Mark Pritchard

Over £3.6 million funding has been allocated to Shropshire council to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping since 2018-19.

Furthermore, over £3.6 million funding has been allocated to Telford and Wrekin Council to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping since 2018-19.

Overall, the Government has committed over £800 million to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping this year, further demonstrating the Government's commitment to end rough sleeping this Parliament and fully enforce the Homelessness Reduction Act.

Diocesan resourcing of mission and ministry is supported by congregational giving, historic investments and other income. Additional support is provided from national funds generated by the investments of the Church Commissioners and distributed by the Archbishops' Council.

The Diocese of Hereford has received:

• £1.172m of Lowest Income Communities Funding over 2020-22 to support mission and ministry in areas of low economic activity.
• £113k of Strategic Ministry Funding to help fund curates costs.
• £120k in 2020 to support work on congregational giving.
• £525k of Strategic Development Funding was awarded in 2017 towards a 5-year project supporting missioners in six parishes in the Diocese, including 3 of its market towns, focusing on reaching children and young people. More details can be found here.

The Diocese of Lichfield has received:

• £6.23m of Lowest Income Communities Funding over 2020-22 to support mission and ministry in areas of low economic activity.
• £850k to support diocesan finances in the light of the impact Covid-19.
• £1.690m of Strategic Development Funding in 2019 for a 6-year project to support ministry and mission in Telford, focusing strongly on social engagement and reaching children and young people. More details can be found here.

Through the Government's Culture Recovery Fund, parishes and cathedrals of the two dioceses have also received:

• Lichfield: 14 grants to parishes, totalling £379,141, and two grants to Lichfield Cathedral, totalling £152,900
• Hereford: 12 grants to parishes, totalling £304,678, and two grants to Hereford Cathedral, totalling £284,400

Rural parishes make up around 60% of the Church of England's footprint with approximately 10,000 buildings. These parishes serve about 17% of the population, with 91% of rural churches being listed. These rural churches are an important community asset as they are often the only public building left in their community and serve multiple purposes in addition to being a place of worship.

The Association of Festival Churches (The Association of Festival Churches) was recently formed with the express purpose of supporting mostly rural churches to expand community use of their church buildings, working with pre-existing specialist resources such as the Arthur Rank Centre to provide targeted guidance and advice for rural churches.

I am aware of the pressure the extension of the congestion charge is placing on all who worship in those London parishes that are located within the boundary of the charge, and who must travel to them from outside that boundary. Though the Church Commissioners have not made formal representations, I am aware that approaches have been made to the Mayor of London by Churches Together in Westminster including St Martin-in-the-Fields and St James's, Piccadilly, alongside other denominations and faiths. Concern has been raised about the knock-on impact on social action project work carried out by many central London places of worship, which may see a fall in donations as a result of fewer regular worshippers or visitors.

The Civil Service must harness the broadest range of talent across every part of the UK.

Our plans for government reform and modernisation, which we will set out soon, will show how we will continue to do this by increasing opportunity and supporting career progression for all.

The cyber threat landscape and tools commercially available to hostile actors are diverse, but the UK is clear that it will not tolerate malicious cyber activity and will react robustly and proportionately to the threat using the full spectrum of HMG capabilities at our disposal.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Centre for the Protection of Critical National Infrastructure (CPNI) provides ongoing advice and guidance for Government departments, Critical National Infrastructure, businesses, organisations and the general public.

Working closely with industry partners and experts through campaigns like ‘Industry 100’, Cyber Essentials and Cyber Aware, they produce guidance and support that sets out protective measures that can be taken to protect against a range of threats and threat actors, including espionage and cyber-attacks.

The cyber threat landscape and tools commercially available to hostile actors are diverse, but the UK is clear that it will not tolerate malicious cyber activity and will react robustly and proportionately to the threat using the full spectrum of HMG capabilities at our disposal.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Centre for the Protection of Critical National Infrastructure (CPNI) provides ongoing advice and guidance for Government departments, Critical National Infrastructure, businesses, organisations and the general public.

Working closely with industry partners and experts through campaigns like ‘Industry 100’, Cyber Essentials and Cyber Aware, they produce guidance and support that sets out protective measures that can be taken to protect against a range of threats and threat actors, including espionage and cyber-attacks.

The Government recognises the importance of preserving greenfield land. Planning policy encourages the effective use of land by recommending the siting of large-scale solar farms on previously developed and non-agricultural land, provided it is not of high environmental value. Where projects are proposed on greenfield sites, guidance seeks to minimise the impacts on the best and most versatile agricultural land and requires developers to justify the use of any such land and ensure projects are designed to avoid, mitigate and where necessary compensate for impacts.

Solar farms and agricultural practice can co-exist. Many solar farms are constructed with raised panels that enable continued grazing of livestock. Solar energy can also help farmers raise their revenue streams from land less suited to higher value crop production.

The UK government is committed to ensuring that consumers are protected from unsafe goods. Manufacturers need to ensure that the e-scooter devices they place on the market meet all the product safety regulations that apply.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) works with Local Authorities and border authorities to help ensure that products imported and sold in the UK are safe and that action is taken against those who place unsafe or non-compliant products on the market.

Government policy in this area has long been underpinned by the desire to maintain robust copyright and intellectual property protection. The copyright, and wider intellectual property, frameworks are kept under constant review to ensure they remain fit for purpose and that any changes to these are driven by evidence.

For example, the Government recently responded to recommendations from the DCMS Select Committee following its inquiry into music streaming. The response sets out the imminent launch of a package of stakeholder engagement and research aimed at better understanding and resolving some of the issues identified within the music streaming environment. The IPO and DCMS will work closely with partners on the music industry’s “Credits Due” initiative to develop options for a minimum data standard.

The UK benefits from having access to highly diverse sources of gas supply to ensure households, businesses and heavy industry get the energy they need.

Gas storage is not a component of overall winter supply. GB gas storage stock levels are currently comparable to previous years ahead of the winter months and storage is expected to continue its role as a source of system flexibility. BEIS is continuing to explore the future of the gas storage landscape through the UK Hydrogen Strategy, which considers the role of hydrogen storage in greater detail and whether further regulation or support mechanisms are needed to maximise its potential.

The Government is planning to publish a Heat and Buildings Strategy in due course. This will include information on the Government’s approach to the transition to low carbon heating through a comprehensive policy package comprising targeted regulatory, market-based and public investment measures.

In transitioning to low carbon heat, it will be important that future costs are allocated in a way that is fair to all consumers and incentivises them to use cost-effective low-carbon technologies.

As announced in the Energy White Paper last December, we will shortly issue a call for evidence on affordability and fairness in the energy market which will explore these issues further. This will include looking at policy costs placed on gas and electricity prices and gathering evidence on the extent to which these act as a significant barrier to the deployment of low-carbon technologies such as heat pumps.

In order to ease consumer costs, the Government has also been providing financial support through schemes such as the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive. In addition, from April 2022, the Clean Heat Grant will provide support to households switching to low carbon heating.

In respect of rural homes in particular, we recognise that many homes in rural areas that are not connected to the gas grid use high-carbon heating systems such as oil so decarbonising this stock will be vital to meet our net zero ambitions. The recently launched Home Upgrade Grant, backed by an initial £150 million of funding will support energy efficiency upgrades and low carbon heating for low-income households living off the gas grid in England, including in Shropshire.

We want all telecoms providers to be able to be a part of Project Gigabit, from small, specialist suppliers reaching hard-to-reach communities to larger firms able to tackle large areas at pace.

The Project Gigabit procurement process for the Shropshire area will commence shortly. Market engagement in advance of the procurement has confirmed strong interest from a number of suppliers including SMEs and the procurement approach will be designed to utilise this as effectively as possible.

Alongside Project Gigabit procurements, the £210m Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme is also a key tool in incentivising and encouraging suppliers to connect some of the hardest to reach premises in the UK. To date, over 220 premises in Shropshire have claimed and received payment for a voucher through the scheme, with a further 590 premises awaiting completion, for a combined value of over £2.5m. Shropshire Council has also invested £2m into a local top-up scheme that further increases the level of funding available for voucher projects.

As a direct result of voucher funding, over 140 telecoms providers are currently actively building in challenging rural areas. Their ambitions have also grown, with the average size of projects increasing four-fold since 2019, meaning they are covering larger, contiguous areas and increasingly including the very hardest-to-reach premises.

This government recognises the importance of the UK’s creative and cultural industries, not only to the economy and international reputation of the United Kingdom, but also to the wellbeing and enrichment of its people. We support our world leading creative industries across the UK through a range of export support programmes, including the successful Music Export Growth Scheme and International Showcase Fund.

Creative SMEs in England can also access the Internationalisation Fund which provides matching grants for export support including attendance at trade shows. The Department of International Trade is setting up new trade and investment hubs in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the North-East to boost trade and investment and level up the country. The offices will include teams of export and investment specialists who can provide businesses with expert support and advice.

The Department for International Trade has also set up a new Export Support Service where UK businesses can get answers to practical questions about exporting to Europe by accessing cross-government information and support all in one place.

All of this support is featured in the new Creative Industries Export Campaign. This was launched on 20 September, and will encourage both new exporters and companies wanting to look at new export markets to take advantage of the new opportunities available to the UK as an independent trading nation.

DCMS continue to work closely with the Department of International Trade, the Creative Industries Trade and Investment Board (CITIB) and sector representatives to consider what more can be done to help the creative and cultural industries adapt to new arrangements in the EU and take advantage of the opportunities that the UK’s new global position offers.

The Secretary of State has appointed Malcolm Sheehan QC to lead the independent review of the Football Index gambling product. He will provide an independent expert account of the actions taken by the Gambling Commission and other relevant regulatory bodies, and consider the lessons to be learnt for the future. As outlined in my Written Ministerial Statement of 7 June, the independent review is expected to provide a report for publication in the summer. The statement can be found at: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-06-07/hcws63 and the scope and terms of reference for the review are available on gov.uk.

Birmingham 2022 will be the biggest sporting event ever held in the West Midlands and it provides a fantastic opportunity to showcase the very best of the region to the rest of the world. These Games will be about far more than 11 days of sport and will create significant opportunities including job creation, community and sports facilities, an exciting cultural programme and a timely boost to businesses and tourism for the whole of the West Midlands. An additional £24 million investment to create a Business and Tourism Programme will ensure we maximise the economic opportunities hosting the Games provides for the region and the UK.

Birmingham 2022 is providing a boost for jobs and businesses across the UK, with a total procurement spend of around £350 million. The Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee, which is responsible for the operational delivery of the Games, held a webinar in November 2020 with the Shropshire Chamber of Commerce to highlight how Shropshire businesses can take advantage of the opportunities the Games will provide, including bidding for potential contracts. There will also be many other activities and opportunities open to the residents of Shropshire, including the volunteering programme which launched on 1 June 2021 and is seeking over 13,000 volunteers to help deliver the Games.

The government launched its Review of the Gambling Act 2005 on 8 December with the publication of a Call for Evidence. The Review’s objectives include examining whether changes are needed to the system of gambling regulation to reflect changes to the gambling landscape, to make sure customers are suitably protected wherever they are gambling, and to ensure that there is an equitable approach to the regulation of the online and the land based industries.

The Gambling Commission requires gambling operators to have effective procedures in place for customers who choose to self-exclude. More information is available at: https://gamblingcommission.gov.uk/PDF/LCCP/Licence-conditions-and-codes-of-practice.pdf (Section 3.5). In March 2020, the Commission made it mandatory for online operators to participate in GAMSTOP, the national online self-exclusion scheme, which allows customers to self-exclude from all licensed online gambling at once.

The government recognises the value of a responsible industry which protects players, provides employment and pays taxes. It does not hold information on the number of people employed in high street betting shops in Shropshire.

The goverment funded an expansion of medical school places by 1,500 between 2017 and 2020, and student numbers were temporarily increased further by 616 in 2020 and 742 in 2021. There are no plans to increase the number of publicly funded medical school places beyond this, but we continue to keep this under review.

The Department has worked closely with Public Health England (PHE) and stakeholders on our approach and guidance throughout the Department’s COVID-19 response. We have worked with PHE to devise a hierarchy of controls for all education settings which, when implemented, will create an inherently safer system where the risk of transmission of the infection is substantially reduced. This includes measures such as ensuring that anyone with symptoms does not attend their education settings, cleaning hands regularly, good respiratory hygiene, regular cleaning of touched surfaces, minimising contact and mixing and, where needed, use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

The majority of staff in schools and nurseries will not require PPE beyond what they would normally need for their work, even if they are not always able to maintain distance of 2 meters from others. Our guidance sets out clearly the limited circumstances in which PPE is required in educational settings, which 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.

We are in discussions with Universities UK and other sector representatives on a regular basis to ensure that international higher education students are welcomed to the UK and we expect international students to be supported upon arrival by their chosen university during these unprecedented times.

We welcome the actions of Universities UK, who have set out principles for the sector to consider as it prepares for the autumn term, including encouraging higher education providers to think about how to support students during the self-isolation period.

The department has also published guidance to support providers in making decisions on re-opening campuses and buildings to students and staff ahead of the academic year 2020/21. Further information on this guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses.

International students who are considering studying at a UK higher education provider from September 2020 should contact their chosen university to find out how they are adapting to the COVID-19 outbreak, including how international students can prepare themselves for an autumn start.

On Monday 21 April, national data on pupil attendance in educational establishments between Monday 23 March and Friday 17 April was published, and is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings.

The data indicates that 84,000 children attended school on Friday 17 April, of which 62,000 were classed as children of critical workers.

The data is collected from individual schools and the published figures include estimates for non-response. Equivalent estimates have not been made at local authority level.

We have introduced a wide range of reforms to improve the quality of apprenticeships and to encourage employers across England to create more high-quality apprenticeship opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds. This year, 2019-20, funding available for investment in apprenticeships in England is over £2.5 billion; double what was spent in 2010.

Since May 2010 there have been 4,392,000 apprenticeship starts in England. Of these 35,260 apprenticeships starts have been in Shropshire unitary authority, with 18,090 in The Wrekin parliamentary constituency.

From August 2020 all starts will be on the new apprenticeship standards which are replacing frameworks. These are designed and driven by industry to create apprenticeships that are high-quality, providing employers in Shropshire and across England, with the skills they need. Over 510 standards have already been approved for delivery to apprentices.

We are working hard to encourage take up of our apprenticeship programme. The third phase of the Fire it Up campaign launched in January, targeting groups to widen participation in apprenticeships. Our 13^th annual National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) took place in February. Nearly 900 events were held across the country, aiming to change perceptions of apprenticeships.

To ensure that young people hear about all the education and employment options available to them, in January 2018 we introduced a legal requirement for schools to give training providers the chance to talk to pupils about technical qualifications and apprenticeships. We offer a free service to schools through the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) project to ensure that teachers have the knowledge and support to enable them to promote apprenticeships to their students. In the last academic year, ASK reached over 300,000 students.

We are working with Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Local Authorities, to develop a sub-regional Apprenticeship Ambassador Network for the Shropshire area. This will also include a Young Ambassador Network. We are working closely with CapGemini and West Midlands NHS Partnership Trust to develop their apprenticeship programmes and recruitment in the local area. We are also supporting an apprenticeship and skills event in March where employers and colleges from the Shropshire/Telford/Hereford areas will be promoting apprenticeships.

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

The Government takes the issue of livestock worrying very seriously, recognising the distress this can cause farmers and animals, as well as the financial implications.

In West Mercia, the last 12 month period for which figures are available is 2018-2019. In that year, there was one prosecution for the offence of livestock worrying, and one conviction. Attacks on livestock and livestock worrying are both dealt with under the livestock worrying offence in the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953.

New measures to crack down on livestock worrying in England and Wales are to be brought in through the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, which was introduced in Parliament on 8 June 2021.

The new measures will enhance enforcement mechanisms available to the police and expand the scope of livestock species and locations covered by the law. Improved powers will enable the police to respond to livestock worrying incidents more effectively – making it easier for them to collect evidence and, in the most serious cases, seize and detain dogs to reduce the risk of further incidents.

The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill includes a range of ancillary orders available to the court following conviction, such as control, disqualification and destruction orders. These orders are aimed at targeting and reducing reoffending.

We continue to monitor the evolving situation and to work closely with the pig industry to help them respond to challenges caused by the pandemic, including the loss of exports to the Chinese market for certain pig processors, disruption to CO2 supplies, and a temporary shortage of labour in the processing sector.

We have provided a package of measures to help address these unique circumstances, which includes temporary work visas for up to 800 pork butchers, and Private Storage Aid and Slaughter Incentive Payment schemes to facilitate an increase in the throughput of pigs through abattoirs. Together with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and other Government Departments, we are working to both expand existing markets and to identify new export markets for pork, particularly lightly processed pork. We are also working with industry to support their efforts on the recruitment and retention of domestic workers.

On 10 February, I chaired a roundtable with pig industry representatives and retailers from across the UK to discuss the challenges that the sector has been facing in recent months. At the roundtable I announced that we will be launching a UK-wide review of supply chain fairness in the pig sector. We will be engaging with industry on this with a consultation expected later this year. We want to elicit industry views on improvements to fairness and transparency that could be made to ensure a profitable and productive future. Following the Roundtable I met with representatives of the agricultural banking sector. The banks confirmed that they are already being as flexible as possible to support pig farmers during this exceptionally challenging period and remain keen to be supportive.

Domestic feed prices are strongly influenced by global markets for feed cereals and soyabeans. These are currently trading at historically high prices due to tight global supplies. I recognise the impact that this is having on the UK agricultural industry including the pig sector. We continue to monitor the situation and are working closely with the pig sector on this issue and the other challenges they continue to face at the present time.

I recently met with representatives of the agricultural banking sector to discuss the current situation in the pig sector. The banks confirmed that they are working closely with impacted pig farmers during this exceptionally challenging period and remain keen to be supportive. They are encouraging any farmers, especially those who might normally be reluctant to speak to their bank, to contact them.

There is currently no evidence that retailers or processors are importing more pork from Europe. At the present time, volumes of imports are at their lowest levels since 2017 and in 2021 were around 9% lower than those in 2020.

The UK is reliant on imports of around 40% to meet consumer demand for pork. UK consumer preference is also for cuts from the leg and loin and domestic production is currently insufficient to satisfy this demand.

On 10 February, I chaired a roundtable with pig industry representatives and retailers from across the UK to discuss the challenges that the sector has been facing in recent months. As part of those discussions, retailers have been encouraged to work closely with processors to access more of our great British food, providing a reliable and sustainable food supply to the British public and help to reduce the current backlog of pigs on farms. I have also been speaking directly with both retailers and the hospitality sector.

We are also launching a UK-wide review of supply chain fairness in the pig sector. We will be engaging with industry on this with a consultation expected later this year. We want to elicit industry views on improvements to fairness and transparency that could be made to ensure a profitable and productive future for our pig industry.

The UK provided £65 million to the World Food Programme (WFP) last financial year (2019/20), to help support the delivery of life-saving food assistance in Yemen. This funding provided 3 million cash transfers and vouchers to vulnerable Yemenis to enable them to buy food and household essentials. In addition to our food security support, we also provided funding to WFP’s logistics operation, which helped to coordinate the delivery of humanitarian assistance into Yemen.

We are continuing to support WFP in the delivery of emergency aid this financial year (2020/21) through our new £160 million funding commitment to Yemen. This includes funding for WFP, through which we expect to provide support to at least 300,000 vulnerable people each month, to help them buy food and household essentials.

The UK does not have a bilateral development programme in St. Kitts and Nevis as it is a high income country and therefore not eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA). However, we are providing technical support through the International Monetary Fund Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC) to St. Kitts and Nevis to strengthen financial stress testing frameworks for the insurance sector. CARTAC is also helping to strengthen financial sector regulation and supervision by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank over the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union.

The Caribbean Aid for Trade and Regional Integration Trust Fund (CARTFund) was launched by the UK Government in 2009 to help Caribbean countries and businesses implement and take advantage of the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and support the region’s own economic integration initiative. DFID published an evaluation report in October 2015 at the end of the project, which found that it performed relatively well, particularly in relation to activities relating to the implementation of the EPA.

The UK has now signed the CARIFORUM-UK EPA with 13 CARIFORUM States, providing assurance to businesses, consumers and investors on the continuity of trade arrangements at the end of the transition period. Building on the recommendations from the CARTFund evaluation, DFID continues to deliver economic development objectives in the Caribbean including the UK Trade Partnerships Programme, which will support CARIFORUM States to implement and maximise the benefits of the CARIFORUM-UK EPA.

At the Budget we announced £1.2bn of dedicated funding for Bus Service Improvement Plans as part of the £3 billion we have committed to improve bus services over the course of this Parliament. Our aim is to announce indicative funding allocations by end of February.

The Government will provide over £1.3 billion over the next four years to support the continued roll-out of chargepoints on motorways and major A roads, in homes and businesses and on-street.

The Government is working with the operators of motorway service areas (MSAs) and major A road services to ensure that this charging provision is in place ahead of customer demand. The aim is to help support early adoption of electric vehicles and remove range anxiety concerns for drivers on long journey.

By 2023, we aim to have at least six high powered, open access chargepoints at MSAs in England, with some larger sites having ten to twelve. By 2035, we expect the number to increase to around 6,000 high powered chargers across the network. To ensure the private sector can continue to expand the charging network at pace in the 2020s, the Government will invest £950 million through the Rapid Charging Fund to future-proof grid capacity along the Strategic Road Network to prepare for uptake of zero emission cars and vans ahead of need.

Local authorities can already apply to the £20 million On-Street Residential Charging Scheme. Government also committed at Spending Review 2020 to a new Local EV Infrastructure Fund which will facilitate the rollout of larger-scale chargepoint infrastructure projects across England for local areas. Details of how local EV charging will be supported will be announced in due course and the fund is due to launch in Spring 2022.

Alongside funding support, Government’s forthcoming electric vehicle Infrastructure Strategy will define our vision for the continued roll-out of a world-leading charging infrastructure network across the UK. The strategy will focus on how we will unlock the chargepoint rollout needed to enable the transition from early adoption to mass market uptake of electric vehicles. We will set out our next steps to address barriers to private investment, and level up charge point provision.

The Department oversees the delivery of the West Midlands National Rail Contract (NRC) in conjunction with the West Midlands Railway Executive (WMRE), a consortium of 14 local authorities.

The Department and WMRE monitor the performance of West Midlands Trains (WMT) against its obligations on a four weekly basis and meets with WMT regularly (both formally and informally) to discuss these matters.

It is disappointing that the number of traincrew related cancellations on routes within the West Midlands has increased since the start of October and the Department and WMRE are closely monitoring the steps WMT are taking to address the performance problems, and, if appropriate, will be using the full range of remedies available under the NRC.

Since July 2020 I have held four e-scooter roundtable meetings with groups representing the interests of disabled people, including those with sight loss. The most recent roundtable was have held on 7 June 2021. Local areas involved in the trials gave presentations on what they are doing to address the concerns of disabled people in trial areas.

We have instructed all local authorities participating in trials to engage throughout the trial period with these groups in their local areas to ensure their concerns are being heard and, where possible, mitigated.

E-scooters are treated like any other motor vehicle under the Road Traffic Act. As such it is illegal to use an e-scooter in spaces which are set aside for use by pedestrians, cyclists, and horse-riders. This includes on the pavement and in cycle lanes. The law is very clear and there are existing penalties for improper use. Enforcement of offences relating to unlawful use of e-scooters is an operational matter the police.

The STATS19 data collection system has recently been reviewed. As part of this review, it is proposed that a new category of ‘powered personal transporter device’ – including, but not exclusive to, e-scooters – is added to the list of available vehicle types in STATS19. Stakeholder feedback on the review recommendations is currently being analysed and is scheduled for publication alongside the next road casualty statistics later this year.

Since July 2020 I have held four e-scooter roundtable meetings with groups representing the interests of disabled people, including those with sight loss. The most recent roundtable was have held on 7 June 2021. Local areas involved in the trials gave presentations on what they are doing to address the concerns of disabled people in trial areas.

We have instructed all local authorities participating in trials to engage throughout the trial period with these groups in their local areas to ensure their concerns are being heard and, where possible, mitigated.

E-scooters are treated like any other motor vehicle under the Road Traffic Act. As such it is illegal to use an e-scooter in spaces which are set aside for use by pedestrians, cyclists, and horse-riders. This includes on the pavement and in cycle lanes. The law is very clear and there are existing penalties for improper use. Enforcement of offences relating to unlawful use of e-scooters is an operational matter the police.

The STATS19 data collection system has recently been reviewed. As part of this review, it is proposed that a new category of ‘powered personal transporter device’ – including, but not exclusive to, e-scooters – is added to the list of available vehicle types in STATS19. Stakeholder feedback on the review recommendations is currently being analysed and is scheduled for publication alongside the next road casualty statistics later this year.

The Secretary of State regularly meets with Cabinet colleagues to discuss a range of policy issues and topics.

If a Universal Credit claimant doesn't have a permanent address, there are a number of options available to them. They can use a 'care of' address, like the address of a family member or trusted friend. There is also the option of using a hostel address if the claimant is staying there, or in exceptional circumstances, the claimant can use their local jobcentre address.

There are varied and complex reasons behind a person’s homelessness and that is why it is DWP’s priority to ensure homeless people get the appropriate support they need to move into work so they can succeed and move on with their lives. This support includes help for people to make a Universal Credit claim and to access the Jobcentre Plus employment offer, with priority access to the Work and Health Programme. Jobcentres in England are required to offer a voluntary referral to claimants who may be homeless or threatened with homelessness to a local housing authority of the claimant’s choice.

The Department is committed to tackling homelessness and is supporting the manifesto commitment to end the blight of rough sleeping by the end of the next Parliament. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has worked closely with local authorities and the sector to offer vulnerable people safe accommodation and support. The ‘Protect Programme’, provides targeted support to protect some of the most vulnerable people in our communities from Covid-19, and builds on the success of the still ongoing ‘Everyone In’ campaign - by September it had supported over 29,000 vulnerable people; with over 10,000 in emergency accommodation and nearly 19,000 moved on into settled accommodation.

The Next Steps Accommodation Programme makes available the financial resources needed to support local authorities and their partners to prevent people from returning to the streets.

Alongside this funding, the Government is also making available the expertise from MHCLG’s Rough Sleeping Initiative and Homelessness Advice and Support Adviser Teams to help coproduce accommodation provision and related support services.

For the most up to date information relating to the Government’s response to homelessness and rough sleeping please refer to the following link

https://www.gov.uk/housing-local-and-community/homelessness-rough-sleeping

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

NHS England and NHS Improvement are working with Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust to implement all the local actions set out in the final Ockenden Report. The Trust has participated in the Maternity Safety Support Programme since 2018. This programme involves senior experienced midwives and obstetricians providing intensive support to the Trust through visits, mentoring, peer support, review of key documents, sharing good working practice and leadership development to improve maternity services.

The Trust remains within the Maternity Safety Support programme and has a full-time dedicated Maternity Improvement Adviser (MIA) to improve its maternity services. The Deputy Chief Midwifery Officer, Sascha Wells-Munro, and the National Specialty Adviser for Obstetrics, Professor Donald Peebles, plan to meet the leadership team at the Trust on 12 May 2022 to agree any further support required, working with the MIA.

We have no current plans to do so.

The Department has had no such discussions. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body responsible for developing guidelines in line with its established methods and processes.

When developing its updated guideline on the recognition and treatment of eating disorders, NICE concluded following consultation that avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a relatively new diagnostic category, for which there is little evidence on which to make recommendations. NICE currently has no plans to extend the scope of the guideline to include ARFID.

The Department has ongoing discussions with the food and drink industry on measures to improve diets and reduce obesity including on the marketing and labelling of products high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS). This includes stakeholder engagement to assist businesses in responding to consultations. Businesses are encouraged to consider the health of their customers when directly targeting HFSS products at children.

The National Institute for Health Research Obesity Policy Research Unit, established in 2017 as part of our initial childhood obesity plan, will continue to review the evidence base of the effect of marketing and advertising on children, including the use of brand equity and licensed characters, cartoon characters and celebrities to promote high fat, salt, and sugar products.

It is the longstanding policy of the UK Government to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances, especially in cases that do not meet the minimum standards defined by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. We regularly engage with governments, including in Commonwealth countries, on human rights and the death penalty.

The UK remains committed to ensuring peace, and upholding international law in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). In the UN Security Council in recent weeks, we helped renew the EU's stabilisation force's (EUFOR's) mandate for a further 12 months, and supported the High Representative. The High Representative has an essential role in securing and maintaining lasting peace in BiH, and has the UK's full support, including for the use of executive powers should the situation require. The UK liaises closely with the EUFOR commander and his team on their vital work to ensure a safe and secure environment in BiH. We also support the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo, including though the secondment of UK staff officers, who are building the capacity of the BiH Armed Forces. The UK also works closely with political parties, civil society and community leaders to support reconciliation efforts, to tackle legacy issues, and to build common purpose around a brighter future for all citizens. The UK rejects efforts to undermine BiH's stability, and will continue to support BiH in implementing domestic reforms and tackling challenges to peace and security.

The UK is concerned about the deteriorating security situation in Burkina Faso. On 11 June, I spoke with the Foreign Minister of Burkina Faso. I gave my condolences for the Solhan attack on 4 June (the deadliest attack to take place in Burkina Faso since 2015) and discussed UK support to regional stability in the Sahel. Following presidential elections in Burkina Faso in 2020, I welcomed President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré's commitment to peace and development during his second term in office. I have since discussed regional insecurity and its impact on Burkina Faso with him in January this year. The UK Government is providing security assistance to the wider region. Through our deployment to the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA), our deployment of Chinook helicopters to the French counter-terrorism mission Barkhane, and our programmatic support for stabilisation and conflict resolution, the UK is committed to building long-term peace and stability in the Sahel. We also provide humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable in the region, including to some of those affected by conflict in Burkina Faso.

The UK remains committed to supporting the UN process to reach a Cyprus Settlement. On 27-29 April, in support of the efforts led by the UN Secretary General to find common ground on a way forward to resolve the Cyprus Issue, the Foreign Secretary represented the UK as a Guarantor Power at informal UN talks in Geneva.

At the meeting, the Foreign Secretary continued to urge all sides to demonstrate flexibility and compromise to find a solution to the Cyprus Issue within the UN Security Council parameters. This followed UK engagement with the parties ahead of the talks, including the Foreign Secretary's visit to the island on 4 February where he met President Anastasiades, Turkish Cypriot leader Tatar and the UN. Ahead of the talks, during my visit to Cyprus (7-9 April), I reiterated this message and the UK's support for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Cyprus issue.

The UK is a strong supporter of a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Cyprus issue, based on the existing parameters as set out in relevant Security Council Resolutions, including UN Security Council Resolutions 550 (1984) and 789 (1992).

A Cyprus Settlement remains key to resolving wider tensions in the region. We are supportive of the UN Secretary General's efforts and the proposal of the informal meeting between the parties ("5+UN"). The UK stands ready to engage with any meetings in support of the settlement process.

The immediate focus for the UK Government’s economic and fiscal strategy is on ensuring that it continues to support workers and businesses as the UK recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Although both borrowing and debt will rise this year, the costs of servicing this debt are affordable and sustainable. The Government will set out further details on its plans for a sustainable and balanced fiscal policy as the economic and fiscal outlook becomes clearer.

In relation to establishing a sovereign wealth fund, the Government remains open to the introduction of new financing instruments but would need to be satisfied that they would meet value-for-money criteria and would be consistent with wider fiscal objectives. The Government continues to monitor the case for new financing instruments and will keep this under review.

The government has no plans to establish a crypto currency reserve bank.

The Treasury and the Bank of England are continuing analytical work to evaluate the possible opportunities and risks associated with a UK central bank digital currency, and of central bank digital currency initiatives being undertaken elsewhere. The Bank of England published a discussion paper on a possible UK central bank digital currency alongside the Budget in March 2020, which closed for responses on 12 June. The Treasury and Bank of England are considering next steps.

The government is also considering how it can support innovation and mitigate risks posed by cryptoassets. The Treasury recently launched a consultation looking at the broader regulatory approach to cryptoassets, including new challenges from so-called ‘stablecoins’. It closes for responses on 21 March.

The Government’s view is that it remains the choice of individual retailers as to whether to accept any form of payment method, including cash, card or other digital payments.

The Government recognises the importance of cash to the daily lives of millions of people across the UK. That is why Government committed at March Budget 2020 to bring forward legislation to protect access to cash for those who need it. To inform the development of this legislation, the Government published a Call for Evidence on 15 October seeking views on the key considerations associated with cash access, including deposit and withdrawal facilities, cash acceptance, and regulatory oversight of the cash system.

The government set out at Budget that the UK will continue to take a leading role in exploring central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and the wide-ranging opportunities and challenges they could bring.

The Bank of England’s discussion paper on a possible UK central bank digital currency was published at the time of the Budget and closed for responses on 12 June.

HM Treasury and the Bank of England are now working together to consider next steps.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the UK financial services sector delivers choice and value for customers and to that end has taken significant action to ensure effective competition in UK banking markets. This includes: providing the financial services regulators with competition objectives, and a new Payments Systems Regulator to ensure fair and equal access to payments systems; reducing barriers to entry for new market entrants; initiatives to make it easier for customers to switch between bank account providers; and continued support for non-traditional providers, including the UK’s fintech sector.

It is also important that the UK maintains a prudential regulation regime that supports financial stability and economic growth as well as competition amongst firms. The Government will continue to prioritise the implementation of global regulatory standards, such as the Basel III standards, to maintain the UK’s position as a world-leading financial services centre.