in FY 2018/19) and circa 300 UK peacekeepers who have provided medical and engineering support to UNMISS since 2016.

Successes of the UK military contribution includes the building of a UN hospital in Bentiu, the upgrading of 15km of road used to deliver vital food and aid, as well as making a wider contribution to UN peacekeeping reform. In particular we commend the role that UNMISS and its leadership have played in the protection of civilians in South Sudan, and supporting both to human rights work and the peace process.

One of the largest factors influencing the effectiveness of the UNMISS mandate and its implementation has been the approach and the political will of the Government of South Sudan and opposition groups. The number of access issues has reduced since the signing of the 2018 peace agreement, but we are concerned by continued denials of access and hope this will improve as the peace agreement is implemented in full. Through our bilateral engagement we continue to make clear at the highest levels the importance of unfettered access across South Sudan for humanitarian actors and the UN.

The UK commends the vital role that the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) plays in the protection of civilians and assisting to bring stability to the region. However, we remain concerned that a final agreement on the situation in Abyei has not been reached and by ongoing impediments which prevent UN peacekeepers from fully implementing their mandate. The UN Security Council made clear in a press statement of 29 January that the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan must provide their full support to UNISFA, including by removing any obstacles that hinder UNIFSA’s work to protect civilians.

We are also concerned by increasing intercommunal tensions and by the attack on Kolom in Abyei on Wednesday 22 January. We offer sympathies to all those affected. We welcome the commitment of the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan to de-escalate tensions and jointly investigate and urge any investigation to be conducted swiftly and transparently. Our Minister of State for the Commonwealth, UN and South Asia reinforced this message with the Sudanese Ambassador on 28 January. We will also raise in New York the reports of UN peacekeepers’ failure to act in order to establish the facts of this tragic incident.

​The Platform for Girls’ Education was launched at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in April 2018. The Platform aims to keep girls’ education high on the Commonwealth agenda during the UK’s term as Chair in Office of the Commonwealth. The former Foreign Secretary co-chaired the first meeting of the Platform at the UN General Assembly in September 2018. There, it was agreed that the Platform would issue a set of recommendations, in advance of the next meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government in Rwanda in June 2020. These recommendations will focus attention on the key issues that need to be addressed if we are to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Since then, the Platform has issued two papers – one on the state of girls’ education in the Commonwealth, the other on gender responsive education sector plans. The Platform will issue its flagship paper in February 2020, on the importance of political leadership in driving change on girls’ education. This paper will include the Platform’s recommendations, which we will promote within the Commonwealth and beyond. The Government continues to champion girls' education through the 'Leave No Girl Behind' campaign, and at the UN General Assembly in September 2019, the Prime Minister announced £515 million to provide over 12 million children – half of them girls – with a decent education.

The first half of 2018 saw some of the worst violence of the South Sudan civil war that led to the deaths of nearly 400,000 people since 2013. Fighting between the Government and opposition groups in Unity State in April and May 2018 was especially violent and was referred to by the UN as 'deliberate, ruthless and violently bloody attacks on civilians'.

In June 2018 the parties to the conflict signed the Khartoum Declaration, which recommitted to earlier cessation of hostilities agreements and paved the way for the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), signed on 18 September 2018. Since then, there has been a significant and sustained reduction in violence between the parties to the agreement. Making an accurate assessment of fatalities and conflict incidents in 2018 and 2019 is challenging but, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, fatalities reduced from 848 in 2018, to 485 up to November 2019.

South Sudan remains a violent country and fighting continues today in some areas, most notably in Central Equatoria between the Government and the National Salvation Front, a militia group who are not signatories to the agreement. Further, whilst inter-communal conflict over resources and historic grievances pre-date the civil war, they have been exacerbated by it and continue to this day.

What peace there is in South Sudan is fragile. The UK consistently urges the parties to 2018 R-ARCSS to implement all commitments in full, to engage in a spirit of compromise and to adhere to the ceasefire. Through our Conflict Security and Stability Funding, the UK also supports the ceasefire monitoring bodies and sub-national efforts to address the drivers of conflict.

​The Metropolitan Police Service investigation is ongoing. This is an active criminal investigation and we have no information as to when it may conclude.

In consultation with HM Treasury, the Royal Mint is not proceeding with the launch of a Non-Fungible Token at this time but will keep this proposal under review.

The UK and the Ukraine have been signatories to a comprehensive Double Taxation treaty since 1993, which is available on GOV.UK:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ukraine-tax-treaties

This treaty specifies how the two countries should tax income paid between the two countries with a view to avoiding double taxation.

A key concept for interpreting the treaty is the residence of the person receiving the income. A Ukrainian national living in the UK may be resident in either the UK or Ukraine under each country’s domestic legislation, or they may be resident in both. If the recipient is resident in both countries, the treaty sets out several tests to establish one single ‘treaty residence’. These tests consider all the individual’s facts and circumstances.

For pension income sourced in Ukraine, this will only be taxed in the country where the recipient is resident under the treaty, which could either be the UK or Ukraine depending on the circumstances.

The treatment of other types of income will vary, as set out in the treaty. HMRC has provided bespoke guidance (translated into Ukrainian) for situations where Ukrainians maintain their employment in Ukraine while present in the UK. This is also available on Gov.uk:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/paying-taxes-in-the-uk-if-you-work-for-an-employer-based-in-ukraine

Under UK tax rules, income earned through employment is taxable. The Government is committed to a fair tax system in which those with the most contribute the most. The income tax system is highly progressive, with different rates of tax sitting above an internationally high tax-free Personal Allowance.

Over 40 UK current account providers are signed-up to the Current Account Switch Service, which covers 99% of the market. The list of participants is set out in full on the Service’s website. The Switch Guarantee is provided by all the Service’s participants. In Q1 2022, 99.8% of switches were completed in the seven working day timescale. Any organisation which meets the eligibility criteria can join the service.

Under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is responsible for setting the rules of the compensation framework of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) in relation to the levy paid by investment managers.

The FCA recently published a discussion paper DP21/5 in December 2021 which explored ways in which aspects of the compensation framework which the FCA is responsible for could be improved. This paper invited responses from stakeholders and those responses are now being considered by the FCA.

The FSCS provides important protection for consumers by allowing them access compensation where a firm has failed. This is important to maintaining overall confidence in the financial system.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all consumers of financial services are appropriately protected.

That is why the Government legislated in the Financial Services Act 2021 to require the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to consult on whether it should make rules, giving regulated financial service providers a duty of care over their customers. This was in response to concerns from Parliamentarians, who wanted to reduce levels of consumer harm in financial services.

In response, the FCA has proposed a new Consumer Duty, which seeks to clarify and raise expectations for the standard of care that should be provided by financial services firms to consumers, and ensure consumers benefit from a higher level of care from financial services firms.

The FCA has published a cost benefit analysis covering its proposed Consumer Duty which is available on its website.

The FCA, as an operationally independent regulator, is responsible for carrying out its Consumer Duty consultation including assessing the potential costs and benefits of the proposals and for making any new rules which it considers appropriate following that consultation.

Competition and innovation is at the heart of the Government’s vision for UK financial services. We want our financial services industry to be the most competitive and innovative in the world, delivering greater choice and value for customers.

That’s why the Government established the 7-day Current Account Switch Service (CASS), to make it easier, quicker and more reliable for customers to switch current accounts. The service is free to use, comes with a guarantee to protect customers from financial loss if something goes wrong, and redirects any payments mistakenly sent to the old account, providing further assurance for customers. This means that customers are more able than ever to hold their banks to account by voting with their feet, and that banks are incentivised to work hard to retain their existing customers and attract new ones.

The Current Account Switch Service has completed over eight million switches since launch and has processed over 120 million payment redirections. The Service also continues to meet its targets: in Q1 2022 it exceeded its awareness and satisfaction targets at 76% and 90% respectively.

The Afghanistan (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 were laid on 27 January and came into force on 28 January 2022. The Regulations implement the UK’s international obligations under UN Security Council Resolution 2615. The resolution provides for a humanitarian exception to the sanctions regime established by resolution 1988 (2011) to support the provision of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. HM Treasury, through its Office for Financial Sanctions Implementation, are working to support its effective implementation with supporting guidance and through continued engagement with the financial and humanitarian sectors.

Under the UK’s Presidency, G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors supported a general allocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDR) equivalent to $650bn that was approved by the IMF Board of Governors in August. The UK was a strong proponent of this allocation. G7 leaders also agreed in June to a global ambition of $100bn of SDR to support vulnerable countries most in need.

At the IMF’s Annual Meetings in October, the Chancellor committed to channelling up to SDR 4bn of the UK’s new allocation, starting with an additional loan of SDR 1bn to the IMF’s Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust which provides zero interest loans to low-income countries.

The UK is also supportive of the IMF’s proposed Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST) which would redirect SDR towards supporting vulnerable countries in addressing climate change and other long-term structural challenges.

The Treasury is analysing the responses provided following the Alcohol Duty Review Call for Evidence. This included responses from small cider makers, and their views are being considered as part of the evidence base. Further information about the Review will be set out in due course.

The Government is in continual dialogue with the insurance sector on its response to this unprecedented situation. We are working closely with the insurers, the trade bodies and regulators to understand what more the industry can do to help individuals and businesses in time of need, and how the insurance market delivers the support firms need as the economy reopens.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, some insurance companies have chosen to pause the sale of some insurance policies, or will not include cover for COVID-19 related claims in any new or renewed policies. Insurers take commercial decisions regarding the products they offer and risks they cover based on their view of the likelihood of a risk occurring, and have cited the likelihood of COVID-19 risk crystallising as a challenge to insure.

The Government recognises that businesses who do not have appropriate insurance cover will require support from elsewhere and encourages businesses to seek assistance through the wider support package if they are in financial difficulty.

All taxes are kept under review, however, we currently have no plans to further extend this levy.

The Prospectus Regulation is directly applicable EU legislation. The Regulation permits Member States to exempt offers of securities to the public, up to a maximum threshold of 8 million euros, from the obligation to produce a prospectus. In 2018, the government elected to set this threshold at its highest level.

The Prospectus Regulation also contains easements specific to secondary offerings, including a simplified prospectus document with lighter requirements.

In the 2018-19 fiscal year, the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) raised £240 million.

Further data on the effect of the SDIL on the public finances can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/soft-drinks-industry-levy-statistics

Forecasts of future receipts are produced by the Office for Budget Responsibility on a regular basis as part of their Economic and Fiscal Outlook series. These are available on their website.

The government has frozen fuel duty in every year from 2011 to reduce the impact of high fuel prices on households and businesses. Without the nine years of action taken by the government, pump prices would be 23p per litre higher than they are today.

However, freezing fuel duty comes a significant costs to the Exchequer. The Government has spent £67bn on freezing fuel duty and will spend another £46bn by the end of 2025. Future fuel duty rates will be considered alongside measures that are needed to help meet the UK’s net zero commitment.

Unfortunately, due to data constraints, the requested analysis could not be completed by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) within the required timeframe. HMRC are therefore not able to provide information on individuals who changed employers.

Unfortunately, due to data constraints, the requested analysis could not be completed by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) within the required timeframe. HMRC are therefore not able to provide information on individuals who changed employers.

The ‘Estimated Costs of Tax Reliefs’ publication sets out an estimate of the cost of the exemption from National Insurance contributions for those over state pension age. It is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/minor-tax-expenditures-and-structural-reliefs

This publication estimates the latest cost of this exemption in 2019-20 at around £1billion. The figures can be found in the ‘Estimated costs of structural tax reliefs’ table:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/837775/Structural_FINAL.xlsx

As noted in the publication, the estimated costs do not represent the yield if the exemption were to be abolished. In practice if a relief was withdrawn, taxpayers’ behaviour would often alter so that the actual yield would be very different from, and often smaller than, that shown in the tables.

Annually, Cider Duty accounts for between 2-3% of overall Alcohol Duty revenue received by HM Revenue and Customs. Historic Cider Duty revenue is found within the ‘T4’ tab of the tables which accompany the ‘UK Alcohol Duty Statistics’ publication, found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/alcohol-bulletin

The Government published Sir Amyas Morse’s independent review of the Loan Charge on 20 December, alongside the Government’s response to his recommendations. Further detail can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disguised-remuneration-independent-loan-charge-review/guidance

The Government condemns the recent attacks by the Houthis.

The Government does not routinely comment on intelligence matters, including whether an organisation is under consideration for proscription. The Government keeps the list of proscribed organisations under review.

The pilot scheme is subject to ongoing evaluation activity and we will make an assessment of it prior to a decision whether to extend its provisions into future years.

We are very concerned by the reports and images emerging from the Moria camp on the island of Lesbos following the devastating fire. We are working across government and with our embassy in Greece to actively monitor the situation as it develops.

Throughout the pandemic the UK has continued to receive those accepted for transfer under the Dublin III Regulation, including unaccompanied children. We are in regular contact with sending Member States, including Greece, who are responsible for arranging transfers.

We have also committed to continue to process transfer requests under the Dublin family reunion provisions from Greece and other Member States which were received before the end of the transition period.

We have set out an ambitious package of measures to ensure we build the right homes in the right places; levelling up opportunities across the country. This includes, at £12 billion, the highest single funding commitment to affordable housing in a decade; and once in a generation reform to the planning system. This builds on the 240,000 new homes delivered last year; the highest in over 30 years.

The Health and Safety Executive is the regulator and independent enforcer of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and oversees the Gas Safe Register under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The Health & Safety Executive has made clear that landlords should not suspend all annual gas safety checks at this time as it could put tenants at risk of serious illness or fatalities from gas explosions or carbon monoxide poisoning, particularly as people are spending all or most of their time at home. It is the responsibility of the dutyholder to assess on a case by case basis the risk of carrying out gas safety checks in a property. HSE guidance can be found here: https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help-and-advice/covid-19-advice-and-guidance/landlords/.

Our guidance is clear that no work should be carried out in any household which is isolating or where an individual is being shielded, unless the work is to remedy a direct risk to the safety of the household. Where entry is required for emergency repairs landlords should take every possible step to minimise contact with residents and follow government guidance on tradespeople working in people homes, which may be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19#social-distancing-in-the-workplace---principles.