Munira Wilson

Employment rights remain unchanged under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). Therefore, all workers’, including agency workers on a Contract for Services, right to holiday accrues to the extent and in the same way it did prior to being placed on to furlough under the CJRS, as provided by the individual’s statutory and contractual rights.

Employers are able to use the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme grant to cover wages paid to their workers, up to 80% of the worker’s usual pay. This includes holiday pay, but where holiday pay owed exceeds the amount in the grant, the employer is required to make up the difference.

Further guidance to help employers manage holiday pay during Coronavirus is available on GOV.UK.

Government departments submitted applications based on their assessment of needs in their relevant sectors. Funding decisions reflect an assessment of the urgency and scale of the need in line with the national response to Covid-19. Departments will follow their own internal processes to distribute grant money directly to charities in the coming weeks.

This funding has been allocated to Government departments in accordance with urgent priorities in their relevant sectors, including up to £200m for the Department of Health and Social Care for hospices. Relevant departments are working to distribute grant money to charities at pace in the coming weeks.

The Department continues to work closely with other Government Departments throughout its response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including Public Health England (PHE) and the Department of Health and Social Care, as well as stakeholders across the sector. We continue to work to ensure that our policy is based on the latest scientific and medical advice, to continue to develop comprehensive guidance based on the PHE-endorsed ‘system of controls’ and to understand the impact and effectiveness of these measures on staff, pupils and parents.

The Department has recently published updated guidance for schools, including special schools and other specialist settings. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings.

As the guidance outlines, implementing the system of controls in line with a wider risk assessment creates a safer environment for staff and pupils where the risk of transmission of the infection is substantially reduced. All elements of the system of controls are essential, but the way schools, colleges and nurseries implement the elements will differ based on their individual circumstances. Schools, colleges and nurseries have duties to make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils and students to support them to access education successfully.

PHE advice remains that the way to control COVID-19 is the same, even with the current new variants. We are further strengthening the measures to provide more reassurance and to help decrease the disruption that the outbreak causes to education. We will keep all measures under review and update guidance as necessary.

The Department continues to work closely with other government departments throughout its response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including Public Health England (PHE) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), as well as stakeholders across the sector. We continue to work to ensure that our policy is based on the latest scientific and medical advice, to continue to develop comprehensive guidance based on the PHE-endorsed ‘system of controls’ and to understand the impact and effectiveness of these measures on staff, pupils and parents.

The Department recently published updated guidance for schools to support the return to full attendance from 8 March 2021, which includes updated advice on face coverings and how to access them. The guidance can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/schools-coronavirus-covid-19-operational-guidance.

Within our guidance, we signpost to the wider DHSC guidance on face coverings which outlines what a face covering is, the reasons for using face coverings, when to wear one and exemptions. In the context of the COVID-19 outbreak, a face covering is something which safely covers the nose and mouth: reusable or single-use face coverings, a scarf, bandana, religious garment or hand-made cloth covering which must securely fit around the side of the face. Face coverings are not classified as personal protective equipment and they are instead largely intended to protect others, not the wearer, against the spread of infection.

DHSC guidance also explains that due to the complexity of the different contexts in which COVID-19 can spread and the rapidly changing and growing evidence base on the effectiveness of face masks and coverings, there are currently no UK product standards for face coverings. The DHSC guidance can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own.

PHE has also published guidance on how to make a simple face covering. This guidance can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering.

As with all measures, we will continue to keep our policy on face coverings under review and update guidance as necessary.

Lord Wharton of Yarm was selected following a rigorous assessment process conducted in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, was presented with a list of candidates who were deemed to be appointable to the role of Chair of the Office for Students and he made his choice from that list.

The Governance Code for Public Appointments states at section 3.1: ‘At the end of the process, Ministers should be provided with a choice of appointable candidates. Panels must not rank candidates unless the Minister has specifically asked for this. Ministers may choose not to appoint any of the candidates and re-run the competition.’ In accordance with the Code, in this competition the candidates deemed to be appointable were not ranked.

Following his selection as the preferred candidate by the Secretary of State for Education, Lord Wharton faced a pre-appointment hearing with the Education Select Committee, which endorsed Lord Wharton’s appointment as Chair.

We will not publish the Independent Advisory Assessment Panel’s report as it contains details of peoples’ performances at interview, making them identifiable.

Lord Wharton of Yarm was selected following a rigorous assessment process conducted in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, was presented with a list of candidates who were deemed to be appointable to the role of Chair of the Office for Students and he made his choice from that list.

The Governance Code for Public Appointments states at section 3.1: ‘At the end of the process, Ministers should be provided with a choice of appointable candidates. Panels must not rank candidates unless the Minister has specifically asked for this. Ministers may choose not to appoint any of the candidates and re-run the competition.’ In accordance with the Code, in this competition the candidates deemed to be appointable were not ranked.

Following his selection as the preferred candidate by the Secretary of State for Education, Lord Wharton faced a pre-appointment hearing with the Education Select Committee, which endorsed Lord Wharton’s appointment as Chair.

We will not publish the Independent Advisory Assessment Panel’s report as it contains details of peoples’ performances at interview, making them identifiable.

During the period of national lockdown announced on 4 January 2021, primary, secondary, alternative provision, special schools, and further education providers have remained open to vulnerable children and young people. The definition of vulnerable children and young people includes those who have been identified as vulnerable by educational providers or local authorities, including children who left care through a special guardianship order, and others at the discretion of the provider or local authority.

Where vulnerable children and young people are not able to attend their education setting, they are able to access remote education. The government is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care services, including securing 1.3 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people. Laptops and tablets are owned by schools, academy trusts or local authorities who can lend these to children who need them most, including children in kinship care, during the current COVID-19 restrictions.

Schools are expected to offer pupils online lessons and a set number of hours of remote education for pupils, with an expectation that schools set work that is of equivalent to the core teaching pupils would receive in school.

A comprehensive package of support is available which can be accessed through the Get Help with Remote Education page on gov.uk. The department has also made £4.84 million available for the Oak National Academy which is continuing to provide video lessons in a broad range of subjects for reception up to year 11, including content for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

To support schools to make up for lost teaching time, the government introduced a catch-up package worth £1 billion, including a ‘Catch up Premium’ worth a total of £650 million and a £350 million National Tutoring Programme for disadvantaged pupils. The government will also provide a programme of catch-up over the next financial year. This will involve a further £300 million of new money to early years, schools, and providers of 16 to 19 further education for tutoring, and the department will work in collaboration with the education sector to develop, as appropriate, specific initiatives for summer schools and a COVID Premium to support catch up.

The government is committed to supporting families whose children have been in the care system prior to living with their new families. The Adoption Support Fund was extended in 2016 to include previously looked after children being cared for by special guardians, many of whom are kinship carers. The forthcoming Spending Review process will consider the Adoption Support Fund and its budget, scope and eligibility criteria.

I refer the hon. Member for Twickenham to the answers I gave on 18 January 2021 to Questions 134016 and 134029.

On 8 February 2021, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, wrote to the Office for Students (OfS) to set out his priorities for the forthcoming year. This letter can be accessed here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/48277145-4cf3-497f-b9b7-b13fdf16f46b/ofs-strategic-guidance-20210208.pdf.

One of these priorities is to change the name of the Teaching Grant to the Strategic Priorities Grant. This is to ensure the name of this funding reflects its important role in supporting providers and students to develop the skills and knowledge needed locally, regionally, and nationally to support the economy.

The Strategic Priorities Grant will be reformed for the 2021/22 financial year to ensure that more of taxpayers’ money is spent on supporting higher education (HE) provision which aligns with national priorities, such as healthcare, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and subjects meeting specific labour market needs.

London weighting funding is a small proportion of the overall income of providers and it is right for the government to re-allocate public money where it is most needed. Universities should not receive additional investment for teaching simply because of where they are located. Excellent provision can be delivered across the country.

London already has, on average, the highest percentage of good or outstanding schools, the highest progression to HE, and more HE providers than any other region in England. This reform will invest more money directly into high quality institutions in the Midlands and the North.

The analysis we offer at this stage, as presented in the annex to the letter to the Office for Students (OfS), gives a broad indication of the impact of the changes to aid understanding. This letter can be accessed here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/a3814453-4c28-404a-bf76-490183867d9a/rt-hon-gavin-williamson-cbe-mp-t-grant-ofs-chair-smb.pdf.

The OfS will consult on these changes shortly, before final allocations for the 2021/22 financial year are confirmed and will carefully consider the impact of any changes on providers.

We are also making available an additional £50 million of hardship funding this financial year. In total we have made £70 million of funding available for student hardship, given the £20 million made available to HE providers in December. Providers will have flexibility in how they distribute the funding to students, in a way that will best prioritise those in greatest need.

This money is in addition to the £256 million of Student Premium funding that HE providers are able draw on this academic year towards student hardship funds, including the purchase of IT equipment, and mental health support, as well as to support providers’ access and participation plans.

Furthermore, we have asked the OfS to allocate £15 million towards student mental health in 2021/2022 through the proposed reforms to Strategic Priorities grant funding, to help address the challenges to student mental health posed by the transition to university, given the increasing demand for mental health services. This will target those students in greatest need of such services, including vulnerable groups and hard-to-reach students.

The OfS has also been asked to allocate £5 million to providers in order to provide additional support for student hardship. This is to mitigate the rise in student hardship due to the COVID-19 impacts on the labour market which particularly affect, for example, students relying on work to fund their studies, students whose parents have lost income and students who are parents and whose partner's income has been affected.

We have also asked the OfS for a £10 million increase to the specialist provider allocation, to support these institutions which are particularly reliant on Strategic Priorities Grant funding, many of whom are London-based. We want to ensure that our small and specialist providers, including some of our top music and arts providers, receive additional support, and that grant funding is used to effectively support students.

On 8 February 2021, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, wrote to the Office for Students (OfS) to set out his priorities for the forthcoming year. This letter can be accessed here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/48277145-4cf3-497f-b9b7-b13fdf16f46b/ofs-strategic-guidance-20210208.pdf.

One of these priorities is to change the name of the Teaching Grant to the Strategic Priorities Grant. This is to ensure the name of this funding reflects its important role in supporting providers and students to develop the skills and knowledge needed locally, regionally, and nationally to support the economy.

The Strategic Priorities Grant will be reformed for the 2021/22 financial year to ensure that more of taxpayers’ money is spent on supporting higher education (HE) provision which aligns with national priorities, such as healthcare, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and subjects meeting specific labour market needs.

London weighting funding is a small proportion of the overall income of providers and it is right for the government to re-allocate public money where it is most needed. Universities should not receive additional investment for teaching simply because of where they are located. Excellent provision can be delivered across the country.

London already has, on average, the highest percentage of good or outstanding schools, the highest progression to HE, and more HE providers than any other region in England. This reform will invest more money directly into high quality institutions in the Midlands and the North.

The analysis we offer at this stage, as presented in the annex to the letter to the Office for Students (OfS), gives a broad indication of the impact of the changes to aid understanding. This letter can be accessed here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/a3814453-4c28-404a-bf76-490183867d9a/rt-hon-gavin-williamson-cbe-mp-t-grant-ofs-chair-smb.pdf.

The OfS will consult on these changes shortly, before final allocations for the 2021/22 financial year are confirmed and will carefully consider the impact of any changes on providers.

We are also making available an additional £50 million of hardship funding this financial year. In total we have made £70 million of funding available for student hardship, given the £20 million made available to HE providers in December. Providers will have flexibility in how they distribute the funding to students, in a way that will best prioritise those in greatest need.

This money is in addition to the £256 million of Student Premium funding that HE providers are able draw on this academic year towards student hardship funds, including the purchase of IT equipment, and mental health support, as well as to support providers’ access and participation plans.

Furthermore, we have asked the OfS to allocate £15 million towards student mental health in 2021/2022 through the proposed reforms to Strategic Priorities grant funding, to help address the challenges to student mental health posed by the transition to university, given the increasing demand for mental health services. This will target those students in greatest need of such services, including vulnerable groups and hard-to-reach students.

The OfS has also been asked to allocate £5 million to providers in order to provide additional support for student hardship. This is to mitigate the rise in student hardship due to the COVID-19 impacts on the labour market which particularly affect, for example, students relying on work to fund their studies, students whose parents have lost income and students who are parents and whose partner's income has been affected.

We have also asked the OfS for a £10 million increase to the specialist provider allocation, to support these institutions which are particularly reliant on Strategic Priorities Grant funding, many of whom are London-based. We want to ensure that our small and specialist providers, including some of our top music and arts providers, receive additional support, and that grant funding is used to effectively support students.

On 8 February 2021, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, wrote to the Office for Students (OfS) to set out his priorities for the forthcoming year. This letter can be accessed here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/48277145-4cf3-497f-b9b7-b13fdf16f46b/ofs-strategic-guidance-20210208.pdf.

One of these priorities is to change the name of the Teaching Grant to the Strategic Priorities Grant. This is to ensure the name of this funding reflects its important role in supporting providers and students to develop the skills and knowledge needed locally, regionally, and nationally to support the economy.

The Strategic Priorities Grant will be reformed for the 2021/22 financial year to ensure that more of taxpayers’ money is spent on supporting higher education (HE) provision which aligns with national priorities, such as healthcare, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and subjects meeting specific labour market needs.

London weighting funding is a small proportion of the overall income of providers and it is right for the government to re-allocate public money where it is most needed. Universities should not receive additional investment for teaching simply because of where they are located. Excellent provision can be delivered across the country.

London already has, on average, the highest percentage of good or outstanding schools, the highest progression to HE, and more HE providers than any other region in England. This reform will invest more money directly into high quality institutions in the Midlands and the North.

The analysis we offer at this stage, as presented in the annex to the letter to the Office for Students (OfS), gives a broad indication of the impact of the changes to aid understanding. This letter can be accessed here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/a3814453-4c28-404a-bf76-490183867d9a/rt-hon-gavin-williamson-cbe-mp-t-grant-ofs-chair-smb.pdf.

The OfS will consult on these changes shortly, before final allocations for the 2021/22 financial year are confirmed and will carefully consider the impact of any changes on providers.

We are also making available an additional £50 million of hardship funding this financial year. In total we have made £70 million of funding available for student hardship, given the £20 million made available to HE providers in December. Providers will have flexibility in how they distribute the funding to students, in a way that will best prioritise those in greatest need.

This money is in addition to the £256 million of Student Premium funding that HE providers are able draw on this academic year towards student hardship funds, including the purchase of IT equipment, and mental health support, as well as to support providers’ access and participation plans.

Furthermore, we have asked the OfS to allocate £15 million towards student mental health in 2021/2022 through the proposed reforms to Strategic Priorities grant funding, to help address the challenges to student mental health posed by the transition to university, given the increasing demand for mental health services. This will target those students in greatest need of such services, including vulnerable groups and hard-to-reach students.

The OfS has also been asked to allocate £5 million to providers in order to provide additional support for student hardship. This is to mitigate the rise in student hardship due to the COVID-19 impacts on the labour market which particularly affect, for example, students relying on work to fund their studies, students whose parents have lost income and students who are parents and whose partner's income has been affected.

We have also asked the OfS for a £10 million increase to the specialist provider allocation, to support these institutions which are particularly reliant on Strategic Priorities Grant funding, many of whom are London-based. We want to ensure that our small and specialist providers, including some of our top music and arts providers, receive additional support, and that grant funding is used to effectively support students.

On 8 February 2021, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, wrote to the Office for Students (OfS) to set out his priorities for the forthcoming year. This letter can be accessed here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/48277145-4cf3-497f-b9b7-b13fdf16f46b/ofs-strategic-guidance-20210208.pdf.

One of these priorities is to change the name of the Teaching Grant to the Strategic Priorities Grant. This is to ensure the name of this funding reflects its important role in supporting providers and students to develop the skills and knowledge needed locally, regionally, and nationally to support the economy.

The Strategic Priorities Grant will be reformed for the 2021/22 financial year to ensure that more of taxpayers’ money is spent on supporting higher education (HE) provision which aligns with national priorities, such as healthcare, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and subjects meeting specific labour market needs.

London weighting funding is a small proportion of the overall income of providers and it is right for the government to re-allocate public money where it is most needed. Universities should not receive additional investment for teaching simply because of where they are located. Excellent provision can be delivered across the country.

London already has, on average, the highest percentage of good or outstanding schools, the highest progression to HE, and more HE providers than any other region in England. This reform will invest more money directly into high quality institutions in the Midlands and the North.

The analysis we offer at this stage, as presented in the annex to the letter to the Office for Students (OfS), gives a broad indication of the impact of the changes to aid understanding. This letter can be accessed here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/a3814453-4c28-404a-bf76-490183867d9a/rt-hon-gavin-williamson-cbe-mp-t-grant-ofs-chair-smb.pdf.

The OfS will consult on these changes shortly, before final allocations for the 2021/22 financial year are confirmed and will carefully consider the impact of any changes on providers.

We are also making available an additional £50 million of hardship funding this financial year. In total we have made £70 million of funding available for student hardship, given the £20 million made available to HE providers in December. Providers will have flexibility in how they distribute the funding to students, in a way that will best prioritise those in greatest need.

This money is in addition to the £256 million of Student Premium funding that HE providers are able draw on this academic year towards student hardship funds, including the purchase of IT equipment, and mental health support, as well as to support providers’ access and participation plans.

Furthermore, we have asked the OfS to allocate £15 million towards student mental health in 2021/2022 through the proposed reforms to Strategic Priorities grant funding, to help address the challenges to student mental health posed by the transition to university, given the increasing demand for mental health services. This will target those students in greatest need of such services, including vulnerable groups and hard-to-reach students.

The OfS has also been asked to allocate £5 million to providers in order to provide additional support for student hardship. This is to mitigate the rise in student hardship due to the COVID-19 impacts on the labour market which particularly affect, for example, students relying on work to fund their studies, students whose parents have lost income and students who are parents and whose partner's income has been affected.

We have also asked the OfS for a £10 million increase to the specialist provider allocation, to support these institutions which are particularly reliant on Strategic Priorities Grant funding, many of whom are London-based. We want to ensure that our small and specialist providers, including some of our top music and arts providers, receive additional support, and that grant funding is used to effectively support students.

On 8 February 2021, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, wrote to the Office for Students (OfS) to set out his priorities for the forthcoming year. This letter can be accessed here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/48277145-4cf3-497f-b9b7-b13fdf16f46b/ofs-strategic-guidance-20210208.pdf.

One of these priorities is to change the name of the Teaching Grant to the Strategic Priorities Grant. This is to ensure the name of this funding reflects its important role in supporting providers and students to develop the skills and knowledge needed locally, regionally, and nationally to support the economy.

The Strategic Priorities Grant will be reformed for the 2021/22 financial year to ensure that more of taxpayers’ money is spent on supporting higher education (HE) provision which aligns with national priorities, such as healthcare, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and subjects meeting specific labour market needs.

London weighting funding is a small proportion of the overall income of providers and it is right for the government to re-allocate public money where it is most needed. Universities should not receive additional investment for teaching simply because of where they are located. Excellent provision can be delivered across the country.

London already has, on average, the highest percentage of good or outstanding schools, the highest progression to HE, and more HE providers than any other region in England. This reform will invest more money directly into high quality institutions in the Midlands and the North.

The analysis we offer at this stage, as presented in the annex to the letter to the Office for Students (OfS), gives a broad indication of the impact of the changes to aid understanding. This letter can be accessed here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/a3814453-4c28-404a-bf76-490183867d9a/rt-hon-gavin-williamson-cbe-mp-t-grant-ofs-chair-smb.pdf.

The OfS will consult on these changes shortly, before final allocations for the 2021/22 financial year are confirmed and will carefully consider the impact of any changes on providers.

We are also making available an additional £50 million of hardship funding this financial year. In total we have made £70 million of funding available for student hardship, given the £20 million made available to HE providers in December. Providers will have flexibility in how they distribute the funding to students, in a way that will best prioritise those in greatest need.

This money is in addition to the £256 million of Student Premium funding that HE providers are able draw on this academic year towards student hardship funds, including the purchase of IT equipment, and mental health support, as well as to support providers’ access and participation plans.

Furthermore, we have asked the OfS to allocate £15 million towards student mental health in 2021/2022 through the proposed reforms to Strategic Priorities grant funding, to help address the challenges to student mental health posed by the transition to university, given the increasing demand for mental health services. This will target those students in greatest need of such services, including vulnerable groups and hard-to-reach students.

The OfS has also been asked to allocate £5 million to providers in order to provide additional support for student hardship. This is to mitigate the rise in student hardship due to the COVID-19 impacts on the labour market which particularly affect, for example, students relying on work to fund their studies, students whose parents have lost income and students who are parents and whose partner's income has been affected.

We have also asked the OfS for a £10 million increase to the specialist provider allocation, to support these institutions which are particularly reliant on Strategic Priorities Grant funding, many of whom are London-based. We want to ensure that our small and specialist providers, including some of our top music and arts providers, receive additional support, and that grant funding is used to effectively support students.

It is a priority for the department to improve the outcomes of care leavers and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The SEND Code of Practice explicitly states that all children and young people with SEND should be prepared for adulthood and that this preparation should start early. For those with an education, health and care plan, there must be a focus from year 9 onwards on this preparation as part of their plan’s annual review. Planning for the transition to adulthood should result in clear outcomes being agreed that are ambitious and stretching.

The SEND Review is considering how the support system operates to prepare children and young people for adulthood, including employment.

Since launching the cross-government Care Leaver Strategy, we have implemented a wide range of measures to improve care leavers’ outcomes, including ones which address the concerns highlighted by the Children’s Services Development Group’s report.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has established a ministerial board, co-chaired by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The board met for the first time on 13 July and brought together ministers from across the government to consider what more their departments can do to support care leavers. The next meeting of the board will be in the early autumn.

It is a priority for the department to improve the outcomes of care leavers and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The SEND Code of Practice explicitly states that all children and young people with SEND should be prepared for adulthood and that this preparation should start early. For those with an education, health and care plan, there must be a focus from year 9 onwards on this preparation as part of their plan’s annual review. Planning for the transition to adulthood should result in clear outcomes being agreed that are ambitious and stretching.

The SEND Review is considering how the support system operates to prepare children and young people for adulthood, including employment.

Since launching the cross-government Care Leaver Strategy, we have implemented a wide range of measures to improve care leavers’ outcomes, including ones which address the concerns highlighted by the Children’s Services Development Group’s report.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has established a ministerial board, co-chaired by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The board met for the first time on 13 July and brought together ministers from across the government to consider what more their departments can do to support care leavers. The next meeting of the board will be in the early autumn.

The number of 19 to 25 year olds with an education, health and care (EHC) plan participating in further education at any point in the given academic year is presented in the table attached. This is collected in the individualised learner record. The proportion of all 19 to 25 year olds with EHC plans is not available as comparable age bands are not available.

The number of young people aged 16-19 and 20-25 with an EHC plan is available in the ‘Education, health and care plans’ publication at:
https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans.

Figures presented are as at January in the academic year.

Every pupil in the country has experienced unprecedented disruption to their education as a result of COVID-19. The £1 billion catch-up fund is intended to support schools in helping pupils make up for time spent out of the classroom. Through this fund, in the next academic year, all state-funded primary and secondary schools in England will receive a share of the £650 million catch-up premium.

School leaders have discretion to use this additional funding to meet the identified needs of their pupils and to help them fill gaps in curriculum knowledge resulting from extended school closures. On 19 June, the Education Endowment Foundation published a guide to help school leaders and staff decide how to use this funding to best support their pupils and their outcomes.

In addition, the £350 million National Tutoring Programme will provide extra support for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, who will be amongst the hardest hit by the disruption to education.

Every pupil in the country has experienced unprecedented disruption to their education as a result of COVID-19. The £1 billion catch-up fund is intended to support schools in helping pupils make up for time spent out of the classroom. Through this fund, in the next academic year, all state-funded primary and secondary schools in England will receive a share of the £650 million catch-up premium.

School leaders have discretion to use this additional funding to meet the identified needs of their pupils and to help them fill gaps in curriculum knowledge resulting from extended school closures. On 19 June, the Education Endowment Foundation published a guide to help school leaders and staff decide how to use this funding to best support their pupils and their outcomes.

In addition, the £350 million National Tutoring Programme will provide extra support for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, who will be amongst the hardest hit by the disruption to education.

The government remains committed to promoting and supporting the mental health of children and young people.

The department has signposted resources on supporting and promoting mental wellbeing among the list of resources to help children to learn at home, which are available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources.

BBC Bitesize has also worked with the department to provide content with substantial focus on mental health, wellbeing and pastoral care.

The return to school is a key part of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of pupils, as attendance at school allows social interaction with peers, carers and teachers, which benefits wellbeing. To support this, we have encouraged schools to focus on mental wellbeing as pupils return. Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 are now able to return to primary, and Year 10 and Year 12 pupils are able to receive face-to-face support at secondary. Primaries with capacity can bring back additional groups, in line with existing protective measures, and we have given schools the flexibility to have face-to-face ‘check-ups’ with all pupils during the summer term. Our intention is for all children to return to school from September and guidance will be published soon.

We are continuing to talk with school and health partners on how to make further resources and support available to schools as children and young people return.

Access to mental health support is more important than ever during the COVID-19 outbreak. NHS services remain open, and leading mental health charities are being supported to deliver additional services through the £5 million Coronavirus Mental Health Response Fund. During Mental Health Awareness Week, the government also announced that a further £4.2 million will be awarded to mental health charities, including the Samaritans, Young Minds, and Bipolar UK.

All NHS mental health trusts have been asked to ensure that there are 24/7 open access telephone lines to support people of all ages. These are available for children and young people as well as adults. Public Health England and Health Education England have also developed advice and guidance for parents and professionals on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing, which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-supporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing.

In addition, children and young people can access free confidential support anytime from government-backed voluntary and community sector organisations either by texting SHOUT to 85258, or by calling Childline on 0800 1111 or The Mix on 0808 808 4994. Children and young people can also find online information on COVID-19 and mental health on the Young Minds website, which is available here:
https://youngminds.org.uk/about-us/reports/coronavirus-impact-on-young-people-with-mental-health-needs/.

Schools will continue to receive their budgets for the coming year, as usual, regardless of any periods of partial or complete closure. That will ensure that they are able to continue to meet their regular financial commitments.

We are also providing additional funding to schools, on top of existing budgets, to cover unavoidable costs incurred due to the COVID-19 outbreak that cannot be met from their existing resources. The fund is targeted towards the costs we have identified as the biggest barrier to schools during the period of partial closure and includes additional cleaning costs.

We will continue to keep the scope of this fund under review as we move towards a gradual reopening of schools.

Nannies can work in their employer’s home subject to them meeting public health principles.

This is detailed in the government’s Covid-19 recovery strategy:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-plan-to-rebuild-the-uk-governments-covid-19-recovery-strategy/our-plan-to-rebuild-the-uk-governments-covid-19-recovery-strategy#fourteen-supporting-programmes.

Guidance on working, where that work cannot be done at home, can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/social-distancing-in-the-workplace-during-coronavirus-covid-19-sector-guidance#working-in-peoples-homes-as-a-tradesperson-cleaner-or-nanny.

Pesticides are only authorised for use in situations where scientific assessment finds that this will not harm human health, including that of local residents and bystanders, and will not pose unacceptable risks to the environment. The assessment looks at potential risks to children and takes account of the setting in which the pesticide will be used. Those using pesticides are required to take all reasonable precautions to protect human health and the environment and to confine the application of the pesticide to the area intended to be treated.

The Government operates a range of schemes which collect and analyse data on potential health impacts from pesticides. Biomonitoring studies have provided information on how actual exposure to pesticides compares with predictions. The draft UK National Action Plan, currently out for consultation, proposes that over the next five years, we will work with stakeholders to consider the potential for development of a human biomonitoring programme, to monitor exposure within the UK population to pesticides as well as other chemicals.

Monitoring the long-term effects of exposure to pesticides and other chemicals is challenging. The Prospective Investigation of Pesticide Applicators’ Health collects long-term data on the health of certified pesticide users.

The Code of Practice for using plant protection products has a specific section on “Protecting the Public.” This deals with the assessments that must be made of any risks to the public before using pesticides, notification of adjacent occupiers before spraying and particular care that may be needed for especially vulnerable groups. The Government does not believe it is appropriate to introduce a statutory requirement for operators to provide advance notice of planned spray operations to members of the public.

Pesticides are only authorised for use in situations where scientific assessment finds that this will not harm human health, including that of local residents and bystanders, and will not pose unacceptable risks to the environment. The assessment looks at potential risks to children and takes account of the setting in which the pesticide will be used. Those using pesticides are required to take all reasonable precautions to protect human health and the environment and to confine the application of the pesticide to the area intended to be treated.

The Government operates a range of schemes which collect and analyse data on potential health impacts from pesticides. Biomonitoring studies have provided information on how actual exposure to pesticides compares with predictions. The draft UK National Action Plan, currently out for consultation, proposes that over the next five years, we will work with stakeholders to consider the potential for development of a human biomonitoring programme, to monitor exposure within the UK population to pesticides as well as other chemicals.

Monitoring the long-term effects of exposure to pesticides and other chemicals is challenging. The Prospective Investigation of Pesticide Applicators’ Health collects long-term data on the health of certified pesticide users.

The Code of Practice for using plant protection products has a specific section on “Protecting the Public.” This deals with the assessments that must be made of any risks to the public before using pesticides, notification of adjacent occupiers before spraying and particular care that may be needed for especially vulnerable groups. The Government does not believe it is appropriate to introduce a statutory requirement for operators to provide advance notice of planned spray operations to members of the public.

Pesticides are only authorised for use in situations where scientific assessment finds that this will not harm human health, including that of local residents and bystanders, and will not pose unacceptable risks to the environment. The assessment looks at potential risks to children and takes account of the setting in which the pesticide will be used. Those using pesticides are required to take all reasonable precautions to protect human health and the environment and to confine the application of the pesticide to the area intended to be treated.

The Government operates a range of schemes which collect and analyse data on potential health impacts from pesticides. Biomonitoring studies have provided information on how actual exposure to pesticides compares with predictions. The draft UK National Action Plan, currently out for consultation, proposes that over the next five years, we will work with stakeholders to consider the potential for development of a human biomonitoring programme, to monitor exposure within the UK population to pesticides as well as other chemicals.

Monitoring the long-term effects of exposure to pesticides and other chemicals is challenging. The Prospective Investigation of Pesticide Applicators’ Health collects long-term data on the health of certified pesticide users.

The Code of Practice for using plant protection products has a specific section on “Protecting the Public.” This deals with the assessments that must be made of any risks to the public before using pesticides, notification of adjacent occupiers before spraying and particular care that may be needed for especially vulnerable groups. The Government does not believe it is appropriate to introduce a statutory requirement for operators to provide advance notice of planned spray operations to members of the public.

Pesticides are only authorised for use in situations where scientific assessment finds that this will not harm human health, including that of local residents and bystanders, and will not pose unacceptable risks to the environment. The assessment looks at potential risks to children and takes account of the setting in which the pesticide will be used. Those using pesticides are required to take all reasonable precautions to protect human health and the environment and to confine the application of the pesticide to the area intended to be treated.

The Government operates a range of schemes which collect and analyse data on potential health impacts from pesticides. Biomonitoring studies have provided information on how actual exposure to pesticides compares with predictions. The draft UK National Action Plan, currently out for consultation, proposes that over the next five years, we will work with stakeholders to consider the potential for development of a human biomonitoring programme, to monitor exposure within the UK population to pesticides as well as other chemicals.

Monitoring the long-term effects of exposure to pesticides and other chemicals is challenging. The Prospective Investigation of Pesticide Applicators’ Health collects long-term data on the health of certified pesticide users.

The Code of Practice for using plant protection products has a specific section on “Protecting the Public.” This deals with the assessments that must be made of any risks to the public before using pesticides, notification of adjacent occupiers before spraying and particular care that may be needed for especially vulnerable groups. The Government does not believe it is appropriate to introduce a statutory requirement for operators to provide advance notice of planned spray operations to members of the public.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

Defra has not made estimates on the proportion of biohazardous personal protective equipment (PPE) discarded by the public that is being sent to landfill rather than incineration. This is because PPE used by the public is not required to be incinerated and therefore can be discarded in residual waste. All waste has to be disposed of in accordance with environmental regulations and the waste hierarchy and disposal to landfill is the last resort.

Defra has published guidance on the correct disposal of PPE for the public which is available online at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-disposing-of-waste. This explains that PPE should be placed in residual ‘black bag’ waste at home or whilst at work, or a litter bin if outside, and that PPE should not be put in a recycling bin or dropped as litter.

The guidance also details what members of the public should do if they, or a member of their household, are self-isolating at home. To dispose of any face coverings or PPE in this circumstance, members of the public are advised to double bag the waste and store it for 72 hours before putting them in a ‘black bag’ waste bin.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

Defra has not made estimates on the proportion of biohazardous personal protective equipment (PPE) discarded by the public that is being sent to landfill rather than incineration. This is because PPE used by the public is not required to be incinerated and therefore can be discarded in residual waste. All waste has to be disposed of in accordance with environmental regulations and the waste hierarchy and disposal to landfill is the last resort.

Defra has published guidance on the correct disposal of PPE for the public which is available online at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-disposing-of-waste. This explains that PPE should be placed in residual ‘black bag’ waste at home or whilst at work, or a litter bin if outside, and that PPE should not be put in a recycling bin or dropped as litter.

The guidance also details what members of the public should do if they, or a member of their household, are self-isolating at home. To dispose of any face coverings or PPE in this circumstance, members of the public are advised to double bag the waste and store it for 72 hours before putting them in a ‘black bag’ waste bin.

The potential role of hydrogen technology has been considered in a number of Government publications, including Defra’s Air Quality Expert Group’s recent report, ‘Impacts of Net Zero pathways on future air quality in the UK,’ the outputs of the Department for Transport’s ‘Transport Energy Model,’ and also in two literature reviews published by BEIS of the emissions likely to arise from hydrogen combustion and of the atmospheric impacts of hydrogen.

Coronavirus represents a very significant challenge affecting daily life and every part of the economy, including the ornamental horticulture sector. The Government continues to work closely with representatives from the horticulture supply chain, including the Horticultural Trades Association, to understand the short-term and long-term impacts on the sector and we are undertaking work to scope out options should they be required.

In May, Defra worked with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to introduce legislation which would allow garden centres to re-open. On 13 May, the Government announced that all garden centres in England which are able to adhere to social distancing measures were legally able to reopen. This measure has been widely welcomed by growers, garden centre owners and consumers.

The Government has made a wide-ranging package of measures available to ornamental horticulture businesses to support them through this difficult period and we continue to keep the situation under review. Legal powers were included in the Coronavirus Act 2020 enabling us to offer further financial support if we believe it is necessary.

Coronavirus represents a very significant challenge affecting daily life and every part of the economy, including the ornamental horticulture sector. The Government continues to work closely with representatives from the horticulture supply chain, including the Horticultural Trades Association, to understand the short-term and long-term impacts on the sector and we are undertaking work to scope out options should they be required.

In May, Defra worked with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to introduce legislation which would allow garden centres to re-open. On 13 May, the Government announced that all garden centres in England which are able to adhere to social distancing measures were legally able to reopen. This measure has been widely welcomed by growers, garden centre owners and consumers.

The Government has made a wide-ranging package of measures available to ornamental horticulture businesses to support them through this difficult period and we continue to keep the situation under review. Legal powers were included in the Coronavirus Act 2020 enabling us to offer further financial support if we believe it is necessary.

Defra assesses air quality in the UK through a combination of monitoring and modelling, as well as through the development and upkeep of a National Atmospheric Emissions inventory (NAEI). The NAEI is compiled annually to report total emissions by pollutant and source sector in a systematic way, and to facilitate compliance with our emissions reduction targets.

Emissions from domestic combustion using wood as fuel have increased by 70 per cent since 2005. As recognised by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants, particulate matter is particularly harmful for health and the environment. The most recently published data from the NAEI shows that domestic combustion using wood as fuel accounted for 36 per cent of primary emissions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in 2017. We will publish the next annual update of the NAEI, with data for 2018, in the coming weeks.

Wood burning stoves and coal fires are now the single largest contributor to our national emissions of particulate matter. We are already taking steps to tackle emissions from domestic burning. The Environment Bill currently before Parliament contains measures to reduce emissions from domestic solid fuel burning, the single largest contributor of fine particulate matter emissions. It will create a simpler mechanism for local authorities seeking to reduce smoke emissions within their areas.

Additionally, in line with the Clean Air Strategy, Defra has consulted on the cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood. We expect to publish the Government response to this consultation in the near future.

The Government welcomes the progress that has been made to date in providing contactless payment at rapid and high-powered chargers. However, over half of these devices do not provide pay-as-you-go facility. In May, the Transport Secretary announced that the Government will consult on measures to improve the consumer experience when using public chargepoints. This includes exploring measures such as requiring rapid chargepoints to offer contactless payment, improving chargepoint reliability and transparency on pricing and giving drivers better access to information about the chargepoints available for their journey.

The Secretary of State has not asked train operating companies nor Transport for London to undertake customer surveys to estimate the level of demand for public transport as restrictions are eased.

Demand for public transport is being monitored daily through ticket sales data, and through tube entries/exits and bus boarding numbers for Transport for London. This gives a more granular and time-sensitive assessment of demand than would be possible through surveys. This information is published each week on the gov.uk website and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/transport-use-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic

Government’s updated Safer Transport guidance for operators and for passengers highlights that specific exemptions apply, including for health, equality or age reasons. We are ensuring that operators have appropriate communications and staff briefing in place so that both staff and passengers are aware of the exemptions. Train operating companies have communicated the exemptions to their customers and staff, as have other operators. If prompted by staff, passengers should explain that they are exempt from the regulation. We know some operators have a badge or lanyard scheme which assists with this.

We have undertaken an Equalities Impact Assessment and have taken advice from the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, as well as other disability stakeholder groups. We expect everyone to wear a face covering if they can, but recognise reasonable adjustments are necessary for some people. Exemptions will apply for those unable to wear a face covering, for example people with disabilities, those with breathing difficulties, or young children.

Officials will be working with South Western Railway (SWR) to ensure that they maximise awareness of the right to compensation for passengers who travelled during this time and meet the criteria for the additional compensation.

SWR presently have initial information on their website about the level of compensation to be offered and further information will follow as soon as possible. Details can be found here https://www.southwesternrailway.com/december-2019-strike-compensation

SWR provided an update of the discussions with the RMT at ACAS and their position on the matter in dispute, information about which directors were leading operations during the strike, and a discussion on passenger compensation.

South Western Railway is owned by First Group and MTR Europe.

The Department holds regular meetings with all franchise owning groups. These cover a wide range of topics, including financial and performance matters. These meetings involve officials at all levels from within the Department.

As set out in our manifesto, we are concerned about the impact of strike action on passengers and local businesses. We intend to implement Minimum Service Level legislation to ensure that the right to strike is in future balanced proportionately with the rights of those parties and persons, whose rights are being disproportionately adversely impacted by strikes.

The RMT’s mandate for official industrial action expires on 23 January 2020 and it is currently balloting its members for a renewed mandate. I would not wish to speculate about potential for further strikes. I would like to see the union and SWR bring an end to this dispute with an agreement that puts the long-term interests of passengers first.

These meetings involve officials at all levels from within the Department.

The Department are considering a variety of options to compensate passengers. These options are being considered in the context of both the length of the period of disruption and the service that South Western continued to operate throughout this period thanks to the hard work of contingency guards, who worked throughout the holiday period to keep passengers moving. A further update will be provided in due course.

Any financial impact on South Western Railway is subject to commercial confidentiality and cannot be disclosed.

The Department monitors rail operators’ compliance with Franchise Obligations on an on-going basis through comprehensive periodic reporting obligations placed on operators under the Franchise Agreement, and review of evidence of progress and satisfaction of committed obligations. Where non-compliance with Terms of the Franchise Agreement are identified, the Secretary of State makes use of his powers under the Railways Act 1993 to take any action he considers necessary or appropriate to secure compliance, including the exercise of his contractual rights to require remedial action to be taken.

South Western Railway have currently exceeded the Breach threshold for Cancellations and Minutes Delay, for which a Remedial Plan is currently under discussion with the operator. The Department has also identified two further non-compliances with the Franchise Agreement where contractual deadlines were not met, both of which have been remedied without the need for enforcement action to be taken to secure delivery.

South Western Railway’s passengers can expect there to be no material impact on the railway’s day-to-day operations. The business will continue to operate as usual with no material impact on SWR services or staff.

Parliament will be kept informed as and when there are any developments to be reported.

The Department monitors train operators closely to ensure delivery of services for passengers and value for money for taxpayers. As part of responsible contingency planning, we have measures in place on every franchise intended to protect the interests of passengers and taxpayers and ensure that services keep running. All commercial discussions about franchises are confidential but updates will be provided to Parliament at the appropriate time.

Passengers are entitled to compensation under the Delay Repay scheme for delays of 15 minutes or more against the published timetable on SWR. The Department are considering all options available to ensure passengers are compensated for this disruption.

Under the Franchise Agreement the Department holds meetings with South Western Railway every 4 weeks. These meetings cover several areas of the franchise including performance, safety, finances and current issues.

The Department believes the industrial dispute to be counterproductive for all parties concerned and is well aware that this action by the RMT is disproportionate and deliberately designed to hit passengers at one of the busiest times of the year for the railway. We have been monitoring the dispute and the negotiations between SWR and the RMT closely.

South Western Railway has made an application to the Department with regards to industrial action. This matter is subject to commercial confidentiality.

Passengers are entitled to compensation under the Delay Repay scheme for delays of 15 minutes or more against the published timetable on SWR. The Department are considering all options available to ensure passengers are compensated for this disruption.

The Department believes the industrial dispute to be counterproductive for all parties concerned and is well aware that this action by the RMT is disproportionate and deliberately designed to hit passengers at one of the busiest times of the year for the railway. We have been monitoring the dispute and the negotiations between SWR and the RMT closely.

South Western Railway has made an application to the Department with regards to industrial action. This matter is subject to commercial confidentiality.

Passengers are entitled to compensation under the Delay Repay scheme for delays of 15 minutes or more against the published timetable on SWR. The Department are considering all options available to ensure passengers are compensated for this disruption.

The Department believes the industrial dispute to be counterproductive for all parties concerned and is well aware that this action by the RMT is disproportionate and deliberately designed to hit passengers at one of the busiest times of the year for the railway. We have been monitoring the dispute and the negotiations between SWR and the RMT closely.

South Western Railway has made an application to the Department with regards to industrial action. This matter is subject to commercial confidentiality.

Passengers are entitled to compensation under the Delay Repay scheme for delays of 15 minutes or more against the published timetable on SWR. The Department are considering all options available to ensure passengers are compensated for this disruption.

The Department believes the industrial dispute to be counterproductive for all parties concerned and is well aware that this action by the RMT is disproportionate and deliberately designed to hit passengers at one of the busiest times of the year for the railway. We have been monitoring the dispute and the negotiations between SWR and the RMT closely.

South Western Railway has made an application to the Department with regards to industrial action. This matter is subject to commercial confidentiality.

Passengers are entitled to compensation under the Delay Repay scheme for delays of 15 minutes or more against the published timetable on SWR. The Department are considering all options available to ensure passengers are compensated for this disruption.

DWP is continuing to process Mandatory Reconsiderations during the current Covid-19 pandemic and is aiming to avoid delay where possible.

Where payments have been missed we have asked parents to report the changes via the self-service portal. Missed payments will continue to accrue as arrears and, over time, we will ensure that everyone pays or receives the right amount of child maintenance.

No one will get away with giving false information and those abusing the system will find themselves subject to the full extent of our enforcement powers.

The priority of the Child Maintenance Service during this period has been to ensure the flow of child maintenance payments received are paid out to receiving parents.

Where payments have been missed, we have asked parents to report the changes via the self-service portal. Missed payments will continue to accrue as arrears and over time, we will ensure that everyone pays or receives the right amount of child maintenance.

The Government recognises that the income of many separated parents is being impacted by the public health emergency and some receiving parents may receive less maintenance as a result of a paying parent’s drop in income.

Paying parents are still expected to pay child maintenance throughout this period. Our priority is to maintain the flow of maintenance that is currently being paid, by easing the financial pressure on paying parents and ensuring that we transfer the payments as quickly as possible to receiving parents.

In order to ensure that receiving parents do not lose out in the long run, we will update calculations as soon as possible and collect any unpaid amounts that may have accrued. For the small minority who might be found to be abusing the system at this difficult time they could potentially find themselves subject to the full extent of our enforcement powers once the emergency passes. From July 2020, we will also reopen Case Maintenance action, updating cases with notified changes and restarting arrears pursuit activity.

Measures have been introduced to support both paying and receiving parents, whose income drops as a result of the public health emergency. These include increasing the standard rate of Universal Credit and working tax credit for this year by over £1000 per year, benefiting over 4 million of the most vulnerable households. We have also increased the Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants so that it covers the cheapest third of local rents – which is on average £600 in people’s pockets.

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

There is currently no trial data available on the immune responses to mixed COVID-19 vaccine schedules. Such data are being developed by the National Immunisation Schedule Evaluation Consortium and will be considered by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) when available. The JCVI advises that all those who have received a first dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine should continue to be offered a second dose of that vaccine, irrespective of age. The second dose will be important for longer lasting protection against COVID-19. The JCVI’s statement on the use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/use-of-the-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-jcvi-statement/jcvi-statement-on-use-of-the-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-7-april-2021

Indicative figures in the NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan 2019/20 – 2023/24 show a planned increase of 2,520 clinical psychologist across mental health services by 2023/24. Health Education England (HEE) expanded clinical psychology training places by 25% in 2020-21, totalling 688 new entrants to English clinical psychology training - an increase of 137 on 2019/20 commissions. In 2021-22 HEE has commissioned an additional 226 new clinical psychology training places, totalling 914 subject to successful recruitment.

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

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

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

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

Although limiting social contact is critical to halting the spread of the virus, the Government recognises the challenges caused by the current lockdown measures, particularly for those who are grieving. We have therefore put in place support bubbles to help those who are at risk of isolation by the restrictions. Those who are grieving may be eligible to form a support bubble, for example, if they live alone or are a single parent. They are also able to access bereavement support groups, including in person where necessary.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) plans to develop technology appraisal guidance for MTX110 but it is unable to advise on timescales. MTX110 does not currently have a United Kingdom marketing authorisation or licence for the treatment of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma and is still undergoing phase one clinical trials. NICE can only appraise drugs that have a marketing authorisation for the treatment of a particular condition or are expected to receive one during the appraisal process and can only issue final guidance on drugs that have a marketing authorisation.

New visiting arrangements started on 8 March. Every care home should ensure that each resident can nominate one named person who can have regular, indoor visits. Those residents with the highest care needs can nominate an ‘essential care giver’.

In mid-April we will assess the data and take a decision on opening up further opportunities for visiting, setting out a plan for the next phase of visits for people in residential care.

We have no current plans to hold specific discussions with the Mayor for London. NHS England and NHS Improvement indicate they have not received any feedback from trusts to suggest the suspension of the Freedom Pass has caused disruption for employees.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have funded the Stroke Association to provide Stroke Connect, which was developed in direct response to COVID-19 to ensure stroke survivors and their carers had support when discharged from hospital. The Department has also funded the Stroke Association to continue to provide frontline support to stroke survivors and others connected to stroke.

The National Stroke Programme is ensuring stroke rehabilitation services can meet survivors’ needs as described in the NHS Long Term Plan. This includes a dedicated programme piloting higher intensity models of stroke rehabilitation delivery as well as guiding principles of a best practice integrated community stroke service model for clinical services.

We have made no specific assessment.

We recognise concerns people with eating disorders may have on measures to reduce obesity and are committed to striking a careful balance between enabling people to make healthier food and drink choices whilst not negatively impacting on those with or recovering from an eating disorder. Obesity represents a huge cost to the health and wellbeing of the individual, the National Health Service and the wider economy. With over six in 10 adults and more than one in three children aged 10 to 11 years old overweight or obese, it is right we take action.

In response to feedback to our consultation on out-of-home calorie labelling, we will introduce legislation to require large out-of-home sector businesses with 250 or more employees to calorie label the food they sell. An equalities assessment and impact assessment were published alongside the consultation response and can be viewed at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/consultations/calorie-labelling-for-food-and-drink-served-outside-of-the-home

Some children are unable to receive the vaccine during the flu season because they were under two years of age on 31 August. Some of these children will reach two years old during the flu season and would therefore become able to receive the flu vaccine under the product license but will not be eligible under the national programme.

Implementing programmes requires pragmatic decisions to be made in the interests of protecting the optimum number of children, whilst making the most effective use of the vaccine early enough in the flu season. The vaccine is only licensed for children aged two to under eighteen years old so children under the age of two years old should not receive the vaccine. Setting a time-limited date reduces the risk of children who are under this age receiving the vaccine by accident and allows the vaccine to be given in time for the flu season.

Information on NHS England and NHS Improvement and clinical commissioning group spending (CCG) spending is shown in the following table. Expenditure on Tier 4 and other children and young people’s mental health services commissioned by NHS England and NHS Improvement is not identified separately. Full expenditure data for 2020/21 and planned expenditure for 2021/22 is not yet available.

Source: NHS Mental Health Dashboard, NHS England and NHS Improvement

Notes:

¹ excluding learning disabilities

² including learning disabilities and dementia

Information on NHS England and NHS Improvement and clinical commissioning group spending (CCG) spending is shown in the following table. Expenditure on Tier 4 and other children and young people’s mental health services commissioned by NHS England and NHS Improvement is not identified separately. Full expenditure data for 2020/21 and planned expenditure for 2021/22 is not yet available.

Source: NHS Mental Health Dashboard, NHS England and NHS Improvement

Notes:

¹ excluding learning disabilities

² including learning disabilities and dementia

Communication with general practitioners (GPs) and the wider health provider community is a key priority in ensuring the best treatment can be provided to patients suffering from ‘long’ COVID-19. In December 2020, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence published a rapid guideline on managing the long-term effects of COVID-19. This was developed in partnership with the Royal College of General Practitioners.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have also worked alongside the Royal College of General Practitioners to produce advice for GPs in the management of the long-term effects of COVID-19 and Health Education England to produce e-learning modules on COVID-19 recovery and rehabilitation to support the educational development of healthcare professionals.

Data on pay uplifts for general practice nurses is not collected or held centrally. As self-employed contractors to the National Health Service to provide primary medical services, it is a matter for general practitioner (GP) practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. General practice contractual arrangements do not place any specific obligations on GP practices with regard to their employees’ terms and conditions, including supplementary pay for sickness absence beyond statutory sick pay. Employers have the flexibility to set terms and conditions, for example to aid recruitment and retention and we anticipate good employers would set wage rates that reflect the skills and experience of their staff.

NHS England and NHS Improvement and the General Practitioners Committee England remain committed to reviewing and agreeing changes to the terms and conditions of practice staff within existing resources. To support this, NHS England and NHS Improvement will undertake a data collection survey in general practice to get an accurate picture of baseline terms and conditions of practice staff, in order to inform the development of good practice guidance on employment terms and conditions.

Data on pay uplifts for general practice nurses is not collected or held centrally. As self-employed contractors to the National Health Service to provide primary medical services, it is a matter for general practitioner (GP) practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. General practice contractual arrangements do not place any specific obligations on GP practices with regard to their employees’ terms and conditions, including supplementary pay for sickness absence beyond statutory sick pay. Employers have the flexibility to set terms and conditions, for example to aid recruitment and retention and we anticipate good employers would set wage rates that reflect the skills and experience of their staff.

NHS England and NHS Improvement and the General Practitioners Committee England remain committed to reviewing and agreeing changes to the terms and conditions of practice staff within existing resources. To support this, NHS England and NHS Improvement will undertake a data collection survey in general practice to get an accurate picture of baseline terms and conditions of practice staff, in order to inform the development of good practice guidance on employment terms and conditions.

Data on pay uplifts for general practice nurses is not collected or held centrally. As self-employed contractors to the National Health Service to provide primary medical services, it is a matter for general practitioner (GP) practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. General practice contractual arrangements do not place any specific obligations on GP practices with regard to their employees’ terms and conditions, including supplementary pay for sickness absence beyond statutory sick pay. Employers have the flexibility to set terms and conditions, for example to aid recruitment and retention and we anticipate good employers would set wage rates that reflect the skills and experience of their staff.

NHS England and NHS Improvement and the General Practitioners Committee England remain committed to reviewing and agreeing changes to the terms and conditions of practice staff within existing resources. To support this, NHS England and NHS Improvement will undertake a data collection survey in general practice to get an accurate picture of baseline terms and conditions of practice staff, in order to inform the development of good practice guidance on employment terms and conditions.

Data on pay uplifts for general practice nurses is not collected or held centrally. As self-employed contractors to the National Health Service to provide primary medical services, it is a matter for general practitioner (GP) practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. General practice contractual arrangements do not place any specific obligations on GP practices with regard to their employees’ terms and conditions, including supplementary pay for sickness absence beyond statutory sick pay. Employers have the flexibility to set terms and conditions, for example to aid recruitment and retention and we anticipate good employers would set wage rates that reflect the skills and experience of their staff.

NHS England and NHS Improvement and the General Practitioners Committee England remain committed to reviewing and agreeing changes to the terms and conditions of practice staff within existing resources. To support this, NHS England and NHS Improvement will undertake a data collection survey in general practice to get an accurate picture of baseline terms and conditions of practice staff, in order to inform the development of good practice guidance on employment terms and conditions.

Being a kinship carer alone is not cause for prioritisation for a COVID-19 vaccination. This is based on the clinical assessment that most children are not considered to be at increased risk of COVID-19 mortality. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advises that only those children at very high risk of exposure and serious outcomes, such as older children with severe neuro-disabilities within residential care, should be offered vaccination as part of Phase 1. There are currently no plans to prioritise kinship carers that are not in the first nine COVID-19 vaccination priority groups in the next phase of the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Unpaid carers are included in the JCVI’s priority group 6; which includes individuals who are eligible for a carer’s allowance, or those who are the sole or primary carer of an elderly or disabled person who is at increased risk of COVID-19 mortality and therefore clinically vulnerable. This means that if a kinship carer is the sole or primary carer of a child who was prioritised for vaccination in cohorts 4 or 6, they will be offered the vaccination in cohort 6 themselves.

Those who are clinically extremely vulnerable are in priority group four and should already have been offered their first vaccination dose, not through a strategy of vaccinating their close contacts. Adult carers will also be prioritised for a vaccination and are included in priority group six. This includes those who are eligible for Carer’s Allowance, or those who are the sole or primary carer of an elderly or disabled person who is at increased risk of COVID-19 mortality and therefore clinically vulnerable.

The Department does not monitor or hold information. Through the National Institute for Health Research and UK Research and Innovation, the Department is funding the United Kingdom Obstetric Surveillance System to determine the incidence of hospitalisation with pandemic COVID-19 infection in pregnancy and assess the outcomes of pandemic COVID-19 in pregnancy for mother and infant.

We are considering the reduction of health inequalities as we further develop work on ensuring the equality of opportunity. This will complement the following existing measures led by the Department to tackle inequalities in people’s access, outcomes and experiences of health services:

- Our national obesity strategy, ‘Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives’ which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tackling-obesity-government-strategy

- NHS health checks

- The tobacco control plan ‘Towards a smoke-free generation, a tobacco control plan for England’ and the ‘Tobacco control plan: delivery plan 2017 to 2022’ are available at the following links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/towards-a-smoke-free-generation-tobacco-control-plan-for-england

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tobacco-control-plan-delivery-plan-2017-to-2022

- The diabetes prevention programme

There is no inter-ministerial group for reducing health inequalities. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care regularly engages with Cabinet colleagues on matters of common concern.

Scientific experts keep the symptoms under review as our understanding of the virus develops. Anyone experiencing the main symptoms– a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss or change to sense of smell or taste – should obtain a test as soon as possible and immediately self-isolate alongside their household.

Scientific experts keep the symptoms under review as our understanding of the virus develops. Anyone experiencing the main symptoms– a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss or change to sense of smell or taste – should obtain a test as soon as possible and immediately self-isolate alongside their household.

Healthy Start is a statutory demand-led scheme and is not target driven. Over the last 12 months the number of beneficiaries receiving Healthy Start vouchers has remained stable at around 300,000.

All eligible beneficiaries receive a letter inviting them to apply for Healthy Start, together with a pre-populated application form. The scheme is also promoted through the Healthy Start and Start4Life websites.

The Department is currently developing a digital approach to Healthy Start, to make it easier for families to apply for and use the scheme. We are developing and testing an online application form for Healthy Start to replace the current paper form and a payment card to replace paper vouchers.

As part of the Spending Review 2020, we have announced that the National Health Service will receive around an additional £500 million next year, to address waiting times for mental health services, give more people the mental health support they need and invest in the workforce.

Our investment in mental health services in England is set to rise by an additional £2.3 billion a year by 2023/24.

For those who need them, National Health Service mental health services remain open for business, providing support online and by phone where necessary.

All mental health trusts have established 24 hours a day, seven days a week urgent helplines where people with severe needs or experiencing a mental health crisis can access urgent support and advice. We urge everyone who is experiencing a mental health crisis to make contact with a health professional immediately.

Children and young people’s mental health services will continue to remain open and accept new referrals, ensuring children, adults and parents can access appropriate support whether through face to face appointments where it is safe to do so, over the telephone or via digital means. Talking therapies delivered by Improved Access to Psychological therapies services will continue to be made available remotely so people can access help safely from home.

The option of face-to-face support will be provided to people with severe mental illnesses across all ages, where care can be provided in COVID-19 secure settings. The National Health Service has made all-age urgent mental health helplines available 24 hours a day, seven days a week across the country. We are also raising awareness of the resources and guidance available to adults, children and parents and carers through our Wellbeing and Mental Health Support Plan for COVID-19 and the ‘Every Mind Matters’ platform.

Children and young people’s mental health services will continue to remain open and accept new referrals, ensuring children, adults and parents can access appropriate support whether through face to face appointments where it is safe to do so, over the telephone or via digital means. Talking therapies delivered by Improved Access to Psychological therapies services will continue to be made available remotely so people can access help safely from home.

The option of face-to-face support will be provided to people with severe mental illnesses across all ages, where care can be provided in COVID-19 secure settings. The National Health Service has made all-age urgent mental health helplines available 24 hours a day, seven days a week across the country. We are also raising awareness of the resources and guidance available to adults, children and parents and carers through our Wellbeing and Mental Health Support Plan for COVID-19 and the ‘Every Mind Matters’ platform.

Determination of eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is based on an assessment of care needs and is not based on a specific medical condition, disease or diagnosis. Eligibility is determined by whether a person has a primary health need as set out in the national framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS Funded Nursing Care. Consequently, figures which are condition-specific are not collected by NHS England.

NHS England have interpreted ‘initial assessments’ to mean how many people go from an initial screening process to a full assessment. This data is not collected. NHS England have interpreted ‘full assessments’ to refer to the number of people who have a full NHS CHC assessment and are found eligible. Data on NHS Continuing Healthcare eligibility rates is published quarterly and is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/nhs-chc-fnc/

Determination of eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is based on an assessment of care needs and is not based on a specific medical condition, disease or diagnosis. Eligibility is determined by whether a person has a primary health need as set out in the national framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS Funded Nursing Care. Consequently, figures which are condition-specific are not collected by NHS England.

NHS England have interpreted ‘initial assessments’ to mean how many people go from an initial screening process to a full assessment. This data is not collected. NHS England have interpreted ‘full assessments’ to refer to the number of people who have a full NHS CHC assessment and are found eligible. Data on NHS Continuing Healthcare eligibility rates is published quarterly and is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/nhs-chc-fnc/

Determination of eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is based on an assessment of care needs and is not based on a specific medical condition, disease or diagnosis. Eligibility is determined by whether a person has a primary health need as set out in the national framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS Funded Nursing Care. Consequently, figures which are condition-specific are not collected by NHS England.

NHS England have interpreted ‘initial assessments’ to mean how many people go from an initial screening process to a full assessment. This data is not collected. NHS England have interpreted ‘full assessments’ to refer to the number of people who have a full NHS CHC assessment and are found eligible. Data on NHS Continuing Healthcare eligibility rates is published quarterly and is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/nhs-chc-fnc/

Determination of eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is based on an assessment of care needs and is not based on a specific medical condition, disease or diagnosis. Eligibility is determined by whether a person has a primary health need as set out in the national framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS Funded Nursing Care. Consequently, figures which are condition-specific are not collected by NHS England.

NHS England have interpreted ‘initial assessments’ to mean how many people go from an initial screening process to a full assessment. This data is not collected. NHS England have interpreted ‘full assessments’ to refer to the number of people who have a full NHS CHC assessment and are found eligible. Data on NHS Continuing Healthcare eligibility rates is published quarterly and is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/nhs-chc-fnc/

Across England and Twickenham, general practice is playing a vital role in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering high quality care for both COVID-19 patients and for individuals requiring urgent care or essential routine care for new and pre-existing conditions that are non COVID-19. To support general practitioner (GP) services during this time a number of actions have been taken, including:

- providing an additional £150 million in funding to support expanding general practice capacity up until the end of March 2021, which follows support for the additional costs borne by GP practices during the first wave through the COVID-19 Support Fund;

- helping general practice adapt at pace to offer more remote care so that patients could continue to access GP services safely, by deploying laptops and headsets for use in primary care and accelerating the roll out of online video consultation capability;

- ensuring all GPs in England are eligible to use the personal protective equipment (PPE) portal to order COVID-19 PPE free of charge, and reimbursing GPs for the costs of such PPE purchased up to 31 December 2020; and

- the Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement are working to maximise workforce capacity through continued deployment and recruitment of the retired GP workforce and increasing the participation of the existing workforce. Locums and returning GPs made a valuable contribution to general practice during the first wave, with many coming forwards to support NHS 111 and the Covid Clinical Assessment Services.

NHS Test and Trace monitors monthly expenditure, spend across test, trace and other activities for the year to date and spend overall on contact tracing across centralised contact tracing and local contact tracing.

The Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) provides funding to local authorities in England to be used for test, trace and contain activity in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in their area.

To date, over £1 billion has been committed to English local authorities through the fund. The Government is providing further funding worth over £225 million per month during the national restrictions which can be used to fund local public health activities, such as additional contact tracing, testing for hard-to-reach groups and public health communications. Funding from the COMF has undergone a review with HM Treasury in January 2021. The outcome of this review will inform funding from the COMF between now and the end of the financial year.

438 million, or 2% of the funding, is allocated to ‘professional services’ which includes management consultants.

The contract with Serco, for the non-clinical National Health Service call handling service to support the contact tracing, was let for an initial period of three months for the sum of £108 million. The total contract has a maximum value of £410 million to cover the initial period and any required extensions within a maximum period of 12 months to 17 May 2021. Two extensions have so far been agreed within the maximum value, to 31 January 2021.

The Government met its target of offering a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to everyone in the top four priority cohorts, as recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), by 15 February. The Government and the National Health Service are on course to meet the targets to offer a first dose of vaccination to the top nine priority cohorts by mid-April and all adults by the end of July 2021.

On 26 February, the JCVI published its interim advice for phase two of the COVID-19 vaccination programme covering adults aged 18-49 years old, setting out that the most effective way to minimise hospitalisations and deaths is to continue to prioritise people by age. The Government is planning to follow the recommended approach, subject to the final advice given by the JCVI.

The Government met its target of offering a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to everyone in the top four priority cohorts, as recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), by 15 February. The Government and the National Health Service are on course to meet the targets to offer a first dose of vaccination to the top nine priority cohorts by mid-April and all adults by the end of July 2021.

On 26 February, the JCVI published its interim advice for phase two of the COVID-19 vaccination programme covering adults aged 18-49 years old, setting out that the most effective way to minimise hospitalisations and deaths is to continue to prioritise people by age. The Government is planning to follow the recommended approach, subject to the final advice given by the JCVI.

We have worked to ensure that we have the logistical expertise, transport, and workforce in place to rollout a vaccine at the speed at which it can be manufactured. In line with the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the vaccine will initially be rolled out to priority groups, including care home residents and staff, people over 80 years old, and health and care workers. The vaccine will then be prioritised amongst the rest of the population in order of age and risk, including those who are clinically extremely vulnerable and all individuals aged 16-64 years old with underlying health conditions.

The JCVI appreciates that operational considerations, such as minimising wastage, may require deviation from the prioritisation order as outlined in the statement, where decisions are taken in consultation with national or local public health advice. We will follow the advice of the JCVI on clinical prioritisation which supports vaccinating those most at risk of death from COVID-19. The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine involves some logistical challenges and we are working hard to ensure that it is available to those most at risk.

The National Health Service is in the process of establishing vaccination centres across the country that can manage the logistical challenge of needing to store the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at an appropriate temperature. Our approach, with three delivery models - community teams, vaccination sites and hospital hubs - has been devised to be flexible and reach all parts of the country. The phased vaccination programme, which began on 8 December with hospital hubs, will be expanded over the coming weeks and months to include local vaccination services and large-scale vaccination centres across the country.

In 2018-19, the most recent year for which information is available, total Government funding for dementia research was £82.9 million, ahead of the Government’s commitment under the 2020 Dementia Challenge to spend £300 million over five years, or £60 million each year, on dementia research. The Department, through the National Institute for Health Research, spent £31.6 million on dementia research in 2018-19. Plans are being put in place for this to increase significantly over the current parliament to meet the Government’s commitments.

Public Health England has procured combined needles and syringes for the administration of the COVID-19 vaccinations. These levels are commercially sensitive and therefore not available.

The production of the seasonal flu vaccines is the responsibility of manufacturers. All flu vaccines this season have been supplied by manufacturers in pre-filled syringes and the Department is confident there is adequate supply to offer the flu vaccination to over 30 million people.

Dentistry has been particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic due to the need to regularly undertake aerosol generating procedures, such as high-speed drilling, which present a high risk for transmission of COVID-19. Dental practices have, therefore, been asked by NHS England and NHS Improvement to prioritise urgent care, care for vulnerable groups and delayed planned treatment. Over 600 urgent dental care centres also remain open to support the provision of face to face care and improve access.

Public Health England’s infection, prevention and control guidance, published in October, has reduced the time needed to rest a room between patients. The guidance is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/928034/COVID-19_Infection_prevention_and_control_guidance_Dental_appendix.pdf

No such estimate has been made.

Individual practices may keep waiting lists for new patients but there is no national waiting list held by NHS England and NHS Improvement.

Any person administering a COVID-19 vaccine will have undergone specific training, developed by Public Health England and will have been assessed by their employer as competent to administer the vaccine or undertake other related activity, such as assessing an individual’s suitability for vaccination and gaining their informed consent.

There are no plans to make this recommendation into Government policy.

During the COVID-19 pandemic radiotherapy service provision continued. In light of the need to minimise trips to hospital, particularly for people likely to be worse affected by COVID-19, radiotherapy services have made use of fewer fraction protocols as supporting evidence emerges. The focus on recovery for radiotherapy has been on embedding the use of hypo-fractionated or fewer fraction treatments.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has been asked to develop a guideline on pernicious anaemia and is currently recruiting for topic experts for this guideline. NICE is working to an expected publication date of March 2023, however this date is subject to change.

The information requested is not held centrally.

The Lighthouse Laboratories employ a number of laboratory staff who are working in various regulated and unregulated roles.

Biomedical Scientists and Clinical Scientists are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and professionals must be registered with the HCPC to use these titles.

The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care’s (PSA) Accredited Registers Programme independently assesses organisations who register practitioners who are not regulated by law. The registers held by the Academy of Healthcare Scientists and the Register of Clinical Technologists are accredited by the PSA. Unregulated laboratory staff are able to join these registers.

Funding decisions for the next financial year, including screening, are being considered as part of the ongoing Spending Review. The conclusion of the Spending Review will be announced on 25 November.

The flu vaccination is recommended for those in at risk groups, and frontline health and social care workers who have direct contact with patients, so they can protect themselves and the vulnerable people that they care for. This is based on advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Based on the JCVI’s advice, teachers, who are not in an at-risk group, are not eligible for a free flu vaccination. However, some teachers may have access to a free flu vaccine under their employers’ occupational health scheme.

Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have a statutory responsibility to commission healthcare services including fertility services that meet the needs of their whole population.

In respect of National Health Service fertility services, the Government have been consistently clear that we expect CCGs to commission fertility services in line with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines, so that there is equal access across England.

In order to request a home test, a user must first verify their identity using a service provided by TransUnion. Identity verification is built into the process in order to minimise the risk of fraudulent ordering.

TransUnion does not collect or retain data on individuals that book tests, other than a record of processing in order to meet regulatory obligations. All the data is processed and stored within the United Kingdom in line with their privacy policy.

If an individual is not willing or able to undertake the identity verification provided by TransUnion, they should call 119 for further assistance or seek to book an appointment at a regional test site or mobile testing unit, where a member of staff will confirm their identity in person.

Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have a statutory responsibility to commission healthcare services including fertility services that meet the needs of their whole population.

In respect of National Health Service fertility services, the Government have been consistently clear that we expect CCGs to commission fertility services in line with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines, so that there is equal access across England.

The information is not held in the format requested.

We do not publish data in the format requested. In order to request a Home Test, a user must first verify their identity using a service provided by TransUnion. Identity verification is built into the process in order to minimise the risk of fraudulent ordering.

We do not publish data in the format requested. In order to request a home test, a user must first verify their identity using a service provided by TransUnion. Identity verification is built into the process in order to minimise the risk of fraudulent ordering.

The Government expects clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to give fair consideration to all patients who have had fertility treatment delayed so that no one misses out on treatment due to COVID-19.

NHS England have agreed a joint statement with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, to encourage CCGs to give special consideration to the need for flexibility and sensitivity for individuals whose waiting times, investigations or planned treatment have been disrupted due to COVID-19. This is to ensure that all women and their partners seeking fertility treatment are treated fairly. The statement was issued to the National Health Service on 6 November 2020.

The Government is committed to tackling health harms from alcohol and supporting the most vulnerable at risk from alcohol misuse. Action on alcohol abuse continues through commitments in the Prevention Green Paper, the NHS Long Term Plan, funding to support children of alcohol dependent parents, and action to reduce alcohol-related crime. There are no current plans for a standalone alcohol strategy.

Public Health England (PHE) published advice and information for the public on looking after their mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 outbreak, which recommends people avoid using alcohol. The guidance can be viewed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-public-on-mental-health-and-wellbeing/guidance-for-the-public-on-the-mental-health-and-wellbeing-aspects-of-coronavirus-covid-19

PHE continues to maintain the FRANK website and helpline, which provides a service for people who are concerned about their own or others alcohol consumption at the following link:

https://www.talktofrank.com/

Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak alcohol treatment providers are continuing to support and treat people misusing alcohol.

The Government is committed to tackling health harms from alcohol and supporting the most vulnerable at risk from alcohol misuse. Action on alcohol abuse continues through commitments in the Prevention Green Paper, the NHS Long Term Plan, funding to support children of alcohol dependent parents, and action to reduce alcohol-related crime. There are no current plans for a standalone alcohol strategy.

Public Health England (PHE) published advice and information for the public on looking after their mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 outbreak, which recommends people avoid using alcohol. The guidance can be viewed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-public-on-mental-health-and-wellbeing/guidance-for-the-public-on-the-mental-health-and-wellbeing-aspects-of-coronavirus-covid-19

PHE continues to maintain the FRANK website and helpline, which provides a service for people who are concerned about their own or others alcohol consumption at the following link:

https://www.talktofrank.com/

Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak alcohol treatment providers are continuing to support and treat people misusing alcohol.

We will be publishing the Memorandum of Understanding in due course.

Ninety six National Health Service laboratories operate through 29 pathology laboratory networks. This figure is not broken down by region.

Capacity in National Health Service laboratories is rapidly increasing, and available capacity is primarily used to test the patients and symptomatic staff who need a test, in line with the Department’s guidance. We operate through a localised system of NHS laboratories so that tests are available locally when needed.

The information is not available in the format requested.

The information requested is not centrally collected.

Given the speed at which NHS Test and Trace was set up we do not have data by region or month as during the formulative months the organisation was reliant on secondees from across Government and movement was high. The current full time equivalent head count of NHS Test and Trace is 3,760.

In 2016, NHS England published guidance for clinical commissioning groups and other organisations on commissioning accessible, high-quality rehabilitation services that meet the needs of their local population.

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.

In 2016, NHS England published guidance for clinical commissioning groups and other organisations on commissioning accessible, high-quality rehabilitation services that meet the needs of their local population.

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.

There are presently no plans to make a single person accountable for rehabilitation provision.

In 2016, NHS England and NHS Improvement published guidance for clinical commissioning groups and other organisations on commissioning accessible, high-quality rehabilitation services that meet the needs of their local population. The guidance is available at the following link:

www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/rehabilitation-comms-guid-16-17.pdf

As part of the Government’s continued commitment to ensure high-quality, accessible rehabilitation services for patients, NHS England and NHS Improvement have commenced work on updating this guidance. This has included engagement with professional bodies’ clinicians, alongside other stakeholders, societies and third sector organisations who represent the patient voice.

There are presently no plans to make a single person accountable for rehabilitation provision.

In 2016, NHS England and NHS Improvement published guidance for clinical commissioning groups and other organisations on commissioning accessible, high-quality rehabilitation services that meet the needs of their local population. The guidance is available at the following link:

www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/rehabilitation-comms-guid-16-17.pdf

As part of the Government’s continued commitment to ensure high-quality, accessible rehabilitation services for patients, NHS England and NHS Improvement have commenced work on updating this guidance. This has included engagement with professional bodies’ clinicians, alongside other stakeholders, societies and third sector organisations who represent the patient voice.

The current focus is on accelerating the return of non-COVID-19 health services to near normal levels, including making full use of available capacity between now and winter, whilst also preparing for winter demand pressures. This will be done alongside continued vigilance with respect to any COVID-19 spikes locally or nationally.

First priority will be given to clinically urgent patients and then the longest waiting patients.

The Department continues to work with NHS England and NHS Improvement on the longer-term recovery of NHS services. To help facilitate this the Chancellor announced an extra £31.9 billion for health services, plus an additional £16.4 billion to tackle coronavirus.

The Department does not currently publish this data in the format requested.

The Department does not currently publish this data in the format requested.

The Department does not currently publish this data in the format requested.

The Department does not currently publish this data in the format requested.

Rapid turnaround testing device deployment plans are in development. No further information is available at this stage.

Rapid turnaround testing device deployment plans are in development. No further information is available at this stage.

Rapid turnaround testing device deployment plans are in development. No further information is available at this stage.

The Paterson Independent Inquiry reported on 4 February. Departmental Ministers committed in Parliament to produce a formal Government response.

In April 2020, Ministers took the decision to pause this work as a result of the COVID-19 emergency which was announced via a Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS208) made to Parliament.

This work has now recommenced, and the Department is planning to publish a formal Government response in due course.

The NHS Weight Loss Plan app asks users to enter their height and weight to calculate their body mass index (BMI). If a user is underweight or a healthy weight according to their BMI, messaging is shown that explains this weight loss tool is not for them. App users who are underweight or at the lower end of a healthy weight are not prompted to use the app any further than the BMI calculation stage. The app also advises users to discuss their weight with their general practitioner if they have any concerns.

On April 25, as part of the National Health Service ‘Help us help you’ campaign, NHS Chief Executive Sir Simon Stevens warned that delays in getting treatment due to COVID-19 fears pose a long-term risk to people’s health. It was stressed that the NHS is still there for people who need urgent and emergency services for cancer symptoms, as well as and other conditions.

There is broad consensus that there is the potential for an increase in demand for mental health services as a result of COVID-19 and we are working with the National Health Service, Public Health England and others to ensure ongoing assessment of the potential longer-term impacts and to plan for how to support mental health and wellbeing throughout the ‘recovery’ phase.

Mental health services are provided according to clinical need, regardless of whether an individual or a member of their family has previously contracted COVID-19.

With regard to frontline health and care workers, we have ensured comprehensive packages of emotional and psychological support are available to all social care and NHS staff, building on existing support. This includes free access to a confidential helpline operated by the Samaritans.

Through the Rapid Response and the Rapid Rolling Calls, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation have funded studies that aim to make a significant contribution to the understanding, prevention and management of COVID-19.

As part of the Rolling Call, a highlight notice was published in June for research proposals which aimed to reduce the emergence of new, and exacerbation of existing, mental health problems, and to improve outcomes for those whose mental health has already been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 64 applications were considered as part of the mental health highlight notice, and the successful studies are in the process of being contracted.

The NIHR Policy Research Programme’s current call ‘Recovery, Renewal, Reset: Research to inform policy responses to COVID-19 in the health and social care systems’ seeks to fund research which will provide timely evidence to inform policy decisions on recovery from the initial crisis, and to mitigate longer-term impacts on individuals, health and social care systems and wider society.

The National Health Service and the wider scientific community are currently working to better understand the disease course of COVID-19 infection, including the prevalence, severity and duration of symptoms, and how best to support recovery. The National Institute for Health Research and UK Research and Innovation have invested £8.4 million in the Post-HOSPitalisation COVID-19 study (PHOSP-COVID), led by Christopher Brightling at the University of Leicester. This study is one of the world’s largest comprehensive research studies into the long-term health impacts of COVID-19 on hospitalised patients.

The NHS is working to expand access to COVID-19 rehabilitation treatments for those who have survived the virus but still have problems with breathing, mental health problems or other longer-term complications. As part of this, in July the NHS launched ‘Your COVID Recovery’ service, a personalised programme to support the recovery of people who have been in hospital or suffered at home with the virus.

The research currently underway will inform future NHS service design and provision.

The Government recognised at the start of the pandemic the need for enhanced wellbeing support for National Health Service and social care staff. NHS England and NHS Improvement have put in place a comprehensive emotional, psychological and practical support package for NHS staff. Wherever possible we have ensured the same offer is in place for all social care staff as is in place for their colleagues in the NHS.

‘We are the NHS: People Plan 2020/21’, published on 30 July 2020, is an important step forward in supporting the NHS workforce. It sets out a clear strategy for supporting the NHS workforce and requires employers to invest in physical health and wellbeing and make flexible working a priority.

We will continue to work closely with the adult social care sector to improve the occupational health offer for social care workers, support mental health interventions where needed, and ensure staff have access to practical support and advice.

In June 2020 the Department established a dedicated Social Care Group (SCG) to protect care recipients, carers/care workers and the care system itself from the impact of COVID-19 and ensure that everyone in receipt of care gets the care and support they need. The new SCG group has increased staff working on this area and, we will continue to keep staffing numbers under review.

National Health Service mental health services have remained open for business throughout this time. NHS community, talking therapies and children and young people’s services have deployed innovative digital tools to connect with people and provide ongoing support.

We have previously issued tailored guidance to help people deal with their mental health and wellbeing on GOV.UK and are promoting this through the ‘Every Mind Matters’ website. For those with severe needs or in crisis, NHS mental health providers have established all-age 24 hours a day, seven days a week mental health crisis lines.

As part of wider NHS England and NHS Improvement guidance concerning the restoration of non-COVID-19 services, mental health services have been asked to proactively review all patients on community mental health teams’ caseloads and increase therapeutic activity and supportive interventions to prevent relapse or escalation of mental health needs for people with severe mental illness in the community.

We are working with NHS England and NHS Improvement and Public Health England to increase uptake take for people in at risk groups to at least 75% in 2020/21, and for all healthcare workers to be offered the flu vaccine this winter.

On 31 July, further guidance was issued to local National Health Service providers and commissioners on outlining the next phase of the NHS response to COVID-19 and concurrent non-COVID-19 activity. Focus is on accelerating the return of non-COVID-19 health services to near-normal levels, including making full use of available capacity between now and winter, whilst also preparing for winter demand pressures.

General practice, community and optometry services have been advised, where clinically appropriate, to reach out proactively to clinically vulnerable patients and those whose care may have been delayed. Trusts, working with general practitioner practices, have been asked to ensure that every patient whose planned care has been disrupted by COVID-19 receives clear communication about how they will be looked after, and who to contact in the event that their clinical circumstances change. Clinically urgent patients should continue to be treated first, with priority then given to the longest waiting patients, specifically those breaching or at risk of breaching 52 weeks by the end of March 2021.

We are delivering a tailored campaign approach to local areas on the ‘watchlist’. Activities include messaging on key protective behaviours – social distancing, hand washing, and use of face coverings; as well as testing and isolation for those who have symptoms.

We are developing national, regional and local partnerships to facilitate disseminating information, particularly among more specific communities and religious groups. We are supporting the development of communications toolkits to assist local authorities around specific events that present risks, including religious festivals. A wide range of assets and community support initiatives have also been developed for local use; sharing best practices and training sessions; translations in up to 11 languages; central funding for specific local translation needs not met by existing content.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have set out guiding principles in re-establishing NHS Long Term Plan programmes, prioritising delivery of Long Term Plan commitments that also support recovery - focusing on activities increasing early diagnosis and survival rates such as Rapid Diagnostic Centres.

The Faster Diagnosis Standard is being tested as part of the wider, clinically-led review of National Health Service access standards. Timelines for the review have been impacted by COVID-19, and updates will be provided in due course.

NHS England and NHS Improvement are continuing activities that support ambitions with minimal system impact/burden - including activities such as the Quality of Life metric surveys to track and respond to the long-term impact of cancer, and prioritising delivery of activities that have a significant impact on Long Term Plan ambitions – including projects such as Targeted Lung Health Checks, and personalised stratified follow up.

The National Health Service’s recovery approach is looking to restore urgent cancer referrals and treatment to at least pre-pandemic levels, including the 62-day pathway, and ensure sufficient capacity is available to manage increased demands in the future.

The Cancer Recovery Taskforce met for the first time in September, where they took stock of the status of cancer services against recovery metrics on referrals, treatment and backlog levels. A national recovery plan will be developed for publication shortly.

No assessment has been made. However, supplies of the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) were made available by the Government to the dental wholesalers specifically to support the resumption of face to face care by dental practices from 8 June. National Health Service dental practices, in extreme circumstances, could also have approached Local Resilience Forum for emergency stock.

The additional PPE needed, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, is now available free of charge for NHS dental contractors. A dedicated PPE portal has been developed to deliver these items. As of 4 November, over 5,100 NHS dental and orthodontic providers in England have registered with the PPE portal and over 36 million items have been delivered.

Schedule 21 of the Coronavirus Act 2020 allows public health officials to require potentially infected persons to attend a screening and assessment centre and/or provide a sample for testing, if it is in the best interests of that person to do so, or to prevent the spread of the disease.

The use of these powers in England is continuously monitored centrally by Public Health England and the Department. Their use by the devolved administrations is a matter for them.

As of 31 July, these powers have been used fewer than five times, and only to require attendance at a test centre. For reasons of patient confidentiality, precise, identifiable details cannot be made public.

Protecting the privacy of patients’ data is a key priority for the Government and NHS Test and Trace, which is committed to the highest ethical and security standards. All data regarding patients’ COVID-19 test results are handled in line with the General Data Protection Regulation and other relevant legislation, and data are used only for the purposes of National Health Service care, management, evaluation and research, as set out in published privacy information for COVID-19 testing.

We have ensured comprehensive packages of emotional and psychological support are available to all social care and National Health Service staff, building on existing support. This includes free access to a confidential helpline operated by Samaritans.

Recent reviews have confirmed the disparity of the impact and risks that COVID-19 has on those from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. We have set out our intention to take forward further work under the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities (Kemi Badenoch MP) and through the Prime Minister’s Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities. NHS England and NHS Improvement are working closely with BAME experts and others to encourage timely access to NHS mental health services and improve BAME people’s experience of these services.

NHS children and young people’s mental health services have remained open throughout the pandemic and have deployed digital tools to connect with young people and provide ongoing support. We have published guidance to parents and carers on children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing on the GOV.UK and Every Mind Matters websites and we have provided additional funding of £5 million for mental health charities to support adults and children, including those from a BAME background, as well as a further £4.2 million, as part of the Government’s United Kingdom-wide £750 million package of support for the voluntary sector.

NHS Supply Chain, the main provider of consumables and equipment into the National Health Service, report that their suppliers have sufficient supplies of scrubs for NHS customers to order. Care homes access scrubs from their business as usual wholesalers and we have set up a number of new access points and distribution routes whereby all items of personal protective equipment, including gowns and aprons, can be ordered.

The contract published on 29 July 2020 can be found at the following link:

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/1a720c8a-85fd-4255-85ee-3c891c664bf0

The company will receive a sum of £563,400 excluding VAT.

The Crown Commercial Service provides Management Consultancy Framework 2, on which suppliers can be selected for their suitability. Details of available suppliers can be found at the following link:

https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/rm6008

McKinsey are on this framework having competed to be included in September 2018. The framework runs until September 2021. McKinsey were requested to fulfil the requirements of the contract due to their suitability to deliver the requirements and ability to deliver at short notice. All contracts have been awarded in line with regulations.

Deloitte are not responsible for processing results data and are therefore not required to report to Public Health England (PHE). However, COVID-19 is a notifiable disease and, as such, all laboratories are legally required to report positive incidences to PHE under the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010.

No formal assessment has been made of the number of practice nurses and healthcare assistants working in general practice who have been paid Statutory Sick Pay. NHS England and NHS Improvement have committed to maintain general practitioner (GP) practice income during the outbreak. Therefore, they have advised that GP practice staff who are shielding because they are at the highest clinical risk from COVID-19 should continue to receive full pay. Staff within GP practices should also be encouraged and supported to work remotely where they are able to do so.

Public safety throughout this period is the Government’s top priority, including for those who need care and support. The changes to the Care Act 2014 duties on local authorities will be kept under regular review and the Secretary of State will suspend them based on expert clinical and social care advice, including findings of the Chief Social Workers, in accordance with the Coronavirus Act 2020.

At this time there are no local authorities operating with Care Act Easements.

Public safety throughout this period is the Government’s top priority, including for those who need care and support. The changes to the Care Act 2014 duties on local authorities will be kept under regular review and the Secretary of State will suspend them based on expert clinical and social care advice, including findings of the Chief Social Workers, in accordance with the Coronavirus Act 2020.

At this time there are no local authorities operating with Care Act Easements.

The Department is working with Think Local, Act Personal (TLAP) to understand the impact on individuals of the changes to Care Act 2014 duties. A TLAP Insight Group meets regularly to coordinate intelligence of TLAP partners on the impact and views of people accessing care and support and unpaid carers, in areas that have enacted easements and those that have not. These findings will be publicly available.

The Government is keeping its social distancing measures under continual review. If at any time we judge that one of the measures is no longer necessary to protect public health we are required by law to change that measure.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 came into force on 26 March and has been kept under continual review. At each review point of the Health Protection Regulations, the Government has provided a written or oral statement to Parliament. The Prime Minister made oral statements to the Commons on 11 May, Official report, columns 24-27, and 23 June, Official report, columns 1167-1170. The Prime Minister’s statement on 23 June outlined the changes being implemented after the fourth review, which come into effect on 4 July. In addition, we have made Written Ministerial Statements to the House of Commons and the House of Lords on 28 April (HCWS206) and 2 June (HCWS253). This process will be continued by the Government following future reviews.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Catherine West MP) on 25 June 2020 to Question 58038.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Catherine West MP) on 25 June 2020 to Question 58038.

We are committed through the NHS Long Term Plan to investing at least £2.3 billion of extra funding a year into mental health services by 2023-24. This will see an additional 345,000 children and young people able to access support through National Health Service-funded services or school- and college-based mental health support teams.

To support adult and children whose mental health has been affected by the pandemic, we have provided £5 million of additional funding for mental health charities and, on 22 May, we announced a further £4.2 million to be awarded to mental health charities including those supporting children and young people such as Young Minds, as part of the Government’s United Kingdom-wide £750 million package of support for the voluntary sector.

As set out in the ‘Update to the GP contract agreement 2020/21–2023/24’ jointly published in February 2020 by NHS England and NHS Improvement and the British Medical Association, since 1 April 2020 it has been a contractual requirement for general practitioners to offer a maternal postnatal consultation at 6-8 weeks after birth (for live and stillbirths), as an additional appointment to that for the 6-8 week baby check. The maternal postnatal consultation should focus on a review of the mother’s physical and mental health and general wellbeing, using open questioning. NHS England and NHS Improvement expect that during the pandemic practices should continue to offer the consultation to new mothers in an appropriate format, most likely by telephone or video consultation. Guidance on the maternal postnatal consultation will be produced later in 2020 following consultation with relevant stakeholders.

As set out in the ‘Update to the GP contract agreement 2020/21–2023/24’ jointly published in February 2020 by NHS England and NHS Improvement and the British Medical Association, since 1 April 2020 it has been a contractual requirement for general practitioners to offer a maternal postnatal consultation at 6-8 weeks after birth (for live and stillbirths), as an additional appointment to that for the 6-8 week baby check. The maternal postnatal consultation should focus on a review of the mother’s physical and mental health and general wellbeing, using open questioning. NHS England and NHS Improvement expect that during the pandemic practices should continue to offer the consultation to new mothers in an appropriate format, most likely by telephone or video consultation. Guidance on the maternal postnatal consultation will be produced later in 2020 following consultation with relevant stakeholders.

The Government is working closely with research programmes learning from cases of pregnant women and new mothers with COVID-19 to be able to respond quickly and appropriately.

To promote the safety of pregnant women during this pandemic, NHS England and NHS Improvement have developed guidance for the temporary reorganisation of intrapartum maternity care, launched a ‘Help Us to Help You’ communications campaign to encourage women to contact their midwife whenever they have any concerns, and is supporting the increase in virtual appointments with initiatives such as distributing 16,000 blood pressure monitors for pregnant women with hypertension to use at home. National Health Service specialist perinatal mental health services remain very much open for business and for those with severe needs or in crisis, all NHS mental health trusts have been instructed to establish 24 hours a day, seven days a week mental health crisis lines.

A number of contracts were awarded valued at £4.2 million (excluding VAT) for hydroxychloroquine between 11 March and 22 April 2020.

There is broad consensus that there will be an increase in demand for mental health services as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Modelling is underway to understand the implications of this in more detail, involving the Department, NHS England and NHS Improvement, Public Health England and sector experts. This will inform our approach to delivery and transformation of mental health services and ensure an agile, responsive approach focusing on key priorities for the population.

In this context, we remain committed to achieving our NHS Long Term Plan ambitions for service transformation and expansion, backed by investment of at least £2.3 billion of extra funding for mental health by 2023-24.

Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, the National Health Service has been clear on the importance of maintaining face to face care for those patients who need it, and of patient choice in determining suitability for digital appointments.

When delivering face to face appointments, mental health services are expected to follow the latest guidance on the use of personal protective equipment in healthcare settings to support infection prevention and control. Services will be further enabled by the roll out of the NHS Test and Trace service to reduce transmission risk and deliver face to face services in as safe a way as possible.

We have committed to publishing a White Paper which will set out the Government’s response to Sir Simon Wessely’s Independent Review of the Mental Health Act 1983 and pave the way for reform of the Act.

We will publish our White Paper as soon as it is possible to do so. We will consult publicly on our proposals and will bring forward a Bill to amend the Act when parliamentary time allows.

The information requested is shown in the following table.

Source: Mental Health Services Data Set, NHS Digital³

Notes:

¹ A person may have had more than one referral within any given period.

² Data for April 2020 are still being collected and analysed.

³ Caution should be made when comparing data as the coverage of the Mental Health Services Data Set has increased with 266 providers submitting data in March 2020 compared to 171 providers in March 2019.

The Government commissioned Public Health England (PHE) to analyse how different factors can impact on people's health outcomes from COVID-19. The resulting report was published this week.

Separately, PHE has also been engaging with a significant number of individuals and organisations within black, Asian and minority ethnic communities over the past couple of months to hear their views, concerns and ideas about the impact of COVID-19 on their communities. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities (Kemi Badenoch MP) will be building on and expanding that engagement as she takes work forward to better understand the drivers behind the ethnicity analyses in the PHE report.

We are working around the clock to give the social care sector and wider National Health Servicehe equipment and support they need to tackle this outbreak. We continue to supply personal protective equipment (PPE) to selected wholesalers to support social care. Additionally, we deliver PPE to all Local Resilience Forums to allow them to respond to urgent local spikes in need across the adult social care system. The National Supply Disruption Response operates a 24-hour helpline that can also respond to emergency PPE requests. Finally, we are rolling out a PPE Portal to help primary and social care providers to order critical PPE.

Where we sell product to wholesalers we ask that they work within their existing margins. In the recent examples where there has been a significant increase in the cost of the product we have asked all wholesalers not to apply a percentage margin on these PPE items at the moment, but instead to apply the margin value they would have applied under the previous business as usual cost of the product.

Information on average prices is commercially sensitive and cannot be published.

We are working around the clock to give the social care sector and wider National Health Servicehe equipment and support they need to tackle this outbreak. We continue to supply personal protective equipment (PPE) to selected wholesalers to support social care. Additionally, we deliver PPE to all Local Resilience Forums to allow them to respond to urgent local spikes in need across the adult social care system. The National Supply Disruption Response operates a 24-hour helpline that can also respond to emergency PPE requests. Finally, we are rolling out a PPE Portal to help primary and social care providers to order critical PPE.

Where we sell product to wholesalers we ask that they work within their existing margins. In the recent examples where there has been a significant increase in the cost of the product we have asked all wholesalers not to apply a percentage margin on these PPE items at the moment, but instead to apply the margin value they would have applied under the previous business as usual cost of the product.

Information on average prices is commercially sensitive and cannot be published.

The Government has massively expanded both our supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) from overseas and our domestic manufacturing capability.

The Government has contracted with over 100 new suppliers able to deliver at the scale and pace the United Kingdom requires and is building up UK manufacturing with signed contracts to manufacture over 2 billion items of PPE through UK-based manufacturers, including facemasks, visors, gowns and aprons. This includes companies such as: Survitec; Bolle; Jaguar Land Rover; Don & Low; and Burberry.

We do not publish data broken down by test centre. As of 1 June, 54 Regional Testing Sites were open nationwide.

We expect local authorities to identify and pay an appropriate rate for adult social care in their local areas, taking into account relevant factors. In the interest of transparency, we publish data on the fees paid in different local authority areas. Our latest publication was in February 2020 and is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/865034/iBCF_LA_fees_report_Q2_2019-20.pdf

To assist local authorities, we have made an additional £1.5 billion available for adult and children’s social care in 2020-21. This consists of £1 billion of grant funding for adult and children’s social care, and a 2% precept which will give councils access to £500 million for adult social care. In response to COVID-19 we have provided local authorities with £3.2 billion to support them in the provision of public services, including adult social care. We have also announced the £600 million Infection Control Fund in order to support care providers to reduce the rate of transmission in and between care homes.

The United Kingdom Government has committed £24.6 million for COVID-19 research through a joint rapid research call from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). This included one mental health study awarded £400,000.

In addition to this, as of 21 May, UKRI has identified eight grants already receiving funding, totalling £2.4 million, that are looking at mental health in the context of COVID-19.

Calls for research into impacts of COVID-19 on mental health are still open and receiving large numbers of applications, it would therefore be inappropriate to report on success rates by research area and the numbers above will not represent the full scale of NIHR and UKRI activities.

The NIHR has established an expert mental health panel as part of the prioritisation process for Urgent Public Health Research. Prioritised mental health studies will have access to NIHR Clinical Research Network resources to support study delivery.

A broad range of National Health Service prescription charge exemptions are in place to help those with greatest need, including those on a low income.

The new FP10 NHS prescription form, which includes a tick box for Universal Credit claimants who meet the criteria for free prescriptions, has been in use since January. If a patient is waiting for a decision on their claim they should pay for their prescription and claim a refund of the charge from the NHS Business Services Authority once notified of their award by the Department for Work and Pensions.

People on a low income can seek help under the NHS Low Income Scheme, which provides help with health costs on an income-related basis.

Prescription charges are a valuable income source for the National Health Service, contributing £591.9 million in revenue for the financial year 2018/19, enabling more services to be provided for more people.

The Department has not made an assessment of individual accessibility. However, a National Health Service Medicine Delivery Service has been commissioned from both community pharmacies and dispensing doctors to ensure delivery of medicines to patients who have been identified as ‘shielded’ where they cannot identify a family member, friend or volunteer to collect them.

Other vulnerable patients, including those isolating, can also make use of volunteers to get their medicines delivered.

As testing technology has become more widespread, we know that some organisations and individuals are choosing to procure tests outside the NHS Test and Trace service.

The Department and the National Health Service are working with test manufacturers and test providers to ensure the private sector can offer testing services whilst ensuring NHS capacity is protected, so that everyone who needs a test can access one.

The Department does not regulate the cost of CE marked COVID-19 tests by private healthcare providers.

However, any individual with symptoms can access a COVID-19 test completely free of charge. Further information on those eligible for testing is available on GOV.UK at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested

Anyone concerned that a business is acting unfairly or taking advantage of the COVID-19 outbreak to make money is encouraged to contact the Competition and Markets Authority and report their concerns via the following link:

https://www.coronavirus-business-complaint.service.gov.uk/

Public Health England identifies and collects data on laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19. These data include demographic details such as date of birth, sex and postcode, which can be used to link with other datasets, such as the Hospital Episode Statistics datasets, in order to obtain additional information.

In response to the provisions in the Coronavirus Act 2020 in relation to death certification, the General Register Office/Home Office and the Office for National Statistics published revised guidance to medical practitioners completing medical certificates cause of death (MCCD) for a period of emergency. Medical practitioners are expected to state the cause of death to the best of their knowledge and belief. This guidance confirms that COVID-19 is an acceptable direct or underlying cause of death for the purposes of completing the MCCD.

The causes of death mentioned on the completed certificate are coded using the World Health Organization (WHO) International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). The WHO has introduced two new ICD-10 codes for COVID-19, code U07.1 meaning a confirmed case, and code U07.2 meaning a suspected case. These are allocated according to the words used on the death certificate.

As of 6 May 2020, a total number of 46,655 referrals have been made to the NHS Volunteer Responders programme of which 10,465 referrals have come from local authorities.

NHS Volunteer Responders have signed up to carry out four tasks including the community Response role which involves collecting shopping, medication or other essential supplies for someone who is self-isolating, the patient transport role which supports the National Health Service by providing transport to patients who are medically fit for discharge, the NHS transport role which involves transporting equipment, supplies or medication between NHS sites and the check-in and chat role which is short-term telephone support to individuals who are at risk of loneliness as a consequence of self-isolation.

We do not hold the data on task by referral but we can provide the number of each type of task carried out. The following table sets out the number of tasks that have been completed by NHS Volunteer Responders across the four categories of support as of 6 May.

It is the Government’s priority that the National Health Service has appropriate equipment to respond to COVID-19. This includes the provision of intensive care beds. The Department is working closely with NHS England and the devolved administrations to ensure this.

NHS England is looking at National Health Service organisations critical care capacity - including the use of independent sector providers where available. This includes making sure they have as much ventilation equipment as possible, as well as the trained and skilled personnel to use it.

Information on critical care bed capacity is published by NHS England and can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/critical-care-capacity/

It is the Government’s priority that the National Health Service has appropriate equipment to respond to Covid-19, this includes the provision of intensive care beds. The Department are working closely with the NHS England and the Devolved Administrations to ensure this.

NHS England routinely publishes information on Critical Care Bed Capacity which can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/critical-care-capacity/.

However, in response to Covid-19, some data collections have been suspended, which includes the one relating to Critical Care Bed Capacity. Further details can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/covid-19-and-the-production-of-statistics/.

Public Health England (PHE) recommends washing your hands more often than usual, for 20 seconds, with soap and water and using hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available. This will help prevent people from catching and spreading COVID-19.

Sector specific guidance includes advice on what organisations can do to reduce the spread of COVID-19 for example the use of announcements in transport hubs to reinforce key messages and supervising handwashing in young children in schools.

Our public health advice is published on gov.uk. Guidance for the transport sector and educational settings can be viewed at the following links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-staff-in-the-transport-sector/covid-19-guidance-for-staff-in-the-transport-sector

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19

The Government is communicating and working collaboratively across all departments and the provision of hand sanitiser is the responsibility of each establishment.

NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), but not staff working in primary care or in general practitioner surgeries, local authorities or other providers.

The attached table shows the number of mental health nurses employed at National Health Service trusts and CCGs at each band as at October 2019, the latest available data and at September each year since 2010.

There is no measure of the number of mental health nurses employed in NHS-funded services carried out in the private sector.

Skills for Care completed a survey of local authorities and found that there are an estimated 3,730 approved mental health professionals in England. This data can be found at the following link:

https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/adult-social-care-workforce-data/Workforce-intelligence/publications/Topics/Social-work/Approved-Mental-Health-Professional-workforce.aspx

The Department does not hold data for mental health social workers or independent mental health advocates.

NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), but not staff working in primary care or in general practitioner surgeries, local authorities or other providers.

The attached table shows the number of mental health nurses employed at National Health Service trusts and CCGs at each band as at October 2019, the latest available data and at September each year since 2010.

There is no measure of the number of mental health nurses employed in NHS-funded services carried out in the private sector.

Skills for Care completed a survey of local authorities and found that there are an estimated 3,730 approved mental health professionals in England. This data can be found at the following link:

https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/adult-social-care-workforce-data/Workforce-intelligence/publications/Topics/Social-work/Approved-Mental-Health-Professional-workforce.aspx

The Department does not hold data for mental health social workers or independent mental health advocates.

The first 59 mental health support teams are becoming operational as part of the first wave of 25 ‘trailblazer’ areas. In July 2019, NHS England confirmed a further 57 areas, where 123 new teams will be developed by early 2021. Further details are available at the following link:

www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/cyp/trailblazers/mh-support-teams/

The programme will roll-out to at least 20% to 25% of the country by 2023. What we have learned from the first waves will inform our approach.

The first 59 mental health support teams are becoming operational as part of the first wave of 25 ‘trailblazer’ areas. In July 2019, NHS England confirmed a further 57 areas, where 123 new teams will be developed by early 2021. Further details are available at the following link:

www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/cyp/trailblazers/mh-support-teams/

The programme will roll-out to at least 20% to 25% of the country by 2023. What we have learned from the first waves will inform our approach.

NHS England published in 2015 the Access and Waiting Time Standard for Children and Young People with an Eating Disorder Commissioning Guide. The guidance sets out the criteria for urgent or routine referral for children and young people with eating disorders. The publication is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/cyp-eating-disorders-access-waiting-time-standard-comm-guid.pdf

The National Health Service published the interim NHS People Plan on 3 June 2019. It sets out the long-term vision and immediate actions to meet the challenges of supply, reform, culture and leadership.

The final NHS People Plan will be published by the NHS in 2020 and will set out a clear framework for collective action on workforce priorities, with a focus on growing and retaining a well-skilled workforce across the whole NHS.

Twelve areas have been chosen to pilot a four-week waiting time for access to all children and young people’s mental health services. There are already two condition-specific waiting time standards that apply to children and young people with eating disorders or psychosis.

The current four-week waiting time pilots will test not only what it takes to achieve and maintain a four-week waiting time, but also how best to define and measure this access to specialist children and young people’s mental health services. The pilots will also evaluate the impact of a four-week waiting time on any other services and assess any impact on wider outcomes for children and young people. This will help inform any future decisions about a national waiting time standard for children and young people’s mental health services as a whole.

Twelve areas have been chosen to pilot a four-week waiting time for access to all children and young people’s mental health services. There are already two condition-specific waiting time standards that apply to children and young people with eating disorders or psychosis.

The current four-week waiting time pilots will test not only what it takes to achieve and maintain a four-week waiting time, but also how best to define and measure this access to specialist children and young people’s mental health services. The pilots will also evaluate the impact of a four-week waiting time on any other services and assess any impact on wider outcomes for children and young people. This will help inform any future decisions about a national waiting time standard for children and young people’s mental health services as a whole.

Neither the Department nor NHS Digital collect data on waiting times for access to mental health services for children and young people as a whole.

However, information is collected on waiting times for access for children and young people experiencing eating disorders or for any patients, including children and young people, experiencing a first episode of psychosis.

The NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan 2019/20 – 2023/24 sets out the increased funding and indicative workforce underpinning the NHS Long Term Plan commitments. This includes a projection of 345,000 additional children and young people aged 0-25 accessing support. This number is based on estimates of what the increase in workforce capacity will help achieve across the first five years of the Long Term Plan period, and are informed by practice in existing services.

As the Implementation Plan sets out, mental health care will be to the additional 345,000 through a wide range of new and enhanced services via National Health Service-funded mental health services and school- or college-based Mental Health Support Teams. NHS England is establishing a metric to monitor progress and will be testing this over the coming year.

Neither the Department nor NHS Digital collect data on waiting times for access to mental health services for children and young people as a whole.

However, information is collected on waiting times for access for children and young people experiencing eating disorders or for any patients, including children and young people, experiencing a first episode of psychosis.

On 18 July 2019 the Department announced that it would be asking the General Medical Council (GMC) to take forward the regulation of physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs).

Funding has been agreed with the GMC to carry out development work and we are working with the GMC and stakeholders to develop legislation to bring PAs and AAs into regulation.

We intend to consult on draft legislation later this year.

Extending prescribing responsibilities to a profession involves a separate legislative process to the introduction of statutory regulation and requires amendments to the Human Medicines Regulations. The process is jointly led by NHS England and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Once PAs and AAs have been brought into regulation, we will work with NHS England to consider allowing PAs and AAs to prescribe medicines where appropriate.

The Department is working with the General Medical Council (GMC), Health Education England (HEE) and other key stakeholders to ensure that there is adequate public and clinical understanding of the roles of physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs).

The GMC is developing a communications programme to raise awareness among doctors of the PA and AA roles. It is also holding a patient roundtable which will explain the role of PAs and AAs. The GMC will use the roundtable as an opportunity to ask patient organisations how best to raise the profile of PAs and AAs and develop patient understanding of what they do.

HEE has set up a Medical Associate Professions (MAP) Oversight Board which is developing a MAPs career framework to establish common standards for continuing professional development and a strong quality management framework.

On 18 July 2019 the Department announced that it would be asking the General Medical Council (GMC) to take forward the regulation of physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs).

Funding has been agreed with the GMC to carry out development work and we are working with the GMC and stakeholders to develop legislation to bring PAs and AAs into regulation.

We intend to consult on draft legislation later this year.

Extending prescribing responsibilities to a profession involves a separate legislative process to the introduction of statutory regulation and requires amendments to the Human Medicines Regulations. The process is jointly led by NHS England and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Once PAs and AAs have been brought into regulation, we will work with NHS England to consider allowing PAs and AAs to prescribe medicines where appropriate.

Physician associates (PAs) play an invaluable role in complementing and supporting doctors to provide safe, high-quality care to patients across the National Health Service as part of a multi-disciplinary team. PAs are central to the Government's policy to develop a stronger and more effective NHS workforce to meet future need.

As the General Medical Council will regulate both medical practitioners and PAs, it will have oversight of the education and training arrangements for both professions and will be able to monitor any impact on the training of junior doctors.

On 18 July 2019 the Department announced that it would be asking the General Medical Council (GMC) to take forward the regulation of physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs).

Funding has been agreed with the GMC to carry out development work and we are working with the GMC and stakeholders to develop legislation to bring PAs and AAs into regulation.

We intend to consult on draft legislation later this year.

Extending prescribing responsibilities to a profession involves a separate legislative process to the introduction of statutory regulation and requires amendments to the Human Medicines Regulations. The process is jointly led by NHS England and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Once PAs and AAs have been brought into regulation, we will work with NHS England to consider allowing PAs and AAs to prescribe medicines where appropriate.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Barnsley Central (Dan Jarvis MP) on 4 February 2020 to Question 12271.

We have launched a public information campaign, setting out how every member of the public can help to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom by taking simple steps to minimise the risk to themselves and their families: washing hands and using tissues when they sneeze, just as they would with flu.

We also have posters up at every international airport advising travellers on what to do should they develop symptoms, and we provide regularly updated guidance for the public at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public

The Department works closely with Public Health England and NHS England in all aspects of our response. We have also been working across government and with our partners in the devolved administrations since the beginning of the outbreak. We have coordinated cross governmental Ministerial and officials’ meetings to ensure and formulate a coherent response. These include the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Transport, Foreign Office and Home Office amongst many others.

We have collaborated with European Union partners on repatriation flights. 11 UK entitled persons were repatriated on a French flight and we have helped to bring a number of Spanish nationals out of Wuhan on the first of our two repatriation flights.

We are also in regular contact with colleagues in the EU through meetings such as the Global Health Security Initiative and the Early Warning and Response System (EWRS).

Public Health England ensure that someone with coronavirus does not put others at risk by treating them in isolation and carefully investigating who they had close contact with.

The Department has made £40 million available to fund Covid-19 related research and speed up the development of a vaccine. However, as the incident remains ongoing it is too early to state the total cost to the public purse and more broadly the number of staff and or equipment required to respond to the incident.

We have launched a public information campaign, setting out how every member of the public can help to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom by taking simple steps to minimise the risk to themselves and their families: washing hands and using tissues when they sneeze, just as they would with flu.

We also have posters up at every international airport advising travellers on what to do should they develop symptoms, and we provide regularly updated guidance for the public at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public

The Department works closely with Public Health England and NHS England in all aspects of our response. We have also been working across government and with our partners in the devolved administrations since the beginning of the outbreak. We have coordinated cross governmental Ministerial and officials’ meetings to ensure and formulate a coherent response. These include the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Transport, Foreign Office and Home Office amongst many others.

We have collaborated with European Union partners on repatriation flights. 11 UK entitled persons were repatriated on a French flight and we have helped to bring a number of Spanish nationals out of Wuhan on the first of our two repatriation flights.

We are also in regular contact with colleagues in the EU through meetings such as the Global Health Security Initiative and the Early Warning and Response System (EWRS).

Public Health England ensure that someone with coronavirus does not put others at risk by treating them in isolation and carefully investigating who they had close contact with.

The Department has made £40 million available to fund Covid-19 related research and speed up the development of a vaccine. However, as the incident remains ongoing it is too early to state the total cost to the public purse and more broadly the number of staff and or equipment required to respond to the incident.

We have launched a public information campaign, setting out how every member of the public can help to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom by taking simple steps to minimise the risk to themselves and their families: washing hands and using tissues when they sneeze, just as they would with flu.

We also have posters up at every international airport advising travellers on what to do should they develop symptoms, and we provide regularly updated guidance for the public at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public

The Department works closely with Public Health England and NHS England in all aspects of our response. We have also been working across government and with our partners in the devolved administrations since the beginning of the outbreak. We have coordinated cross governmental Ministerial and officials’ meetings to ensure and formulate a coherent response. These include the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Transport, Foreign Office and Home Office amongst many others.

We have collaborated with European Union partners on repatriation flights. 11 UK entitled persons were repatriated on a French flight and we have helped to bring a number of Spanish nationals out of Wuhan on the first of our two repatriation flights.

We are also in regular contact with colleagues in the EU through meetings such as the Global Health Security Initiative and the Early Warning and Response System (EWRS).

Public Health England ensure that someone with coronavirus does not put others at risk by treating them in isolation and carefully investigating who they had close contact with.

The Department has made £40 million available to fund Covid-19 related research and speed up the development of a vaccine. However, as the incident remains ongoing it is too early to state the total cost to the public purse and more broadly the number of staff and or equipment required to respond to the incident.

We have launched a public information campaign, setting out how every member of the public can help to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom by taking simple steps to minimise the risk to themselves and their families: washing hands and using tissues when they sneeze, just as they would with flu.

We also have posters up at every international airport advising travellers on what to do should they develop symptoms, and we provide regularly updated guidance for the public at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public

The Department works closely with Public Health England and NHS England in all aspects of our response. We have also been working across government and with our partners in the devolved administrations since the beginning of the outbreak. We have coordinated cross governmental Ministerial and officials’ meetings to ensure and formulate a coherent response. These include the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Transport, Foreign Office and Home Office amongst many others.

We have collaborated with European Union partners on repatriation flights. 11 UK entitled persons were repatriated on a French flight and we have helped to bring a number of Spanish nationals out of Wuhan on the first of our two repatriation flights.

We are also in regular contact with colleagues in the EU through meetings such as the Global Health Security Initiative and the Early Warning and Response System (EWRS).

Public Health England ensure that someone with coronavirus does not put others at risk by treating them in isolation and carefully investigating who they had close contact with.

The Department has made £40 million available to fund Covid-19 related research and speed up the development of a vaccine. However, as the incident remains ongoing it is too early to state the total cost to the public purse and more broadly the number of staff and or equipment required to respond to the incident.

From September 2020 eligible paramedic science students will receive a non-repayable annual maintenance grant of at least £5,000 per academic year¹. Some students may also be eligible for additional funding, including non-repayable financial support to help with childcare costs.

Eligible students can also claim some costs associated with clinical placement and an exceptional hardship fund of up to £3,000 per year. Further detail is available at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/learning-support-fund

Paramedic science students will still have access to tuition fee and maintenance loans and any other additional support that they may be eligible from Student Finance England.

The Department is leading work with its delivery partners on options for potential additional student funding for some healthcare students in geographical areas which are facing recruitment challenges. Further information will be published as soon as possible.

Note:

¹https://www.gov.uk/government/news/paramedic-students-will-get-5000-support-payment-each-year

We have launched a public information campaign, setting out how every member of the public can help to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom by taking simple steps to minimise the risk to themselves and their families: washing hands and using tissues when they sneeze, just as they would with flu.

We also have posters up at every international airport advising travellers on what to do should they develop symptoms, and we provide regularly updated guidance for the public at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public

The Department works closely with Public Health England and NHS England in all aspects of our response. We have also been working across government and with our partners in the devolved administrations since the beginning of the outbreak. We have coordinated cross governmental Ministerial and officials’ meetings to ensure and formulate a coherent response. These include the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Transport, Foreign Office and Home Office amongst many others.

We have collaborated with European Union partners on repatriation flights. 11 UK entitled persons were repatriated on a French flight and we have helped to bring a number of Spanish nationals out of Wuhan on the first of our two repatriation flights.

We are also in regular contact with colleagues in the EU through meetings such as the Global Health Security Initiative and the Early Warning and Response System (EWRS).

Public Health England ensure that someone with coronavirus does not put others at risk by treating them in isolation and carefully investigating who they had close contact with.

The Department has made £40 million available to fund Covid-19 related research and speed up the development of a vaccine. However, as the incident remains ongoing it is too early to state the total cost to the public purse and more broadly the number of staff and or equipment required to respond to the incident.

We have launched a public information campaign, setting out how every member of the public can help to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom by taking simple steps to minimise the risk to themselves and their families: washing hands and using tissues when they sneeze, just as they would with flu.

We also have posters up at every international airport advising travellers on what to do should they develop symptoms, and we provide regularly updated guidance for the public at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public

The Department works closely with Public Health England and NHS England in all aspects of our response. We have also been working across government and with our partners in the devolved administrations since the beginning of the outbreak. We have coordinated cross governmental Ministerial and officials’ meetings to ensure and formulate a coherent response. These include the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Transport, Foreign Office and Home Office amongst many others.

We have collaborated with European Union partners on repatriation flights. 11 UK entitled persons were repatriated on a French flight and we have helped to bring a number of Spanish nationals out of Wuhan on the first of our two repatriation flights.

We are also in regular contact with colleagues in the EU through meetings such as the Global Health Security Initiative and the Early Warning and Response System (EWRS).

Public Health England ensure that someone with coronavirus does not put others at risk by treating them in isolation and carefully investigating who they had close contact with.

The Department has made £40 million available to fund Covid-19 related research and speed up the development of a vaccine. However, as the incident remains ongoing it is too early to state the total cost to the public purse and more broadly the number of staff and or equipment required to respond to the incident.

We have launched a public information campaign, setting out how every member of the public can help to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom by taking simple steps to minimise the risk to themselves and their families: washing hands and using tissues when they sneeze, just as they would with flu.

We also have posters up at every international airport advising travellers on what to do should they develop symptoms, and we provide regularly updated guidance for the public at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public

The Department works closely with Public Health England and NHS England in all aspects of our response. We have also been working across government and with our partners in the devolved administrations since the beginning of the outbreak. We have coordinated cross governmental Ministerial and officials’ meetings to ensure and formulate a coherent response. These include the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Transport, Foreign Office and Home Office amongst many others.

We have collaborated with European Union partners on repatriation flights. 11 UK entitled persons were repatriated on a French flight and we have helped to bring a number of Spanish nationals out of Wuhan on the first of our two repatriation flights.

We are also in regular contact with colleagues in the EU through meetings such as the Global Health Security Initiative and the Early Warning and Response System (EWRS).

Public Health England ensure that someone with coronavirus does not put others at risk by treating them in isolation and carefully investigating who they had close contact with.

The Department has made £40 million available to fund Covid-19 related research and speed up the development of a vaccine. However, as the incident remains ongoing it is too early to state the total cost to the public purse and more broadly the number of staff and or equipment required to respond to the incident.

We have launched a public information campaign, setting out how every member of the public can help to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom by taking simple steps to minimise the risk to themselves and their families: washing hands and using tissues when they sneeze, just as they would with flu.

We also have posters up at every international airport advising travellers on what to do should they develop symptoms, and we provide regularly updated guidance for the public at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public

The Department works closely with Public Health England and NHS England in all aspects of our response. We have also been working across government and with our partners in the devolved administrations since the beginning of the outbreak. We have coordinated cross governmental Ministerial and officials’ meetings to ensure and formulate a coherent response. These include the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Transport, Foreign Office and Home Office amongst many others.

We have collaborated with European Union partners on repatriation flights. 11 UK entitled persons were repatriated on a French flight and we have helped to bring a number of Spanish nationals out of Wuhan on the first of our two repatriation flights.

We are also in regular contact with colleagues in the EU through meetings such as the Global Health Security Initiative and the Early Warning and Response System (EWRS).

Public Health England ensure that someone with coronavirus does not put others at risk by treating them in isolation and carefully investigating who they had close contact with.

The Department has made £40 million available to fund Covid-19 related research and speed up the development of a vaccine. However, as the incident remains ongoing it is too early to state the total cost to the public purse and more broadly the number of staff and or equipment required to respond to the incident.

The information is not collected in the format requested.

The Children’s Commissioner’s report acknowledges that there have been significant improvements in access to specialist children’s mental health services. The Government is committed to building on this to ensure children get the support they need.

The NHS Long Term Plan commits to ensuring at least an additional 345,000 children and young people aged 0-25 can access mental health support by 2023/24, including new Mental Health Support Teams in and near groups of schools and colleges. These teams will cover 20 – 25% of the country by 2023/24.

The information is not collected in the format requested. However, we have introduced two waiting times for children and young people: for 95% of children (up to 19 years old) with eating disorders to receive treatment within a week for urgent cases and four weeks for routine cases, and for 56% of patients of all ages experiencing a first episode of psychosis to receive treatment within two weeks of referral. We are on target to meet these aims by 2020/21.

Quarterly data and trend indicators on these two waiting time targets is available through the Mental Health Five Year Forward View Dashboard.

A national access and waiting times standard for wider child and adolescent mental health services has not yet been defined.

The information is not collected in the format requested. However, we have introduced two waiting times for children and young people: for 95% of children (up to 19 years old) with eating disorders to receive treatment within a week for urgent cases and four weeks for routine cases, and for 56% of patients of all ages experiencing a first episode of psychosis to receive treatment within two weeks of referral. We are on target to meet these aims by 2020/21.

Quarterly data and trend indicators on these two waiting time targets is available through the Mental Health Five Year Forward View Dashboard.

A national access and waiting times standard for wider child and adolescent mental health services has not yet been defined.

The information is not collected in the format requested. However, we have introduced two waiting times for children and young people: for 95% of children (up to 19 years old) with eating disorders to receive treatment within a week for urgent cases and four weeks for routine cases, and for 56% of patients of all ages experiencing a first episode of psychosis to receive treatment within two weeks of referral. We are on target to meet these aims by 2020/21.

Quarterly data and trend indicators on these two waiting time targets is available through the Mental Health Five Year Forward View Dashboard.

A national access and waiting times standard for wider child and adolescent mental health services has not yet been defined.

The information is not collected in the format requested. However, we have introduced two waiting times for children and young people: for 95% of children (up to 19 years old) with eating disorders to receive treatment within a week for urgent cases and four weeks for routine cases, and for 56% of patients of all ages experiencing a first episode of psychosis to receive treatment within two weeks of referral. We are on target to meet these aims by 2020/21.

Quarterly data and trend indicators on these two waiting time targets is available through the Mental Health Five Year Forward View Dashboard.

A national access and waiting times standard for wider child and adolescent mental health services has not yet been defined.