Mike Hill

To drive an unprecedented step-change in planting rates and help reach our net zero target we will invest in tree planting with a new Nature for Climate Fund (NCF). A significant proportion of the NCF will help support our commitment to plant 30,000 hectares of trees per year across the UK by 2025.

The Government’s support for woodland creation is predominantly through grant schemes and incentives, these include the recently launched Woodland Carbon Guarantee, in addition to the existing Countryside Stewardship, Woodland Carbon Fund, Woodland Creation Planning Grant and the Urban Tree Challenge Fund. These grants are available to local authorities, land managers and community led organisations wherever they are in the country. We do not have individual targets by constituency. We are working to increase the uptake of grant schemes and strongly encourage eligible organisations to do so.

The Government is consulting on ways to further incentivise land managers and owners to plant more trees. Later this year we will consult on a Tree Strategy for England, designed to set the Government’s future vision for the sector.

When we leave the EU we will bring Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) into UK law, retaining what it sets out to achieve including a high level of protection of human health and the environment.

The nature of our future trading relationship with the EU is a matter to be settled during the next phase of negotiations.

The Government published “EU Exit: Long-term economic impacts” in November 2018. This paper provides estimates of the economic impact of a range of future trading relationships with the EU by sector. One of the drivers of this estimate of impact is the cost of potential regulatory divergence.

When we leave the EU we will bring REACH into UK law, retaining what it sets out to achieve including a high level of protection of human health and the environment.

The nature of our future trading relationship with the EU is a matter to be settled during the next phase of negotiations.

The Government published “EU Exit: Long-term economic impacts” in November 2018. This paper provides estimates of the economic impact of a range of future trading relationships with the EU.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) works in collaboration with the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare to try and make racetracks as safe as possible. The number of racehorse fatalities at racetracks has been falling in general since 2012, except for an increase last year.

However, I and the BHA agree that more must be done to make horseracing safer and I have been in regular discussion with the horseracing authorities about how this can be achieved. I particularly welcome the establishment of the BHA’s Horse Welfare Board and I will be meeting the newly appointed independent chair shortly. I will await evidence of how effective these new arrangements are in practice. I am not currently planning to establish a new regulator in the interim.

Defra is keen that the welfare needs of racehorses are well met, both during their racing lives and afterwards. I am in active discussion with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) on a range of issues relating to improving the welfare of horses in the industry, including the BHA’s programme of work on the traceability of thoroughbreds post-racing. The BHA works closely with the thoroughbred passport issuing office to record details on animal movement and career outcomes. This data includes broodmare and stallion registrations, and export certificates, to form a picture of post-racing careers. A project within the programme involves the creation of a database to track animal movements throughout their careers, including the movement out of racing, whether that be as a leisure horse, breeding horse, or otherwise. This work will continue in 2019 with the aim of producing a digital model of thoroughbred movements.

The Department does not record costs at such a detailed-level, instead recording costs on a functional basis, and does not hold this information for other departments.

The UK is helping to lead the global response to COVID-19, working with our international partners to stop its spread. UK aid is countering the health, humanitarian, and economic risks and impacts of this pandemic in the developing world. We are working hard to ensure that our help reaches those most in need through close collaboration with our partners. The UK has, to date, pledged £744 million of UK aid to help end this pandemic as quickly as possible. Alongside our aid funding we are working closely with international partners, as combatting COVID-19 requires a transparent, robust, coordinated, large-scale and science-based global response.

Our funding is supporting a range of initiatives and partners to ensure that it can reach those who need it the most. This includes support to the United Nation’s Global Humanitarian Response Plan to tackle COVID-19 and help to the most vulnerable across the globe.

Our latest UK aid announcement on 12 April of £200 million, is supporting humanitarian organisations to help reduce mass infections in developing countries that often lack the healthcare systems to track and halt the virus. This includes £130 million to UN agencies in response to their COVID-19 humanitarian appeals.

The UK government is also working with Unilever to fund a £100 million global programme to urgently tackle the spread of COVID-19. It will reach up to a billion people worldwide, raising awareness and changing behaviour, to make sure people are washing their hands with soap regularly and disinfecting surfaces. The programme will also provide over 20 million hygiene products in the developing world, including in areas where there is little or no sanitation.

By preventing the virus from spreading in the poorest countries we will save lives and reduce the risk of future waves of infection spreading around the world, including to the UK.

We are in unprecedented circumstances. Government is working as a whole to ensure that issues facing business are identified, appropriate action is taken, and the latest government support is signposted.

An Order in Council making the legislative changes is expected to be laid in draft before Parliament next month. This will be subject to the affirmative process and debates will be scheduled as the parliamentary timetable permits before final approval is sought from the Privy Council.

The final subsidy paid to Arriva Rail North in 2016/17 was £281m which includes the net financial impact of allowable Changes that have taken place to the Franchise Agreement.

The final subsidy to be paid in respect of the 2017/18 and 2018/19 financial years is still not definitively known, as the financial impact of allowable Changes to the Franchise Agreement is still being finalised.

The final subsidy to be paid this year and in future years will be the contracted amount, again revised due to allowable Changes to the Franchise Agreement.

In Summer 2018 the Government consulted publicly on plans to use powers in the Bus Services Act 2017 to make Regulations requiring the provision of audible and visible information onboard local bus services across Great Britain. This follows the Government’s commitment, set out in the Inclusive Transport Strategy, to invest £2 million towards ensuring that audio visual equipment is installed on buses.

We continue to analyse responses to the consultation and expect to announce our next steps regarding the making of Regulations and publication of guidance later in the year.

As at 31 March 2016, 5,060 valid blue badges were held by organisations or individuals in Hartlepool.

The HM Forces railcard provides concessionary travel for military personnel and their families. This railcard arises from an agreement between the rail industry and the Secretary of State for Defence. Transport for London’s veterans scheme arises from a similar agreement with the Secretary of State. Such railcards are administered and controlled by the Railcard Scheme council and therefore any new railcard or extension of the HM Forces railcard would be for the Scheme council to instigate and to make arrangements with the Secretary of State for Defence.

There is no national statutory concessionary scheme for coach travel. Any concessionary scheme for groups, such as veterans, would be at the discretion of the carriers who are private commercial operators.

The Money and Pensions Service publishes data on pension wise appointments across 2019-2020 here: https://moneyandpensionsservice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Pension-Wise-Service-Evaluation-report-2019-2020.pdf

The Money and Pensions Service publishes data on pension wise appointments across 2019-2020 here: https://moneyandpensionsservice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Pension-Wise-Service-Evaluation-report-2019-2020.pdf

No assessment has been made.

Students access fees and living costs support for their higher education courses through various loans and grants funded through the student support system. It is important that Universal Credit does not duplicate this support which is designed for their needs, unlike the social security system. Students cannot normally satisfy the entitlement conditions for Universal Credit. Exceptions are made where students have additional needs that are not met through the student support system, such as being responsible for a child.

Students can continue to look for work where it is safe to do so. There are jobs available in key sectors such as agriculture, distribution and health and social care. Students are encouraged to explore these opportunities and others, where able to do so. The online service Find a Job (www.gov.uk/find-a-job) can be used to search and apply for jobs.

The number of appeals lodged against Personal Independence Payment claims which were disallowed at initial decision and where this decision was upheld at mandatory reconsideration for Hartlepool in the last 12 months is 110.

Period covered: August 2016 – July 2017 (latest available data).

NHS England and NHS Improvement’s Clinical Review of Access Standards committed to testing new standards during 2020/21 for urgent mental health crisis care, including access to a liaison psychiatry team in accident and emergency departments within an hour of referral.

The NHS Long Term Plan set out measures to achieve 24 hours a day, seven days a week crisis care services, including a new national single point of access via NHS 111, and increased investment in alternative crisis services.

Tests can be booked by calling 119 in England and Wales or 0300 303 2713 in Scotland and Northern Ireland from any telephone.

The suspension of non-urgent elective operations did not apply to emergency admissions, urgent cancer treatment and other clinically urgent care.

The Government has been clear from the start of the pandemic that hospitals providing cancer care, including radiotherapy, should keep doing so where it is safe for the individual patient. This is in line with guidance from professional bodies such as the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.

Cancer Alliances across England are working hard to make sure there is enough capacity for cancer treatments. They are also urged to make full use of the negotiated deal with the independent sector to make sure essential cancer treatments and diagnostics can go ahead.

The Chancellor has been clear that the National Health Service will get whatever funding it needs to respond to COVID-19. Through the Emergency Response Fund, HM Treasury stands ready to provide necessary funding to support our crucial frontline NHS and public services.