Liz Twist
Labour - Blaydon
Opposition Whip (Commons)
(since February 2020)Shadow Minister (Scotland)
(since December 2021)Select Committees
Statutory Instruments (Joint Committee) (since January 2020)Statutory Instruments (Select Committee) (since January 2020)
Procedure Committee (since March 2020)
European Statutory Instruments Committee (since February 2020)
Scottish Affairs Committee (since May 2020)
Standing Orders (Private Bills) Committee (Commons) (since April 2021)
Compensation (London Capital & Finance plc and Fraud Compensation Fund) Bill (since June 2021)
National Insurance Contributions Bill (since June 2021)
Judicial Review and Courts Bill (since October 2021)
Finance (No.2) Bill (since December 2021)
20 APPG memberships (as of 29 Dec 2021)
Acquired Brain Injury, Building Communities, Carbon Monoxide, Customer Service, Future of Retail, Genetic Haemochromatosis, Housing and Social Mobility, Microplastics, Muscular Dystrophy, Net Zero, Parks and Green Spaces, Rail in the North, Rare, Genetic and Undiagnosed Conditions, Respiratory Health, Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention, Tackling Loneliness and Connected Communities, Usher Syndrome, Valproate and other Anti-Epileptic Drugs in Pregnancy, Water, Women's Health6 Former APPG memberships
Loan Charge, Loneliness, Phenylketonuria, School Food, State Pension Inequality for Women, Third World Solidarity10:10
Subject: Storm Arwen
18 Jan 2022, 10:10 a.m.
At 10.30am: Oral evidence
Jim Savege - Chief Executive at Aberdeenshire Council
Mark Rough - Director of Customer Operations at SSEN
Peter Farrer - Chief Operating Officer at Scottish Water
Guy Jefferson - Chief Operating Officer at Scottish Power Energy Networks
At 11.30am: Oral evidence
Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP - Secretary of State at Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Mark Prouse - Deputy Director, Energy Development and Resilience Department at Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
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12:00
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 19 January.
15:40
16:00
Subject: Voting by proxy
24 Jan 2022, 4 p.m.
At 4.15pm: Oral evidence
Mr William Wragg MP
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15:40
11:30
Oral questions - Main Chamber
2 Feb 2022, 11:30 a.m.
Scotland
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Note: This event involves a Department with which this person is linked, and does not guarantee their actual attendance.
15:40
15:40
15:40
voted Aye - in line with the party majority
One of 173 Labour Aye votes vs 0 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 234 Noes - 327
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential …
That this House deplores De La Rue’s proposal to cease banknote production at their facility in Gateshead; regrets the Government's …
A Bill to require the Secretary of State to review the Disabled Facilities Grants system; and for connected purposes.
Payments from YouGov, 50 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8RT, for surveys. Unless stated otherwise, all fees paid direct to Blaydon …
That this House believes that civil servants perform an essential role in the functioning of British democracy and the delivery …
A Bill to impose duties on certain education and training providers in relation to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of …
Division Voting information
Debates during the 2019 Parliament
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
Sparring Partners
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
(40 debate interactions)
(33 debate interactions)
(22 debate interactions)
Department Debates
(88 debate contributions)
(64 debate contributions)
(36 debate contributions)
(23 debate contributions)
Legislation Debates
(4,343 words contributed)
(3,356 words contributed)
(1,522 words contributed)
(1,496 words contributed)
Blaydon Petitions
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
of 127,455 signatures (0.18%)
of 109,881 signatures (0.15%)
of 134,482 signatures (0.15%)
of 109,670 signatures (0.14%)
of 92,384 signatures (0.14%)
of 127,455 signatures (0.18%)
of 134,482 signatures (0.15%)
of 109,881 signatures (0.15%)
of 319,610 signatures (0.05%)
of 174,055 signatures (0.09%)
Petition Closed
Protect the UK's dwindling hedgehog population before it's too late.
Gov Responded - 19 Oct 2020 Debated on - 5 Jul 2021 View Liz Twist's petition debate contributionsclosed 9 months, 3 weeks ago
Now the hedgehog has been listed as vulnerable to extinction in the UK, we are calling on the Government to move hedgehogs to schedule 5 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 to allow them greater protection.
Petition Closed
Protect Retail Workers from Abuse, Threats and Violence.
Gov Responded - 15 Sep 2020 Debated on - 7 Jun 2021 View Liz Twist's petition debate contributionsclosed 11 months, 4 weeks ago
Enact legislation to protect retail workers. This legislation must create a specific offence of abusing, threatening or assaulting a retail worker. The offence must carry a penalty that acts as a deterrent and makes clear that abuse of retail workers is unacceptable.
Latest EDMs signed by Liz Twist
Cessation of Production and Redundancies at De La Rue Gateshead
Tabled by: Liz Twist (Labour - Blaydon)That this House deplores De La Rue’s proposal to cease banknote production at their facility in Gateshead; regrets the Government's award of the passport printing contract to an overseas company; is concerned about putting 255 highly-skilled workers at risk of redundancy in addition to 170 posts made redundant in 2019; …
(Most recent: 22 Jul 2020)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 15
Scottish National Party: 1
PAY FOR CIVIL SERVANTS
Tabled by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)That this House believes that civil servants perform an essential role in the functioning of British democracy and the delivery of our public services especially as the UK renegotiates our relationship with the European Union; notes that public servants covered by the Cabinet Office and Treasury's civil service pay guidance …
(Most recent: 25 Jun 2019)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 24
Liberal Democrat: 4
Plaid Cymru: 3
Independent: 2
Scottish National Party: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Commons initiatives
These initiatives were driven by Liz Twist, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Liz Twist has not been granted any Urgent Questions
1 Adjournment Debate led by Liz Twist
1 Bill introduced by Liz Twist
A Bill to require the Secretary of State to review the Disabled Facilities Grants system; and for connected purposes.
1 Bill co-sponsored by Liz Twist
Education and Training (Welfare of Children) Act 2021 - Private Members' Bill (Ballot Bill)
Sponsor - Mary Kelly Foy (LAB)
134 Written Questions in the current parliament
(View all written questions)3 Other Department Questions
Parks and green spaces share joint responsibility between the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). DLUHC is responsible for urban parks and green spaces and I am the responsible minister. In DEFRA, the responsible minister for the domestic natural environment, is Rebecca Pow MP and Lord Benyon is responsible for landscape, including national parks.
Minister for Equalities
We recognise that COVID-19 is impacting people in different ways, as I noted in my first quarterly report to the Prime Minister. Addressing these disparities is a priority for the whole Government. Our economic response is protecting people right across society – saving jobs, keeping businesses afloat and ensuring those most impacted have the support they need.
We are also working hard through local networks to ensure key information reaches all segments of society – for example through investing in our £23 million Community Champions scheme.
We’re seeing very positive developments in our vaccine roll-out – as recognised recently by the Bank of England. It’s vital the vaccine programme reaches all parts of our community and we have established a National Equalities Board to ensure that happens.
The Government is determined that our recovery from this virus will build back fairer for everyone.
Minister for Equalities
I have regular engagement with ministerial colleagues across Government on a range of equality and progression issues. Throughout this pandemic, we have sought to protect jobs and incomes by spending billions on strengthening welfare support. Our long-term ambition is to level up across the UK, helping people back into work as quickly as possible based on clear evidence around the importance of work in tackling poverty.
Minister for Equalities
Details of central government contracts above £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search
Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to ensuring that elections are accessible for all those eligible to vote and has already been working with the RNIB to improve the voting process for voters with sight loss.
It is important for security purposes that a physical poll card is sent to every elector at the property where they are registered, but we have already considered how electoral information might additionally be made available in more accessible format for those who request it.
Returning Officers already publish details of candidates in the order they will appear on the ballot paper online. We will work with partners in the electoral sector to ensure this information is accessible.
The Government will continue to work with the RNIB, the Electoral Commission and other relevant organisations to make blind and partially sighted voters aware of the support available to them at the polling station, and to consider what additional support could be provided to help blind and partially sighted people to vote including by post.
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is committed to ensuring that elections are accessible for all those eligible to vote and has already been working with the RNIB to improve the voting process for voters with sight loss.
It is important for security purposes that a physical poll card is sent to every elector at the property where they are registered, but we have already considered how electoral information might additionally be made available in more accessible format for those who request it.
Returning Officers already publish details of candidates in the order they will appear on the ballot paper online. We will work with partners in the electoral sector to ensure this information is accessible.
The Government will continue to work with the RNIB, the Electoral Commission and other relevant organisations to make blind and partially sighted voters aware of the support available to them at the polling station, and to consider what additional support could be provided to help blind and partially sighted people to vote including by post.
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
1 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Questions
(View all Liz Twist's BEIS questions)Healthcare professionals, including physiotherapists, can continue operating under the National Lockdown regulations. Where a clinic is based in premises that is required to close, for example a gym, it will be a commercial decision for the gym owner to decide whether the physiotherapists can continue to practice there.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)
Under the new legal duty of care, in-scope companies will need to remove and limit the spread of illegal content and activity online. This includes illegal content which encourages or incites suicide online, with all companies expected to take swift and effective action against such content.
In addition, companies whose services have high-risk functionalities and which have the largest audiences will also be required to take action on content which is legal but which may cause harm to adults such as material which relates to self-harm or suicide. These companies will need to set out in clear terms and conditions what is acceptable on their services, and enforce those terms and conditions consistently and transparently.
We are also ensuring that criminal law is fit for purpose to account for harmful and dangerous communications online. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has sponsored a Law Commission review of harmful online communications. As part of this review, the Government has also asked the Law Commission to examine how the criminal law will address the encouragement or assistance of self harm. We know there is a strong case for making this sort of appalling content illegal. The Law Commission have consulted on their proposed reforms and will produce final recommendations by summer 2021.
The £750 million sector funding package offered unprecedented support to allow charities and social enterprises to continue their vital work and support our national response to the pandemic.
In addition, the Government continues to make a package of support available across the economy to enable organisations to get through the months ahead. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which continues to be a lifeline to a multitude of organisations.
The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has overall policy responsibility for children and young people’s mental health.
While DCMS has made no assessment on this specific issue, we are aware of the detrimental impact Covid-19 has had on young people’s mental health.
Officials and Ministers regularly engage with young people, including through our Youth Steering Group and events hosted by the youth sector. In recent conversations young people have highlighted the impact Covid-19 has had on mental wellbeing and loneliness.
A total of £4.7 million from the Government’s £750 million Charities package went to support mental health charities, including support for young people’s mental health.
In addition to this, the Department for Health and Social Care provided £6 million to the Coronavirus Mental Health Response Fund, which has supported over 130 charities to date.
Football clubs are the heart of local communities, they have unique social value and many with a great history. It is vital they are protected.
The Government’s Expert Working Group on football supporter ownership and engagement in 2016 set out a number of recommendations to encourage greater engagement between supporters and those that run their club, while also helping to remove barriers to supporter ownership.
Whilst the Group was broadly supportive of the idea of supporter directors on club boards in principle, it believed that strong, structured dialogue with a representative group of supporters is a more inclusive way of ensuring supporters are informed and able to hold club owners and senior executives to account. The Premier League and English Football League now require clubs to meet with supporters at least twice a year to discuss strategic issues, giving fans the opportunity to shape the direction of the club.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
As part of a digitally inclusive society, television content should be accessible for all UK audiences. This is why, as part of the implementation process of the Digital Economy Act 2017, the Government asked Ofcom to provide recommendations on how legislation could make on demand services more accessible. Ofcom published its report in December 2018 and since then my Department has been working with Ofcom to develop the legislative framework for future requirements.
It is important to ensure that any legislation introduced is proportionate while making more content accessible to consumers. As a result, in November 2019 my officials wrote to Ofcom requesting that they complete a further targeted consultation to provide recommendations on specific aspects of the scheme.
Ofcom are now developing this second consultation which they intend to publish in early 2020 and will report back to DCMS later this year. After we have reviewed Ofcom’s recommendations, we will then set out next steps.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister without Portfolio)
Levelling up is at the heart of the agenda to build back better after the COVID-19 outbreak and to deliver for every part of the UK. The department takes a dual approach to disadvantage: tackling outcome inequalities nationally while tilting efforts to, and working specifically in, places of greatest need.
In education, ability is evenly spread but opportunity is not. We know that differences in outcomes start early. To really tackle our levelling up challenge, we must look at our support for children and young people at every level, from support for families and childcare, through to university, and to develop skills throughout life.
We are already making progress. On 2 June 2021 we announced an additional £1.4 billion education recovery package, which includes a £153 million investment in evidence-based professional development for early years practitioners, including through new programmes focusing on key areas such as speech and language development.
This is in addition to the £27 million which we are already investing to support children’s early language development in light of the COVID-19 outbreak:
- £17 million is to deliver the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) in schools that would particularly benefit. Two thirds of primary schools have already signed up for the programme.
- £10 million will support language development for pre-reception children in the next academic year.
What happens outside of schools and settings is also important. The government is investing over £34 million to champion family hubs. This approach will help to support children of all ages and their families across a broad range of needs in their localities. This investment includes establishing a new national centre for family hubs, run by the Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families; a new transformation fund to open family hubs in around 10 local authorities; an evaluation innovation fund; and work with local authorities to develop data and digital products that will support the practical implementation of family hubs.
The government will publish a landmark Levelling Up White Paper later this year, setting out bold new policy interventions to improve livelihoods and opportunity in all parts of the UK.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We are making our usual preparations for the imminent Spending Review, which will set departmental budgets for all financial years from 2022-23 to 2024-25.
Ministers and officials from the department will continue to have discussions with HM Treasury as the Spending Review progresses.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
High quality, accessible childcare is important in ensuring that every child has the best possible start in life. The overall quality of provision within the early years sector remains high and, as of 31 March 2021, 96% of providers on the Ofsted Early Years Register were judged good or outstanding, which is a substantial increase from 74% in 2012. Ofsted are responsible for monitoring the quality of provision.
We continue to monitor the sufficiency of childcare through regular attendance data collection and monitoring the open or closed status of providers. We also discuss sufficiency of provision in our regular conversations with local authorities. Local authorities are not currently reporting any significant sufficiency or supply issues and we have not seen any significant number of parents unable to secure a childcare place, either this term or since early years settings re-opened fully on 1 June 2020.
Ofsted data shows that as of March 2021 the number of childcare places available on the Early Years Register has remained broadly stable since August 2015.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
On 2 June 2021, as part of the government’s announcement on providing an additional £1.4 billon for education recovery, we announced a £153 million investment for high-quality professional development for early years practitioners. This includes new programmes focusing on key areas such as speech and language development, and physical and emotional development for the youngest children, of which play is an important part. This is in addition to the £18 million announced in February 2021 and the £9 million announced in June 2020 to support early language development for children in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The package will build on our early years foundation stage reforms, which support more effective early years curriculum and assessment, and reducing unnecessary assessment paperwork, so that practitioners and teachers can spend more time engaging children in rich activities, including through play, to support their learning.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
All children have had their education disrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak, but it is likely that disadvantaged and vulnerable groups will have been hardest hit.
Since 2011 we have spent more than £20 billion to provide Pupil Premium funding for school leaders to use, based on the needs of their disadvantaged pupils. Between 2011 and 2019, the attainment gaps between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils narrowed by 13% at age 11 and 9% at age 16.
On top of this funding, we increased core schools funding by £2.6 billion last year and are increasing core schools funding by £4.8 billion and £7.1 billion in 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively, compared to 2019-20.
In addition, over the past year we have made three major interventions to support education recovery, totalling over £3 billion additional spend: £1 billion in June 2020, a further £700 million in February 2021 and our latest £1.4 billion package announced in June 2021.
Recovery programmes have been designed to allow early years, school and college leaders the flexibility to support those pupils most in need, including the most disadvantaged. The latest announcement expands our reforms in two areas where the evidence is clear our investment will have a significant impact for disadvantaged children, high quality tutoring and great teaching.
We are providing over £1.5 billion for tutoring programmes, including an expansion of the National Tutoring Programme (NTP), an ambitious scheme that supports schools to access targeted tutoring intervention for disadvantaged pupils who have missed out on learning due to school closures. We will also provide greater flexibility to schools to make it easier for them to take on local tutors or use existing staff to supplement those employed through the NTP. This new blended offer ensures that the NTP works for all disadvantaged children, giving schools the flexibility to choose what type of approach best suits their needs and those of individual pupils.
The £302 million Recovery Premium has been weighted so that schools with more disadvantaged pupils receive more funding and includes £22 million to scale up proven approaches to reduce the attainment gap.
We have also invested more than £400 million to provide internet access and over 1.3 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people.
We are aware of a small number of children with complex needs, including those that require Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGPs), who have found it harder to return to schools. We are working with families, education settings, health services and local authorities to ensure that they are able to attend safely as soon as possible.
We published the Safe Working Guidance to help support schools in keeping everyone safe, including those children with complex medical needs who require AGPs and the staff carrying out the procedures. We are trying to give the best possible guidance to schools while recognising that every school setting is different. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings-including-the-use-of-personal-protective-equipment-ppe.
The department has worked closely with Public Health England and stakeholders to publish guidance based on a ‘system of controls’ which, when implemented, creates an inherently safer system where the risk of transmission of the infection is substantially reduced. This includes guidance on the specific protective measures needed to undertake AGPs in education settings to manage risk effectively. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings-including-the-use-of-personal-protective-equipment-ppe.
The guidance on undertaking AGPs in education settings, including where use of a designated room is not possible, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings-including-the-use-of-personal-protective-equipment-ppe.
We have heard examples of good practice locally and are working with Public Health England and NHS England to establish whether any changes to the guidance or further information about practice principles are needed.
The Departments SEND and NHS England Adviser teams are working with local areas affected by this situation to determine whether further local measures can be put in place to secure pupils’ return to school. It is important that schools communicate clearly with parents on progress towards supporting children who need AGPs to return to school safely and provide remote education and support if they are unable to do so.
We do not hold data on the number of schools that do not have a separate room to undertake AGPs.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of a small number of children with complex needs, including those that require Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGPs), who have found it harder to return to schools. We are working with families, education settings, health services and local authorities to ensure that they are able to attend safely as soon as possible.
We published the Safe Working Guidance to help support schools in keeping everyone safe, including those children with complex medical needs who require AGPs and the staff carrying out the procedures. We are trying to give the best possible guidance to schools while recognising that every school setting is different. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings-including-the-use-of-personal-protective-equipment-ppe.
The department has worked closely with Public Health England and stakeholders to publish guidance based on a ‘system of controls’ which, when implemented, creates an inherently safer system where the risk of transmission of the infection is substantially reduced. This includes guidance on the specific protective measures needed to undertake AGPs in education settings to manage risk effectively. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings-including-the-use-of-personal-protective-equipment-ppe.
The guidance on undertaking AGPs in education settings, including where use of a designated room is not possible, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings-including-the-use-of-personal-protective-equipment-ppe.
We have heard examples of good practice locally and are working with Public Health England and NHS England to establish whether any changes to the guidance or further information about practice principles are needed.
The Departments SEND and NHS England Adviser teams are working with local areas affected by this situation to determine whether further local measures can be put in place to secure pupils’ return to school. It is important that schools communicate clearly with parents on progress towards supporting children who need AGPs to return to school safely and provide remote education and support if they are unable to do so.
We do not hold data on the number of schools that do not have a separate room to undertake AGPs.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Supporting and promoting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing is a priority for this government. We continue to work closely with schools, colleges, the higher education sector, and local areas to provide support, guidance, and encourage good practice.
The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has overall policy responsibility for children and young people’s mental health. The Department for Education works closely with DHSC to take significant steps to support the mental health and wellbeing support for young people across all education settings.
Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) are an important part of our long term plan to promote and support children and young people’s mental health in state-funded schools and colleges, and we remain committed to rolling them out to at least a fifth to a quarter of the country by the end of the academic year 2022/23.
There are 59 MHSTs already established in 25 areas across the country. An additional 123 MHSTs are being set up in a further 57 areas this year, and a further 104 teams have been commissioned to begin training in academic year 2020/21. Once established, MHST support schools and colleges to promote good mental health, identify and manage a wide range of issues relating to mental health and wellbeing, and deliver interventions for mild and moderate needs. This may include thoughts of self-harm and providing support with alternative coping strategies.
The NHS Long Term Plan commits to ensure that, by the academic year 2023/24, at least an additional 345,000 children and young people aged 0 to 25 will be able to access support from NHS-funded children and young people’s mental health services (formerly CAMHS) and school–based or college-based mental health support teams. Funding for CYMPHS has grown faster than overall NHS and adult mental health spending.
Every NHS mental health trust in England has provided 24/7 crisis helplines for those in all age groups who need urgent help in a mental health crisis, and will continue to do so over the coming months. We provided funding and support to the people and organisations who play a vital role in young people’s mental health, with over £10 million of funding to support mental health charities, including Young Minds and Place2Be which specifically support the mental health of children and young people. We have invested £8 million in local authorities to fund mental health and wellbeing experts to provide advice and resources for education staff to support and promote children and young people’s mental health.
We recognise that many university students are facing additional mental health challenges due to the disruption and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, and it is important students can still access the mental health support they need.
My right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Universities, wrote to Vice Chancellors in October outlining that student welfare should remain a priority, and has convened a working group of representatives from the higher education and health sectors to specifically address the current and pressing issues that students are facing during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Higher education providers are expected to continue to support their students. This has included moving services online or making services accessible from a distance and we encourage students to stay in touch with their provider’s student support and welfare teams as these services are likely to continue to be an important source of support. Many providers have bolstered their existing mental health services, and adapted delivery to means other than face to face. Staff at universities and colleges responded quickly to the need to transform mental health and wellbeing services, showing resourcefulness and there are many examples of good practice.
The Office for Students funded Student Space platform bridges gaps in support for students arising from this unprecedented situation and is designed to work alongside existing services. Students struggling with their mental health at this time can also access support via the NHS at: https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/category/mental-health/.
Online resources from Public Health England can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-public-on-mental-health-and-wellbeing, along with support from mental health charity, Mind, available here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/student-life/about-student-mental-health/.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Protecting all students', domestic and international, mental health and wellbeing continues to be a priority for this government. The disruption and uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak has impacted all age groups, but particularly young people who are making transitions during this time.
Higher education providers are best placed to identify and address the needs of their particular student body as well as how to develop the services needed. Many providers have boosted their existing welfare and counselling services to ensure support services can be accessed, which is particularly important for those students having to self-isolate or who are affected by local restrictions.
Student Space, funded with £3 million from the Office for Students (OfS), provides dedicated support services (phone and text) for students and a collaborative online platform to help students access vital mental health and wellbeing resources. The platform bridges gaps in support for students arising from the outbreak and is designed to work alongside existing services.
The government has recently provided over £9 million to leading mental health charities to help them expand and reach those most in need. In addition, NHS mental health trusts are ensuring 24/7 access to crisis telephone lines to support people of all ages.
We have asked providers to prioritise the mental health and wellbeing of students during this period and have enabled them to use funding, worth up to £23 million per month from April to July this year and £256 million for the academic year 2020/21 starting from August, to go towards student hardship funds and mental health support.
Minister of State (Department for Education) (Higher and Further Education)
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has regularly discussed the reopening of higher education (HE) providers with his Cabinet colleagues, including with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The arrangements for the end of the autumn term were discussed on Monday 28 September.
As the Secretary of State for Education announced to the House on Tuesday 29 September, the department is working with universities to make sure that all students are supported to return home safely and spend Christmas with their loved ones, if they choose to do so. Where students choose to stay in their university accommodation over Christmas, universities should continue making sure that they are safe and well looked after. The department will work with universities to publish guidance on students returning home safely at Christmas, shortly.
The safety and wellbeing of staff and students in HE is always our priority, and the government is doing all it can to minimise the risks to those working and studying at HE providers in this unprecedented situation, while mitigating the impact on education.
Minister of State (Department for Education) (Higher and Further Education)
I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave on 23 June 2020 to Question 54195.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Department is committed to supporting schools to deliver high-quality teaching of relationships education, relationships and sex education, and health education.
Many schools are already teaching aspects of these subjects as part of their sex and relationships education provision or their personal, social, health and economic education programme. Schools have flexibility to determine how to deliver the new content, in the context of a broad and balanced curriculum.
To support schools in their preparations, the Department is investing in a central package to help all schools to increase the confidence and quality of their teaching practice. We are currently developing a new online service featuring innovative training materials, case studies and support to access resources. This will be available from April 2020 with additional content added through the summer term, covering all of the teaching requirements in the statutory guidance. We will also publish an implementation guide which will be provided to all schools as part of this service, and face-to-face training will be available for schools that need additional support.
The Department is currently working with lead teachers, non-specialist teachers, schools and subject experts to develop this central programme of support to help ensure it meets the needs of schools and teachers. It will complement the wide range of training opportunities that are being provided by local authorities and sector organisations.
The Department wants to support all children and young people to be happy, healthy and safe. Through the new subjects of relationships, sex and health education, we want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society.
These subjects will help in ensuring all young people, at age appropriate points, know the signs of unhealthy or abusive relationships, and that violence in relationships and domestic abuse is unlawful and never acceptable. Throughout these subjects there is a focus on ensuring pupils know how to get further support.
The guidance can be accessed via the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/relationships-and-sex-education-and-health-education.
14 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions
(View all Liz Twist's Defra questions)Initial stakeholder reaction to a single social tariff scheme has been positive. However, further analysis is needed to understand the implications, costs and benefits of a possible new scheme. Legislation will be required to implement any such scheme.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 24 November 2021, PQ UIN 75976.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Eight water companies have established data sharing agreements with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The water sector and DWP are working together to roll out agreements with the remaining companies.
Initial feedback from water companies who have secured data sharing agreements has been positive. The data shares have enabled water companies to identify financially vulnerable customers who may benefit from specially discounted and capped water tariffs, and where appropriate, to proactively add eligible customers to these tariffs.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra has established a Development Group, consisting of representatives from the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), Ofwat, water companies and charities to explore the review’s recommendations of a single social tariff scheme.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Consumer Council for Water's (CCW) Affordability Review suggested that Defra should make the Landlord and Tenant Address Portal compulsory in England to raise the visibility of residents who may need help.
Since the publication of CCW's report, Defra has had initial discussions with CCW and Landlord Tap Ltd on this recommendation and look forward to further engagement. Data sharing agreements enabled under the Digital Economy Act 2017 and the pilots that have evolved out of the CCW's report, should also help identify vulnerable tenants. We will work with CCW and industry on how water companies can better identify and support their customers.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is consulting on a draft strategic policy statement for Ofwat. This will set priorities for the economic regulator in the following areas:
- Protecting and enhancing the environment – including supporting delivery of the 25 Year Environment Plan, net zero, nature-based solutions and catchment approaches by water companies,
- Delivering a more resilient water sector; and
- Serving and protecting customers, including those who are vulnerable.
The consultation for the strategic policy statement can be accessed via the link here:
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is consulting on a draft strategic policy statement for Ofwat. This will set priorities for the economic regulator in the following areas:
- Protecting and enhancing the environment – including supporting delivery of the 25 Year Environment Plan, net zero, nature-based solutions and catchment approaches by water companies,
- Delivering a more resilient water sector; and
- Serving and protecting customers, including those who are vulnerable.
The consultation for the strategic policy statement can be accessed via the link here:
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is consulting on a draft strategic policy statement for Ofwat. This will set priorities for the economic regulator in the following areas:
- Protecting and enhancing the environment – including supporting delivery of the 25 Year Environment Plan, net zero, nature-based solutions and catchment approaches by water companies,
- Delivering a more resilient water sector; and
- Serving and protecting customers, including those who are vulnerable.
The consultation for the strategic policy statement can be accessed via the link here:
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
(a) Ofwat, the independent economic regulator, is responsible for ensuring that water companies charge fair prices and deliver quality services, through a process called the Price Review.
(b) All water companies offer reduced bills for eligible customers via the WaterSure scheme and social tariffs. Water companies also offer a range of other financial support measures such as payment holidays, bill matching and advice on debt management and water efficiency. Last October, Defra commissioned the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) to review the effectiveness of existing support schemes in water to ensure they are fit for purpose now and in the future. Defra is working with CCW and industry to explore CCW’s recommendations (see Independent Affordability Review | CCW (ccwater.org.uk)) further.
(c) As part of Ofwat's 2019 Price Review process, water companies have set out their investment needs and associated costs up to 2024/2025. The Government has set its future expectations for Ofwat in a new strategic policy statement ( The government's strategic priorities for Ofwat: draft for consultation (defra.gov.uk)) which sets out the significant Government ambitions on the environment and climate change, and how the water industry should contribute to that work.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The health and documentary requirements for pet travel to the EU are set out under the EU Pet Travel Regulations. Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, EU rules also apply to the non-commercial movements of pets into Northern Ireland from Great Britain. There are no derogations for assistance dogs under the legal framework of the EU Pet Travel Regulations.
We will continue to press the European Commission in relation to securing Part 1 listed status, recognising that achieving this would alleviate some of the new requirements for pet owners and assistance dog users travelling to the EU and to Northern Ireland. We are clear that we meet all the animal health requirements for this, and we have one of the most rigorous pet checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity.
The Government is engaging with the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to explore means to streamline pet travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland recognising the high standards of animal health that we share. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has also written to the European Vice-President seeking to ensure that an agreement can be made to address the barriers imposed on pet travel between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland.
In the meantime, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland has recently published guidance on a pragmatic enforcement approach to pets entering from Great Britain. Northern Ireland-based pets and assistance dogs returning to Northern Ireland from Great Britain can continue to use a Northern Ireland-issued EU Pet Passport to re-enter Northern Ireland and will not need an animal health certificate. Pets and assistance dogs entering from Great Britain will not be subject to routine checks until July 2021. Current guidance on pet travel to Northern Ireland is available on DAERA's NIDirect website.
We are proactively engaging with the assistance dog community and relevant stakeholders on the impacts on dog movements from Great Britain to the EU and to Northern Ireland. We will continue to work closely with assistance dog organisations to share the latest advice and guidance (in accessible formats) with their members on pet travel requirements
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are reviewing our policies for these vessels operating in UK waters. Any action taken will align with the UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement and must be evidence-based.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to securing the long-term future of the hen harrier as a breeding bird in England. The Hen Harrier Action Plan sets out what will be done to increase hen harrier populations in England and includes measures to stop illegal persecution. The long-term plan was published in January 2016 and we believe that it remains the best way to safeguard the hen harrier in England. A copy of the plan is available at:
Natural England has recorded the best year for hen harrier breeding in England since Natural England’s hen harrier recovery project was established in 2002. Illegal persecution of raptors such as the hen harrier is one of the UK's wildlife crime priorities. There are strong penalties in place for offences committed against birds of prey and other wildlife. Those convicted of committing an offence can face an unlimited fine and/or a six-month custodial sentence.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the conservation and economic benefits that shooting sports bring to rural communities.
All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. There are strong penalties in place for offences committed against birds of prey and other wildlife; significant sanctions are available to judges to hand down to those convicted of wildlife crimes. Most wildlife crimes carry up to an unlimited fine and/or a six-month custodial sentence.
To address concerns about illegal killing of birds of prey, senior government and enforcement officers have identified raptor persecution as a national wildlife crime priority. Since 2016 Defra has contributed approximately £165,000 annually to the National Wildlife Crime Unit that monitors and gathers intelligence on wildlife crime, including raptor persecution, and aids police forces in their investigations when required.
We are committed to securing the long-term future of the hen harrier as a breeding bird in England. The Hen Harrier Action Plan sets out what will be done to increase hen harrier populations in England and includes measures to stop illegal persecution. The long-term plan was published in January 2016 and we believe that it remains the best way to safeguard the hen harrier in England. A copy of the plan is available at: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/491818/henharrier-action-plan-england-2016.pdf
Whilst the Government has no current plans to carry out a review of the management of grouse moors, we recognise that it is vital that wildlife and habitats are respected and protected, and that the law is observed. We will continue to work to ensure a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between shooting and conservation.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Platform edge tactiles are part of the scope for more than 100 accessible routes due to be installed under our Access for All programme by 2024. In addition, whenever the industry installs, replaces or renews platform infrastructure they are required to install tactiles.
I have asked Network Rail to work up a costed plan for a wider roll out of tactiles for stations where tactiles are not being delivered under another programme.
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Platform edge tactiles are part of the scope for more than 100 accessible routes due to be installed under our Access for All programme by 2024. In addition, whenever the industry installs, replaces or renews platform infrastructure they are required to install tactiles.
I have asked Network Rail to work up a costed plan for a wider roll out of tactiles for stations where tactiles are not being delivered under another programme.
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Department has been clear that airlines and travel agents should not deny consumers their legal right to a refund, if it is requested and this should be done in a timely manner. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) undertook a review of the refund policies of all UK airlines, as well as a number of international airlines that operate flights to and from the UK. The CAA has utilised this review to influence airlines to change their processes and practices in order to improve performance in providing refunds. The CAA’s actions have led to an improved quality of service and performance from most airlines. The CAA continues to work with carriers to drive down waiting times, but balancing the support businesses need during this unprecedented situation.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted a number of challenges. The department is keen to work with the regulator, industry and consumer groups to learn lessons from pandemic, to make changes that are practicable and deliverable.
A further £29 million was announced by the Transport Secretary on 23 May to increase tram and light rail services across the country so that people who need to travel, including critical workers in the NHS, can do so safely. The Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive (NEXUS) is estimated to receive £7.6 million of that funding for the Tyne and Wear Metro.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
A further £29 million was announced by the Transport Secretary on 23 May to increase tram and light rail services across the country so that people who need to travel, including critical workers in the NHS, can do so safely. The Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive (NEXUS) is estimated to receive £7.6 million of that funding for the Tyne and Wear Metro.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government recognises the important economic contribution of disabled people in the labour market and is committed to seeing 1 million more disabled people in work. DWP delivers a range of programmes to support disabled people, including those with severe asthma, to stay in or move into work.
These include the Work and Health Programme, Intensive Personalised Employment Support, Access to Work, Disability Confident and initiatives in partnership with the health system, including Employment Advice in NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services and Individual Placement and Support.
Analysis published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that disabled employees are generally under-represented in higher skilled and typically higher paying occupation groups, while they are over-represented in lower-skilled and lower paying occupations when compared to non-disabled employees. Disabled workers are also less likely to move into and be in work, as well as more likely to move out of work.
Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith is currently leading a 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, such as disabled workers.
The Government is committed to ensuring that everybody, including people with asthma, has equal access to employment opportunities and offers a range of support to help disabled people to stay in or move into work.
In 2019, the Government consulted on ways to support and encourage employers to minimise the risk of ill-health related job loss among their employees in Health is Everyone's Business: proposals to reduce ill-health related job loss. Our response is due shortly.
The Government will also publish a National Strategy for Disabled People which will focus on issues that disabled people say affect them the most in all aspects of life, including employment.
The Government is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities and health conditions are able to stay in work and offers a range of support. Access to Work (ATW) is a demand-led, discretionary grant scheme administered by Jobcentre Plus (JCP). The scheme facilitates recruitment and retention of disabled people for employers by contributing towards covering the costs of employment –related support above the level of reasonable adjustment. The scheme can fund up to £60,700 worth of flexible, personalised support per person per year.
In 2019, the Government consulted on ways to support and encourage employers to minimise the risk of ill-health related job loss among their employees in Health is Everyone's Business. Our response is due shortly.
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
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Government is committed to ensuring that older people are able to live with the dignity and respect they deserve, and the State Pension is the foundation of state support for older people.
In April 2020, both the basic and new State Pensions (excluding protected payments) increased by 3.9%, in line with average earnings. The full yearly basic State Pension is worth over £1,900 more in 2020/21 than it was in 2010.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
On 22 December 2021, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provided advice on the primary vaccination of five to 11 year olds. The potential merits from vaccination were assessed according to the presence or absence of underlying health conditions that increase the risk of serious COVID-19. It advised that children aged five to 11 years in a clinical risk group, which includes complex respiratory and neurological conditions, or who were household contacts of someone who is immunosuppressed should be offered two 10 micrograms doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty) with an interval of eight weeks between the first and second doses. The minimum interval between any vaccine dose and recent COVID-19 infection should be four weeks. Further advice regarding COVID-19 vaccination for other five to 11 year olds will be issued in due course following consideration of additional data.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 22 December 2021, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provided advice on the primary vaccination of five to 11 year olds. The potential merits from vaccination were assessed according to the presence or absence of underlying health conditions that increase the risk of serious COVID-19. It advised that children aged five to 11 years in a clinical risk group, which includes complex respiratory and neurological conditions, or who were household contacts of someone who is immunosuppressed should be offered two 10 micrograms doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty) with an interval of eight weeks between the first and second doses. The minimum interval between any vaccine dose and recent COVID-19 infection should be four weeks. Further advice regarding COVID-19 vaccination for other five to 11 year olds will be issued in due course following consideration of additional data.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is assessing options for delivering a near Real Time Suspected Suicide Surveillance System as part of the national near Real Time Suicide Surveillance pilot (nRTSS). The next steps for establishing a national nRTSS system, including a timetable, will be considered once the findings from the current pilot project are available. The pilot project is due for completion at the end of March 2022. We have identified 16 areas in England where a system that aims to deliver near real time suspected suicide surveillance has been established. The Department is currently working with 37 of the local authorities covered by existing systems to develop and pilot a national system by the end of March 2022.
An effective national system has the potential to improve local bereavement support by reducing the time taken for suicide-related information to be made available to local service providers and commissioners. This could include proactive approaches to individuals and families who have been bereaved by suicide.
The ongoing funding requirement for a national near Real Time Suicide Surveillance system in England, and the potential contribution of coroners and the police will be assessed following the findings of the pilot. To date £360,000 of revenue funding has been spent or is committed to delivering the pilot by 31 March 2022. Capital funding of £140,000 is currently being distributed to the seven participating local areas, which are submitting bids against the remaining £700,000 of capital funding to meet further costs required to deliver the pilot this year.
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is assessing options for delivering a near Real Time Suspected Suicide Surveillance System as part of the national near Real Time Suicide Surveillance pilot (nRTSS). The next steps for establishing a national nRTSS system, including a timetable, will be considered once the findings from the current pilot project are available. The pilot project is due for completion at the end of March 2022. We have identified 16 areas in England where a system that aims to deliver near real time suspected suicide surveillance has been established. The Department is currently working with 37 of the local authorities covered by existing systems to develop and pilot a national system by the end of March 2022.
An effective national system has the potential to improve local bereavement support by reducing the time taken for suicide-related information to be made available to local service providers and commissioners. This could include proactive approaches to individuals and families who have been bereaved by suicide.
The ongoing funding requirement for a national near Real Time Suicide Surveillance system in England, and the potential contribution of coroners and the police will be assessed following the findings of the pilot. To date £360,000 of revenue funding has been spent or is committed to delivering the pilot by 31 March 2022. Capital funding of £140,000 is currently being distributed to the seven participating local areas, which are submitting bids against the remaining £700,000 of capital funding to meet further costs required to deliver the pilot this year.
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is assessing options for delivering a near Real Time Suspected Suicide Surveillance System as part of the national near Real Time Suicide Surveillance pilot (nRTSS). The next steps for establishing a national nRTSS system, including a timetable, will be considered once the findings from the current pilot project are available. The pilot project is due for completion at the end of March 2022. We have identified 16 areas in England where a system that aims to deliver near real time suspected suicide surveillance has been established. The Department is currently working with 37 of the local authorities covered by existing systems to develop and pilot a national system by the end of March 2022.
An effective national system has the potential to improve local bereavement support by reducing the time taken for suicide-related information to be made available to local service providers and commissioners. This could include proactive approaches to individuals and families who have been bereaved by suicide.
The ongoing funding requirement for a national near Real Time Suicide Surveillance system in England, and the potential contribution of coroners and the police will be assessed following the findings of the pilot. To date £360,000 of revenue funding has been spent or is committed to delivering the pilot by 31 March 2022. Capital funding of £140,000 is currently being distributed to the seven participating local areas, which are submitting bids against the remaining £700,000 of capital funding to meet further costs required to deliver the pilot this year.
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is assessing options for delivering a near Real Time Suspected Suicide Surveillance System as part of the national near Real Time Suicide Surveillance pilot (nRTSS). The next steps for establishing a national nRTSS system, including a timetable, will be considered once the findings from the current pilot project are available. The pilot project is due for completion at the end of March 2022. We have identified 16 areas in England where a system that aims to deliver near real time suspected suicide surveillance has been established. The Department is currently working with 37 of the local authorities covered by existing systems to develop and pilot a national system by the end of March 2022.
An effective national system has the potential to improve local bereavement support by reducing the time taken for suicide-related information to be made available to local service providers and commissioners. This could include proactive approaches to individuals and families who have been bereaved by suicide.
The ongoing funding requirement for a national near Real Time Suicide Surveillance system in England, and the potential contribution of coroners and the police will be assessed following the findings of the pilot. To date £360,000 of revenue funding has been spent or is committed to delivering the pilot by 31 March 2022. Capital funding of £140,000 is currently being distributed to the seven participating local areas, which are submitting bids against the remaining £700,000 of capital funding to meet further costs required to deliver the pilot this year.
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is assessing options for delivering a near Real Time Suspected Suicide Surveillance System as part of the national near Real Time Suicide Surveillance pilot (nRTSS). The next steps for establishing a national nRTSS system, including a timetable, will be considered once the findings from the current pilot project are available. The pilot project is due for completion at the end of March 2022. We have identified 16 areas in England where a system that aims to deliver near real time suspected suicide surveillance has been established. The Department is currently working with 37 of the local authorities covered by existing systems to develop and pilot a national system by the end of March 2022.
An effective national system has the potential to improve local bereavement support by reducing the time taken for suicide-related information to be made available to local service providers and commissioners. This could include proactive approaches to individuals and families who have been bereaved by suicide.
The ongoing funding requirement for a national near Real Time Suicide Surveillance system in England, and the potential contribution of coroners and the police will be assessed following the findings of the pilot. To date £360,000 of revenue funding has been spent or is committed to delivering the pilot by 31 March 2022. Capital funding of £140,000 is currently being distributed to the seven participating local areas, which are submitting bids against the remaining £700,000 of capital funding to meet further costs required to deliver the pilot this year.
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department regularly discuss a range of issues with colleagues in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and NHS England and NHS Improvement, including NICE’s methods review. However, NICE is an independent body and is responsible for its own methods and processes.
NICE has consulted on a range of proposals although it is too soon to comment on the changes that may be implemented. However, NICE expects to consult on the draft programme manual in the summer, with implementation of the changes from early 2022. NICE and NHS England and NHS Improvement are working together on the development of proposals for the Innovative Medicines Fund. We expect NHS England and NHS Improvement and NICE to lead an engagement exercise later this year. A detailed timescale for this will be confirmed in due course.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department regularly discuss a range of issues with colleagues in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and NHS England and NHS Improvement, including NICE’s methods review. However, NICE is an independent body and is responsible for its own methods and processes.
NICE has consulted on a range of proposals although it is too soon to comment on the changes that may be implemented. However, NICE expects to consult on the draft programme manual in the summer, with implementation of the changes from early 2022. NICE and NHS England and NHS Improvement are working together on the development of proposals for the Innovative Medicines Fund. We expect NHS England and NHS Improvement and NICE to lead an engagement exercise later this year. A detailed timescale for this will be confirmed in due course.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department regularly discuss a range of issues with colleagues in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and NHS England and NHS Improvement, including NICE’s methods review. However, NICE is an independent body and is responsible for its own methods and processes.
NICE has consulted on a range of proposals although it is too soon to comment on the changes that may be implemented. However, NICE expects to consult on the draft programme manual in the summer, with implementation of the changes from early 2022. NICE and NHS England and NHS Improvement are working together on the development of proposals for the Innovative Medicines Fund. We expect NHS England and NHS Improvement and NICE to lead an engagement exercise later this year. A detailed timescale for this will be confirmed in due course.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The amount of overtime worked is not held centrally. The total value of overtime worked by National Health Service staff working in the hospital and community health sector between March 2020 and December 2020 is £1,340 million.
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
All recommendations of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review are being considered carefully. The Government will respond in full to the report later this year.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
The content of the Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF) asthma review, which ensures all general practitioner practices establish and maintain a register of patients with an asthma diagnosis, has been amended to incorporate the key elements of basic asthma care positively associated with better patient outcomes and self-management, including:
- An assessment of asthma control;
- A recording of the number of exacerbations;
- An assessment of inhaler technique; and
- A written personalised asthma action plan.
The QOF for 2021/22 has been implemented from April 2021 with these updated indicators for asthma.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Rapid Guidance on severe asthma during the pandemic recommend using technology to reduce in-person appointments.
NHS England’s letter of 13 May 2021 outlined that patients and clinicians have a choice of consultation mode. Patients’ input into this choice should be sought and practices should respect preferences for face to face care unless there are good clinical reasons to the contrary. The letter is available at the following link:
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
NHS England and NHS Improvement asked general practice to restore activity to usual levels where clinically appropriate and reach out proactively to clinically vulnerable patients and those whose care may have been delayed.
The cardiovascular disease and respiratory programme focussed its work in 2020/21 on the response to COVID-19 and has spent £5.5 million to support the response to the disease, including work on ‘long COVID-19’. This included bringing forward the implementation of respiratory clinical networks by one year. The networks are vital in promoting an integrated approach to respiratory care during COVID-19, in parallel with supporting delivery of the NHS Long Term Plan’s priorities.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The 2019 Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access commits the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to publishing recommendations on all newly licensed treatments within 90 days of marketing authorisation wherever possible.
NICE may not always be able to meet this timescale for individual topics for a range of reasons, including where companies request a longer appraisal timescale. In addition, during the COVID-19 pandemic, NICE adapted its priorities to support the health and care system at a time of unprecedented pressure. This involved pausing the publication of topics that were not COVID-19 related or regarded as therapeutically critical during the period of March to June 2020.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
No such assessment has been made.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
No such assessment has been made.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Information on patients who were first made aware of their severe asthma via shielding letters is not held centrally. However, respiratory disease is a national clinical priority in the NHS Long Term Plan. NHS England and NHS Improvement are working in close partnership with patients and partners, including the British Lung Foundation, and are developing and implementing policy on provisions of respiratory services in England.
NHS England and NHS Improvement’s Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) programme supported by the severe asthma toolkit, is increasing treatment adherence, biologic choice, optimising multidisciplinary teams and has been shared widely with the severe asthma clinical community. The AAC programme for severe asthma biologics has increased uptake of asthma drugs including ones covered by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Technology Appraisals where it has been identified that there is suboptimal uptake.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Information on patients who were first made aware of their severe asthma via shielding letters is not held centrally. However, respiratory disease is a national clinical priority in the NHS Long Term Plan. NHS England and NHS Improvement are working in close partnership with patients and partners, including the British Lung Foundation, and are developing and implementing policy on provisions of respiratory services in England.
NHS England and NHS Improvement’s Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) programme supported by the severe asthma toolkit, is increasing treatment adherence, biologic choice, optimising multidisciplinary teams and has been shared widely with the severe asthma clinical community. The AAC programme for severe asthma biologics has increased uptake of asthma drugs including ones covered by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Technology Appraisals where it has been identified that there is suboptimal uptake.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for providing evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service in England on whether medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. Wherever possible, NICE aims to publish final guidance for new medicines, including those used to treat patients with severe asthma and other high risk conditions, within 90 days of licensing. NHS commissioners are legally required to make funding available for treatments recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of NICE’s final guidance.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The amount of overtime worked is not held centrally. The total value of overtime worked by National Health Service staff working in the hospital and community health sector between March 2020 and September 2020 is £926.4 million.
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Adults with asthma which requires continuous or repeated use of systemic steroids or with previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission, will be vaccinated in phase one, priority group six which includes all individuals aged 16 to 64 years old with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality. Individuals with more severe asthma may have been included in the clinically extremely vulnerable group, in which case they will be vaccinated in priority group four in phase one. All other adults aged 50 years old or above with asthma are being vaccinated within the phase one priority group associated with their age.
Secretary of State for Education
Adults with asthma which requires continuous or repeated use of systemic steroids or with previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission, will be vaccinated in phase one, priority group six which includes all individuals aged 16 to 64 years old with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality. Individuals with more severe asthma may have been included in the clinically extremely vulnerable group, in which case they will be vaccinated in priority group four in phase one. All other adults aged 50 years old or above with asthma are being vaccinated within the phase one priority group associated with their age.
Secretary of State for Education
Officials at the Department of Health and Social Care and HM Treasury have discussed alcohol duty and its impact on health in the context of the report and responses are currently being analysed.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A second national hospice grant of up to £125 million was provided until 31 March 2021 with provision to support 46,500 community contacts per day, which included supporting people at the end of their life within their own home. There are a range of resources available to support family members on providing end of life care in a variety of settings. This includes the end of life care toolkit for carers at home, created by the Helix Centre in conjunction with colleagues at the Central North West London NHS Trust which is available at the following link:
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The NHS Long Term Plan sets a clear ambition that where appropriate every person diagnosed with cancer should have access to personalised care by 2021. This includes providing personalised care and support planning, and information to support health and wellbeing. The key signs and symptoms of cancer recurrence are included in an end of treatment summary.
NHS England and NHS Improvement are supporting staff to offer personalised care to people affected by cancer by promoting awareness and understanding of the personalised care interventions. This includes providing resources such as a handbook on personalised stratified follow up, a checklist on health and wellbeing information and support, webinars, and a collaborative online workspace for staff. Cancer Alliances are leading programmes of work to embed personalised care within local providers.
The latest public data from December 2019 show that 94% of trusts offered personalised care and supporting planning for breast cancer patients.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The NHS Long Term Plan, which was published in January 2019 and followed on from the Cancer Taskforce Strategy, sets a clear ambition that where appropriate every person diagnosed with cancer should have access to personalised care by 2021. The key signs and symptoms of cancer recurrence are included in an end of treatment summary.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Public Health England (PHE) has studied the evidence on the efficacy of different types of face coverings, and some of these studies have compared face coverings with surgical masks, although not specifically FFP3s. This evidence, from laboratory studies, suggests that face coverings made of materials such as cotton and polyester materials might block droplets with a filtering efficiency similar to medical masks when folded in two or three layers. The PHE rapid review on this topic is available at the following link:
https://phe.koha-ptfs.co.uk/cgi-bin/koha/opac-retrieve-file.pl?id=5f043ca658db1188ffae74827fa650d9
FFP3s are classed as personal protective equipment (PPE), which is used by frontline health and social care workers in relevant settings. PHE has published guidance setting out who needs PPE and when, based on United Kingdom clinical expertise and World Health Organization standards. The guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-infection-prevention-and-control
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In 2017, we expanded the scope of the national suicide prevention strategy to include addressing self-harm as an issue in its own right, and we have funded the Multicentre Study of Self-harm – the most in-depth analysis and monitoring of self-harming trends in England.
The aim of the Multicentre Study’s work is to conduct a series of related studies on the epidemiology, causes, clinical management, outcome and prevention of self-harm.
The cross-Government Suicide Prevention Workplan includes a commitment to establish a wider mental health research programme to inform our thinking in many of the areas that may impact suicide and self-harm prevention. We continue to provide funding for research projects through the National Institute for Health Research including for suicide and self-harm prevention.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s clinical guideline ‘Self-harm in over 8s: long-term management (CG133)’ covers the initial management of self-harm and the provision of longer-term support for children and young people aged eight years and older and adults. It includes guidance on referring patients in primary and community care and in other specialist mental health settings for an assessment if presenting with a history of self-harm and a risk of repetition.
In the NHS Long Term Plan, we committed to establishing new models of integrated primary and community mental health care for adults and older adults with severe mental illnesses, with a new community-based offer explicitly including – among other elements – improved self-harm support. New models are currently being tested in 12 early implementer sites, and all areas are developing plans to expand and transform services from 2021/22.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Hospital trusts submit data for secondary breast cancer diagnoses through the Cancer Outcomes and Services Dataset (COSD) or Cancer Waiting Times (CWT) data collection mechanisms. Data on the reported number of people diagnosed with secondary breast cancers in 2014-2017 in England are available in the following table. Data for 2018 will be published in November 2020.
Year | Diagnoses recorded in COSD | Diagnoses recorded in CWT |
2017 | 4,754 | 6,739 |
2016 | 4,746 | 6,824 |
2015 | 4,218 | 6,808 |
2014 | 3,395 | 6,817 |
Notes:
- Source:
http://www.ncin.org.uk/cancer_type_and_topic_specific_work/topic_specific_work/recurrence
- Where a recurrence record has been reported by multiple trusts it will be included once per trust. This means the totals will include some double-counting of recurrences.
- Counts from COSD and CWT cannot be combined as there will duplication between the datasets.
The number of reported cases is accepted as being significantly below the estimated number of secondary breast cancers. The National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service is working closely with cancer charities to improve data collection and submission by hospital trusts, looking at how they can help improve completion rates and thus gain a better picture of the burden of recurrence and metastatic disease across the health service.
Data for secondary breast cancer diagnoses are not available at constituency level. Data on how many people diagnosed with secondary breast cancer who were diagnosed less than and more than five years after a diagnosis of primary breast cancer are not available.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We recognise the hardship visiting restrictions pose for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia-related diseases.
We want to enable residents in care homes to have visits, while protecting them, other residents, staff and visitors from COVID-19. Clinical advice is clear that extra footfall in care homes increases risk. That is why we have published guidance to advise care homes on visiting during this period of new national restrictions, and how to reduce the risk. This guidance is intended to enable visiting, recognising the benefits to health and wellbeing of both residents and their loved ones.
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The report, ‘Diagnostics: recovery and renewal’, was discussed at the NHS England and NHS Improvement public Board meeting on 1 October 2020. The report reflects the impact of COVID-19 on diagnostic provision and was published with the Board papers at the following link:
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As part of the Government’s continued commitment to ensure high-quality, accessible rehabilitation services for patients, NHS England has commenced work on refreshing this guidance. This has included engagement with professional bodies’ clinicians, alongside many other stakeholders, societies and third sector organisations who represent the patient voice.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), and the JCVI sub-committee on COVID-19 are currently reviewing evidence on clinical risk factors associated with serious disease and mortality from COVID-19. Following a review of the evidence the Committee will develop advice on risk groups for any future COVID-19 vaccination programme. The minutes of JCVI committee meetings and statements on COVID-19 vaccination are available on the JCVI website at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/joint-committee-on-vaccination-and-immunisation
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Gowns and overalls were ordered by the Royal Free Trust from a new supplier in Turkey. Further supply from the manufacturer was held in country as it was already clear looking at the first batches that the quality was suspect and not suitable for use in the National Health Service.
Once the first batches were seen and the quality was identified as a concern, the United Kingdom Embassy team in Turkey and the Turkish Government helpfully stepped in and provided some Turkish Government-sourced gowns which met UK standards to make up the order.
Discussions are underway between the Royal Free Trust and the UK distributor to agree a refund or acceptable alternative product.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We recognise that there is the potential for an increase in demand for mental health services amongst students as a result of COVID-19.
We are working with the Department for Education, the National Health Service, Public Health England and others to gather evidence and assess the potential longer-term mental health impacts of COVID-19, including on students.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
It is a Care Quality Commission regulatory requirement for general practitioners to follow the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) guidance on valproate prescribing. The MHRA advises that ‘Valproate medicines must no longer be used in women or girls of childbearing potential unless a Pregnancy Prevention Programme is in place’.
In 2019/20 NHS England implemented a quality improvement module worth approximately £44 million nationally to encourage practices to improve their prescribing safety. This aimed to improve engagement with women of childbearing age being prescribed sodium valproate and pregnancy prevention for these patients.
The standard of medical training is the responsibility of the General Medical Council (GMC), which is an independent statutory body.?The GMC has the general function of promoting high standards of education and co-ordinating all stages of education to ensure that medical students and newly qualified doctors are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for professional practice.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
The Department of Health and Social Care has been working closely with the Department for Education to make sure students are safe at university. We understand that many students are keen to go home for Christmas and we are working together to ensure that they will have plenty of notice to make plans to do so, as announced by the Secretary of State for Education on Tuesday 29 September 2020.
We do not want to single out students for tougher restrictions than other members of society, as we all have our part to play in controlling this virus.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Within the terms of the valproate Pregnancy Prevention Programme, general practitioners (GPs) are required to identify all relevant women and girls in their practice who are taking valproate and refer them for specialist review annually. Specialists should review treatment and ensure that an Annual Risk Acknowledgement Form is signed by the prescriber and the patient and shared with the patient’s GP. GPs should check that the patient has a signed, up-to-date Annual Risk Acknowledgment Form each time a repeat prescription is issued. A GOV.UK toolkit on valproate use by women and girls is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/valproate-use-by-women-and-girls.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Data on the general practitioner (GP) to patient ratio for female patients between the ages of 15 to 45 years old with epilepsy is not available at national or regional levels.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We allocate more testing to higher prevalence areas in line with the Joint Biosecurity Centre’s reporting. Allocation decisions are frequently and systematically reviewed to ensure we are using our testing where it can be most effective. We are working with Public Health England to manage the prioritisation process to ensure that we are able to provide appropriate testing for both outbreak management and surveillance purposes. We have exceeded our target of reaching 500,000 testing capacity by the end of October.
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
NHS England recently announced that people suffering from longer term symptoms of COVID-19 will be offered specialist help at clinics across England.
A range of professionals, including physiotherapists, other specialists and general practitioners will all help assess, diagnose and treat thousands of sufferers who have reported ongoing symptoms. £10 million will be invested this year in additional local funding to help initiate and designate ‘long COVID-19’ clinics in every area across England, to complement existing primary, community and rehabilitation care.
As at May 2020 there are 2,548 (14.4%) more full-time equivalent (FTE) physiotherapists and 861 (23.7%) more FTE support staff to physiotherapists than in May 2015 to provide care to patients.
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
NHS England recently announced that people suffering from longer term symptoms of COVID-19 will be offered specialist help at clinics across England.
A range of professionals, including physiotherapists, other specialists and general practitioners will all help assess, diagnose and treat thousands of sufferers who have reported ongoing symptoms. £10 million will be invested this year in additional local funding to help initiate and designate ‘long COVID-19’ clinics in every area across England, to complement existing primary, community and rehabilitation care.
As at May 2020 there are 2,548 (14.4%) more full-time equivalent (FTE) physiotherapists and 861 (23.7%) more FTE support staff to physiotherapists than in May 2015 to provide care to patients.
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
In total, 3,754 physiotherapists have joined the Health and Care Professions Council’s COVID-19 temporary register.
A recent survey of returners indicated that around 50% across all professions were interested in continuing to work in the health and social care system.
There are existing return to practice schemes designed to support physiotherapists who have been out of the workforce for a number of years to safely re-start their careers.
NHS England is working with the Department and other local employing organisations to consider a range of flexible options to make it easier for professionals including physiotherapists who are interested in re-joining the National Health Service workforce to do so.
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
There are currently no plans in place. The CA125 Blood test, followed by an ultrasound for raised CA125, is the current process recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Rapid Diagnostic Centres (RDCs) are being rolled out across England as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. One of the key principles of RDCs is the coordination of testing, including implementation of multiple-same day testing to provide timely diagnosis of cancer.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We recognise that social distancing, self-isolation and shielding are likely to have increased the risk of loneliness and mental health issues for some people.
Mental health services have remained open for business throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering support digitally, over the phone and face to face where possible. We are working with the National Health Service, Public Health England and others to understand the specific impacts and to improve support for people experiencing these issues as we move into the ‘recovery’ phase.
From 2019/20, we are investing £57 million in suicide prevention through the NHS Long Term Plan. This will see investment in all areas of the country by 2023/24 to support local suicide prevention plans and establish suicide bereavement support services plan.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
The Cross-Government Suicide Prevention Workplan, published January 2019, set out that NHS England is working with the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health to develop a framework for adult and older adult community mental health services, including for people who self-harm.
Following advice from members of NHS England’s Expert Reference Group, the framework replaced the planned pathways. It will consider the needs of people who self harm while being cared for in the community, giving due regard to existing National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on the longer-term management of people who self harm.
The Framework was published in September 2019 and is available on the NHS England and NHS Improvement website.
For children and young people, the NHS Long Term Plan makes commitments to expand children and young people’s services to provide an enhanced crisis offer. This expansion includes further work to strengthen local pathways between community, crisis and inpatient services, which will improve the evidence based self-harm pathway.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
The publication of the Exercise Cygnus report is currently subject to ongoing legal proceedings, so it would be inappropriate to comment at this point.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government accepted all the recommendations from Exercise Cygnus. The lessons identified from Exercise Cygnus have been incorporated into an ongoing programme of work on our pandemic flu response plans.
The lessons learned from Exercise Cygnus continue to be considered by the Government and a range of stakeholders, including expert advisory groups and local emergency planners. We continue to work across Government and with key stakeholders to develop coordinated multi-sector response plans for a future influenza pandemic.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence COVID-19 rapid guideline on severe asthma provides guidance on the use of oral corticosteroids and starting or continuing on biological treatments, which aim to minimise oral corticosteroid exposure, for people with severe asthma during the COVID-19 outbreak. The guideline is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng166
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The monitoring and prescribing of asthma medication are performed in accordance with guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to manage the condition. The guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng80/chapter/Recommendations#self-management
The NHS England and NHS Improvement clinical guide for the management of respiratory patients during the COVID-19 pandemic states that the majority of community respiratory services should be switched to telephone or virtual consultation. Routine annual reviews should continue virtually to reassure patients and ensure they are happy with their management plans to avoid hospital attendance. The clinical guide is available at the following link:
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Respiratory disease is a clinical priority of the NHS Long Term Plan, acknowledging medicines optimisation as a key intervention for people with respiratory disease. Pharmacists in primary care networks will also undertake a range of medicine reviews, including educating patients on the correct use of inhalers.
The Quality and Outcomes Framework ensures all practices establish and maintain a register of patients with an asthma diagnosis in accordance with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance.
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Guidance on the management of treatment of pregnant women and unborn children for carbon monoxide poisoning is provided and accessible to healthcare professionals on TOXBASE and the United Kingdom Teratology Information Service (UKTIS) website.
If carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected, the initial management is the same as for a non-pregnant patient and consists of identifying and removing the patient from the source of exposure, followed by administration of high concentration oxygen. The patient’s carboxyhaemoglobin concentration should be measured initially and monitored. Treatment may need to be continued for longer in pregnant patients compared to a non-pregnant patient.
It is advised that all cases of carbon monoxide poisoning in pregnancy are discussed with the UKTIS.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Long-term exposure to carbon monoxide gas can damage an unborn baby. Babies exposed to carbon monoxide during pregnancy are at risk of a low birth weight; stillbirth; death that occurs within the first four weeks of birth; and behavioural problems.
Women are tested for the presence of carbon monoxide at the antenatal booking appointment and as appropriate throughout pregnancy to identify smokers, or those exposed to tobacco smoke, and offer them a referral for support from a trained stop smoking advisor. Carbon monoxide testing may also highlight a household problem and the need to take measures to prevent further exposure.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Long-term exposure to carbon monoxide gas can damage an unborn baby. Babies exposed to carbon monoxide during pregnancy are at risk of a low birth weight; stillbirth; death that occurs within the first four weeks of birth; and behavioural problems.
Women are tested for the presence of carbon monoxide at the antenatal booking appointment and as appropriate throughout pregnancy to identify smokers, or those exposed to tobacco smoke, and offer them a referral for support from a trained stop smoking advisor. Carbon monoxide testing may also highlight a household problem and the need to take measures to prevent further exposure.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
All guidance, statements and public information released by the Government are readily available to read online. Information on COVID-19 from Public Health England and the Department is translated into British Sign Language videos can be found at the following link:
https://www.signhealth.org.uk/
In addition to this, the Chancellor has advised that the National Health Service will get whatever resources it needs to cope with a COVID-19 epidemic.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
NHS England has undertaken significant communications activities to raise awareness of the Accessible Information Standard with organisations required to implement and follow it, including National Health Service trusts. A range of resources have been made available to support effective implementation and compliance. Conformance with the Standard is a specific legal duty – as set out in section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. It is also a requirement of the NHS Standard Contract.
In developing the Standard, we have worked alongside a number of partners, including the Care Quality Commission, who have stated that they will be looking at how services implement the Accessible Information Standard as part of their inspections.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The National Health Service produces a range of materials to promote the NHS 111 service (including ways for deaf people to access the service), which are available to all healthcare professionals. NHS England also engages with a wide number of charities and third-party organisations to promote NHS 111 to the deaf and hard of hearing community.
A deaf or hard of hearing person can speak to NHS 111 through a British Sign Language interpreting service. Relay UK is also available for people who have difficulty communicating or hearing whilst the online NHS 111 service can also be accessed if medical advice is required.
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
All guidance, statements and public information released by the Government are readily available to read online information on COVID-19 from Public Health England and the Department is translated into British Sign Language videos can be found at the following link:
https://www.signhealth.org.uk/
In addition to this, the Chancellor has advised that, the National Health Service will get whatever resources it needs to cope with a coronavirus epidemic.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
All guidance, statements and public information released by the Government are readily available to read online information on COVID-19 from Public Health England and the Department is translated into British Sign Language videos can be found at the following link:
https://www.signhealth.org.uk/
In addition to this, the Chancellor has advised that, the National Health Service will get whatever resources it needs to cope with a coronavirus epidemic.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
All guidance, statements and public information released by the Government are readily available to read online.
Information on COVID-19 from Public Health England and the Department is translated into British Sign Language. Videos can be found at the following link:
https://www.signhealth.org.uk/
NHS England operates an accessible information standard which sets out a specific, consistent approach to identifying, recording, flagging, sharing and meeting the information and communication support needs of patients, service users, carers and parents with a disability, impairment or sensory loss. More information can be found at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/accessibleinfo/
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have been working across government on accessible housing provision and will consult shortly on options to raise accessibility standards in new homes.
The consultation will consider making higher accessibility standards mandatory, recognising the importance of suitable homes for older and disabled people.
The UK Government is working closely with international partners to deliver a robust and coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including through the G7, G20 and other fora, and has been advocating for economic resilience and recovery to be at the heart of this approach. With India, the UK pressed for the G20 Action Plan that agreed a package of measures to mitigate the economic impact on the worst affected countries, including through debt relief. On 30 September, during the UN General Assembly, the Foreign Secretary co-hosted "Accelerating the End of the COVID-19 Pandemic" with the UN Secretary General, WHO Director General and Health Minister of South Africa. This event brought together world leaders, UN agencies, scientists, pharmaceutical companies and donors to pledge additional support and agree new ways of working together in the international fight against COVID. The Foreign Secretary also visited Vietnam and South Korea from 28 September to 1 October, where he discu ssed the UK's leading role in supporting global efforts to develop and equitably distribute COVID-19 vaccines. On 21 September, the Foreign Secretary and Canadian Minister Karina Gould co-chaired a meeting of the informal Development Ministers' Contact Group on COVID-19. The group includes members from the G7 and Five Eyes, plus Sweden and Norway.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister without Portfolio)
The Foreign Secretary last discussed the Italian Government's response to the covid-19 pandemic with Foreign Minister Di Maio on 25 June. Our embassy in Rome is in constant contact with Italian officials in order to monitor the situation and seek opportunities to share best practices, and senior UK scientific advisers and health officials have also been in regular contact with their Italian counterparts since the start of the pandemic. On 1-3 October, a delegation of British ministers including Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Alok Sharma, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury Kemi Badenoch MP and FCDO Minister for the Pacific and Environment Lord Goldsmith, met with their counterparts in Italy at the Pontignano Conference. They discussed our respective governments' response to the pandemic and how the UK and Italy can continue to work together.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Treasury Ministers and officials regularly meet with representatives of the alcohol industry, and public health stakeholders, to discuss alcohol duty and related issues, including the health impacts of alcohol as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Minister for Equalities
Treasury Ministers and officials regularly meet with representatives of the alcohol industry, and public health stakeholders, to discuss alcohol duty and related issues, including the health impacts of alcohol as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Minister for Equalities
Treasury Ministers and officials regularly meet with representatives of the alcohol industry, and public health stakeholders, to discuss alcohol duty and related issues, including the health impacts of alcohol as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Minister for Equalities
The Government has committed to an unprecedented package of support for individuals through this difficult time. This includes the introduction of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Job Support Scheme, and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, as well as injecting an additional £9 billion into the welfare system according to Office for Budget Responsibility estimates.
If an employee earns average weekly earnings of at least £120 per week, they will be eligible for SSP if they are self-isolating under Government guidance and cannot work from home. This includes parents living in the same households as children self-isolating with symptoms of COVID-19. The Government has changed the rules so that SSP is now payable from day 1, not day 4, for COVID-19 cases.
Parents of children who are self-isolating under Government guidance may be eligible for “new style” contributory Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if they are ineligible for SSP and unable to work from home. The Government has made it easier for people to claim by removing the seven-day waiting period which means people can get support from day one.
The welfare system is best placed to provide support for those not eligible for SSP. This group will benefit from changes to the welfare system to support the most vulnerable. These changes include a £20 per week increase to the UC standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element, and a nearly £1 billion increase in support for renters through increases to the Local Housing Allowance rates for UC and Housing Benefit claimants.
The latest available information on the number of families with children receiving Working Tax Credit at the parliamentary constituency level is for April 2020. In April 2020, the number of families with children receiving Working Tax Credit in Blaydon was 1,000.
Information on following months is not readily available. The next update to this publication will provide statistics relating to December 2020 and will be available in January 2021.
Final annual information on families with children receiving Working Tax Credits is published once a year and updated each July.
To understand the complex landscape for community-based support, in the Government’s further response to the Joint Committee on the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill (CP 214), published on 3 March, we indicated that the Designate Domestic Abuse Commissioner has agreed to undertake an in-depth exploration of the current community-based support landscape over 2020/21.
The Government also indicated that we must better understand the existing routes by which support services are commissioned and funded and establish best practice within services in order to ensure quality provision. The precise scope and timing of the review is a matter for the independent Commissioner. I understand, however, that the review is expected to take some 12 months.
The Government does not collect statistics on the number of domestic abuse victims who do not live in safe accommodation. I would like us to look more into data in the coming months.
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
To understand the complex landscape for community-based support, in the Government’s further response to the Joint Committee on the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill (CP 214), published on 3 March, we indicated that the Designate Domestic Abuse Commissioner has agreed to undertake an in-depth exploration of the current community-based support landscape over 2020/21.
The Government also indicated that we must better understand the existing routes by which support services are commissioned and funded and establish best practice within services in order to ensure quality provision. The precise scope and timing of the review is a matter for the independent Commissioner. I understand, however, that the review is expected to take some 12 months.
The Government does not collect statistics on the number of domestic abuse victims who do not live in safe accommodation. I would like us to look more into data in the coming months.
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
To understand the complex landscape for community-based support, in the Government’s further response to the Joint Committee on the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill (CP 214), published on 3 March, we indicated that the Designate Domestic Abuse Commissioner has agreed to undertake an in-depth exploration of the current community-based support landscape over 2020/21.
The Government also indicated that we must better understand the existing routes by which support services are commissioned and funded and establish best practice within services in order to ensure quality provision. The precise scope and timing of the review is a matter for the independent Commissioner. I understand, however, that the review is expected to take some 12 months.
The Government does not collect statistics on the number of domestic abuse victims who do not live in safe accommodation. I would like us to look more into data in the coming months.
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
While the definition of “domestic abuse” in clause 1 of the Domestic Abuse Bill applies for the purposes of the Bill, we expect the definition to be adopted more generally, for example by public authorities and frontline practitioners.
As provided for in clause 66(2)(b), the statutory guidance which will accompany the Bill will recognise the effect of domestic abuse on children. The guidance will outline the range of impacts domestic abuse can have on children, as well as appropriate support and referral mechanisms. We will ensure that the guidance is widely publicised.
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
5 Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities Questions
(View all Liz Twist's DLUHC questions)Supporting the most vulnerable children and young people, and local authorities in maintaining their statutory services, continues to be a key priority for this Government.
The Spending Review 2020 confirmed that the Core Spending Power of local authorities will rise by 4.6% in cash terms from £49.0 billion in 2020-21 to up to £51.3 billion in 2021-22, which is a real terms increase. This real-terms increase builds on the largest year-on-year increase in spending power in a decade and recognises the resources councils need to meet their pressures and maintain children’s services, including their statutory duty to assess the social care needs of seriously ill children and young people, and to provide respite care where necessary.
The Government has also given over £6 billion in un-ringfenced funding directly to councils to support them with the immediate and longer-term impacts of Covid-19 spending pressures. This unprecedented level of funding is un-ringfenced in recognition that local authorities are best placed to decide how to meet service pressures in their local area, including for children and young people.
By April 2022, the Government will have invested over £4 billion through the Disabled Facilities Grant, which will have funded adaptations to almost 400,000 homes since 2010.
In addition, 10 per cent of units delivered under the new Affordable Homes Programme will be used to increase the supply of specialist or supported housing.
Our current planning rules mean councils must consider the needs of older people and those with disabilities when planning new homes, and the Government recently consulted on options that include introducing higher mandatory accessibility standards for all new homes.
In Planning for the Future we proposed a quicker and simpler framework for assessing environmental effects: one which does not compromise on environmental standards, and indeed encourages opportunities for environmental enhancements to be identified and pursued early in the development process. Proposals will leave an inheritance of environmental improvements with environmental assets protected, more green spaces provided, more sustainable development supported and new homes that are more energy efficient.
Though we are still considering the responses to the White Paper consultation, I can assure you that legal protection for landscape, habitat and wildlife will remain in force, and reforms will support the implementation of the proposals in the Environment Bill, including the commitment to a 10 per cent biodiversity net gain requirement. Consultation on the White Paper closed on 29 October 2020. The Government will publish its response following consideration of all the feedback received.
Minister of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Our proposals are designed to put effective community engagement at the heart of planning. The current planning system has a poor record in this area, with information that is hard to find, and difficult to understand.
By taking a digital-first approach to modernise the planning process, we can use new tools and platforms to make it easier for people to understand what is being proposed, and to feed their views into the system at the right time. This will help ensure local people can have real influence over both the location and design of development, and have a meaningful say over its environmental implications.
They will be able to do this both at the plan-making stage – when the important decisions are being made about the scale and location of growth – and as the details of proposed developments come forward. We have proposed a quicker, simpler framework for assessing environmental effects to support this: one which will be easier for communities to engage with, while protecting what matters and leaving an inheritance of environmental improvement.
We are grateful for the many responses received to these proposals. They are being analysed at present, and we will take them into account as we consider how to move forward.
Minister of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The stay on possession proceedings has been extended until 20 September 2020, meaning that in total no tenant can have been legally evicted for 6 months at the height of the pandemic.
Legislation has been introduced that means, from 29 August 2020, landlords must give tenants six months’ notice before they can evict in most circumstances, apart from the most egregious cases such as incidents of anti-social behaviour and domestic abuse perpetrators. This will be in force until 31 March 2021.
In addition, new court rules, which will come into force on 20 September, will mean landlords will need to set out in their claim any relevant information about a tenant’s circumstances, including information on the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic. Where this information is not provided, judges will have the ability to adjourn proceedings.
We will keep these measures under review?and decisions?will continue?to be guided by the latest public health advice.
Minister of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
It is clear that waiting times in Northern Ireland are too long and the Executive has committed to the transformation of the health service and tackling waiting times.
Naturally, the Executive’s focus over the last year has been on responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. But, as we now recover from the pandemic, I know the Executive will want to build back better and I welcome the fact that the Executive’s Health Minister yesterday set out his plan to tackle these waiting times by 2026. That is why it is important we continue to see the Executive in place to deliver for all the people of Northern Ireland.
In support of this, the UK Government is providing substantial funding to enable the Executive to deliver excellent public services, with £15.6bn provided in 2021/22. This is in addition to £445m explicitly to support the transformation of public services from NDNA and Confidence and Supply.
Minister of State (Education)