Kirsten Oswald

The House of Commons Commission has previously committed to publish any mitigations identified as part of the equality impact assessment, alongside any other steps taken in the Covid-19 risk assessment. Following the publication of Public Health England advice, the House authorities are currently reviewing the mitigations and will be providing an updated version of the risk assessment ahead of the House rising for summer recess.

I refer the honourable member to the Written Ministerial Statement made by my honourable friend, the Member for Norwich North (Chloe Smith), on 15 July 2021.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have, therefore, asked the Authority to respond.

Barclays entered into a contract with the Cabinet Office in April 2017 to provide an identity verification service to support GOV.UK Verify. As scheduled, this contract expires on 23rd March 2021. Cabinet Office officials have been in regular contact with Barclays to ensure a good level of service is maintained until the end of their contract.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office have not met Barclays to discuss this contract expiry.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster made a statement under section 19(1)(a) of the Human Rights Act 1998 regarding the provisions of the European Union (Future Relationship) Bill. This Bill, now Act, implements the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Further to this, relevant requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and other relevant legislation have been followed.

The 2018 Strategy for our Veterans is the UK’s commitment to those who have served in the Armed Forces. Each nation in the Union is responsible for delivering the outcomes for veterans contained in the Strategy.

Officials regularly engage with counterparts in the Devolved Administrations to discuss progress made on the delivery of their respective Strategy action plans and wider veterans matters. I have also met ministerial counterparts from the Scottish and Welsh Government this year to discuss veterans issues including the Strategy.

GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway provide millions of citizens with access to essential government services. The number of users can be accessed publicly at any time through the GOV.UK Verify performance dashboard, and is updated weekly. Currently, 7.2 million users use their GOV.UK Verify identity accounts to access 22 government services across 9 departments. HMRC has 25.1 million unique individual users who have confirmed their identity and who have accessed their personal tax account, with a total of 96 million authentication credentials. For Government Gateway these include individual, business and agent users.

GOV.UK Verify keeps its accessibility under review and has consistently reduced barriers to make access to services simpler, focusing on the customer's end-to-end experience, and ensuring members of the public can access online government services simply and securely.

We are constantly looking to balance the need of inclusion and demographic coverage of government services with the need for strong digital identity assurance to reduce the risk of fraud. Both GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway use ongoing user research, user testing and service monitoring to improve, simplify and reduce friction in users’ experience of these services. Offline channels and support are offered to users unable to use either GOV.UK Verify or Government Gateway identity verification services.

Government Gateway is currently used to access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). CJRS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment, and SEISS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment.

GOV.UK Verify can be adapted to reflect requirements relating to name changes to support departmental service requirements, provided there is suitable evidence of their change in name. Government Gateway Identity Verification allows online service access where sufficient confidence can be gained on a user’s identity and the ownership of the name in question.

The National Audit Office (NAO) report recognised that the Verify programme has delivered on three of its four original objectives. The Verify programme has successfully developed world-leading standards that are used by governments across the world. It has also developed a secure technical platform and a procurement framework for identity services.

GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway provide millions of citizens with access to essential government services. The number of users can be accessed publicly at any time through the GOV.UK Verify performance dashboard, and is updated weekly. Currently, 7.2 million users use their GOV.UK Verify identity accounts to access 22 government services across 9 departments. HMRC has 25.1 million unique individual users who have confirmed their identity and who have accessed their personal tax account, with a total of 96 million authentication credentials. For Government Gateway these include individual, business and agent users.

GOV.UK Verify keeps its accessibility under review and has consistently reduced barriers to make access to services simpler, focusing on the customer's end-to-end experience, and ensuring members of the public can access online government services simply and securely.

We are constantly looking to balance the need of inclusion and demographic coverage of government services with the need for strong digital identity assurance to reduce the risk of fraud. Both GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway use ongoing user research, user testing and service monitoring to improve, simplify and reduce friction in users’ experience of these services. Offline channels and support are offered to users unable to use either GOV.UK Verify or Government Gateway identity verification services.

Government Gateway is currently used to access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). CJRS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment, and SEISS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment.

GOV.UK Verify can be adapted to reflect requirements relating to name changes to support departmental service requirements, provided there is suitable evidence of their change in name. Government Gateway Identity Verification allows online service access where sufficient confidence can be gained on a user’s identity and the ownership of the name in question.

The National Audit Office (NAO) report recognised that the Verify programme has delivered on three of its four original objectives. The Verify programme has successfully developed world-leading standards that are used by governments across the world. It has also developed a secure technical platform and a procurement framework for identity services.

GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway provide millions of citizens with access to essential government services. The number of users can be accessed publicly at any time through the GOV.UK Verify performance dashboard, and is updated weekly. Currently, 7.2 million users use their GOV.UK Verify identity accounts to access 22 government services across 9 departments. HMRC has 25.1 million unique individual users who have confirmed their identity and who have accessed their personal tax account, with a total of 96 million authentication credentials. For Government Gateway these include individual, business and agent users.

GOV.UK Verify keeps its accessibility under review and has consistently reduced barriers to make access to services simpler, focusing on the customer's end-to-end experience, and ensuring members of the public can access online government services simply and securely.

We are constantly looking to balance the need of inclusion and demographic coverage of government services with the need for strong digital identity assurance to reduce the risk of fraud. Both GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway use ongoing user research, user testing and service monitoring to improve, simplify and reduce friction in users’ experience of these services. Offline channels and support are offered to users unable to use either GOV.UK Verify or Government Gateway identity verification services.

Government Gateway is currently used to access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). CJRS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment, and SEISS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment.

GOV.UK Verify can be adapted to reflect requirements relating to name changes to support departmental service requirements, provided there is suitable evidence of their change in name. Government Gateway Identity Verification allows online service access where sufficient confidence can be gained on a user’s identity and the ownership of the name in question.

The National Audit Office (NAO) report recognised that the Verify programme has delivered on three of its four original objectives. The Verify programme has successfully developed world-leading standards that are used by governments across the world. It has also developed a secure technical platform and a procurement framework for identity services.

GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway provide millions of citizens with access to essential government services. The number of users can be accessed publicly at any time through the GOV.UK Verify performance dashboard, and is updated weekly. Currently, 7.2 million users use their GOV.UK Verify identity accounts to access 22 government services across 9 departments. HMRC has 25.1 million unique individual users who have confirmed their identity and who have accessed their personal tax account, with a total of 96 million authentication credentials. For Government Gateway these include individual, business and agent users.

GOV.UK Verify keeps its accessibility under review and has consistently reduced barriers to make access to services simpler, focusing on the customer's end-to-end experience, and ensuring members of the public can access online government services simply and securely.

We are constantly looking to balance the need of inclusion and demographic coverage of government services with the need for strong digital identity assurance to reduce the risk of fraud. Both GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway use ongoing user research, user testing and service monitoring to improve, simplify and reduce friction in users’ experience of these services. Offline channels and support are offered to users unable to use either GOV.UK Verify or Government Gateway identity verification services.

Government Gateway is currently used to access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). CJRS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment, and SEISS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment.

GOV.UK Verify can be adapted to reflect requirements relating to name changes to support departmental service requirements, provided there is suitable evidence of their change in name. Government Gateway Identity Verification allows online service access where sufficient confidence can be gained on a user’s identity and the ownership of the name in question.

The National Audit Office (NAO) report recognised that the Verify programme has delivered on three of its four original objectives. The Verify programme has successfully developed world-leading standards that are used by governments across the world. It has also developed a secure technical platform and a procurement framework for identity services.

GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway provide millions of citizens with access to essential government services. The number of users can be accessed publicly at any time through the GOV.UK Verify performance dashboard, and is updated weekly. Currently, 7.2 million users use their GOV.UK Verify identity accounts to access 22 government services across 9 departments. HMRC has 25.1 million unique individual users who have confirmed their identity and who have accessed their personal tax account, with a total of 96 million authentication credentials. For Government Gateway these include individual, business and agent users.

GOV.UK Verify keeps its accessibility under review and has consistently reduced barriers to make access to services simpler, focusing on the customer's end-to-end experience, and ensuring members of the public can access online government services simply and securely.

We are constantly looking to balance the need of inclusion and demographic coverage of government services with the need for strong digital identity assurance to reduce the risk of fraud. Both GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway use ongoing user research, user testing and service monitoring to improve, simplify and reduce friction in users’ experience of these services. Offline channels and support are offered to users unable to use either GOV.UK Verify or Government Gateway identity verification services.

Government Gateway is currently used to access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). CJRS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment, and SEISS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment.

GOV.UK Verify can be adapted to reflect requirements relating to name changes to support departmental service requirements, provided there is suitable evidence of their change in name. Government Gateway Identity Verification allows online service access where sufficient confidence can be gained on a user’s identity and the ownership of the name in question.

The National Audit Office (NAO) report recognised that the Verify programme has delivered on three of its four original objectives. The Verify programme has successfully developed world-leading standards that are used by governments across the world. It has also developed a secure technical platform and a procurement framework for identity services.

GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway provide millions of citizens with access to essential government services. The number of users can be accessed publicly at any time through the GOV.UK Verify performance dashboard, and is updated weekly. Currently, 7.2 million users use their GOV.UK Verify identity accounts to access 22 government services across 9 departments. HMRC has 25.1 million unique individual users who have confirmed their identity and who have accessed their personal tax account, with a total of 96 million authentication credentials. For Government Gateway these include individual, business and agent users.

GOV.UK Verify keeps its accessibility under review and has consistently reduced barriers to make access to services simpler, focusing on the customer's end-to-end experience, and ensuring members of the public can access online government services simply and securely.

We are constantly looking to balance the need of inclusion and demographic coverage of government services with the need for strong digital identity assurance to reduce the risk of fraud. Both GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway use ongoing user research, user testing and service monitoring to improve, simplify and reduce friction in users’ experience of these services. Offline channels and support are offered to users unable to use either GOV.UK Verify or Government Gateway identity verification services.

Government Gateway is currently used to access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). CJRS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment, and SEISS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment.

GOV.UK Verify can be adapted to reflect requirements relating to name changes to support departmental service requirements, provided there is suitable evidence of their change in name. Government Gateway Identity Verification allows online service access where sufficient confidence can be gained on a user’s identity and the ownership of the name in question.

The National Audit Office (NAO) report recognised that the Verify programme has delivered on three of its four original objectives. The Verify programme has successfully developed world-leading standards that are used by governments across the world. It has also developed a secure technical platform and a procurement framework for identity services.

GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway provide millions of citizens with access to essential government services. The number of users can be accessed publicly at any time through the GOV.UK Verify performance dashboard, and is updated weekly. Currently, 7.2 million users use their GOV.UK Verify identity accounts to access 22 government services across 9 departments. HMRC has 25.1 million unique individual users who have confirmed their identity and who have accessed their personal tax account, with a total of 96 million authentication credentials. For Government Gateway these include individual, business and agent users.

GOV.UK Verify keeps its accessibility under review and has consistently reduced barriers to make access to services simpler, focusing on the customer's end-to-end experience, and ensuring members of the public can access online government services simply and securely.

We are constantly looking to balance the need of inclusion and demographic coverage of government services with the need for strong digital identity assurance to reduce the risk of fraud. Both GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway use ongoing user research, user testing and service monitoring to improve, simplify and reduce friction in users’ experience of these services. Offline channels and support are offered to users unable to use either GOV.UK Verify or Government Gateway identity verification services.

Government Gateway is currently used to access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). CJRS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment, and SEISS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment.

GOV.UK Verify can be adapted to reflect requirements relating to name changes to support departmental service requirements, provided there is suitable evidence of their change in name. Government Gateway Identity Verification allows online service access where sufficient confidence can be gained on a user’s identity and the ownership of the name in question.

The National Audit Office (NAO) report recognised that the Verify programme has delivered on three of its four original objectives. The Verify programme has successfully developed world-leading standards that are used by governments across the world. It has also developed a secure technical platform and a procurement framework for identity services.

GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway provide millions of citizens with access to essential government services. The number of users can be accessed publicly at any time through the GOV.UK Verify performance dashboard, and is updated weekly. Currently, 7.2 million users use their GOV.UK Verify identity accounts to access 22 government services across 9 departments. HMRC has 25.1 million unique individual users who have confirmed their identity and who have accessed their personal tax account, with a total of 96 million authentication credentials. For Government Gateway these include individual, business and agent users.

GOV.UK Verify keeps its accessibility under review and has consistently reduced barriers to make access to services simpler, focusing on the customer's end-to-end experience, and ensuring members of the public can access online government services simply and securely.

We are constantly looking to balance the need of inclusion and demographic coverage of government services with the need for strong digital identity assurance to reduce the risk of fraud. Both GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway use ongoing user research, user testing and service monitoring to improve, simplify and reduce friction in users’ experience of these services. Offline channels and support are offered to users unable to use either GOV.UK Verify or Government Gateway identity verification services.

Government Gateway is currently used to access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). CJRS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment, and SEISS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment.

GOV.UK Verify can be adapted to reflect requirements relating to name changes to support departmental service requirements, provided there is suitable evidence of their change in name. Government Gateway Identity Verification allows online service access where sufficient confidence can be gained on a user’s identity and the ownership of the name in question.

The National Audit Office (NAO) report recognised that the Verify programme has delivered on three of its four original objectives. The Verify programme has successfully developed world-leading standards that are used by governments across the world. It has also developed a secure technical platform and a procurement framework for identity services.

GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway provide millions of citizens with access to essential government services. The number of users can be accessed publicly at any time through the GOV.UK Verify performance dashboard, and is updated weekly. Currently, 7.2 million users use their GOV.UK Verify identity accounts to access 22 government services across 9 departments. HMRC has 25.1 million unique individual users who have confirmed their identity and who have accessed their personal tax account, with a total of 96 million authentication credentials. For Government Gateway these include individual, business and agent users.

GOV.UK Verify keeps its accessibility under review and has consistently reduced barriers to make access to services simpler, focusing on the customer's end-to-end experience, and ensuring members of the public can access online government services simply and securely.

We are constantly looking to balance the need of inclusion and demographic coverage of government services with the need for strong digital identity assurance to reduce the risk of fraud. Both GOV.UK Verify and Government Gateway use ongoing user research, user testing and service monitoring to improve, simplify and reduce friction in users’ experience of these services. Offline channels and support are offered to users unable to use either GOV.UK Verify or Government Gateway identity verification services.

Government Gateway is currently used to access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). CJRS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment, and SEISS claimants (employers or their authorised agent) can log into the claims service and see the claims made and the date they were sent for payment.

GOV.UK Verify can be adapted to reflect requirements relating to name changes to support departmental service requirements, provided there is suitable evidence of their change in name. Government Gateway Identity Verification allows online service access where sufficient confidence can be gained on a user’s identity and the ownership of the name in question.

The National Audit Office (NAO) report recognised that the Verify programme has delivered on three of its four original objectives. The Verify programme has successfully developed world-leading standards that are used by governments across the world. It has also developed a secure technical platform and a procurement framework for identity services.

I refer the Hon. member to the answer given to PQ 59573 on 18 June 2020. The Committee is being formed in the normal way and as quickly as current circumstances allow. An announcement will be made in due course.

The public has been able to report suspicious emails to the NCSC through the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) since 21 April 2020 when it was launched alongside the Cyber Aware campaign. Since its launch, the SERS has received over 800,000 reports, and removed over 7,500 URLs and over 2,000 sites. Safeguards protecting the anonymity of reporters means that a regional breakdown cannot be conducted.

Shared Parental Leave and Pay was introduced in Great Britain in 2014 for parents of children who were due or placed for adoption from April 2015. We are currently evaluating the scheme and will report on the evaluation later this year. Statutory Adoption Leave and Pay has been available to eligible employees since 2002, and in 2014 we made changes to the scheme to bring it into line with arrangements for Maternity Leave and Pay. Since 2014, Adoption Leave has been a “day 1” right and the first six weeks of Statutory Adoption Pay have been paid at an earnings-related rate (90% of the employee’s weekly earnings with no upper limit).

As part of the evaluation of Shared Parental Leave and Pay we commissioned large, representative, surveys of parents and employees which asked about a broad range of parental leave and pay entitlements. We have also consulted on high-level options for reforming parental leave and pay. The information that we have collected through these surveys and the consultation will give us a fuller picture of how well the current system of parental leave and pay is working for parents and employers.

We are currently processing and analysing this information and we will publish our findings later in the year.

Since April 2020, parents who lose a child under the age of 18 have a right to take up to 2 weeks of paid leave in the 56 weeks following the death of their child. This right extends to parents of babies who are stillborn after 24 complete weeks of pregnancy. We have not assessed the potential merits of extending entitlements to bereavement leave and pay to other groups, and it is too early to conduct a formal evaluation of the Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay scheme.

We recognise that the death of a close family member, friend, or colleague can be deeply upsetting. The Government believes that individuals are best placed to understand their own specific needs and we encourage their employers to respond in an appropriate and sensitive way.

Although there is no statutory entitlement to bereavement leave for employees who lose a close relative who is not a child, all employees have a ‘day 1’ right to take unpaid time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependant. This entitlement can be used, for example, to make arrangements for the funeral.

Individuals who do not feel able to return to work following a bereavement may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay whilst they are off work. All employees are also entitled to 5.6 weeks of Annual Leave a year.

Many employers offer ‘Compassionate Leave’ in these circumstances and we encourage employers to respond sensitively to each individual’s specific needs.

Since April 2020, parents who lose a child under the age of 18 have a right to take up to 2 weeks of paid leave in the 56 weeks following the death of their child. This right extends to parents of babies who are stillborn after 24 complete weeks of pregnancy. We have not assessed the potential merits of extending entitlements to bereavement leave and pay to other groups, and it is too early to conduct a formal evaluation of the Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay scheme.

We recognise that the death of a close family member, friend, or colleague can be deeply upsetting. The Government believes that individuals are best placed to understand their own specific needs and we encourage their employers to respond in an appropriate and sensitive way.

Although there is no statutory entitlement to bereavement leave for employees who lose a close relative who is not a child, all employees have a ‘day 1’ right to take unpaid time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependant. This entitlement can be used, for example, to make arrangements for the funeral.

Individuals who do not feel able to return to work following a bereavement may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay whilst they are off work. All employees are also entitled to 5.6 weeks of Annual Leave a year.

Many employers offer ‘Compassionate Leave’ in these circumstances and we encourage employers to respond sensitively to each individual’s specific needs.

The Supreme Court’s unanimous judgment published on 19 March provides legal clarity. The Government has published updated guidance on sleep-in shifts and the National Minimum Wage, which applies to all sectors of the economy throughout the UK.

HM Revenue and Customs is responsible for enforcing National Minimum Wage legislation, and since 2015 has ordered employers to pay arrears of £100 million to one million workers. HMRC follows up on every worker complaint received, even those which are anonymous. This includes complaints made via the online complaint form or the Acas helpline and those received from other sources. In recent months, HMRC has also produced and advertised a webinar aimed at helping care providers understand particular issues in the social care sector.

My Hon. Friends the Minister of State for Care and the Minister for Children and Families have written to commissioners of social care services to emphasise that Local Authorities should be working with providers to ensure that they are complying with legislation and also ensuring that care workers are supported and remunerated so to retain a stable workforce.

The Government is also committed to sustainable improvement of the adult social care system and will bring forward proposals later in 2021.

The Government is committed to supporting employers with their flexible working practices across all sectors of the economy. While we do not currently fund flexible working pilot programmes, we are providing employers with the support they need to make informed decisions on their future approach to flexible working. Through reconvening the Flexible Working Taskforce – a partnership across business groups, trade unions, charities, and government departments – we are bringing together the necessary expertise to provide this support.

The Taskforce has been asked to help take forward the best of what we have learned through the pandemic about more flexible ways of working as the economy starts to fully open up. In the immediate phase, the Taskforce will consider the essential practical and legal issues associated with a return to a workplace and an increase in hybrid working.

The Taskforce will move on to provide wider advice on best practice, so that employers are better able to support all forms of flexible working – whether the flexibility relates to the amount, timing or location of work.

The Government is committed to supporting employers with their flexible working practices across all sectors of the economy. While we do not currently fund flexible working pilot programmes, we are providing employers with the support they need to make informed decisions on their future approach to flexible working. Through reconvening the Flexible Working Taskforce – a partnership across business groups, trade unions, charities, and government departments – we are bringing together the necessary expertise to provide this support.

The Taskforce has been asked to help take forward the best of what we have learned through the pandemic about more flexible ways of working as the economy starts to fully open up. In the immediate phase, the Taskforce will consider the essential practical and legal issues associated with a return to a workplace and an increase in hybrid working.

The Taskforce will move on to provide wider advice on best practice, so that employers are better able to support all forms of flexible working – whether the flexibility relates to the amount, timing or location of work.

The Government is committed to bringing forward an Employment Bill when Parliamentary time allows, to protect and enhance worker’s rights as we build back better from the pandemic.

Given the profound effects the pandemic is having on the economy and on the labour market, the Government has taken unprecedented but necessary steps to support business and protect jobs and will continue to do so.

In 2019 the Government committed to encourage flexible working and consult on making it the default unless employers have good reasons not to. The consultation will happen in due course.

The Government is committed to bringing forward an Employment Bill when Parliamentary time allows, to protect and enhance worker’s rights as we build back better from the pandemic.

Given the profound effects the pandemic is having on the economy and on the labour market, the Government has taken unprecedented but necessary steps to support business and protect jobs and will continue to do so.

In 2019 the Government committed to encourage flexible working and consult on making it the default unless employers have good reasons not to. The consultation will happen in due course.

The Government is committed to bringing forward an Employment Bill when Parliamentary time allows, to protect and enhance worker’s rights as we build back better from the pandemic.

Given the profound effects the pandemic is having on the economy and on the labour market, the Government has taken unprecedented but necessary steps to support business and protect jobs and will continue to do so.

In 2019 the Government committed to encourage flexible working and consult on making it the default unless employers have good reasons not to. The consultation will happen in due course.

The Government is committed to bringing forward an Employment Bill when Parliamentary time allows, to protect and enhance worker’s rights as we build back better from the pandemic.

Given the profound effects the pandemic is having on the economy and on the labour market, the Government has taken unprecedented but necessary steps to support business and protect jobs and will continue to do so.

In 2019 the Government committed to encourage flexible working and consult on making it the default unless employers have good reasons not to. The consultation will happen in due course.

The Government is committed to bringing forward an Employment Bill when Parliamentary time allows, to protect and enhance worker’s rights as we build back better from the pandemic.

Given the profound effects the pandemic is having on the economy and on the labour market, the Government has taken unprecedented but necessary steps to support business and protect jobs and will continue to do so.

In 2019 the Government committed to encourage flexible working and consult on making it the default unless employers have good reasons not to. The consultation will happen in due course.

Covid-19 loan scheme lenders are expected to pursue appropriate recovery processes in line with existing industry standards. Lenders undergo periodic audits to check that scheme eligibility rules and processes are being followed.

Under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS), lenders, the British Business Bank and Government have agreed a set of principles relating to collections and recoveries, in order to facilitate fair and consistent treatment of BBLS borrowers.

For the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS), lenders retain some of the risk and so are expected to utilise their usual industry practices.

The arrangements in place for a claim made against a Government Guarantee for a Coronavirus Business Loan are the same whatever the purpose of the loan.

Borrowers remain liable for the outstanding debt. Lenders are required to pursue borrowers for repayment of all outstanding debt, in accordance with their normal processes for the recovery of a loan. Provided the facility was eligible when it was offered, claims on the guarantee can be made within a reasonable time period following the lender making a Formal Demand to the borrower.

Once a claim has been made, the lender is still obliged to seek further potential recoveries if the process has not been completed. Lenders should apply their normal commercial judgement to decide when it is appropriate to cease recovery activity. If a recovery is made after the settlement of the Guarantee Claim, lenders should refund the British Business Bank in respect of the Guarantee Claim they received.

The Warm Home Discount is a key policy in the Government’s programme to tackle fuel poverty and the effects of rising energy prices on low-income households. Launched in April 2011, it has helped over 2.2 million low-income and vulnerable households, including individuals with a disability, each year with their energy costs. However, we do not hold specific data about the number of disabled people receiving the Warm Home Discount.

In recognition of the positive and significant impact of the scheme, the Energy White Paper 2020 committed to: extending the scheme to at least 2025/26; expanding the spending envelope from the current £351m to £475m (in 2020 prices) per year, to enable us to reach over 750,000 more households in, or at risk of, fuel poverty; and consulting later this year on reforms to the scheme from 2022 to better target fuel poverty. This will ensure that funds reach those most at risk and in deepest fuel poverty, including supporting the most vulnerable individuals with a disability. This is in line with our updated vulnerability principle included within the fuel poverty strategy ‘Sustainable Warmth’, published in February 2021.

Following the High Court Judgment on the 13^th of November 2020, work is underway to amend section 44(1)(d) and (e) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 to extend the health and safety protections contained in these provisions to all limb (b) workers, as well as employees. The Government is committed to making these legislative changes as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Our high standards have never been dependent on EU membership, and this agreement recognises the importance of these employment standards, whilst retaining flexibility for us to tailor our approach to what works for the UK and maintaining our strong levels of employment protections.

Our ambition is to be the best place in the world to work and grow a business. This agreement provides us with the flexibility to make our own decisions on how to best do this, whilst upholding our high standards.

Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (protection from detriment in health and safety cases) currently applies to employees.

Following the High Court Judgment of 13^th November 2021, work is underway to amend section 44(1)(d) and (e) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 to extend the rights in these provisions to apply to all limb (b) workers as well as employees.

Following the High Court Judgment of 13^th November, work is underway to amend section 44 (d) and (e) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (protection from detriment in circumstances of danger) to extend it to all limb (b) workers as well as employees.

We remain committed to ensuring that all workers are adequately protected from workplace risks.

Following the High Court Judgment of 13^th November, work is underway to amend section 44 (d) and (e) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (protection from detriment in circumstances of danger) to extend it to all limb (b) workers as well as employees.

We remain committed to ensuring that all workers are adequately protected from workplace risks.

The Minister of State for Universities and I have regular conversations with our counterparts in the Scottish Government and other Devolved Administrations across a wide range of education and science, research and innovation issues, including those relating to possible future participation in Erasmus Plus and Horizon Europe.

The Government is open to participation in Horizon Europe if a fair and balanced deal can be reached. Alongside this, BEIS is working with the Devolved Administrations to develop credible options should alternative schemes be required. Funding for any continued participation in EU research and innovation Programmes or EU replacement schemes is subject to allocations at the Spending Review.

The Minister of State for Universities’ discussions include the UK’s approach to EU study and exchange programmes, including Erasmus+, where the government remains open to considering participation in some elements of the next programme. This will be subject to our ongoing negotiations with the EU. In parallel with the negotiations we are continuing to develop a UK-wide domestic alternative to Erasmus+, as a contingency measure. Decisions on funding beyond 2020-21 will be considered at future spending review processes, including Spending Review 2020 which will set out 2021-22 departmental budgets in November. The Devolved Administrations are also part of the governance and development process for the domestic alternative scheme, and we will continue to co-operate closely with them.

I have regular conversations with our counterparts in the Scottish Government and other Devolved Administrations across a wide range of R&D issues.

These discussions include the UK’s approach to EU research programmes, where the Government is seeking to negotiate with the EU a fair and balanced deal for the UK’s participation including in Horizon Europe. Alongside this, BEIS is working with the Devolved Administrations and other stakeholders to develop credible options should alternative schemes be required. We will continue to engage the Devolved Administrations actively in policy development.

On Erasmus+, the Government remains open to considering participation in some elements of the next programme. This will be subject to our ongoing negotiations with the EU. We will, in parallel with the negotiations, continue to develop a domestic alternative to Erasmus+. My Hon. Friend the Minister of State for Universities regularly engages with her counterparts in the Devolved Administrations on matters relating to education and EU exit, including Erasmus+ and the potential domestic alternative. The Devolved Administrations are also part of the governance and development process for the domestic alternative scheme, and we will continue to co-operate closely with them.

Future funding is obviously a matter for the ongoing Spending Review processes, but I can assure the hon Member that the Government remains committed to the long-term sustainability of the Post Office network, which has achieved so much during the Covid-19 crisis.

Almost all viable UK-based businesses are eligible to apply for a loan under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS). You can apply for a loan if your business:

• is based in the UK;
• was established before 1 March 2020;
• has been adversely affected by coronavirus.

Whether or not a business is liable for Business Rates, or occupies business premises, is not a consideration under the scheme.

The Government-backed loan schemes are part of a broad package of support measures for businesses, which include the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, deferral of VAT and income tax payments, grant funding for small businesses, and more. For more information on the support available to them, businesses should visit the Government’s business support website.

The Government holds many meetings with companies, including Rolls-Royce, to discuss a wide range of business issues.

Details of meetings held by Ministers in the Department are recorded in our transparency data, which is published at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings

The Department has not been in contact with regulatory agencies in connection with the business practices of Yell Ltd.

Business-to-business contract disputes are generally a matter for the parties involved, except in a small number of regulated sectors.

We would encourage any business that is being offered a service to read the contract carefully, and research the reputation of the service provider before making any commitment.

Accredited Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) lenders offer a wide range of business finance products including term loans, overdrafts, invoice finance and asset finance. The British Business Bank has put in place substantial additional resource to accredit new lenders to CBILS as quickly as possible, which will further widen the choice of finance options for smaller businesses.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the regulator responsible. If the FCA suspects serious misconduct, it has the powers to launch investigations and to hold companies or individuals to account.

Under the draft Online Safety Bill, companies in scope will need to protect users, including women, from illegal abuse. Services will need to have effective systems in place to minimise and remove illegal content.

Major platforms will also need to address legal but harmful content for adults. Priority categories of legal but harmful content for adults will be set out in secondary legislation and these are likely to include some forms of online abuse.

Ofcom will have a suite of enforcement powers available to use against companies who fail their duties. These powers include fines for companies of up to £18 million or 10% of qualifying annual global turnover, and business disruption measures.

The draft Bill has been subject to pre-legislative scrutiny by a Joint Committee. The Joint Committee reported with their recommendations on 14 December. We are considering the Committee’s recommendations and are committed to introducing the Bill as soon as possible after that.

In July 2021, the government published its Online Media Literacy Strategy, which sets out plans for improving media literacy capabilities across the UK. The Strategy supports the empowerment of users with the key skills and knowledge they need to make informed and safe choices online. Whilst working to support the media literacy of all users, the Strategy has an amplified focus on users who are vulnerable online, such as those who experience disproportionate levels of online abuse.

The Strategy explores the role of online platforms, including social media companies, in supporting the media literacy of users. This includes calling on platforms to invest more in educational initiatives, explore the role that platform design choices can play in promoting media literacy to users, and improve transparency about data related to platform media literacy activity.

The Online Safety Bill will entail a significant expansion of Ofcom’s existing responsibilities. We are working closely with Ofcom to ensure it is prepared for its new role, and to ensure the legislation is effectively implemented. This includes work to ensure it has the resources, skills and capabilities it needs to prepare to take on its new functions. Ofcom is already regulating UK-established video sharing platforms following the passage of the Audiovisual Media Services Regulations 2020, which came into effect in November 2020. This experience will help prepare Ofcom for its online safety regulatory role.

Under the new Bill, companies in scope will need to minimise and remove illegal content, including illegal abuse. They will also have to protect children from harmful or inappropriate content. The largest and highest risk companies will also be required to publish annual transparency reports about the steps they are taking to tackle online harms.

If platforms fail in their duties under the Bill, they will face tough enforcement action including fines of up to 10% of annual global qualifying revenue, or £18m, whichever is the greater.

The right of access is one of the fundamental rights in data protection legislation and the government will protect it. Subject access requests are a critical transparency mechanism under this right, allowing individuals to check the accuracy of their personal data, learn more about how their data is being used and with whom their data is being shared, and obtain a copy of the data held about them.

The consultation paper Data: A New Direction, published on 10 September, considers whether to re-introduce fees for responding to subject access requests. Any fee regime would be structured fairly so as not to undermine an individual's right to access their personal data.

An initial equality impact assessment has been conducted and a final assessment will be developed during and after the consultation process. Through the consultation, the government is seeking views on what, if any, safeguards should apply in order to mitigate any adverse impacts were this proposal to be pursued further.

The Government published its National AI Strategy on 22nd September 2021. It can be viewed here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-ai-strategy . The Strategy will ensure that the UK continues our global leadership in the research, development, commercialisation and adoption of responsible AI.

The Strategy sets out our ambition to drive prosperity across the UK and ensure everyone can benefit from AI.

In particular, the Strategy recognises that issues such as the equalities impacts of AI will be an important consideration as we continue to develop policy on the governance and regulation of AI. We will involve relevant regulators and equalities groups in this work. It also recognises the need to give more people the skills to work with AI, developing an AI-literate workforce.

The diversity of people working with and developing AI is an important component of the AI Strategy. We are already supporting 2,500 new Masters conversion courses in AI and data science across universities in England. Included in this program are up to 1,000 scholarships, which aims to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups and encourage graduates from diverse backgrounds to consider a future in AI and Data Science.

The Government published its National AI Strategy on 22nd September 2021. It can be viewed here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-ai-strategy . The Strategy will ensure that the UK continues our global leadership in the research, development, commercialisation and adoption of responsible AI.

The Strategy sets out our ambition to drive prosperity across the UK and ensure everyone can benefit from AI.

In particular, the Strategy recognises that issues such as the equalities impacts of AI will be an important consideration as we continue to develop policy on the governance and regulation of AI. We will involve relevant regulators and equalities groups in this work. It also recognises the need to give more people the skills to work with AI, developing an AI-literate workforce.

The diversity of people working with and developing AI is an important component of the AI Strategy. We are already supporting 2,500 new Masters conversion courses in AI and data science across universities in England. Included in this program are up to 1,000 scholarships, which aims to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups and encourage graduates from diverse backgrounds to consider a future in AI and Data Science.

The Government published its National AI Strategy on 22nd September 2021. It can be viewed here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-ai-strategy . The Strategy will ensure that the UK continues our global leadership in the research, development, commercialisation and adoption of responsible AI.

The Strategy sets out our ambition to drive prosperity across the UK and ensure everyone can benefit from AI.

In particular, the Strategy recognises that issues such as the equalities impacts of AI will be an important consideration as we continue to develop policy on the governance and regulation of AI. We will involve relevant regulators and equalities groups in this work. It also recognises the need to give more people the skills to work with AI, developing an AI-literate workforce.

The diversity of people working with and developing AI is an important component of the AI Strategy. We are already supporting 2,500 new Masters conversion courses in AI and data science across universities in England. Included in this program are up to 1,000 scholarships, which aims to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups and encourage graduates from diverse backgrounds to consider a future in AI and Data Science.

The Government published its National AI Strategy on 22nd September 2021. It can be viewed here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-ai-strategy . The Strategy will ensure that the UK continues our global leadership in the research, development, commercialisation and adoption of responsible AI.

The Strategy sets out our ambition to drive prosperity across the UK and ensure everyone can benefit from AI.

In particular, the Strategy recognises that issues such as the equalities impacts of AI will be an important consideration as we continue to develop policy on the governance and regulation of AI. We will involve relevant regulators and equalities groups in this work. It also recognises the need to give more people the skills to work with AI, developing an AI-literate workforce.

The diversity of people working with and developing AI is an important component of the AI Strategy. We are already supporting 2,500 new Masters conversion courses in AI and data science across universities in England. Included in this program are up to 1,000 scholarships, which aims to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups and encourage graduates from diverse backgrounds to consider a future in AI and Data Science.

The Government published its National AI Strategy on 22nd September 2021. It can be viewed here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-ai-strategy . The Strategy will ensure that the UK continues our global leadership in the research, development, commercialisation and adoption of responsible AI.

The Strategy sets out our ambition to drive prosperity across the UK and ensure everyone can benefit from AI.

In particular, the Strategy recognises that issues such as the equalities impacts of AI will be an important consideration as we continue to develop policy on the governance and regulation of AI. We will involve relevant regulators and equalities groups in this work. It also recognises the need to give more people the skills to work with AI, developing an AI-literate workforce.

The diversity of people working with and developing AI is an important component of the AI Strategy. We are already supporting 2,500 new Masters conversion courses in AI and data science across universities in England. Included in this program are up to 1,000 scholarships, which aims to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups and encourage graduates from diverse backgrounds to consider a future in AI and Data Science.

The Government published its National AI Strategy on 22nd September 2021. It can be viewed here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-ai-strategy . The Strategy will ensure that the UK continues our global leadership in the research, development, commercialisation and adoption of responsible AI.

The Strategy sets out our ambition to drive prosperity across the UK and ensure everyone can benefit from AI.

In particular, the Strategy recognises that issues such as the equalities impacts of AI will be an important consideration as we continue to develop policy on the governance and regulation of AI. We will involve relevant regulators and equalities groups in this work. It also recognises the need to give more people the skills to work with AI, developing an AI-literate workforce.

The diversity of people working with and developing AI is an important component of the AI Strategy. We are already supporting 2,500 new Masters conversion courses in AI and data science across universities in England. Included in this program are up to 1,000 scholarships, which aims to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups and encourage graduates from diverse backgrounds to consider a future in AI and Data Science.

In the White Paper ‘A BBC for the future: a broadcaster of distinction’ published in 2016, the government considered the findings of the Perry Review and agreed with its assessment that the current regime represents a broadly fair and proportionate response to the problem of licence fee evasion and provides good value for money (both for licence fee payers and taxpayers).

The White Paper set out that, as part of the Charter Review process, the government saw evidence from the BBC that it was looking to address the recommendations from the Perry Review, including further work on gender disparity.

TV Licensing subsequently completed a review of the gender disparity in TV licence evasion prosecutions and published a Gender Disparity Report in 2017. The report explored some of the reasons why a gender imbalance exists but noted that there is no evidence of any discriminatory enforcement practices on the part of TV Licensing.

The BBC and TV Licensing are independent of the government and the government has no say over their day-to-day decisions, including the content and tone of their written communications with households.

Under the Royal Charter, it is for the BBC Board to ensure that arrangements for the collection of the licence fee are efficient, appropriate and proportionate.

As noted in the consultation on decriminalisation of TV licence evasion, the government remains concerned about the considerable stress and anxiety that TV Licensing communications and the criminal sanction can cause for individuals.

The government is keeping the issue of decriminalisation under active consideration as part of the wider roadmap of reform of the BBC.

The BBC and TV Licensing are independent of the government and the government has no say over their day-to-day decisions, including the content and tone of their written communications with households.

Under the Royal Charter, it is for the BBC Board to ensure that arrangements for the collection of the licence fee are efficient, appropriate and proportionate.

As noted in the consultation on decriminalisation of TV licence evasion, the government remains concerned about the considerable stress and anxiety that TV Licensing communications and the criminal sanction can cause for individuals.

The government is keeping the issue of decriminalisation under active consideration as part of the wider roadmap of reform of the BBC.

TV Licensing completed a review of the gender disparity in TV licence evasion prosecutions and published a Gender Disparity Report in 2017. The report explored some of the reasons why a gender imbalance exists but noted that there is no evidence of any discriminatory enforcement practices on the part of TV Licensing.

The government also noted its concern about the ongoing gender disparity of prosecutions for TV licence evasion in the consultation on decriminalisation of TV licence evasion launched in 2020.

The government is keeping the issue of decriminalisation under active consideration as part of the wider roadmap of reform of the BBC.

This government recognises the importance of our world leading creative and cultural industries. That is why the UK took an ambitious approach during negotiations that would have ensured that touring musicians, performers and their support staff did not need work-permits to perform in the EU. Regrettably, our proposals were rejected by the EU, but our door remains open if the EU wants to reconsider its position.

A bespoke visa waiver agreement with the EU would require the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) to be renegotiated. The TCA is the basis of our trading relations with the EU, and this is not going to be renegotiated.

The Commission would be likely to argue that any EU-wide visa waiver agreement can only be part of a wider package with a binding non-discrimination clause and a reciprocal visa waiver agreement covering all current and future Member States. This was what the Commission proposed in the negotiations and would be incompatible with our manifesto commitment to retain control of our borders.

We have spoken to every Member States about the importance of touring, and we have established that at least 18 out of 27 Member States, including France and Germany, allow some visa and permit free touring. Furthermore, we are now working closely with individual Member States to encourage them to adopt a more flexible approach, in line with the UK’s own rules which allow creative professionals to tour easily here.

We are aware that the new provisions in the TCA around haulage will require the sector to adapt to new requirements and ways of working with the EU now we are no longer a Member State. The Department for Transport published a call for evidence on 30 June to seek views and evidence on two possible options that could help support these sectors adapt to the new requirements.

The Government recognises the importance of touring for UK musicians and other creative professionals. We acknowledge that there will be some additional processes for those in creative industries working across the EU now that the transition period has come to an end. However, our agreement with the EU contains Transparency and Procedural Facilitation measures that will help ensure visa processes are as prompt and smooth as possible.

During our negotiations with the EU, the UK proposed measures, reflecting the views of the music industry itself, that would have allowed musicians to travel and perform in the UK and the EU more easily, without needing work-permits. Specifically, we proposed to capture the work done by musicians, artists and entertainers, and their accompanying staff through the list of permitted activities for short-term business visitors.

In practice this would have delivered an outcome that is closer to the UK’s approach to incoming musicians, artists and entertainers from non-visa national countries, such as EU Member States and the US, who can come to perform in the UK without requiring a visa. Unfortunately, these proposals were repeatedly rejected by the EU.

The EU did not propose and wouldn’t accept a tailored deal for musicians, artists and their support staff to tour across the EU and UK.

Going forward, we will continue our close dialogue with the creative and cultural sectors to ensure that they have the support they need to thrive.The Government recognises the importance of touring for UK musicians and other creative professionals, and has engaged extensively with the creative industries and arts sector since the announcement of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement to ensure they are aware of the new requirements.

The Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) was launched on 21 April as part of the government’s Cyber Aware campaign. This is a UK-wide campaign promoted through paid activity, press and stakeholder engagement.

The campaign materials were shared with Scottish Government and other Scottish public sector organisations, including Education Scotland, Scottish Business Resilience Centre and Trading Standards Scotland. We have also worked closely with Police Scotland. All have played an essential role in helping to amplify the SERS in local communities.

The SERS was promoted on social media and through paid search, both of which were targeted at audiences in Scotland. Results show specific engagement within East Renfrewshire.

We plan to run the campaign for the remainder of this financial year with sustained engagement and paid activity in Scotland.

As part of the National Cyber Security Strategy, the Government is helping organisations across the economy and society improve their digital security. We are promoting the uptake of the Cyber Essentials (CE) scheme, which is targeted at businesses and organisations, in a number of ways, including through the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) extensive engagements with industry sectors and via police regional organised crime units, which engage with businesses locally.

The Government’s Cyber Aware campaign helps the public and small businesses take up secure online behaviours, including signposting businesses towards Cyber Essentials and other guidance and support.

Up to the end of April 2020, 44,443 Cyber Essentials certificates have now been awarded to organisations, including 5,534 since the start of 2020.

From 2016 until the end of April 2020, seven Cyber Essentials certificates have been awarded to organisations in the East Renfrewshire constituency. This is an estimate, as there is incomplete location data for some historical certificate entries.

A total of 44,443 certificates have been awarded to organisations across the UK.

A search function to find organisations with Cyber Essentials certificates is available at www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberessentials/search.

The UK is already a significant net contributor to Erasmus+. Government estimates that the UK’s notional contribution to the current (2014-2020) programme over its seven-year duration will be around €1.8 billion, whilst the UK expected to receive around €1 billion in receipts over the course of the programme.

The budget for the next programme is nearly doubling from €14 billion to €26 billion. In order to participate in Erasmus+, the EU proposed new terms of participation for the UK which included a participation fee in addition to a GDP-based contribution. The only terms on offer to the UK for Erasmus+ participation would mean that we would likely make a gross contribution in the region of £600 million per annum and pay in around £2 billion more than we would get out over the course of the next programme. We obviously respect the right of the EU to set the terms for participation in its programmes but, in this case, we did not believe those terms represented value for money for the UK taxpayer.

Therefore, as an independent and sovereign country, it is also right that we will proceed with the introduction of a new international educational exchange scheme that has a genuinely global reach. The government remains committed to international education exchanges and that is why we have committed to funding the Turing scheme.

The Turing scheme will be backed by over £100 million for the academic year. This includes the costs of administering the scheme and I am pleased to confirm that the new scheme will be administered by the same consortium of British Council and Ecorys which have been delivering Erasmus+ in the UK for a number of years, drawing on their experience of working with education providers across the UK, and ensuring continuity. This will fund similar levels of student outbound mobilities as under Erasmus and provide funding for around 35,000 students in universities, colleges and schools to go on study and work placements overseas, starting in September 2021.

The Turing scheme will also go further than Erasmus+ by including countries across the world, while delivering greater value for money to taxpayers.

The UK is already a significant net contributor to Erasmus+. Government estimates that the UK’s notional contribution to the current (2014-2020) programme over its seven-year duration will be around €1.8 billion, whilst the UK expected to receive around €1 billion in receipts over the course of the programme.

The budget for the next programme is nearly doubling from €14 billion to €26 billion. In order to participate in Erasmus+, the EU proposed new terms of participation for the UK which included a participation fee in addition to a GDP-based contribution. The only terms on offer to the UK for Erasmus+ participation would mean that we would likely make a gross contribution in the region of £600 million per annum and pay in around £2 billion more than we would get out over the course of the next programme. We obviously respect the right of the EU to set the terms for participation in its programmes but, in this case, we did not believe those terms represented value for money for the UK taxpayer.

Therefore, as an independent and sovereign country, it is also right that we will proceed with the introduction of a new international educational exchange scheme that has a genuinely global reach. The government remains committed to international education exchanges and that is why we have committed to funding the Turing scheme.

The Turing scheme will be backed by over £100 million for the academic year. This includes the costs of administering the scheme and I am pleased to confirm that the new scheme will be administered by the same consortium of British Council and Ecorys which have been delivering Erasmus+ in the UK for a number of years, drawing on their experience of working with education providers across the UK, and ensuring continuity. This will fund similar levels of student outbound mobilities as under Erasmus and provide funding for around 35,000 students in universities, colleges and schools to go on study and work placements overseas, starting in September 2021.

The Turing scheme will also go further than Erasmus+ by including countries across the world, while delivering greater value for money to taxpayers.

I have regular conversations with our counterparts in the Scottish government and other devolved administrations across a wide range of research and development issues.

These discussions include the UK’s approach to EU research programmes, where the government is seeking to negotiate with the EU a fair and balanced deal for the UK’s participation, including in Horizon Europe. Alongside this, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is working with the devolved administrations and other stakeholders to develop credible options, should alternative schemes be required. We will continue to actively engage with the devolved administrations in policy development.

On Erasmus+, the government remains open to considering participation in some elements of the next programme. This will be subject to our ongoing negotiations with the EU. We will, in parallel with the negotiations, continue to develop a domestic alternative to Erasmus+. I regularly engage with my counterparts in the devolved administrations on matters relating to education and the EU exit, including Erasmus+ and the potential domestic alternative. The devolved administrations are also part of the governance and development process for the domestic alternative scheme, and we will continue to co-operate closely with them.

Any mitigations identified as part of the equality impact assessment, will be published by 15 June, alongside any other steps taken in the Covid-19 risk assessment which has been published on the transparency pages of the House of Commons website.

The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain and representatives of our leading supermarkets are working to ensure people have the food and products they need. Retailers will work hard to mitigate any disruption to their supply chain that could impact on their costs, to keep customer prices down as far as possible.

The Business Secretary met the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), business, trade and consumer organisations on Thursday 9 April to discuss ways in which profiteering could be tackled. The Prime Minister has been clear the Government will look at further action, including legislation if necessary, to address any significant issues.

We have not seen any evidence that profiteering on food is a significant or widespread issue across the UK at present. We are in regular communication with all major retailers, who have been responsible, committed and co-operative in their response to Covid-19. We are aware, however, of concerns that a small minority of businesses are exploiting consumers through harmful sales and pricing practices, and the CMA has created a COVID-19 taskforce to address such issues. They have already approached traders and trade associations on this matter.

The Government recognises the need to ensure hauliers have access to appropriate services and facilities. We are aware of the concerns expressed by many HGV drivers about the provision, quality and value of lorry parking in the UK.

We have announced £32.5 million in new funding to improve roadside facilities for hauliers and are undertaking a new National Lorry Parking Survey supported by direct industry engagement to help identify where improvements are most needed. We continue to engage with key stakeholders to encourage the development of safe, secure and high-quality lorry parking.

The Department published a joint letter with the Health and Safety Executive to remind businesses of their legal obligation to provide toilet and handwashing facilities to drivers visiting their premises as part of their work.

The Government has confirmed its support for an industry-led “Year of Logistics” as well as the promotion of good practice in the sector as endorsed by unions and trade representatives. The Government does not intervene in the levels of pay in private businesses, with the exception of setting the rates for the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has recently opened a customer service centre in Birmingham and recruited more staff to help reduce current waiting times and provide future resilience and business continuity. There are no current plans for any further DVLA offices.

The DVLA’s contact centre uses non-geographic, 0300 telephone numbers so that customers are charged at a local call rate whether they use a landline or mobile phone and wherever they are calling from in the United Kingdom. There are no plans to provide freephone services for calls to the DVLA.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working to improve the process for drivers with a medical condition. Drivers with diabetes, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, a visual impairment, a sleep condition or a heart condition can renew their licence online.

The DVLA has also recently introduced a simplified licence renewal process for drivers with epilepsy and multiple sclerosis and is piloting this for some mental health conditions. This new process has significantly reduced the need for the DVLA to seek further information from medical professionals and enabled more licensing decisions to be made based on the information provided by the driver. The DVLA is looking at adding more medical conditions to this new process.

Detailed guidance for drivers and applicants about driving under section 88 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 is published on the GOV.UK website here.

The DVLA advises applicants about this provision when they renew a driving licence online or contact the DVLA by telephone. Information on driving while the DVLA is processing an application is also included on driving licence renewal application forms and reminders and letters sent to applicants, where appropriate.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working to improve the process for drivers with a medical condition. Drivers with diabetes, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, a visual impairment, a sleep condition or a heart condition can renew their licence online.

The DVLA has also recently introduced a simplified licence renewal process for drivers with epilepsy and multiple sclerosis and is piloting this for some mental health conditions. This new process has significantly reduced the need for the DVLA to seek further information from medical professionals and enabled more licensing decisions to be made based on the information provided by the driver. The DVLA is looking at adding more medical conditions to this new process.

Detailed guidance for drivers and applicants about driving under section 88 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 is published on the GOV.UK website here.

The DVLA advises applicants about this provision when they renew a driving licence online or contact the DVLA by telephone. Information on driving while the DVLA is processing an application is also included on driving licence renewal application forms and reminders and letters sent to applicants, where appropriate.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) offers a six month window for people to book theory tests, therefore appointments are booked at the times people choose. There is not a backlog of theory tests as there is capacity available for more people to book.

The DVSA recognises the high demand for learners wanting to take their practical driving test following the suspension of routine driver training and testing during the pandemic.

As of 24 January 2022, the number of candidates with a test booked were:

The DVSA is committed to the safe recovery of all its services as quickly as possible and has a number of measures in place to do this. These include offering a national recovery allowance and annual leave buy back to examiners, asking all those qualified to conduct tests, but who do not do so as part of their current day job, to return to conducting tests, and conducting out of hours testing (such as on public holidays and weekends).

The DVSA is also continuing with its campaign to recruit more driving examiners across Great Britain and further increase availability of driving test appointments.

The quickest and easiest way to make an application to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is to use its extensive suite of online services. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their documents within a few days.

However, many people still choose or have to make a paper application and the DVLA receives around 60,000 items of mail every day. The DVLA usually aims to process paper applications within three weeks but they are currently taking between six and ten weeks to process. There may be additional delays in processing more complex transactions, for example, if medical investigations are needed. The latest information on turnaround times for paper applications can be found here.

To help reduce waiting times for paper applications, the DVLA has introduced additional online services, recruited more staff, increased overtime working and has secured extra office space in Swansea and Birmingham. The DVLA has reconfigured its accommodation to safely maximise the number of staff on site and is working hard to process paper applications as quickly as possible.

Together with the ending of industrial action at the DVLA, these measures are having a positive impact. In particular, the focus on vocational driving licence applications to support the HGV driver shortage has been successful with routine vocational applications now being processed within normal turnaround times of five working days. The remaining queues are reducing, and customers will continue to see an improving picture in terms of turnaround times.

The quickest and easiest way to make an application to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is to use its extensive suite of online services. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their documents within a few days.

However, many people still choose or have to make a paper application and the DVLA receives around 60,000 items of mail every day. The DVLA usually aims to process paper applications within three weeks but they are currently taking between six and ten weeks to process. There may be additional delays in processing more complex transactions, for example, if medical investigations are needed. The latest information on turnaround times for paper applications can be found here.

To help reduce waiting times for paper applications, the DVLA has introduced additional online services, recruited more staff, increased overtime working and has secured extra office space in Swansea and Birmingham. The DVLA has reconfigured its accommodation to safely maximise the number of staff on site and is working hard to process paper applications as quickly as possible.

Together with the ending of industrial action at the DVLA, these measures are having a positive impact. In particular, the focus on vocational driving licence applications to support the HGV driver shortage has been successful with routine vocational applications now being processed within normal turnaround times of five working days. The remaining queues are reducing, and customers will continue to see an improving picture in terms of turnaround times.

The Department for Transport is working across Government and with the road haulage industry to address the current HGV driver shortage, which is an issue affecting many countries worldwide. For example, the International Road Transport Union predicts a gap of 185,000 drivers by 2027 in Germany. Current trade association estimates of the UK driver shortage range from 85,000 to 90,000. The current shortage includes both a chronic, long-term, component and an acute element. The Office for National Statistics estimates the number of drivers to be 268,000 in the 12 months ending June 2021, which is 39,000 fewer than the year ending June 2019.

The Department has held regular meetings with the road haulage industry and trade unions regarding driver shortages and its impact on supply chains The Government has taken decisive action to address the acute driver shortage, with 30 specific measures already taken to support driver training, increase the availability of driving tests and improve the standard and availability of roadside facilities. These measures are working. There is no backlog of HGV licence applications and we are seeing over a thousand more people than normal apply for a licence each week.

Following 18 October, the Government announced a further five measures to address the impacts of the heavy goods vehicle driver shortage and published details of the 30 measures on 10 November on the GOV.UK website. To monitor the effectiveness of measures, we continually examine key metrics of performance and engage with industry and across Government where appropriate.

The Government recognises the need to ensure hauliers have access to appropriate services and facilities. This week, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £32.5 million of investment in roadside facilities for HGV drivers.

The Department will continue to engage with key stakeholders to encourage the development of more safe, secure, and high-quality lorry parking to improve driver welfare.

The Government is also aware of the demographic imbalances in the HGV driver workforce including the lack of women drivers, under 25s and drivers from ethnic minorities. Addressing these issues and creating a workforce that will better reflect society will be key to permanently solving the driver shortage.

This will be for the industry to lead on but the Government will continue to support where it can, such as improving the accessibility of facilities for women drivers and increasing the provision of overnight lorry parking.

The Government continues to explore a range of options to help tackle the shortage of HGV drivers and has put in place 28 interventions to date. The role and impact of the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence will be kept under review. The current requirements are heavily influenced by legislation inherited from the EU.

The Secretary of State regularly meets with stakeholders in the sector and listens to the issues raised.

Ministers have also replied to correspondence from BALPA on concerns about the recognition of UK licences and employment opportunities for pilots following EU Exit. Most recently, the Secretary of State for Transport responded to a correspondence from BALPA on 11^th October.

Advice given to BALPA includes referring to the Aviation Skills Retention Platform which was launched by the Department to support workers in the sector.

Responsibility for planning and completing the necessary training in order to meet Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) requirements lies with individual drivers and their employers. In some circumstances, employers might decide to support the driver financially to undertake the training. The cost of periodic training courses charged to the driver is decided by approved centres and determined by commercial factors.

Many employers are currently offering training packages to support drivers whose Driver CPC has lapsed to update their training through classroom or online courses. Heavy goods vehicle (HGV) licence holders, who are currently unemployed or are in receipt of Universal Credit can, at the discretion of local Department for Work (DWP) advisors, access the DWP Flexible Support Fund to renew their Driver CPC.

The Department for Education is also investing up to £10 million pounds to create new ‘Skills Bootcamps’ to train up to 5,000 people to become HGV drivers. These free, intensive courses will train drivers to be road ready and gain a category C or category C+E licence, helping to tackle the current HGV driver shortage.

An additional 1,000 people are expected to be trained through courses accessed locally and funded by the government’s adult education budget. To help make sure new drivers can be road ready as quickly as possible, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has also agreed to ensure that driving tests will be available for participants who have completed training courses as soon as possible.

The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) allows EU hauliers to continue to operate to, from, through and within the UK without the need for permits. The TCA ensures that the vast majority of journeys will continue as they did before the end of the transition period. The agreement also entirely respects the UK’s right to decide for ourselves how we regulate the domestic transport sector since domestic transport standards are out of scope of the Agreement.

The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) allows EU hauliers to continue to operate to, from, through and within the UK without the need for permits. The TCA ensures that the vast majority of journeys will continue as they did before the end of the transition period. The Agreement also entirely respects the UK’s right to decide for ourselves how we regulate the domestic transport sector since domestic transport standards are out of scope of the Agreement.

On the impact of Covid-19 on the domestic haulage market, Covid-19 necessitated a suspension in commercial driver testing, pausing supply of domestic talent, but the DVSA have now restarted and ramped up testing to address the backlog. This shortage of HGV drivers is longstanding and predates the UK’s decision to leave the EU.

Emergency practical driving tests are available for critical workers in England or Wales who work for the NHS, in health or social care, the emergency services or a local council, who also need to drive as part of their job or respond to ‘threats to life’ as part of their job. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has not been able to offer critical worker tests in Scotland following advice from the Scottish Government.

The number of applications awaiting processing fluctuates on a daily basis as driving licences are issued and new applications received. All driving licence applications are currently being processed within published target times.

All applications to renew lorry and bus (Group 2) driving licences are being prioritised by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. There are no plans to further extend driving licence validity periods. Group 2 drivers who have previously benefited from an extension to their driving licence must obtain the necessary medical report in the interests of road safety.

All applications to renew lorry and bus (Group 2) driving licences are being prioritised by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. There are no plans to further extend driving licence validity periods. Group 2 drivers who have previously benefited from an extension to their driving licence must obtain the necessary medical report in the interests of road safety.

During the lockdown period, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has been offering a limited theory test and practical test service in England and Wales to NHS health and social care workers, emergency services and local council workers who need to both drive as part of their job and respond to 'threats to life' as part of their job. The DVSA has contacted eligible organisations, such as NHS Trusts, to explain how to nominate candidates; candidates cannot apply themselves.

Mobile emergency worker tests cannot be currently offered in Scotland due to Covid restrictions determined by the Scottish Government.

The DVSA has no current plans to expand this priority service.

As announced at Budget 2020 and confirmed in the subsequent Spending Review, the Government is investing £4.2 billion in the transport networks of eight city regions across England from 2022/23.

This funding will be delivered through multi-year consolidated transport settlements negotiated with central Government and based on plans put forward by city regions.

It will be for the eligible Combined Authorities, in their role as the local transport authorities, to prioritise projects within their local areas.

The Department is looking forward to working towards and agreeing settlements based on each eligible city region’s transport priorities.

We continue to develop our rail portfolio in line with the rail industry’s Project SPEED principles, reflecting the need to deliver fast and efficient outcomes for the significant investment this government is making in rail. That means we are embedding the rail industry’s Project SPEED principles in every one of our investment decisions. We are also working with colleagues across Government to ensure that the HMT led Project Speed initiatives are also embedded in rail projects.

As announced at Budget 2020 and confirmed in the subsequent Spending Review, the Government is investing £4.2 billion in the transport networks of eight city regions across England from 2022/23.

This funding will be delivered through multi-year consolidated transport settlements negotiated with central Government and based on plans put forward by city regions.

It will be for the eligible Combined Authorities, in their role as the local transport authorities, to prioritise projects within their local areas.

The Department is looking forward to working towards and agreeing settlements based on each eligible city region’s transport priorities.

We will shortly be commissioning accessibility audits of all mainline stations that will allow us to prioritise future investment in station accessibility.

Further measures to improve rail accessibility will be included in the forthcoming rail reform White Paper.

We will shortly be commissioning accessibility audits of all mainline stations that will allow us to prioritise future investment in station accessibility.

Further measures to improve rail accessibility will be included in the forthcoming rail reform White Paper.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is in discussions with Transport Scotland to provide driving theory tests and practical driving tests for frontline mobile emergency workers. Transport Scotland is working to ensure it has the relevant legislation is in place before offering the service.

The DVSA is working with its theory test contract provider, Pearson VUE, to respond to requests for theory tests in England and Wales from organisations such as Ambulance Authorities on behalf of frontline mobile emergency workers who require a driving licence to carry out duties in their employment role. The DVSA will also respond to requests for practical driving tests in England and Wales from organisations on behalf of frontline mobile emergency workers, who require a driving licence to carry out duties in their employment role.

This is a limited service subject to examiner resource and is restricted to candidates working in health and social care, and other public bodies involved in work responding to ‘threats to life’ such as the Environment Agency’s flood rescue staff, or local authority gritter truck drivers. The DVSA is contacting NHS Trusts to explain how to nominate candidates; candidates cannot apply themselves. Applications from other organisations will be considered if the mobile emergency worker criteria is met.

The DVSA is in the process of planning for the resumption of services and increasing test capacity when it is safe to do so. Arrangements will be announced in due course.

295,373 practical car driving tests were conducted between 14 September 2020 and 21 January 2021.

The practical driving test booking system does not identify how many of those test conducted were part of the additional 375,000 test slots allocated.

In addition to its primary role as highway authority for the strategic road network in England, Highways England manages the Historical Railways Estate on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport across England, Scotland and Wales. It is planning to infill up to twenty-three bridge structures in Scotland over the next five years for the purpose of maintaining the safety of nearby communities and the drivers who use the roads which cross them.

East Renfrewshire Council has indicated that there are future plans for the former Lanarkshire and Ayrshire railway. There will be further discussions between Highways England and the local authority about plans for the three bridges. Highways England enjoys a strong working relationship with local councils, allowing for an open dialogue about local authority responsibilities and the potential future use or transfer of ownership of bridges.

A total of 99,892 theory test certificates expired during the 6 months following the passing of the Coronavirus Act 2020 without a practical test being passed.

The table below shows the comparable figures for the same 6-month period in the previous 3 years are as follows:

The validity period of the theory test certificate is 2 years.

The total number of theory test passes between 25 March 2018 – 25 March 2019 is 1,005,789.

It is not possible to estimate how many of those will expire without the candidate being able to sit a practical test.

There are no plans to bring forward such legislative proposals.

A candidate whose theory test certificate expires will have received the service for which they paid the fee. Therefore, no consultation has been conducted. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency continues to refund the fee for the practical driving test as soon as a candidate’s theory test certificate expires.

The attached table shows the practical driving test backlogs as at 21 December 2020:

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is working hard to reduce the backlog of tests whilst adhering to Government guidance to suspend its testing services to help stop the spread of coronavirus and keep people safe. It will continue to reschedule tests that are suspended in line with Government restrictions to the next available test dates.

Unlike driver practical tests, the DVSA is unable to make an estimate of the backlog of theory tests as these appointments are managed by re-scheduling candidates into a virtual centre, giving candidates the opportunity to choose an alternative date and time.

Demand for theory test services has increased as a result of national and local restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Scottish Government’s initiative to support vocational drivers, and the shortage of delivery and goods drivers due to Brexit.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency does not record, or hold, information to show candidates whose driving licence is a requirement of their current, or potential, employment.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is responsible for the delivery of driver and vehicle testing. It does hold data on the economic cost to the applicant or wider economy.

The DVSA does not record, or hold, information to determine if a driving licence is a requirement for the applicant maintaining or taking up employment.

Candidates select the test centre of their choice when booking a driving test. Some candidates may be residing temporarily in an area away from their home address, for example, for study or work purposes.

In the period 25 March 2020 to 30 November 2020, there were 754 candidates with Scotland postcodes who took their driving tests in England or Wales.

Network Rail will develop a baseline database of habitats and biodiversity across its estate such that long-term management plans can be developed in the same way as those for other railway assets such as track and embankments.

Network Rail are creating a culture dedicated to enhancing natural habitats and, will continue to strive towards demonstrating leadership by partnering with experts, communities and lineside neighbours. Training and recruitment will ensure that the organisation has specialist skills and competencies.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) priority has been to restore its testing services with new protective measures and procedures in place that keep people safe and stop the spread of COVID-19. The safety measures applied when conducting a practical driving test in England are therefore the same regardless of which Tier level the test centre falls under.

Network Rail welcomed John Varley's independent report on its approach to vegetation management and set out how it would respond to the review’s recommendations when it was published.

In its Environmental Sustainability Strategy published in September 2020 Network Rail commits to exceeding the review’s recommendation to achieve no net loss of biodiversity across the network by 2024 and net gain by 2040, instead achieving biodiversity net gain by 2035. Further details will be set out in the forthcoming biodiversity action plan.

The two-year validity period of the theory test certificate is set in legislation and the Government has decided not to lay further legislation to extend it; therefore, no consultation has been undertaken.

The main reason the two-year validity of a theory test certificate is in place is to ensure a candidate’s theoretical knowledge of driving remains current. Extending the validity would erode that assurance. It is important that road safety knowledge and hazard perception skills are up to date as learners prepare to take their practical test. Learners will therefore need to pass another theory test if their certificate expires. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency realises this will affect and disappoint some learners.

The Coronavirus Act 2020 came into effect on 25 March 2020. Around 118,000 theory test pass certificates were due to expire by the end of September 2020. However, on average 14,000 candidates let their certificate expire each month in the normal course of events.

No estimate has been made of the cost of refunding theory test fees as this is expressly forbidden by the Road Traffic Act 1988 section 91 (except in limited cases not relevant here). The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) pays its contractor, Pearson, per theory test delivered.

The Coronavirus Act 2020 came into effect on 25 March 2020. Around 118,000 theory test pass certificates were due to expire by the end of September 2020. However, on average 14,000 candidates let their certificate expire each month in the normal course of events.

If candidates were exempted from having to pay for one-retest, then the DVSA would have incurred costs of up to £1.5m if all of the 118,000 learners chose to retake the theory test. In addition, applications for a re-test would need to have been validated and systems amended to remove the requirement for payment in these cases. No estimate was made of these additional costs to the DVSA. The fee for any practical test booking was refunded on expiry of the candidates’ theory test certificate.

The Secretary of State for Transport has not bought forward any regulations under the provisions of the Coronavirus Act 2020.

Ministers have regular contact with NATS to discuss the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on their business. We understand that the decision NATS have taken to place at risk the contracts of 122 trainees in their training college, whilst regrettable, has been carefully considered. NATS have committed to staying in contact with the trainees and looking for opportunities to restart their training as soon as possible.

The Enabling Works Contracts (EWC) for Phase One were awarded to joint venture (JV) organisations in November 2016, covering three geographic Areas (North, Central and South). The enabling works contractors are Laing O’Rourke and Murphy Group (LM-JV) for Area North; Morgan Sindall, BAM Nuttall and Ferrovial Agroman (Fusion JV) for Area Central; and Costain and Skanska (CS-JV) for Area South. The Procurement route used for the EWC Contracts was the OJEU negotiated procedure. The announcement regarding the awarding of contracts can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hs2-names-enabling-works-contractors

No plants have been rejected by the Independent Inspector as being defective. Out of a total of 553,233 trees planted between 2017 and 2020, 122,208 have been replacement trees, leaving a net total 431,025 trees successfully planted.

The loss of HS2 plants during hot weather, particularly in 2018, has been consistent with planting carried out by others at the same time, including the Forestry Commission which increased its rates under their grant schemes to allow replacement of the additional losses. The cost of maintaining sufficient water supplies for saplings would have been higher than replanting, and using the quantities of water required to maintain the planting would not have been an appropriate or responsible use of resources at the height of summer. Replacing plants lost is considered a much more cost effective solution, as well as being a more ethical use of resources during unprecedented conditions.

The Independent Assessor of Plant Material role is undertaken through Aecom Infrastructure and Environment Limited. There are a number of qualified individuals that support that contract. The contract was awarded following a competitive tender process and for a period of two years from 23^rd January 2017. The Contract has since been extended until 31^st March 2021. The reports are not published, as their intent is to help provide an independent view of plant quality to help ensure that planting is successful, and are not designed to be a public record of the status of the planting that is taking place.

Every report or allegation of a breach of wildlife or environmental protection legislation is investigated to assess whether a breach has taken place. Allegations may come from a wide range of sources, including direct correspondence, phone calls to the HS2 helpline, media reports, tweets and campaign websites. There are no discretionary parameters as to whether a report is investigated or not.

HS2 Ltd’s live reporting over the past 5 years has recorded 93 possible breaches of Wildlife legislation, and 307 possible breaches of Environmental Protection legislation. HS2 takes credible potential breaches very seriously and each is investigated as necessary with the involvement of the relevant statutory authority where applicable.

HS2 Ltd has appointed an independent inspector responsible for checking the quality of cultivated plant material. Plant material is inspected twice a year, including a pre-delivery inspection of its size and quality. The independent inspector also carries out inspections of material delivered to sites to further confirm that it meets the required specifications. The inspector produces a report for each inspection, which includes recommendations for HS2 Ltd or its supply chain as necessary. Material is planted by the Early Works Contractors, who have the responsibility for regular inspection and maintenance during tree establishment, including the replacement of any defective or failed plant material.

There have been no prosecutions for breaches in wildlife or environmental protection legislation in relation to HS2 Ltd or its contractors in the last 5 years. HS2 Ltd has a process for live reporting and recording of credible potential breaches and these are reviewed daily, with reporting on a monthly basis at both the programme and senior level. HS2 Ltd takes the risk of breaches very seriously. Were one to occur, this would be investigated as necessary with the involvement of the relevant statutory authority where applicable.

The Chancellor has set out unprecedented support for workers of airline companies and Ministers and officials regularly meet with airline representatives to discuss the challenges they face and possible areas of support. Measures such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme are being used across the aviation industry to protect the sector against the Covid-19 economic crisis.

These measures, alongside other Government support measures such as Coronavirus Large Business Loan Interruption Scheme and the Covid Commercial Finance Facility are helping airlines of all sizes get through this crisis and beyond. The Chancellor has noted that under exceptional circumstances bespoke support could be provided to airlines.

The department is working closely with the transport sector and Public Health England to ensure that transport operations reflect the latest public health advice.

PHE and their counterparts in the devolved administrations, are responsible for determining and publishing health advice in relation to Covid-19. PHE has published guidance for staff in the transport sector which was made available on the GOV.UK website and DfT will continue to work with PHE to ensure this remains up to date.

The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The information for the Financial years covered by the request are detailed in the tables below:

Cost figures are rounded to the nearest £0.1m

Data Source: ABM

The cost figures quoted are estimated DWP level 1 operating costs, including both direct delivery staff and non-staff costs. Non-staff costs are only those costs incurred in local cost centres, relating to direct delivery staff.

Please note that the data supplied is from the Departmental Activity Based Models. This data is derived from unpublished management information, which was collected for internal Departmental use only, and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standards. It should therefore be treated with caution. The Departmental Activity Based staffing models are a snapshot of how many people were identified as undertaking specified activities as assigned by line managers.

The information requested about volumes and proportion of Access to Work renewals which have taken more than 12 weeks to process is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide would incur disproportionate cost.

Some information regarding volumes and proportions of people who appealed to a tribunal and were awarded benefit can be found in the Tribunal Statistics quarterly main tables published by the Ministry of Justice, available at the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics#tribunal-statistics-quarterly

The information requested is not readily available and to provide would incur disproportionate cost.

Some information regarding volumes and proportions of people who appealed to a tribunal and were awarded benefit can be found in the Tribunal Statistics quarterly main tables published by the Ministry of Justice, available at the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics#tribunal-statistics-quarterly

With almost 1.32 million vacancies across the UK, our plan for tackling poverty is firmly focussed on supporting people to move into and progress in work. Our approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of parental employment, particularly where it is full-time in substantially reducing the risks of child poverty and in improving long-term outcomes for families and children.

This plan includes our multi-billion-pound Plan for Jobs, which has been expanded by £500 million, and Way to Work, which is a concerted drive across the UK to help half a million currently out of work people into jobs by the end of June 2022. We have recruited around 13,500 additional work coaches who are all trained to develop a detailed knowledge of their local labour market and to offer claimants the tailored support they need to take advantage of new opportunities wherever they live in the UK.

We recognise that some people require additional support and from April, the government is providing an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials, on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing the total funding for this support to £1 billion. Under the first round of funding, the London Borough of Barnet Council was allocated £2,455,182.90 of funding, and they are provisionally allocated the same amount again for the extension of the fund.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

I refer the Hon. Member to my response to Parliamentary Question 126529 answered 25^th February 2022.

I refer the Hon. Member to my response to Parliamentary Question 127316 answered 25^th February 2022.

The number of staff working in the Department for Work and Pensions to deliver the communications functions in 2019-20 was 152.57, 2020-21 was 137.13 and 2021-22 is currently 115.24.

Expenditure on communications staffing was £9,110,290 in 2019-20, £8,249,505 in 2020-21 and so far, expenditure for 2021-22 is £7,454,686.

Since the start of the pandemic, DWP has rigorously followed advice from the respective governments in the devolved nations – allowing people to work safely from the office, or at home. We are committed to continuing this approach. Whilst there is regular engagement with the Scottish Government, the Secretary of State has not held specific discussions, including with NHS Scotland, on returning colleagues to the workplace in DWP as this is being undertaken in strict accordance with Scottish Government guidance.

As of 1st July 2021, EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are required to have a valid immigration status or a validated application to the EU Settlement Scheme to access non-contributory benefits.

However, benefit payments for existing EU, EEA and Swiss claimants without status did not stop automatically on 1st July 2021. DWP has taken a pragmatic approach and, before initiating compliance action, has encouraged these claimants to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme via letters, SMS text messages, messages through the Universal Credit journal, telephone calls face to face appointments and home visits.

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who are currently in receipt of benefits and have applied to the EU Settlement Scheme, will continue receiving payments until their application has been determined.

The Secretary of State is legally required to conduct an annual review of working age benefits rates to determine whether they have retained their value in relation to the general level of prices.

The up-rating process for working age benefits has traditionally relied on the September CPI figure and in April 2021 Universal Credit was increased by CPI of 0.5%.

No such assessment has been made of the combined impact of increased energy prices and the ending of the £20 uplift on child poverty.

The latest poverty figures (2019/20) demonstrate that absolute poverty rates (both before and after housing costs) for children have fallen since 2009/10. In 2019/20, 17% of children were in absolute poverty (before housing costs), compared to 19% in 2009/10.

There have been significant positive developments in the public health situation since the uplift was first introduced. With the success of the vaccine rollout and record job vacancies, it is right that our focus is on helping people back into work. This approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of employment, particularly where it is full-time, in substantially reducing the risks of poverty.

This Government is wholly committed to supporting those on low incomes, and continues to do so through many measures, including by increasing the living wage, and by spending over £111 billion on welfare support for people of working age in 2021/22.

In April this year we increased the value of Healthy Start Food Vouchers from £3.10 to £4.25, helping eligible low income households buy basic foods like milk, fruit and vitamins. We are also investing up to £221m in the Holiday Activities and Food programme, which has been expanded to every Local Authority across England. Participating children are benefitting from a range of support, including healthy and nutritious meals as well as fun and engaging activities covering the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays in 2021.

We recognise that some people continue to require extra support, which is why we have introduced a £421 million Household Support Fund to help vulnerable people in England with essential household costs over the winter as the economy recovers. The Barnett Formula will apply in the usual way, with the devolved administrations receiving almost £80 million (£41m for the Scottish Government, £25m for the Welsh Government and £14m for the NI Executive), for a total of £500 million.

The Cold Weather Payment scheme also helps vulnerable people in receipt of certain in-come-related benefits to meet the additional costs of heating during periods of severe cold weather. Cold Weather Payments are targeted at those in receipt of eligible benefits with a pension element or disability component or where there is a child under five in the house-hold.

The Government has no plans to reverse changes to State Pension age brought in under successive Governments since 1995.

The Government decided over 25 years ago that it was going to make the State Pension age the same for men and women as a long-overdue move towards gender equality. Raising State Pension age in line with life expectancy changes has been the policy of successive administrations over many years.

Changes to State Pension age were made over a series of Acts by successive governments from 1995 onwards, following public consultations and extensive debates in both Houses of Parliament.

Both the High Court and Court of Appeal have held that adequate and reasonable notification was given by the DWP and the Supreme Court refused the claimants’ permission to appeal.

We have been working and will continue to work with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman in relation to the investigation into the communication of State Pension age increases.

No assessment has been made.

This Government is wholly committed to supporting those on low incomes, including by increasing the living wage, and by spending an estimated £111 billion on welfare support for people of working age in 2020/21. This included around £7.4 billion of Covid-related welfare policy measures.

As the economy recovers, our ambition is to help people move into and progress in work as quickly as possible based on clear evidence around the importance of employment, particularly where it is full-time, in substantially reducing the risks of poverty. We are investing over £30 billion in our ambitious Plan for Jobs which is already delivering for people of all ages right across the country.

This Government is wholly committed to tackling poverty. Throughout the pandemic, our priority has been to support the most vulnerable including through spending an additional £7.4billion to strengthen the welfare system, taking our total expenditure on welfare support for people of working age to an estimated £112 billion in 2020/21.

National Statistics on the number and percentage of children in low income are published annually in the “Households Below Average Income” publication. Data for East Renfrewshire constituency is unavailable due to insufficient sample size.

Latest statistics for the levels of children who are in low income in Scotland, covering 2019/20, can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-for-financial-years-ending-1995-to-2020 in data table 4.16ts (relative low income, before and after housing costs) and in data table 4.22ts (absolute low income, before and after housing costs).

In the three years to 2019/20, the absolute child poverty rate, before housing costs, in Scotland was 17%, down 3 percentage points since the three years to 2009/10.

The Department now publishes supplementary official statistics on the number of children in low income families at constituency level. Children in Low Income Families data is published annually. The latest figures on the number of children who are in low income in East Renfrewshire constituency, covering 2019/20, can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-in-low-income-families-local-area-statistics-2014-to-2020/children-in-low-income-families-local-area-statistics-fye-2015-to-fye-2020.

Due to methodological differences, the figures in these two publications are not comparable.

The Department does not use artificial intelligence software or machine learning to make automated decisions regarding people’s benefit entitlement. The Department will increasingly use intelligent forms of automation to focus on everyday repetitive tasks which then enables colleagues to spend more time supporting vulnerable claimants. Our use of machine learning is about making the system simpler for people.

We are committed to ensuring that people can access financial support through Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in a timely manner. We always aim to make an award decision as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to review all available evidence.

We are currently operating within expected levels. Average clearance times from initial claim to a decision being made for new claims are currently 19 weeks (January 21), including the time permitted to complete and return their “How your disability affects you” questionnaire, which is the same as average clearance times achieved in January 2020.

In September 2020, 64,600 people registered a claim for PIP, of which 58,130 were referred for an assessment.

In the latest available data, to 31^st January 2021, 32,330 of these were returned from the Assessment Provider within 4 months of registration, and 25,800 of these were returned after 4 months/are still outstanding.

Notes

Source: PIP ADS

• PIP analytical data held by the Department does not contain the date the assessment takes place. As a proxy, we use the date an assessment was returned from the Assessment Providers to the Department. This is usually a few days following the assessment.
• Figures are for Great Britain only.

• These figures include claims made under normal rules and special rules for terminally ill claimants and include new claims and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to PIP reassessment claims.
• Not all claimants are referred for assessment, claims can be disallowed prior to assessment, for example, for not returning the PIP2 form.
• This is unpublished data. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision.

a) The average call waiting time (Average Speed of Answer) for calls to the Employment Support Allowance helpline in each quarter from April 2018 to March 2021 is shown in the table below in the format of hours:minutes:seconds.

b) It has not been possible to present data to answer the question posed as there are upward of 100 service lines operated by DWP. If the Member of Parliament was to indicate which service line(s) the ASA was required for, this information could be provided.

Data Source: BT - Historical Management Information (GI2 – HMI)

The data supplied is derived from unpublished management information which was collected for internal Departmental use only and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. The data should therefore be treated with caution.

There are currently over 20,000 employers signed up to the Disability Confident scheme, covering over 11m employees.

In November 2018, we published the results of survey research which explored the effect that signing up to the Disability Confident scheme had on recruitment and retention attitudes towards disabled people. The researchers interviewed employers of all sizes, ranging from very small organisations with low levels of staff turnover to large companies employing thousands, and a key finding was that signing up to Disability Confident resulted in half (49%) of employers interviewed taking on at least one disabled member of staff, rising to 66% amongst larger firms. The full report may be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disability-confident-survey-of-participating-employers.

We will be conducting further research this year, to establish the value added by Disability Confident and explore the behaviours of employers and their recruitment and retention practices. Disability Confident employers have also offered over 60,000 specific work opportunities, which include: work experience, work trials, Apprenticeships, Traineeships, job shadowing, student placements, Sector Based Work Academy Placements as well as job vacancies.

The Government is committed to a goal of seeing a million more disabled people in work in the decade to 2027 and reducing the disability employment gap. In the first three years of the goal (between 2017 and 2020), the number of disabled people in employment increased by 800,000¹. Between 2014 and 2020 the disability employment gap also reduced by 5.2 percentage points.

¹The underlying data behind this figure is currently under review by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and is therefore subject to change.

Employers that have signed up to the Disability Confident (DC) scheme are provided with the knowledge, skills and free resources they need to attract, recruit, retain and develop disabled people in the workplace. The scheme is designed as a learning journey with all employers starting at Level 1 and encouraged to progress through the scheme to Levels 2 and 3. No employer is too small or new to start the journey and even the most experienced employer will still find new techniques and best practice that can help better support their employees. For example, employers signing up to the scheme are committing to ‘Ensure their recruitment process is inclusive and accessible’ and ‘Supporting any existing employee who acquires a disability or long term health condition, enabling them to stay in work’.

Throughout the pandemic, we have ensured that employers have received timely and appropriate support through the delivery of a series of practical national webinars, covering a range of employer hot topics, ranging from: New Ways of Working, Access to Work, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Virtual Hiring and Autism and Neurodiversity. We have also delivered a number of employer events, focusing on the support available to employees. In addition, all Disability Confident employers receive regular Disability Confident newsletters and other communications to support them and their employees. There are currently over 20,000 employers signed up to the Disability Confident scheme, covering over 11million employees.

The tables below provide information on initial decisions following a Personal Independence Payment assessment for claimants with a primary disabling condition of epilepsy:

Notes:

• Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
• The volumes of MRs and appeals for the more recent periods of initial decision could increase as claimants’ progress to MR and appeal.
• Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer system. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these statistics.
• Appeal lapsed is where DWP changed the decision (in the customer’s favour) after an appeal was lodged but before it was heard at a tribunal hearing.
• Some decisions which are changed at the Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) stage, and where the claimant continues to appeal for a higher PIP award, are then changed again at tribunal appeal.

The tables below provide information on initial decisions following a Personal Independence Payment assessment for claimants with a primary disabling condition of epilepsy:

Notes:

• Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
• The volumes of MRs and appeals for the more recent periods of initial decision could increase as claimants’ progress to MR and appeal.
• Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer system. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these statistics.
• Appeal lapsed is where DWP changed the decision (in the customer’s favour) after an appeal was lodged but before it was heard at a tribunal hearing.
• Some decisions which are changed at the Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) stage, and where the claimant continues to appeal for a higher PIP award, are then changed again at tribunal appeal.

The available information for daily claims made to Universal Credit to 8 April 2021 is published and available at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk

Guidance for users is available at:

https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html

The available information for Jobseeker’s Allowance monthly on-flows to April 2021 is published on the NOMIS website and available at:

https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp

Guidance for users is available at:

https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp

Employment and Support Allowance Work Capability Assessments statistics for initial assessments, including those still in progress, by month of claim start to June 2020, are published in Table 1a of the data tables available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/esa-outcomes-of-work-capability-assessments-including-mandatory-reconsiderations-and-appeals-march-2021

We want employers to better understand the composition of their workforce and recognise external reporting as a positive step on the journey towards driving a culture of transparency and openness around health at work. In November 2018, we published a voluntary reporting framework, aimed at large employers (with over 250 employees) that recommends that they publicly report on disability employment and mental health and wellbeing. The framework can also be used to support smaller employers who are keen to drive greater transparency in their organisation or industry. In November 2019, it also became a requirement for new and renewing Disability Confident Leaders to publically report on disability and mental health.

Whilst we recognise the merits of disability reporting, we would not propose to extend this to pay gap reporting due to the risk of dis-incentivising employers from recruiting more disabled people.

Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith is also leading a time-limited independent Commission looking at how DWP, wider Government and employers can best support people to progress out of low pay, especially for those groups more likely to be in persistent low pay. A report will be published shortly. The ONS identified in 2018 that disabled employees were over-represented in lower-skilled and lower paying occupations when compared to their non-disabled counterparts.

The Government is committed to supporting disabled people affected by the Covid-19 outbreak. We continue to monitor the impact of Covid-19 on disabled people using existing and new data sources. The Department has had discussions with charities, disabled people's organizations’ and individuals to understand the range of experiences disabled people have had during the pandemic and to identify the support needed.

DWP offers financial support for people who are affected by the pandemic, or who need employment-related support in general through Universal Credit, New Style ESA or Pension Credit, all of which can be applied for online. Employer led support is available through Statutory Sick Pay. In addition, people with a condition arising from exposure to the Covid-19 virus are able to access PIP in the same way as other people with long-term health conditions or disabilities

A range of DWP initiatives are supporting disabled people to stay in and enter work. These include the Work and Health Programme, one-to-one support and training through the Intensive Personalised Employment Support programme, Access to Work, Disability Confident and support in partnership with the health system, including Employment Advice in NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have provided specialist employment support remotely and made programmes easier to access.

Government will also shortly publish the National Strategy for Disabled People which will take into account the impacts of the Covid-19 impact on disabled people and focus on the issues that disabled people say affect them most in all aspects of life.

The Department defines a complaint as, ‘any expression of dissatisfaction about the Department’s service which is not resolved by operational staff as normal business.’

At the end of each quarter of the financial year, the Department publishes transparency data, which sets out the cumulative total of customer complaints received about our services. In addition, data is published which confirms the number of complaints received - and accepted for investigation - by the Independent Case Examiner (ICE).

Data in relation to complaint numbers can be viewed by accessing the following link to www.gov.uk:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-dwp-financial-year-2020-to-2021

The Department does not routinely publish statistics in relation to complaint outcomes.

The Department also publishes complaint volume data – and information about how customer feedback is used to improve our level of service - in our Annual Report and Accounts publication. This provides details of the full complaint journey which includes the outcomes of ICE and Ombudsman investigations. The reports can be viewed by accessing the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2019-to-2020

The Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Quality Assurance Framework sets out the Department’s quality controls

There are three tiers of assurance within the Framework, with each tier aspiring to report lower levels of error as a means of supporting continuous improvement.

Tier 1 provides an assurance at local centre level and focuses on known areas of highest risk of error or complexity

Tier 2 measures official error and gives an independent assurance of financial accuracy via a review of randomly selected cases.

Tier 3 assurance constitutes a formal review of cases for financial error in relation to fraud, customer error and official error.

These assurances apply to all product lines, including UC, JSA and ESA. Wherever possible, award types identified as being high risk are selected for assurance ahead of any payment being made.

DWP reports Tier 3 assurance via its published Monetary Value of Fraud Error statistics. The latest published version can be found via this link.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fraud-and-error-in-the-benefit-system-financial-year-2020-to-2021-estimates

The Department does not measure complaints as described in the question and to determine this request, we would need to examine each individual case, which the Department considers to be cost prohibitive to provide.

The Department does not measure complaints as described in the question and to determine this request, we would need to examine each individual case, which the Department considers to be cost prohibitive to provide.

The Departments complaints process which considers formal complaints about our service can be found on Gov.uk (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/complaints-about-the-department-for-work-and-pensions)

As part of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to make changes to our complaints model to allow staff to be deployed to support processing claims and payments. From 9 July 2020, the Department triage complaints to prioritise vulnerable claimants who may be at risk, and those with benefit payment issues for example.

We continue to look into all complaints as quickly as we can and, as part of the triage process, we write or call those customers where there may be a delay in answering their complaint.

We are reviewing the approach we have taken throughout the pandemic as part of developing the future complaints operating model.

The national customer experience survey is the vehicle DWP uses to assess customers’ experiences with the services they receive from DWP. The survey seeks feedback from a range of DWP customers including ESA and UC customers. The last published survey can be found on DWP’s research publication page:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-claimant-service-and-experience-survey-2018-to-2019--2  

The latest available data on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims with entitlement which can be split by Daily Living and Mobility award status and by main disabling condition can be found at https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/.

‘Epilepsy’ is found under the disability category ‘Neurological disease’.

Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html.

No such discussions on this specific subject have taken place with Cabinet colleagues, pension providers or trade unions.

The Government does not collect the specific data sought.

No such discussions on this specific subject have taken place with Cabinet colleagues, pension providers or trade unions.

The Government does not collect the specific data sought.

No such discussions on this specific subject have taken place with Cabinet colleagues, pension providers or trade unions.

The Government does not collect the specific data sought.

No such discussions on this specific subject have taken place with Cabinet colleagues, pension providers or trade unions.

The Government does not collect the specific data sought.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.

No such assessment has been made.

There have been no steps to change the savings threshold limits, which allow people to continue to receive means tested benefits even though they may have an increased amount of capital, by gradually reducing the level of their entitlement.

The capital thresholds strike a balance between protecting less well-off people and the taxpayer, whilst at the same time recognising the conscientious efforts of people who have built up capital. This limit also ensures that the help which comes from taxpayers, many of whom are themselves on low incomes and have limited capital, is directed to people who need it most. Whilst it is important to encourage saving, it has never been thought right for substantial amounts of capital to be ignored, therefore it is also reasonable that there should be a capital limit above which benefits are not available.

No such assessment has been made.

There have been no steps to change the savings threshold limits, which allow people to continue to receive means tested benefits even though they may have an increased amount of capital, by gradually reducing the level of their entitlement.

The capital thresholds strike a balance between protecting less well-off people and the taxpayer, whilst at the same time recognising the conscientious efforts of people who have built up capital. This limit also ensures that the help which comes from taxpayers, many of whom are themselves on low incomes and have limited capital, is directed to people who need it most. Whilst it is important to encourage saving, it has never been thought right for substantial amounts of capital to be ignored, therefore it is also reasonable that there should be a capital limit above which benefits are not available.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published data assessing the effect of the COVID-19 outbreak on disabled people.

The 11 March 2021 ONS release can be found on this link: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/disability/datasets/coronavirusandthesocialimpactsondisabledpeopleingreatbritainmay2020

Alongside this, insights from qualitative research commissioned by the Cabinet Office Disability Unit and conducted by Policy Lab with disabled people were used to understand the impact of the pandemic on the day-to-day lives of disabled people.

This Government is committed to supporting everyone’s mental health and wellbeing, and to ensuring that the right support is in place. Mental health services have remained open throughout the pandemic, and, for those with severe needs or in crisis, all National Health Service mental health providers have established 24/7 urgent mental health helplines.

We have provided over £10million of additional funding for mental health charities to support adults and children struggling with their mental wellbeing during this time. We have also provided a further £6 million to support various charities, including those working with people with learning disabilities, autistic people and complex needs.

We recognise that the COVID-19 outbreak has hit families of children with disabilities or serious illnesses particularly hard. Supporting vulnerable children is a priority for this Government, and their wellbeing has been central to our response throughout the pandemic. We are, for example, providing £40.8 million for the Family Fund in 2020-21 to support over 80,000 families on low incomes raising children with disabilities or serious illnesses. This includes £13.5m to specifically respond to needs arising from the pandemic, which may include for example assistive technology to aid remote learning.

The Government is committed to supporting disabled people affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The Cabinet Office Disability Unit works with disability stakeholders and across Government Departments to ensure that the needs of disabled people are considered in the Government’s response to COVID-19.

The Government remains committed to improving the lives of disabled people, and will publish the National Strategy for Disabled People this year. The strategy will take into account the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on disabled people and will focus on the issues that disabled people say affect them the most in all aspects of life.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published data assessing the effect of the COVID-19 outbreak on disabled people.

The 11 March 2021 ONS release can be found on this link: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/disability/datasets/coronavirusandthesocialimpactsondisabledpeopleingreatbritainmay2020

Alongside this, insights from qualitative research commissioned by the Cabinet Office Disability Unit and conducted by Policy Lab with disabled people were used to understand the impact of the pandemic on the day-to-day lives of disabled people.

This Government is committed to supporting everyone’s mental health and wellbeing, and to ensuring that the right support is in place. Mental health services have remained open throughout the pandemic, and, for those with severe needs or in crisis, all National Health Service mental health providers have established 24/7 urgent mental health helplines.

We have provided over £10million of additional funding for mental health charities to support adults and children struggling with their mental wellbeing during this time. We have also provided a further £6 million to support various charities, including those working with people with learning disabilities, autistic people and complex needs.

We recognise that the COVID-19 outbreak has hit families of children with disabilities or serious illnesses particularly hard. Supporting vulnerable children is a priority for this Government, and their wellbeing has been central to our response throughout the pandemic. We are, for example, providing £40.8 million for the Family Fund in 2020-21 to support over 80,000 families on low incomes raising children with disabilities or serious illnesses. This includes £13.5m to specifically respond to needs arising from the pandemic, which may include for example assistive technology to aid remote learning.

The Government is committed to supporting disabled people affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The Cabinet Office Disability Unit works with disability stakeholders and across Government Departments to ensure that the needs of disabled people are considered in the Government’s response to COVID-19.

The Government remains committed to improving the lives of disabled people, and will publish the National Strategy for Disabled People this year. The strategy will take into account the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on disabled people and will focus on the issues that disabled people say affect them the most in all aspects of life.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to PQ UIN 161760 on 8 March 2021.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to PQ UIN 161760 on 8 March 2021.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to PQ UIN 161760 on 8 March 2021.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to PQ UIN 161760 on 8 March 2021.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is an extra costs benefit based on assessment of disability-related needs rather than medical condition. Reviews of PIP are a key part of the benefit and ensure that not only do awards remain correct where needs may change but that we also maintain contact with the claimant. Importantly, the length of an award is based on an individual’s needs, rather than their condition or disability, and can vary from nine months to an on-going award, with a light touch review at the ten-year point.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Declaring a health condition is voluntary, therefore the figures provided are specifically from staff members who have declared a disability or long-term health condition.

Of the 47 department staff members declaring epilepsy 46 are paid staff members.

Of all colleagues declaring a disability or long-term health condition, 7,045 are full time, 5,778 are part-time.

As at 31 December 2020, 92 per cent of 85,041 department colleagues had declared their disability status on our central systems. Of these, 13,894 colleagues had declared themselves to have a disability or long term health condition. This represents 18 per cent of all colleagues who have updated their records to show their disability status.

There are no plans to reassess this policy. Successive Governments have supported the policy that where someone is entitled to two benefits for the same contingency then only one will be paid. Entitlement to State Pension and Carer’s Allowance differ but are both paid as an income replacement.

Carer’s Allowance replaces income where the carer has given up the opportunity of full-time employment in order to care for a severely disabled person, while State Pension replaces income in retirement. To avoid duplicate provision for the same need, social security “overlapping benefit” rules - operate to prevent them being paid together.

If a carer’s State Pension is less than Carer's Allowance, State Pension is paid and topped up with Carer's Allowance to the basic weekly rate of Carer's Allowance which from April 2020, increased to £67.25.

Entitlement to Carer’s Allowance also gives access to the additional amount for carers in Pension Credit of £37.50 a week. If a pensioner’s income is above the limit for Pension Credit, they may still be able to receive Housing Benefit.

There are no plans to reassess this policy. Successive Governments have supported the policy that where someone is entitled to two benefits for the same contingency then only one will be paid. Entitlement to State Pension and Carer’s Allowance differ but are both paid as an income replacement.

Carer’s Allowance replaces income where the carer has given up the opportunity of full-time employment in order to care for a severely disabled person, while State Pension replaces income in retirement. To avoid duplicate provision for the same need, social security “overlapping benefit” rules - operate to prevent them being paid together.

If a carer’s State Pension is less than Carer's Allowance, State Pension is paid and topped up with Carer's Allowance to the basic weekly rate of Carer's Allowance which from April 2020, increased to £67.25.

Entitlement to Carer’s Allowance also gives access to the additional amount for carers in Pension Credit of £37.50 a week. If a pensioner’s income is above the limit for Pension Credit, they may still be able to receive Housing Benefit.

There is no change. The UK will continue to provide the same protections to pension savers, as were in place before the end of the transition period.

Anyone who has accrued benefits in a UK occupational pension scheme in the UK can continue to access their pension savings or pension rights regardless of whether they live outside of the UK in either an EU or a non-EU state. Existing forms of protection for those savings, will continue to be available.

The Pension Regulator will continue to supervise UK occupational pension schemes, taking action where appropriate, so that UK employers, trustees and providers comply with UK laws that protect members’ rights and benefits.

The Pension Protection Fund, will continue to pay compensation to members of eligible Defined Benefit pension schemes administered in the UK even if the employer is based in the EU. The PPF pays compensation to eligible pension schemes whose sponsoring employer has become insolvent, and the pension scheme is unable to meet its pension liabilities.

The Health and Safety Executive will amend health and safety legislation to extend the PPE at Work Regulations to all workers as soon as possible. Work is underway to timetable the legislative changes in accordance with parliamentary processes.

People with active epilepsy and classed as disabled are protected from discrimination at work under The Equality Act. Employers have a duty to provide reasonable workplace adjustments where necessary. If employees with epilepsy need workplace support beyond the cost of reasonable adjustment, Access to Work can help. Access to Work is supporting thousands more people with disabilities and health conditions than ever before. In 2019, Access to Work funded tailored and flexible support for 43,000 people, a 20% increase on the previous year.

Access to Work has actively worked with employers during the pandemic. For example, Access to Work worked with employers to transport assistive technology from the workplace to the home to enable home working. And where the support cannot be removed from the workplace, Access to Work has put in place alternative adjustments or supported adaptations to standard equipment.

We also, through Disability Confident, provide employers with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to attract, recruit, retain and develop disabled people in the workplace.

As at September 2020, 47 staff declared themselves on Departmental systems as having epilepsy. This figures include unpaid staff.

Please note that it is not mandatory for staff to declare a disability or long-term health condition, and if they have declared this, to state the type of condition, so this is likely to be an underestimate. It also does not differentiate between active/inactive epilepsy.

The Department is committed to becoming the most inclusive employer and increasing the representation of under-represented groups to make DWP more diverse. In order to maintain our focus on disability issues we have developed and agreed a Disability Action Plan for the forthcoming year. We implement all practical steps to remove barriers for our employees with any kind of disability, including epilepsy. Specifically:

• We have a comprehensive reasonable adjustments provision in place to support line-managers and colleagues, they can involve specialist equipment, assistive software and/or non-physical adjustments such as changing work patterns.
• We have developed strong employee networks and our disability network THRIVE is providing invaluable support to colleagues.
• We are members of Business Disability Forum who provide specific guidance on epilepsy, which we signpost via our intranet pages.

As at September 2020, 47 staff declared themselves on Departmental systems as having epilepsy. This figures include unpaid staff.

Please note that it is not mandatory for staff to declare a disability or long-term health condition, and if they have declared this, to state the type of condition, so this is likely to be an underestimate. It also does not differentiate between active/inactive epilepsy.

The Department is committed to becoming the most inclusive employer and increasing the representation of under-represented groups to make DWP more diverse. In order to maintain our focus on disability issues we have developed and agreed a Disability Action Plan for the forthcoming year. We implement all practical steps to remove barriers for our employees with any kind of disability, including epilepsy. Specifically:

• We have a comprehensive reasonable adjustments provision in place to support line-managers and colleagues, they can involve specialist equipment, assistive software and/or non-physical adjustments such as changing work patterns.
• We have developed strong employee networks and our disability network THRIVE is providing invaluable support to colleagues.
• We are members of Business Disability Forum who provide specific guidance on epilepsy, which we signpost via our intranet pages.

The specific information requested is not held by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Background

The number of disabled people (aged 16 to 64) in the UK who are employed and report epilepsy as their main health condition is 38,000¹. Sample sizes are too small to draw robust estimates for Scotland from this data.

¹Figure shown in table 3.3 of ‘The employment of disabled people 2019’ Official Statistics publication using data from Annual Population Survey, April 2018 to March 2019. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/the-employment-of-disabled-people-2019.

Around 913,000 people made a claim to Universal Credit, between 16 March 2020 and 12 November 2020, that have been required to report self-employed earnings at some point during their claim.

Notes:

- Figure rounded to the nearest thousand.

- This figure does not include people who made a UC claim but did not subsequently make it onto the official UC caseload.

- Not everybody would have been required to report self-employed earnings from the outset of their claim.

The information requested is not available as we do not record reasons as to what purpose an individual’s savings are used for.

Following the High Court Judgment of 13 November 2020, the Health and Safety Executive is now preparing the necessary legislative changes to the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 1992 and will implement them as soon as possible.

Health and safety is a reserved matter for Scotland and Wales. However, health and safety is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland. The Health and Safety Executive has discussed this case with the Northern Ireland Office and they are aware of the need to make corresponding legislative changes in order for the UK as a whole to give effect to the judgment and ensure proper implementation of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulations.

The Government is considering the judgment and will respond according to the timetable set down by the High Court.

In April 2016, the government introduced a higher statutory minimum wage rate for all employees over 25 years of age - the National Living Wage. All employers in the UK are required to pay the National Living Wage. The Department for Work and Pensions pays all employees, regardless of age, at least the statutory National Living Wage which is revaluated each April. From April 2020 the rate increased to £8.72 per hour.

The Living Wage Foundation is an initiative by Citizens UK which advocates employers paying an alternative hourly rate known as the Living Wage. Employers can apply to be accredited Living Wage employers. DWP is not an accredited Living Wage employer.

Tackling child poverty is a key priority for this Government.

We are working closely with counterparts across government, ensuring a collective approach to the policies and interventions that can make a difference to children’s outcomes, now and in the future.

Tackling child poverty is a key priority for this Government.

We are working closely with counterparts across government, ensuring a collective approach to the policies and interventions that can make a difference to children’s outcomes, now and in the future.

A paper Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) medical questionnaire form is issued to all ESA claimants that require a work capability assessment. On DWP’s website there is a version of the form available which provides claimants with an option to download and complete the form on a computer. This allows the form to be saved and completed in stages.

The available information on the number of households with children with Universal Credit in payment, by parliamentary constituency, is published and can be found at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html

The following special points should be noted:

For 1 year from 6 April 2020, the standard allowance of Universal Credit has been increased by £20 per week from 6 April 2020 above the already announced annual uprating, raising the standard allowance from £317.82 to £409.89 per month (for claimants aged 25 and over).

The Secretary of State has a statutory obligation to review the levels of the benefit cap at least once in each Parliament unless an early election is called, as it was last year. A review will take place at an appropriate point in the future.

We are currently in the process of reviewing this measure, and will confirm next steps as soon as possible.

As part of the Government’s strategy to support people affected by coronavirus (COVID 19), my department has made a number of limited changes to the operation of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). In doing so, we have balanced the need to provide additional support for employees who are sick, self-isolating or shielding due to coronavirus and are unable to work as a result, with considerations about the burden on employers.

Temporarily suspending waiting days ensures SSP is payable from day one of a period of absence, rather than day four, to encourage people to follow government advice to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

We consulted last year on a range of measures, including reform of SSP, designed to reduce ill-health related job loss. We will bring forward proposals on next steps later this year.

SSP is just one part of the government’s safety net. Where an employee’s income is reduced while off sick and they require further financial support they may be able to claim Universal Credit and new style Employment and Support Allowance, depending on individual circumstances.

Background

• SSP is paid at £95.85 per week for up to 28 weeks by the employer.
• Employers can choose to go further than their statutory requirements and provide more financial support to their employee throughout their sickness absence.
• We have increased the standard rate in Universal Credit by £20 a week for one year – this will mean claimants will be up to £1040 a year better off.
• The consultation: Health is everyone’s business was published in July 2019 and closed in October 2019.

We made the decision to temporarily suspend the requirement for face-to-face Jobcentre Plus appointments for all claimants in Universal Credit, New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), old-style JSA and ESA, and Income Support.

Arrangements after the 30th June will be communicated in due course.

The information requested, for the number of households on Universal Credit that have received a sanction while also receiving the child or limited capability elements, is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The Department only publishes the number of Universal Credit claimants who have been sanctioned. The latest figures for Universal Credit sanction rates are up to February 2020 and can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/statistics

Geographical breakdowns of the figures can be found at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

Guidance for users is available at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html

The information requested, for the number of households on Universal Credit that have received a sanction while also receiving the child or limited capability elements, is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The Department only publishes the number of Universal Credit claimants who have been sanctioned. The latest figures for Universal Credit sanction rates are up to February 2020 and can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/statistics

Geographical breakdowns of the figures can be found at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

Guidance for users is available at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html

Universal Credit replaces a highly complex system of multiple benefits with a single monthly payment. It introduces a simple taper system to ensure that claimants are better off in work and keeping more of what they earn compared to the legacy benefit system.

The amount of Universal Credit paid to claimants reflects, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period. Monthly assessment periods align to the way the majority of employees are paid and also allows Universal Credit to be adjusted each month. This means that if a claimant’s income falls, they will not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been identified that some employers are reporting earnings incorrectly as a result of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. We are working closely with HM Revenue and Customs on this issue who have re-enforced guidance and are contacting employers on the cases we identify.

Communications around the changes to State Pension age have been clear and comprehensive. Since 1995, people have been notified with leaflets, an extensive advertising campaign and individual letters. During 2012-13, the Department wrote to individuals directly affected by the 2011 Act, informing them of the change to their State Pension age (5.7 million letters sent). Between April 2000 and the end of January 2020, the Department provided more than 33 million personalised State Pension statements to people who requested them (either online or by telephone or post; and based on both old and new State Pension rules). We continue to encourage people to request an estimate, as part of their long-term financial planning.

The workplace pension campaign continues to drive the positive benefits of saving into a workplace pension, maintaining awareness and understanding, whilst the Retirement Provision campaign encourages people to go and check their state pension forecast online to better understand their retirement provision.

The data for this request is not held.

The Department is offering a range of support to anyone affected by the closure of Thomas Cook, through our Rapid Response Service (RRS) and wider services. This is designed to give practical support and advice to employers and their employees when faced with redundancy.

DWP are committed to providing a quality, sensitive and respectful service to everyone. In advance of attending a face-to-face consultation, individuals will be given the opportunity to alert their assessment provider of any additional requirements they may have and the providers will meet any such reasonable requests. Individuals identified as being vulnerable, including having mental health or learning disabilities, can access additional support at any point in the claim or assessment process, for example help filling in the form or the questionnaire and additional protections for failing to return the questionnaire or for failing to attend a face-to-face assessment.

Companions are encouraged to attend and can play an active role in assessments. This can be particularly helpful for individuals with mental, cognitive or intellectual impairments who may not be able to provide an accurate account of their condition due to a lack of understanding or unrealistic expectations of their ability.

In the previous answer to Question 77467, it was incorrectly stated that the Health and Social Care Levy is devolved, when it is in fact reserved. We have arranged for the record to be corrected through the Written Ministerial Statement of 1 March 2022 (HCWS647).

The Government has made many assessments of the overall impact of the introduction of the Health and Social Care Levy, which were published alongside its announcement. These include the distributional analysis of the impact of the combined tax and spending announcements, a technical annex in the Government’s plan for health and social care and a Tax Information and Impact Note.

No assessment has been made as this is a devolved matter.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is developing funding mechanisms for mental health research through various programmes and initiatives. The NIHR works with the Medical Research Council (MRC) to reduce delays and identify promising interventions and is funding a number of mental health studies based on earlier investment from the MRC.

We are also funding the Mental Health Research Initiative, which is a substantial investment to expand current mental health research activity. This initiative is working across the NIHR’s programmes and infrastructure schemes, to build capacity and capability in mental health research in regions which are currently underrepresented.

We plan to publish the HIV Action Plan later this year to coincide with World AIDS Day on 1 December which will set out clear actions to achieve the interim target of reaching an 80% reduction in HIV transmissions in England by 2025 and will set out our plans in relation to assessing the need for testing in different settings and delivering testing where it is needed.

The Department is currently developing a new Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy and an HIV Action Plan. Which will set out our plans on informing and educating on HIV and reducing stigma. In addition, there are existing programmes including HIV Prevention England, our national HIV prevention campaign and the Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund which focus on informing and educating those groups where there is a higher or emerging burden of infection and tackling stigma.

In June, the Office for Veterans Affairs announced a study with King’s College London to understand the effect of COVID-19 on former service personnel.

The study will look at whether COVID-19 has had any specific impact on the veteran community in the United Kingdom. This will allow policy makers across Government to understand potential issues affecting veterans and respond accordingly based on expert advice and evidence.

The first results are expected to be published in autumn/winter 2020.

The General Dental Council (GDC) is an independent regulator and is therefore responsible for determining the level of the annual fee it charges for registration. The GDC uses the income from fees to carry out its statutory duties. In October 2019, the GDC reduced its Annual Retention Fee for all dental professionals following a strategic review of its operating processes and costs and a public consultation on its three-year costed plan.

On 20 May 2020, the Chair of the GDC wrote to all registrants to advise that the GDC would not be making any changes to its Annual Retention Fee, or introducing an emergency payment by instalments scheme, in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

An equality impact assessment has been carried out to understand the impact of Covid-19 on different groups of staff, including in respect of physical or hybrid proceedings. This has been used to inform actions taken and the design of risk mitigations, and will be published by 15 June.

The Government is recruiting contact tracers to support enhanced contact tracing as part of the new NHS Test and Trace Service. Recruitment could include staff who are currently furloughed and would be subject to approval from their employers.

The Department is contracting with a number of organisations to provide the contact tracing outbound calling workforce. NHS England is not co-ordinating this service.

NHS Employers has issued a FAQ on the recruitment of furloughed workers from the private sector at the following link:

https://www.nhsemployers.org/news/2020/04/staff-terms-and-conditions-covid19-faqs

The Government carefully considered which EU programmes to participate in during negotiations with the EU in 2020. Under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the UK and the EU agreed the terms for our participation in Horizon Europe, Euratom Research and Training, and Copernicus.

The Government did not seek ongoing participation in the European Solidarity Corps. Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, the UK remains eligible for European Solidarity Corps activities funded by the 2014-2020 budget. Opportunities for young people is a priority for the Government and DCMS continues to focus on delivery of the National Youth Guarantee. In addition, DfE will continue to offer the UK's international education mobility programme, the Turing Scheme, providing opportunities for students in the UK to study and work across the globe.

Modern slavery and human trafficking are abhorrent crimes that the government is committed to tackling. The FCDO has deployed humanitarian specialists to Poland, Moldova and Romania to ensure that the support we are providing to refugees is tailored to the local context, including the threats they face. Our humanitarian support will be implemented by trusted humanitarian partners with expertise in protection and safeguarding. FCDO staff are reiterating the importance of protection and safeguarding considerations in this response, including the risk of human trafficking, when liaising with HQ and regional staff of multilateral and NGO agencies. More broadly we will continue to coordinate law enforcement efforts by working closely with EU partners to target trafficking routes across Europe, provide protection to the most vulnerable and take tough action against those who seek to exploit people for financial gain.

The UK has now committed £395 million in aid to the current crisis. This includes £220 million of humanitarian assistance which will be used to save lives and protect vulnerable people inside Ukraine and in neighbouring countries. £25 million has been given to the Disasters Emergency Committee, the largest UK aid match ever, which will help aid agencies respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation by providing access to basic necessities and medical supplies. To date, we have contributed £3.5 million to provide medical supplies to Ukraine. Over 760,000 UK medical items have been delivered across the Polish-Ukraine border. UK Government humanitarian experts have also deployed to the region to support those fleeing the violence.

We are restoring funding for women and girls to pre-ODA cut levels over the Spending Review period, focusing on giving more girls a quality education; ending the extremely harmful practice of female genital mutilation, supporting girls' health; and ending the abhorrent use of sexual violence around the world.

Following the Spending Review, decisions on allocations and individual programmes will be published in the usual way.

We recognise that women and girls from religious minorities can often suffer because of both their gender and their faith. That is why we ensure our human rights policy work considers the intersectionality of human rights, including the importance of addressing the specific vulnerabilities experienced by women and girls from religious minority communities. The Foreign Secretary has publicly committed to putting women and girls at the heart of foreign and development policy, this will be set out in the upcoming International Development Strategy and the upcoming Women and Girls Strategy, which will emphasise the importance of taking account of intersectionality and those facing multiple exclusions including on the basis of their ethnicity, religion or belief. FCDO also has ongoing policy work on Freedom of Religion or Belief - Fiona Bruce was appointed as the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief in December 2020.

We recognise that women and girls from religious minorities can often suffer because of both their gender and their faith. That is why we ensure our human rights policy work considers the intersectionality of human rights, including the importance of addressing the specific vulnerabilities experienced by women and girls from religious minority communities. The Foreign Secretary has publicly committed to putting women and girls at the heart of foreign and development policy, this will be set out in the upcoming International Development Strategy and the upcoming Women and Girls Strategy, which will emphasise the importance of taking account of intersectionality and those facing multiple exclusions including on the basis of their ethnicity, religion or belief. FCDO also has ongoing policy work on Freedom of Religion or Belief - Fiona Bruce was appointed as the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief in December 2020.

We recognise that women and girls from religious minorities can often suffer because of both their gender and their faith. That is why we ensure our human rights policy work considers the intersectionality of human rights, including the importance of addressing the specific vulnerabilities experienced by women and girls from religious minority communities. The Foreign Secretary has publicly committed to putting women and girls at the heart of foreign and development policy, this will be set out in the upcoming International Development Strategy and the upcoming Women and Girls Strategy, which will emphasise the importance of taking account of intersectionality and those facing multiple exclusions including on the basis of their ethnicity, religion or belief. FCDO also has ongoing policy work on Freedom of Religion or Belief - Fiona Bruce was appointed as the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief in December 2020.

The FCDO continues to fund research activities which look into the intersection between Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB), other human rights and broader issues. This includes two large programmes: CREID (Coalition for Religious Equality and Inclusive Development - led by the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex) and the FoRB Leadership Network (through the University of Oxford). In 2021, we used the John Bunyan Fund to deepen understanding of the intersecting vulnerabilities experienced by religious minorities living in poverty in the shadows of Covid-19.

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.