Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Ban commercial breeding for laboratories. Implement reform to approve & use NAMs
Gov Responded - 27 May 2022 Debated on - 16 Jan 2023 View Henry Smith's petition debate contributionsRevoke all licences (PEL) for commercial breeders of laboratory animals. Require all Project Licences (PPLs) applications be reviewed by an independent Non Animal Methods (NAMs) specialist committee. Revise s24 ASPA 1986 to allow review. Urge International Regulators to accept & promote NAMs.
Find the time to take the Kept Animals Bill through Parliament and make it law
Gov Responded - 12 Aug 2022 Debated on - 5 Dec 2022 View Henry Smith's petition debate contributionsHundreds of thousands of people signed numerous petitions calling for actions that the Government has included in the Kept Animals Bill. The Government should urgently find time to allow the Bill to complete its journey through Parliament and become law.
These initiatives were driven by Henry Smith, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Henry Smith has not been granted any Urgent Questions
A Bill to make provision prohibiting the import of hunting trophies into Great Britain.
A Bill to prohibit the caging of commercially reared, egg-laying hens and pullets; and for connected purposes.
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress.
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to allow persons descended from individuals born in the British Indian Ocean Territory to register as British overseas territories citizens; and for connected purposes.
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to require the Secretary of State to instruct the National Health Service to record and audit the cost of treatment of individuals not entitled to free health care and of foreign nationals under the European Health Insurance Card Scheme and other reciprocal healthcare agreements; and for connected purposes.
Immigration and Nationality Fees (Exemption for NHS Clinical Staff) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Rob Roberts (Ind)
Employment Equality (Insurance etc) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Natalie Elphicke (Con)
Aviation Banning Orders (Disruptive Passengers) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Gareth Johnson (Con)
Public Houses (Electrical Safety) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Andrew Rosindell (Con)
Seals (Protection) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Tracey Crouch (Con)
Voter Registration Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Peter Bone (Ind)
Vehicle Registration Offences (Penalty Points) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Andrew Griffith (Con)
Road User Charging (Outer London) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Gareth Johnson (Con)
Pig Husbandry (Farrowing) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - David Amess (Con)
Hospitals (Parking Charges and Business Rates) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Peter Bone (Ind)
Dogs and Domestic Animals (Accommodation and Protection) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Andrew Rosindell (Con)
Aviation Banning Orders (Disruptive Passengers) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Gareth Johnson (Con)
Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) (No.2) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Pauline Latham (Con)
June Bank Holiday (Creation) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Peter Bone (Ind)
Hares Preservation Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - George Eustice (Con)
Animals (Recognition of Sentience) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Kerry McCarthy (Lab)
Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Pauline Latham (Con)
Hospital (Parking Charges and Business Rates) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Peter Bone (Ind)
Voter Registration (No. 2) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Peter Bone (Ind)
Child Cruelty (Sentences) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Tom Tugendhat (Con)
Minimum Service Obligation (High Street Cashpoints) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Huw Merriman (Con)
Business of the House Commission Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Peter Bone (Ind)
Live Animal Exports (Prohibition) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Theresa Villiers (Con)
Rail Ombudsman Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Tim Loughton (Con)
British Victims of Terrorism (Asset-Freezing and Compensation) Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Andrew Rosindell (Con)
Improvement of Rail Passenger Services (Use of Disruption Payments) Bill 2015-16
Sponsor - Joan Ryan (TIG)
Ethical veganism has previously been found to be a philosophical belief under the Equality Act 2010 by an employment tribunal, in an employment context. While this is not binding in other cases, all employers and service providers, including those who administer care homes and hospitals, should have regard to the differing dietary needs of people who they provide meals to, whether these are determined by health considerations, religious or philosophical belief. Providers should also recognise that food is not the only aspect of how ethical vegans conduct their lives and where possible should ensure that these other aspects are catered for.
Care providers should be aware that service users such as care home residents and ward patients may bring claims under the Act, where they consider they have been treated less favourably because of their belief in ethical veganism. In addition, public sector providers are subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty which requires them, in carrying out their functions, to have due regard to the need to achieve the objectives set out under s149 of the Equality Act 2010 to:
(a) eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010; (b) advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it and (c) foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it. Specific duties, set out in regulations, ensure transparency, and assist in the performance of this duty.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulate care homes as well as other health and care providers. One of the fundamental standards is on nutritional and hydration needs. Please see the link below.
Ethical veganism has previously been found to be a philosophical belief under the Equality Act 2010 by an employment tribunal, in an employment context. While this is not binding in other cases, all employers and service providers, including local authorities, should have regard to the differing dietary needs of people who they provide meals to, whether these are determined by health considerations, religious or philosophical belief. They should be aware that employees or service users may bring claims under the Act, where they consider they have been treated less favourably because of their belief in ethical veganism.
In addition, councils are subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty which requires them, in carrying out their functions, to have due regard to the need to achieve the objectives set out under s149 of the Equality Act 2010 to:
(a) eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010; (b) advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it and (c) foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it. Specific duties, set out in regulations, ensure transparency, and assist in the performance of this duty.
A person who believes that they have experienced discrimination because of a philosophical belief can take their case to a tribunal or court. Before doing so, they may wish to contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS), a Government-funded helpline, which is the initial point of contact for anyone with discrimination concerns. The EASS provides free bespoke advice and in-depth support to individuals with discrimination concerns. The EASS also supports individuals to resolve issues using alternative informal dispute resolution and can advise you on what are the next steps to take when you feel you have been discriminated against. The EASS can also advise people on their options and can be contacted through their website at www.equalityadvisoryservice.com, by telephone on 0808 800 0082 or text phone on 0808 800 0084.
In February 2021, the UK and Indonesia established the Forest, Agriculture and Commodity Trade (FACT) Dialogue, bringing together major producer and consumer countries of agricultural commodities to work together to protect forests while promoting development and trade. COP President addressed members of the dialogue on the importance of the food system in global emissions and building sustainable supply chains to keep 1.5 degrees alive and saw the launch of the FACT Roadmap at COP26, which committed members to work together to advance sustainable production and trade, and outlining actions to incentivise sustainability, support smallholder farmers, improve transparency of supply chains, and drive innovation.
The UK Government and World Bank co-convened a Policy Dialogue on Accelerating Transition to Sustainable Agriculture, which brought together 34 leading countries to share their experience and opportunities to deliver transformation through repurposing public policies and support and innovation. The UK COP Presidency raised visibility and mobilised action for transformation in agriculture, land use and food systems. We will continue to work with key partners in taking forward delivery of COP26 commitments in 2022 to deliver on the ambition of accelerating a transition to a more sustainable food system.
The Equality Act requires the interests of both sexes to be considered when assessing equality impacts. The Government is focussed on delivering genuine equality of opportunity by addressing the real problems people, whatever their sex, face in their everyday lives using evidence and data.
That is why we recently announced the Equality Data Programme, a comprehensive project to improve equality data, enhance our understanding of equality, and get to the heart of the barriers all people face.
As ministerial appointments are made by the Prime Minister, any changes to ministerial titles would be a matter for him to consider. However, all Equalities Ministers have a responsibility to carefully consider issues affecting men and boys as part of their remit even where this is not necessarily indicated in their job title.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) holds data showing the number of defendants flagged with a domestic abuse monitoring flag. These records can be separated to show the outcome of the prosecution and by the sex of the defendant. The table below shows the number of defendants, by sex, prosecuted and convicted in the two years ending March 2022.
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The unduly lenient sentence scheme was extended to incorporate further serious offences, in November of last year.
The horrendous crime of stalking involving serious alarm or distress was one of the offences which was added.
I am pleased to tell the House that this extension meant I was able to refer a case recently to the Court of Appeal, one in which the sentence of the offender was more than doubled.
The Cabinet Office leads and coordinates the UK’s national security crisis response through the Cabinet Office Briefing Room (COBR), and national security policy through the National Security Council structures. This includes the National Cyber Strategy, National Security and Investment Programme, and the Biological Security Strategy, all of which the department is taking essential steps to deliver.
Key successes in 2023 included publishing the Integrated Review Refresh, passing the National Security Act, launching the Emergency Alerting scheme and delivering the Atlantic Declaration and risk elements of the AI Summit. So far in 2024, we have launched a new Strategic Dialogue on Biological Security with the US and continued to coordinate the response to the conflict in Gaza and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
The Cabinet Office leads on, and coordinates across government, key elements of the UK’s national security policy. This includes the development and implementation of the Integrated Review Refresh. Published in March, the Refresh updated the government’s security, defence, development and foreign policy priorities to reflect changes in the global context since the Integrated Review 2021. Flowing from this, the Cabinet Office has played a key role in developing and overseeing the National Cyber Strategy, National Security and Investment Programme, and the Biological Security Strategy. The department is taking essential steps to ensure delivery of these and other issues.
Specific recent outcomes include the launch of the National Security and Investment Act call for evidence, and the leading role the department has played in coordinating the government’s response to several international and domestic crises.
This government will continue to prioritise supporting veterans with their mental health needs. There is a range of statutory support for veterans across the UK, including the bespoke mental health service for veterans in England: Op COURAGE.
Charities continue to play a vital role in helping veterans with their mental health, and I pay tribute to them for all they do. The Government provided £20m in 2021 to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust to support Service charities comprising the £10m annual allocation plus extra £10m announced in the 2021 Budget. In addition, we provided £5m through the Afghanistan Veterans’ Fund. These funds included provision for initiatives to improve capacity in mental health and wellbeing provision, and suicide prevention.
To reveal demand and forecasts for National Security Vetting (NSV) is likely to prejudice national security. It would also impact the protective measures employed in safeguarding Her Majesty’s Government (HMG). This information is therefore exempt under Section 24 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Notwithstanding the above, UKSV works closely with customer groups and decision-making authorities to understand their forecasted demand for the provision of vetting services. In turn this allows for an appropriate resourcing forecast.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Swansea East, on 10 March to Question PQ 131244.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
The Government is committed to ensuring that elections are accessible for all those eligible to vote and has already been working with the RNIB to improve the voting process for voters with sight loss.
It is important for security purposes that a physical poll card is sent to every elector at the property where they are registered, but we have already considered how electoral information might additionally be made available in more accessible format for those who request it.
Returning Officers already publish details of candidates in the order they will appear on the ballot paper online. We will work with partners in the electoral sector to ensure this information is accessible.
The Government will continue to work with the RNIB, the Electoral Commission and other relevant organisations to make blind and partially sighted voters aware of the support available to them at the polling station, and to consider what additional support could be provided to help blind and partially sighted people to vote including by post.
On 10 January, Government announced its intention to bring forward legislation to overturn the convictions of all those convicted in England or Wales on the basis of Post Office evidence during the Horizon scandal. This work is proceeding at pace and legislation will be introduced within weeks. These individuals will become eligible for compensation; this includes the upfront offer of £600,000 or to claim more via the individual claim assessment process.
Compensation is already open to postmasters who were prosecuted but not convicted.
The Department for Business and Trade is investing £685m through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) Programme to co-fund the development of zero-carbon and ultra-efficient aircraft technology and cross-cutting enablers. This includes collaborative R&D projects to develop new hydrogen technologies.
We are funding the ATI’s Hydrogen Capability Network Phase 0 project to explore the operating model for open access facilities to accelerate the development of liquid hydrogen aircraft technologies and capabilities.
As part of the Jet Zero Council, a Zero Emission Flight Delivery Group is advising on how government and industry can work together to accelerate the adoption of zero emission flight.
The Critical Minerals Refresh published in March, sets out our approach to delivering on the Critical Minerals Strategy, and confirms our participation in the Minerals Security Partnership. Working with international partners, this aims to spur investment in supply chains across four pillars, including recycling and reuse, and will support our work to accelerate a circular economy of critical minerals in the UK.
The Government is also funding record investment in battery innovation and commercialisation, including in recycling. The £541m Faraday Battery Challenge is supporting projects such as REBLEND, which is developing commercial processes to directly recover valuable cathode active materials (CAM) for reuse in automotive batteries. The project is led by Ecoshred, with University of Leicester, University of Birmingham, Minviro, Iconichem Widnes, Watercycle Technologies, Ecolamp Recycling, and Cornish Lithium.
The report “Potential for Critical Raw Material Prospectivity in the UK” delivers on the commitment in the Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy to collate geoscientific data and identify target areas of potential for critical minerals within the UK. We are working with the British Geological Survey to understand next steps.
Through the Critical Minerals Strategy we are working to accelerate the UK’s domestic capabilities along the whole critical minerals value chain. Our support for businesses like Cornish Lithium and Green Lithium shows our determination to put the Strategy into action. We have also established the new Task & Finish Group on Industry Resilience for Critical Minerals which will investigate the critical mineral dependencies and vulnerabilities faced by UK Industry and help it to mitigate risks.
The Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) aims to support the creation of an internationally competitive electric vehicle supply chain in the UK. The Government continues to work with industry via the ATF to unlock strategic investments in gigafactories, motors and drives, power electronics, and fuel cell systems.
In the coming months, after engagement with industry, the Government will build on the ATF and the long-term Advanced Propulsion Centre R&D programme to take decisive action to ensure future investment in the manufacturing of zero emission vehicles.
Ofgem is responsible for regulating electricity network companies to deliver their infrastructure. As part of the recent electricity distribution network price control, of the £22.2bn allowed, Ofgem has allowed networks £3.1bn for network upgrades. This will ensure that low carbon technologies, such as electric vehicle charge points, can be installed across Great Britain, including in rural areas.
The Government has published a draft Strategy & Policy Statement for energy policy, making clear Ofgem’s role in promoting our net zero targets. The recent amendment by the House of Lords to Ofgem’s decarbonisation duty is being considered.
Of the £22.2bn allowed as part of the current electricity distribution network price control, set by Ofgem, £3.1bn has been allocated for network upgrades to allow for the installation of low carbon technologies, like electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The role out of charging infrastructure is also being supported by the government’s Rapid Charging Fund and the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund.
Organisations which hold sensitive biological data are subject to the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In addition, organisations such as Genomics England, UK Biobank and NIHR BioResource actively consider national security in decision making about partnerships with companies overseas.
As part of the new UK Biological Security Strategy, the Government is undertaking a programme of work to assess how we can minimise the risks from biological data to protect our burgeoning bioeconomy, without stifling innovation, and build confidence in sharing personal data to improve health outcomes in the UK and across the world. The Office for Life Sciences has begun this work, in consultation with relevant Departments and Agencies across Government, and key partners such as Genomics England and UK Biobank.
I recognise the importance of the decisions of the World Radiocommunications Conference to UK industry, especially the space sector.
Government and Ofcom have developed our negotiating positions since the last conference in 2019, balancing the interests of multiple operators, networks and services in both space and terrestrial environments. UK stakeholders have been given the opportunity to influence our approach and Ofcom consulted in 2022.
At the conference, Ofcom will lead the UK delegation which will include officials from departments and agencies with spectrum interests. This includes DSIT, the Ministry of Defence, UK Space Agency, and the Met Office.
The Government does not comment on specific details of national security assessments. The Summit will aim to develop a forward process on how to support national and international frameworks on AI safety which include emerging issues such as biosecurity and cybersecurity, including from the potential misuse of models by non-state actors.
The UK Summit will focus on frontier AI risks, which includes risks from frontier AI models to biosecurity (and within that, genomics), which are increasingly urgent to address at an international level. The Government is also undertaking a full programme of work to assess how we can minimise the risks from biological data and protect our burgeoning bioeconomy.
To ensure the AI Safety Summit can achieve its objectives, it is necessary to have a small but international discussion at the event. This will limit the participants to around 100, including world leaders and companies at the cutting edge of frontier AI. The UK has actively considered national security in decision making to ensure that the partnerships and invitees are aligned with our National Security interests. Further information about invitees will be made available in due course.
Government’s approach is to actively support and fund the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs), primarily through funding from UK Research and Innovation for the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) - who have committed £31.6 million for research and innovation into these causes in the past 5 years - and to ensure that the UK has a robust regulatory system for licensing animal studies.
The NC3Rs are on track to meet their commitment to invest 75% of their research and innovation budget on replacement technologies by the end of 2024.
The Government is committed to the development of alternatives to using animals in scientific procedures and through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) continues to provide core funding for the National Centre for 3Rs (NC3Rs), which works nationally and internationally to drive the uptake of non-animal technologies.
UKRI funds a portfolio of research projects involving humans, human materials, animal models, and non-animal technologies, including a joint £4.7 million joint funding call with the NC3Rs launched last year, focussed on supporting next generation non-animal technologies, such as organ-on-a-chip.
In addition to this Department, the use of animals in science touches on a number of other departmental responsibilities, including the Home Office who administer and enforce The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Officials within these departments continue to work together to support the delivery of important scientific research, including through the development of non-animal technologies, and the protection of animals.
The Government is committed to the development of alternatives to using animals in scientific procedures and through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funds the National Centre for the 3Rs, which works to drive the uptake of non-animal technologies.
The recommendations in the Non-Animal Technologies Roadmap continue to be delivered including a £1.6 million commitment for the development of a virtual dog to help reduce the use of dogs in the safety testing of new medicines and £4.7 million funding for next generation non-animal technologies that provide reliable, predictive and cost-effective alternatives to the use of animals. Scientists and representatives from regulatory bodies are involved in these efforts to accelerate the use of non-animal technologies.
The Government is committed to the development of alternatives to using animals in scientific procedures and through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funds the National Centre for the 3Rs, which works to drive the uptake of non-animal technologies.
The recommendations in the Non-Animal Technologies Roadmap continue to be delivered including a £1.6 million commitment for the development of a virtual dog to help reduce the use of dogs in the safety testing of new medicines and £4.7 million funding for next generation non-animal technologies that provide reliable, predictive and cost-effective alternatives to the use of animals. Scientists and representatives from regulatory bodies are involved in these efforts to accelerate the use of non-animal technologies.
The Government is committed to supporting UK businesses and academia to engage with any and all international collaborations that includes BGI in a way that reflects the UK’s values and takes account of national security concerns. We proactively engage with business and academia to make them aware of national security risks, including through the RCAT programme which supports universities with risk assessment.
The Government supports the academic sector to make informed decisions on international research collaboration through the Trusted Research campaign and supported Universities UK to develop guidelines, published in October 2020, to help universities tackle security risks related to international collaboration.
As part of the new UK Biological Security Strategy, which is due for publication in the coming months, the Government is currently undertaking a full programme of work to assess how we can minimise the risks from biological data to protect our burgeoning bioeconomy, shape global norms and standards, without stifling innovation, and build confidence in sharing personal data to improve health outcomes in the UK and across the world.
The Government is committed to supporting UK businesses and academia to engage with any and all international collaborations that includes BGI in a way that reflects the UK’s values and takes account of national security concerns. We proactively engage with business and academia to make them aware of national security risks, including through the RCAT programme which supports universities with risk assessment.
The Government supports the academic sector to make informed decisions on international research collaboration through the Trusted Research campaign and supported Universities UK to develop guidelines, published in October 2020, to help universities tackle security risks related to international collaboration.
As part of the new UK Biological Security Strategy, which is due for publication in the coming months, the government is currently undertaking a full programme of work to assess how we can minimise the risks from biological data to protect our burgeoning bioeconomy, shape global norms and standards, without stifling innovation, and build confidence in sharing personal data to improve health outcomes in the UK and across the world.
The Government is committed to the development of alternatives to using animals in scientific procedures and through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funds the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs), which works to drive the uptake of non-animal technologies.
The NC3Rs, UKRI and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory have developed a Non-Animal Technologies Roadmap setting out a 2030 vision and strategy for how non-animal technologies could be used to replace the use of animals in research across a number of sectors. The NC3Rs also has set out its strategy to increase the focus on animal replacement technologies.
The Government is committed to the development of alternatives to using animals in scientific procedures and continues to actively support and fund the development and dissemination of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) for the use of animals in scientific procedures. This is achieved through UK Research and Innovation’s funding of the National Centre for the 3Rs, which works nationally and internationally to drive the uptake of non-animal technologies, and through research into the development of alternatives by Innovate UK, the Medical Research Council, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
The Government is committed to the development of alternatives to using animals in scientific procedures and continues to actively support and fund the development and dissemination of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) for the use of animals in scientific procedures. This is achieved through UK Research and Innovation’s funding of the National Centre for the 3Rs, which works nationally and internationally to drive the uptake of non-animal technologies, and through research into the development of alternatives by Innovate UK, the Medical Research Council, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
The Government is committed to the development of alternatives to using animals in scientific procedures and continues to actively support and fund the development and dissemination of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) for the use of animals in scientific procedures. This is achieved through UK Research and Innovation’s funding of the National Centre for the 3Rs, which works nationally and internationally to drive the uptake of non-animal technologies, and through research into the development of alternatives by Innovate UK, the Medical Research Council, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
Organisations with primary operations in the list of eligible Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) sectors for the Energy Bill Discount Scheme, as published on gov.uk, will be eligible for the higher level of support through the scheme. If organisations are unsure of that code, they can find out online through Companies House, by using their company name or registration number. Further information is available from Companies House on SIC code classification:
Organisations that have a contract with a licensed energy supplier and are exposed to volatile energy prices will see a discount applied to their gas and electricity bill through the new Energy Bill Discount Scheme from April 2023.
Some sectors are particularly vulnerable to high energy prices due to their energy intensive nature and trade exposure. Organisations with primary operations in the list of eligible Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) sectors for the scheme, as published on gov.uk, will be eligible for a substantially higher level of support. If organisations are unsure of that code, they can find out online through Companies House, by using their company name or registration number. Further information is available from Companies House on SIC code classification.
For households, the Energy Price Guarantee limits the amount that can be charged for gas and electricity and will save a typical British household around £900 this winter. The Energy Bills Support Scheme provides households with a non-repayable £400 discount off energy bills, delivered automatically via electricity suppliers. Support is also available for households using alternative fuels and households not on standard electricity contracts.
For businesses the Energy Bill Relief scheme provides a reduction in energy prices automatically applied to eligible bills. Equivalent support will be provided for non-domestic consumers who use alternative fuels instead of gas. There will be further details to follow as soon as possible.
The Government actively supports and funds the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce, and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs). This is achieved primarily through funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) for the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs), which works nationally and internationally to drive the uptake of 3Rs technologies and ensure that advances in the 3Rs are reflected in policy, practice, and regulations on animal research. Since the NC3Rs was launched in 2004, it has committed £100 million in research to develop 3Rs technologies and its scientific staff have led research projects, in collaboration with academic and industry partners, that have been used to inform changes in policy and regulations on the use of animals in research.
UK Research and Innovation encourages the development of new methodologies in all areas of health research and funds the development of non-animal technologies both directly through research council funding rounds and by its core funding commitment to the National Centre for 3Rs of £49.1 million over 5 years.
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council has just launched £4 million of funding targeted at developing the next generation of non-animal technology and driving the uptake of existing non-animal technology.
The Government recognised that the changes to red diesel entitlements announced at Budget 2020 would be a significant change for some businesses and ran a consultation to gather information from affected users on the expected impact of these tax changes. As part of this, the Government engaged directly with a wide variety of organisations from all parts of the UK and carefully analysed all consultation responses received, including from the British Metals Recycling Association.
The metals recycling sector is eligible for support through the £289 million Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) and the £34 million Scottish IETF. These programmes provide capital support to industrial sites, helping them to become more energy efficient and to switch away from fossil fuels to lower carbon alternatives. We have recently promoted this funding opportunity with the British Metals Recycling Association, welcoming applications from sites impacted by the removal of the red diesel rebate.
At the October Spending Review, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer extended the £1.95 billion funding commitment to the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) Programme from 2026 to 2031. To date, £1.6 billion has been awarded to over 340 collaborative R&D projects spread across the UK. This activity will help to drive the development of new low and zero-carbon emission aircraft technology, which forms an important part of our Jet Zero ambition to decarbonise aviation.
We will work through the annual profile of funding for the ATI programme, including when the programme will re-open to new R&D grant applications, over the coming months. Further information on the programme will be provided following that work.
The Government remains committed to ensuring that improvements meet high standards and provide appropriate consumer protection.
The forthcoming Net Zero Strategy and Heat and Buildings Strategy will look to further address consumer protection.
UKRI is currently funding one study of direct relevance to these areas. UKRI has allocated an initial £1.8 million to the OCTAVE study, led by Professor Iain McInnes, University of Glasgow, for a twelve-month period, and is considering a case for additional funding beyond this. OCTAVE is supporting research on vaccine responses in groups of immune-supressed individuals, including those with inflammatory disorders, high risk cancer patient groups, and patients with severe kidney and liver disease. Cancer patient groups include chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, myeloma, acute leukaemia, and bone marrow transplants. As the OCTAVE study is being managed as a single project it is not possible to give costs for the individual groups.
In addition, there are proposals on vaccine responses in high-risk clinical groups under consideration as part of the UKRI COVID-19 Agile call, with announcements to be made shortly. Furthermore, UKRI continues to accept applications for COVID-19 related research, including on this topic, through its active calls, which can be found on the UKRI website.
The Department is in regular contact with the Department for Transport on the impacts of COVID-19 on the aerospace sector. Both BEIS and the Department for Transport (DfT) recognise the importance of the UK aerospace industry to the economy and the vital role it will play in the post-pandemic recovery.
DfT engages with the industry via multiple channels, focusing on a wide range of issues affecting the industry such as EU Exit transition, Covid-19 impact, technical certification and specification, and international cooperation.