Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Nicholas Soames, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Nicholas Soames has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Nicholas Soames has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act 2018 - Private Members' Bill (Ballot Bill)
Sponsor - Kevin Hollinrake (CON)
School Holidays (Meals and Activities) Bill 2017-19 - Private Members' Bill (Presentation Bill)
Sponsor - Lord Field of Birkenhead (CB)
The Ministerial Code was updated and reissued in January 2018. As the Code already makes clear, Ministers are expected to behave in a way that upholds the highest standards of propriety, and the Code expressly should be read against the background of the overarching duty on Ministers to comply with the law, uphold collective responsibility and to protect the integrity of public life.
The Government assesses the most significant risks to the UK and our interests through the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA).The NSRA is used to inform the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review. Copies are available in the libraries of the House.
I refer the right hon. Member to my speech on 20 April and which is available on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-speaks-at-commonwealth-press-conference-20-april-2018
Details of Trade Envoys can be found on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/trade-envoys
Small modular reactors (SMRs) are a relatively new technology for civil nuclear power generation and whilst a small number of bespoke “small” reactors have been built and operated, no true SMRs have yet reached demonstration or deployment.
At Autumn Statement 2015 Government announced it would launch a competition to identify the best value SMR design for the UK. In March 2016 the first phase of the competition was launched. This phase will include structured engagement with technology developers, utilities, potential investors, funders and other parties interested in developing, commercialising and financing SMRs in the UK to inform subsequent stages of the competition. This is the beginning of a process that will enable bids from interested parties in subsequent phases of the competition.
As we are still in the early stages of the competitive process no decision has yet been made on a potential SMR design or levels of deployment.
Neodymium and dysprosium are rare earth elements, which means that they are included on the EU’s list of critical raw materials because of their high economic importance and high supply risk. Tellurium is not on that list but the Government is aware of its scarcity and importance to manufacturing of alloys and some electronic equipment. The UK is working with European partners and others in global organisations to ensure that there is sufficient supply in the future that is available in accordance global trade rules.
A full list of all the projects funded by European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund in the South East since 2007 are provided on the GOV.UK site.
The total value of grants awarded to organisations in the South East from the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) 2007-2013 was €1,175.3 million (figure correct at 11/11/2015). The total value of grants awarded to organisations in the South East under the Horizon 2020 (2014-2020) programme is €246.5 million (figure correct at 29/10/2015). The figures for both programmes include grants that were awarded under the complementary Euratom research and training activities programme.
The planned budgets (2016/17 to 2020/21) and locations of the four Centres for Agricultural Innovation are:
Centre for Crop Health and Protection (CHAP) - headquarters in York at the National AgriFood Innovation Campus in Sand Hutton
16/17 | 17/18 | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | |
£m | 6.5 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock (CIEL) - headquarters in York at the National AgriFood Innovation Campus in Sand Hutton
16/17 | 17/18 | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | |
£m | 8.6 | 6.0 | 4.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Agricultural Engineering Precision Innovation Centre (Agri-EPI) - hubs in Edinburgh, Harper Adams University (Shropshire) and Cranfield University (Bedfordshire)
16/17 | 17/18 | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | |
£m | 5.3 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Centre for Agricultural Informatics (Agrimetrics) - headquarters in Harpenden (Hertfordshire) at Rothamsted Research
16/17 | 17/18 | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | |
£m | 3.2 | 2.9 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
UK Trade and Investment’s (UKTI) Regeneration Investment Organisation is promoting the Royal Haslar Hospital site for international investment. To date, no investment has been attracted into the site by UKTI.
There continues to be good progress on the free trade agreement currently being negotiated between the EU and US, also known as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), in particular on the technical work which would underpin the final deal.The next negotiating round is taking place 19-23 October in the US.
A trade and investment agreement between the EU and US offers an enormous economic benefit in jobs, investment and lower prices, worth potentially £10 billion a year to the UK Our ambition remains to reach political agreement during the Obama administration and this goal has been given renewed impetus by the completion of the Trans Pacific Partnership.
Information on apprenticeship starts in each academic year by sector framework is published in a supplementary table (first link) to a Statistical First Release (SFR) at the FE Data Library (second link).
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fe-data-library-apprenticeships
Apprenticeship data are not available by industrial sector or financial year. Within an industry a learner may undertake a wide range of apprenticeship frameworks.
Cogent Skills, the industry strategic body for skills in the science industries, estimates that full time equivalent employment in the nuclear industry and its supply chain in the years requested was as follows:
The Nuclear Industry Council (NIC) runs an annual Nuclear Workforce Assessment (NWA) initiative to gather labour market intelligence from the nuclear industry. The development of robust labour market intelligence is vital to ensuring that government, employers, and skills bodies have a clear view of the future skill demands of the UK nuclear programme, and the existing skills base.
The 2014 NWA shows that the average age of the workforce from the 38 companies included was 40-44.
http://www.nsan.co.uk/system/files/furtherinfo/Nuclear%20Workforce%20Assessment%202014_141222.pdf.
The Government publishes comprehensive information about export licences granted and refused on gov.uk. The most recently published information covers the period until 31 March 2015.
Since April 2010 782 licences have been granted for export of military goods and technology to Saudi Arabia. The end-use of each such licence could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
All export licences are issued in strict accordance with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.
In 2014, following restrictions imposed by Russia, total food, feed and drink exports to Russia totalled £93.7million, a 29.3 per cent drop compared to 2013.
Exports to Russia in these sectors accounted for around one per cent of the UK’s total global exports in these sectors, which amounted to £18.8 billion in 2014. We estimate that the total number of exports to Russia in these sectors had fallen by £39 million.
The ban on cleaning products was announced on 25 August 2015. It is too early to see any impact on UK exporters, but we will continue to monitor the situation.
This Government is committed to ensuring the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) workforce is diverse, reflects wider society and makes use of all the talents available to it, including those from low income backgrounds.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) funds and works with partners on a number of programmes which encourage a diverse range of people into STEM. BIS established a programme jointly run by the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering aimed at understanding and addressing issues of diversity in the STEM workforce.
As part of this programme the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Diversity Steering group recently launched their Engineering Engagement Programme. The programme aims to increase the number of people from low income backgrounds, women and black and minority ethnic backgrounds in engineering by changing the way employers recruit engineers.
Over the last Parliament, the Statements of New Regulation set out the regulations introduced and removed, and the costs and savings this achieved for business. The Ninth Statement of New Regulation gives the overall account of measures introduced 2010- 2015 and their costs and savings. This can be found on the Gov.UK website.
Over the last Parliament, the Statements of New Regulation set out the regulations introduced and removed, and the costs and savings this achieved for business. The Ninth Statement of New Regulation gives the overall account of measures introduced 2010- 2015 and their costs and savings. This can be found on the Gov.UK website.
My Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister is leading a whole-of-government approach to increase UK exports. An Exports Implementation Taskforce has been established to monitor and drive delivery. Chaired by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Taskforce meets every two weeks and reports to the Prime Minister and Cabinet quarterly.
My Department is working with Innovate UK to ensure that the best possible information and support is available for businesses that stand to gain from participation in the €79bn Horizon 2020 programme. Innovate UK’s support now includes National Contact Points providing advice to applicants and the Knowledge Transfer Network helping companies to identify suitable opportunities. The Catapult centres and other research and technology organisations also have an important role to play in helping build consortia and coordinate project applications.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills works with its partners to ensure investments are directed to areas in which the UK excels and has potential to excel. UK Trade and Investment helps identify foreign markets of strategic importance. Innovate UK and the Catapult Centres work to commercialise new and emerging technologies in areas where there are significant global market opportunities and a critical mass of UK capability. Through the recently announced Science and Innovation Audits, the Government will work with universities, cities, Local Enterprise Partnerships and businesses to map strengths and identify potential areas of strategic focus for different areas.
Zombie companies are companies that are allowed by banks to delay repayment of a loan so that they effectively only pay the interest due rather than the full loan amount. Bank of England analysis of this ‘loan forbearance’ suggests that only a relatively small proportion of small businesses are in receipt of any form of forbearance (around 6% of SME borrowers in 2013). The Bank concludes that forbearance by banks on loans to small businesses would therefore appear to account for only a small proportion of the weakness in aggregate UK productivity. The Bank’s analysis was published in the Bank’s quarterly bulletin which can be found on the Bank of England’s website.
The paragraph relates to professional and technical qualifications which are eligible for government funding and/or for inclusion in school performance tables. Since 2011, the government has applied more rigorous criteria for these, based on relevance to the needs of learners and employers and on demand from learners. As a result, the number of qualifications eligible for funding for learners aged 19 and over has been reduced from 10,000 in 2012 to 4,400 in the 2015-16 academic year; and the number included in 16-18 performance tables from 4,433 in 2013 to 321 in 2015-16.
We intend to continue the process of simplifying and streamlining the system and, as the Productivity Plan says, we will set out more details of our reforms in the autumn.
We are not aware of any studies into the link between employee ownership and national productivity. Research published in 2014 by the Employee Ownership Association showed that businesses with employee ownership (where employees have both a meaningful financial stake and a say in how the business is run) had a year-on-year increase in productivity of 4.5%.
The Government worked closely with experts, including from the Employee Ownership Association, in delivering the 2012 Nuttall Recommendations to reduce barriers to increasing the number of employee ownership businesses. This work was completed in 2014.
I refer my Rt hon. Friend to the answer I gave to him on 22 June 2015 to Question UIN 2838.
I can also confirm that UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) aims to identify and promote higher value and better quality inward investment projects to generate maximum benefits for the UK. UKTI uses an internal, multi-indicator framework to determine the relative value of all foreign direct investment projects UKTI teams support. These indicators include: total financial value of investment, total number and average salary of new jobs created, Research and Development element involved in investment, HQ function and the role of the UK site, type and quality of the investor and export potential of the investment.
Whilst no assessment has been made of the impact of foreign ownership in the aerospace sector on productivity, ONS labour productivity statistics from Q4 2014 show that productivity in the transport equipment sector, which includes aerospace, has been strong relative to the rest of the economy both before and after the financial crisis[1]. Since 2008, output per hour in the sector has grown at a rate of 5% per year. This was the highest rate of growth of any sector in the economy.
[1] ONS (2015) Labour Productivity, Q4 2014
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/productivity/labour-productivity/q4-2014/stbq414.html
The Government is considering what further steps would be appropriate to encourage a culture of long-term investment on the part of UK companies and their shareholders. This is important in driving UK productivity and ensuring sustainable economic growth.
We will seek to build on significant progress made in the last Parliament, which included improvements to corporate reporting, and work with companies and investors to encourage the development of good practice for shareholder engagement and stewardship.
Approximately 40% of the UK aerospace sector by employment is foreign owned[1].
Most of the world’s leading aerospace companies have a presence in the UK, including those headquartered overseas.
[1] BIS analysis of the ONS Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR) looking at the ultimate parent of a company to determine ownership
The UK’s traditional openness to trade and investment has served us well. This is increasingly important in a global economy where we compete for new investment and capital.
Certain investments, which may include those by state-owned enterprises or sovereign wealth funds, will be considered by the relevant competition authorities to assess whether they raise competition concerns. If a particular case gives rise to legitimate matters of public interest other than competition, UK Ministers have formal powers to intervene. In addition, the Takeover Panel has effective disciplinary powers and enforcement powers which can be used if it believes the Takeover Code has been contravened.
The UK Government currently invests well over £100 million in graphene research, training and innovation. This includes £50m Government capital investment to build national capability to support the commercialisation of applications for graphene (pledged by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, in October 2011), £34m for graphene innovation capability and over £24m in EPSRC research and training grants across UK universities.
The National Graphene Institute (NGI) at the University of Manchester is a key element of the UK’s global research and technology graphene hub to build national capability to support the commercialisation of applications for graphene. The NGI is a resource for research groups and businesses across the UK to facilitate collaborative work where appropriate. It has received funding of £38 million of the £50m capital funds from the UK Government via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), alongside £23 million of funds from the European Regional Development Fund to help accelerate the commercialisation of graphene. The NGI was officially opened by the Chancellor, the Rt Hon George Osborne, on 20 March 2015.
UK Government funding for the NGI |
2011/12 |
2012/13 |
2013/14 |
2014/15 |
Capital | £1.35m | £2.33m | £22.64m | £11.68m |
More than 35 companies from across the world have already chosen to partner with The University of Manchester working on graphene-related projects. University of Manchester researchers have also secured £9.5 million from EPSRC for ‘Graphene Engineering’ research projects and a Centre for Doctoral Training focussed on developing world-leading expertise in the science and technology of graphene.
In 2014, Innovate UK and EPSRC invested £2.5m in feasibility studies to accelerate commercial applications of graphene. The competition invested in projects that explored the potential of graphene to yield new products that could disrupt markets.
To build UK capacity in this area, £34m has been invested into graphene innovation capability. In 2014, £20m funding was announced (including £15m from HEFCE UK Research Partnership Investment Fund and £5m from Innovate UK) towards a £60m investment in Manchester called the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), which is co-funded by the Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar. UK Trade and Investment worked alongside Manchester City Council and the University of Manchester to secure this investment. Set to open in Manchester in 2017, the GEIC will complement the NGI and initiate further industry-led development in graphene applications with academic collaboration. The GEIC will contain substantial pilot production facilities and will be a leading test-bed for graphene process engineering and scale-up. It will link with international programmes for research project support, such as the €1 billion European Union Graphene Flagship.
Also in 2014, the Chancellor announced a £14 million investment for a “Graphene Applications Innovation Centre” to be based at the Centre for Process Innovation in the north-east of England (part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult).
Subject to the availability of funding following the Spending Review, Innovate UK intends to further support business-led innovation in graphene by running competitions to accelerate the commercial applications of graphene. An efficient, longer-lasting ‘graphene lightbulb’, developed by a University of Manchester spin-out company, is believed to be the first commercial application of graphene to emerge from the UK.
In 2014, Innovate UK set up a Graphene Special Interest Group (SIG) to provide leadership and a focal point for the exploitation of graphene by UK industry and to help connect and align the developing UK graphene value chain. A scoping document produced for the Graphene SIG examined time to market for key graphene-enabled technologies, it can be found at:
https://connect.innovateuk.org/documents/10660253/14368155/Graphene%20Think%20Piece_Oct2013
The table below shows the number of published patent applications in the UK (filed by applicants based anywhere in the world) and the total number worldwide.
UK publications | Total Worldwide publications | |
2011 | 13 | 2209 |
2012 | 36 | 4573 |
2013 | 62 | 7361 |
2014 | 59 | 9203 |
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) does not hold worldwide patent data so this has been extracted from an external database, as used in the IPO’s 2015 graphene patent landscape report available from
The UK Government currently invests well over £100 million in graphene research, training and innovation. This includes £50m Government capital investment to build national capability to support the commercialisation of applications for graphene (pledged by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, in October 2011), £34m for graphene innovation capability and over £24m in EPSRC research and training grants across UK universities.
The National Graphene Institute (NGI) at the University of Manchester is a key element of the UK’s global research and technology graphene hub to build national capability to support the commercialisation of applications for graphene. The NGI is a resource for research groups and businesses across the UK to facilitate collaborative work where appropriate. It has received funding of £38 million of the £50m capital funds from the UK Government via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), alongside £23 million of funds from the European Regional Development Fund to help accelerate the commercialisation of graphene. The NGI was officially opened by the Chancellor, the Rt Hon George Osborne, on 20 March 2015.
UK Government funding for the NGI |
2011/12 |
2012/13 |
2013/14 |
2014/15 |
Capital | £1.35m | £2.33m | £22.64m | £11.68m |
More than 35 companies from across the world have already chosen to partner with The University of Manchester working on graphene-related projects. University of Manchester researchers have also secured £9.5 million from EPSRC for ‘Graphene Engineering’ research projects and a Centre for Doctoral Training focussed on developing world-leading expertise in the science and technology of graphene.
In 2014, Innovate UK and EPSRC invested £2.5m in feasibility studies to accelerate commercial applications of graphene. The competition invested in projects that explored the potential of graphene to yield new products that could disrupt markets.
To build UK capacity in this area, £34m has been invested into graphene innovation capability. In 2014, £20m funding was announced (including £15m from HEFCE UK Research Partnership Investment Fund and £5m from Innovate UK) towards a £60m investment in Manchester called the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), which is co-funded by the Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar. UK Trade and Investment worked alongside Manchester City Council and the University of Manchester to secure this investment. Set to open in Manchester in 2017, the GEIC will complement the NGI and initiate further industry-led development in graphene applications with academic collaboration. The GEIC will contain substantial pilot production facilities and will be a leading test-bed for graphene process engineering and scale-up. It will link with international programmes for research project support, such as the €1 billion European Union Graphene Flagship.
Also in 2014, the Chancellor announced a £14 million investment for a “Graphene Applications Innovation Centre” to be based at the Centre for Process Innovation in the north-east of England (part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult).
Subject to the availability of funding following the Spending Review, Innovate UK intends to further support business-led innovation in graphene by running competitions to accelerate the commercial applications of graphene. An efficient, longer-lasting ‘graphene lightbulb’, developed by a University of Manchester spin-out company, is believed to be the first commercial application of graphene to emerge from the UK.
In 2014, Innovate UK set up a Graphene Special Interest Group (SIG) to provide leadership and a focal point for the exploitation of graphene by UK industry and to help connect and align the developing UK graphene value chain. A scoping document produced for the Graphene SIG examined time to market for key graphene-enabled technologies, it can be found at:
https://connect.innovateuk.org/documents/10660253/14368155/Graphene%20Think%20Piece_Oct2013
The table below shows the number of published patent applications in the UK (filed by applicants based anywhere in the world) and the total number worldwide.
UK publications | Total Worldwide publications | |
2011 | 13 | 2209 |
2012 | 36 | 4573 |
2013 | 62 | 7361 |
2014 | 59 | 9203 |
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) does not hold worldwide patent data so this has been extracted from an external database, as used in the IPO’s 2015 graphene patent landscape report available from
The UK Government currently invests well over £100 million in graphene research, training and innovation. This includes £50m Government capital investment to build national capability to support the commercialisation of applications for graphene (pledged by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, in October 2011), £34m for graphene innovation capability and over £24m in EPSRC research and training grants across UK universities.
The National Graphene Institute (NGI) at the University of Manchester is a key element of the UK’s global research and technology graphene hub to build national capability to support the commercialisation of applications for graphene. The NGI is a resource for research groups and businesses across the UK to facilitate collaborative work where appropriate. It has received funding of £38 million of the £50m capital funds from the UK Government via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), alongside £23 million of funds from the European Regional Development Fund to help accelerate the commercialisation of graphene. The NGI was officially opened by the Chancellor, the Rt Hon George Osborne, on 20 March 2015.
UK Government funding for the NGI |
2011/12 |
2012/13 |
2013/14 |
2014/15 |
Capital | £1.35m | £2.33m | £22.64m | £11.68m |
More than 35 companies from across the world have already chosen to partner with The University of Manchester working on graphene-related projects. University of Manchester researchers have also secured £9.5 million from EPSRC for ‘Graphene Engineering’ research projects and a Centre for Doctoral Training focussed on developing world-leading expertise in the science and technology of graphene.
In 2014, Innovate UK and EPSRC invested £2.5m in feasibility studies to accelerate commercial applications of graphene. The competition invested in projects that explored the potential of graphene to yield new products that could disrupt markets.
To build UK capacity in this area, £34m has been invested into graphene innovation capability. In 2014, £20m funding was announced (including £15m from HEFCE UK Research Partnership Investment Fund and £5m from Innovate UK) towards a £60m investment in Manchester called the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), which is co-funded by the Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar. UK Trade and Investment worked alongside Manchester City Council and the University of Manchester to secure this investment. Set to open in Manchester in 2017, the GEIC will complement the NGI and initiate further industry-led development in graphene applications with academic collaboration. The GEIC will contain substantial pilot production facilities and will be a leading test-bed for graphene process engineering and scale-up. It will link with international programmes for research project support, such as the €1 billion European Union Graphene Flagship.
Also in 2014, the Chancellor announced a £14 million investment for a “Graphene Applications Innovation Centre” to be based at the Centre for Process Innovation in the north-east of England (part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult).
Subject to the availability of funding following the Spending Review, Innovate UK intends to further support business-led innovation in graphene by running competitions to accelerate the commercial applications of graphene. An efficient, longer-lasting ‘graphene lightbulb’, developed by a University of Manchester spin-out company, is believed to be the first commercial application of graphene to emerge from the UK.
In 2014, Innovate UK set up a Graphene Special Interest Group (SIG) to provide leadership and a focal point for the exploitation of graphene by UK industry and to help connect and align the developing UK graphene value chain. A scoping document produced for the Graphene SIG examined time to market for key graphene-enabled technologies, it can be found at:
https://connect.innovateuk.org/documents/10660253/14368155/Graphene%20Think%20Piece_Oct2013
The table below shows the number of published patent applications in the UK (filed by applicants based anywhere in the world) and the total number worldwide.
UK publications | Total Worldwide publications | |
2011 | 13 | 2209 |
2012 | 36 | 4573 |
2013 | 62 | 7361 |
2014 | 59 | 9203 |
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) does not hold worldwide patent data so this has been extracted from an external database, as used in the IPO’s 2015 graphene patent landscape report available from
The UK Government currently invests well over £100 million in graphene research, training and innovation. This includes £50m Government capital investment to build national capability to support the commercialisation of applications for graphene (pledged by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, in October 2011), £34m for graphene innovation capability and over £24m in EPSRC research and training grants across UK universities.
The National Graphene Institute (NGI) at the University of Manchester is a key element of the UK’s global research and technology graphene hub to build national capability to support the commercialisation of applications for graphene. The NGI is a resource for research groups and businesses across the UK to facilitate collaborative work where appropriate. It has received funding of £38 million of the £50m capital funds from the UK Government via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), alongside £23 million of funds from the European Regional Development Fund to help accelerate the commercialisation of graphene. The NGI was officially opened by the Chancellor, the Rt Hon George Osborne, on 20 March 2015.
UK Government funding for the NGI |
2011/12 |
2012/13 |
2013/14 |
2014/15 |
Capital | £1.35m | £2.33m | £22.64m | £11.68m |
More than 35 companies from across the world have already chosen to partner with The University of Manchester working on graphene-related projects. University of Manchester researchers have also secured £9.5 million from EPSRC for ‘Graphene Engineering’ research projects and a Centre for Doctoral Training focussed on developing world-leading expertise in the science and technology of graphene.
In 2014, Innovate UK and EPSRC invested £2.5m in feasibility studies to accelerate commercial applications of graphene. The competition invested in projects that explored the potential of graphene to yield new products that could disrupt markets.
To build UK capacity in this area, £34m has been invested into graphene innovation capability. In 2014, £20m funding was announced (including £15m from HEFCE UK Research Partnership Investment Fund and £5m from Innovate UK) towards a £60m investment in Manchester called the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), which is co-funded by the Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar. UK Trade and Investment worked alongside Manchester City Council and the University of Manchester to secure this investment. Set to open in Manchester in 2017, the GEIC will complement the NGI and initiate further industry-led development in graphene applications with academic collaboration. The GEIC will contain substantial pilot production facilities and will be a leading test-bed for graphene process engineering and scale-up. It will link with international programmes for research project support, such as the €1 billion European Union Graphene Flagship.
Also in 2014, the Chancellor announced a £14 million investment for a “Graphene Applications Innovation Centre” to be based at the Centre for Process Innovation in the north-east of England (part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult).
Subject to the availability of funding following the Spending Review, Innovate UK intends to further support business-led innovation in graphene by running competitions to accelerate the commercial applications of graphene. An efficient, longer-lasting ‘graphene lightbulb’, developed by a University of Manchester spin-out company, is believed to be the first commercial application of graphene to emerge from the UK.
In 2014, Innovate UK set up a Graphene Special Interest Group (SIG) to provide leadership and a focal point for the exploitation of graphene by UK industry and to help connect and align the developing UK graphene value chain. A scoping document produced for the Graphene SIG examined time to market for key graphene-enabled technologies, it can be found at:
https://connect.innovateuk.org/documents/10660253/14368155/Graphene%20Think%20Piece_Oct2013
The table below shows the number of published patent applications in the UK (filed by applicants based anywhere in the world) and the total number worldwide.
UK publications | Total Worldwide publications | |
2011 | 13 | 2209 |
2012 | 36 | 4573 |
2013 | 62 | 7361 |
2014 | 59 | 9203 |
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) does not hold worldwide patent data so this has been extracted from an external database, as used in the IPO’s 2015 graphene patent landscape report available from
The Government published its response to “No Stone Unturned” by my noble Friend Lord Heseltine in March 2013. That response accepted, in full or in part, 81 out of Lord Heseltine's 89 recommendations.
The Government continues to take forward these recommendations to advance the main commitments of decentralisation and working with business-led Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) to unleash the potential of local economies.
The Government has created a Local Growth Fund (LGF) of at least £12bn for the period 2015 to 2021 to drive local growth, which is under the strategic influence of the LEPs.
Funds will be allocated from the LGF as part of the Growth Deals with every LEP, which were announced on 7 July 2014. Earlier this year the government announced further investment of £1 billion in local economies across England by expanding these Growth Deals.
The Government is also supporting those areas seeking to go further, as demonstrated by the devolution deals agreed with the Greater Manchester and the Sheffield City Region areas.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have published experimental estimates of Multi-Factor Productivity (MFP), which is the terminology the ONS uses for total factor productivity. This is shown in Table 1.
Table 2 displays an index of these data, showing cumulative growth in MFP over the last 15 years.
Table 1: Annual Growth Rate of Multi-Factor Productivity
Year | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
0.96 | 2.02 | 0.87 | 1.13 | 2.71 | 1.21 | 0.27 | 1.54 | 0.58 | -0.94 | -4.62 | 0.91 | 0.39 | -1.81 | -0.53 |
Table 2: Multi-Factor Productivity (1998=100)
Year | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
101.0 | 103.0 | 103.9 | 105.0 | 107.7 | 108.9 | 109.2 | 110.7 | 111.3 | 110.4 | 105.7 | 106.6 | 107.0 | 105.2 | 104.7 |
Source: Multi-factor Productivity (experimental), Estimates to 2013, ONS (Jan 2015) http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-386314
The Government supports learning for the full range of purposes. Apprenticeships, including Higher Apprenticeships, are the Government’s key priority to enable people of all ages to acquire new skills, improve their skills or update them as part of an employer- led skills system. Wider freedoms and flexibilities offered by the adult skills budget give colleges and training organisations more ability to respond to the learning needs of individuals and employers in their locality, and we have increased loan support for learners aged 24 and over studying at Levels 3 and 4. 24 + Advanced Learning Loans continue to be accessed in large numbers with over 123,000 applications in total to December 2014. The National Careers Service provides high quality, information and guidance to help people choose the right learning pathway and to understand whether funding is available to help them.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills also invests £210m per annum in Community Learning, which offers flexible local provision for post-19 adults of all ages and from a wide range of backgrounds. Courses meet a variety of learning needs, from personal development to pre-employment skills, health and wellbeing, parenting skills, arts, crafts and languages.
Businesses now have simpler and easier access to business advice and support as a result of steps taken by the Government.
We have brought together all Government advice and support in one place at GREATbusiness.gov.uk. The ‘My Business Support Tool’ helps businesses find the support they need quickly, and businesses can speak to or webchat with a helpline adviser direct using the Business Support helpline.
Businesses can also access our new Business Growth Service on the same website, which brings together expert advice to improve and grow in one place, including GrowthAccelerator, the Manufacturing Advisory Service, and export advice and finance.
Finally, businesses can now access local support through Growth Hubs which join up local resources.
The World Bank recognises the UK as one of the best places in the world to do business. Their latest Ease of Doing Business ranking saw the UK climb to 8th. This is evidence that our economic plan is delivering a more competitive economy; we are delivering on our commitment to make Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a business.
There is clearly still more to do.
With regard to specific action on the indicators mentioned:
Starting a business: The UK already has an online company registration system that compares favourably with the best in the world. In their latest Doing Business report, the World Bank applauded the efficiency of the UK’s company registry, Companies House, in a case study. Our Employment Allowance means no business pays the first £2000 of employers NICs, helping businesses create jobs.
We have improved the tax registration system for new businesses so processing new PAYE applications takes 3 days instead of 8. We are developing a one-click registration tool that should reduce the time and procedures to register even further. Delivery for this is planned for 2017.
Registering property: The Infrastructure Bill, which received Royal Assent on 12th February this year, contains provisions to enable Land Registry to provide a single digital Local Land Charges service. This service will improve access, standardise fees and improve turnaround times for property professionals and citizens.
Getting electricity: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills, the Department for Energy and Climate Change and the energy regulator Ofgem have worked closely to improve the provision of new electricity connections. Ofgem will be implementing measures to remove barriers to competition in the connections market later this year. Increasing competition in the connections market will improve the quality of service and should help to drive down connection costs and times.
Enforcing contracts: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills has been working closely with the Ministry of Justice to improve the speed in at which contract disputes are resolved. The World Bank measures the performance of the court system in London. Central London County Court is undergoing significant transformation to deliver an improved service to court users and make best use of its administrative and judicial resources. The Ministry of Justice have set up a pilot in London where the Central London County Court acts as the multi-track triage centre for London. Previously cases were managed at the individual centres around London before being sent to CLCC for final hearing. This streamlining of the case management process should reduce the length of disputes by between 30 – 90 days.
The Government has taken bold and innovative steps to improve business access to bank and non-bank finance.
A key development has been the establishment of the British Business Bank (BBB) which became operationally independent in November 2014. For the first time, the UK has a permanent institution committed to correcting business finance market failures and driving innovation and competition in the markets. Similar institutions have long been a feature in the access to finance landscape in other countries.
The Bank has made significant progress not just in terms of its establishment but also by the amount of investment that it is already stimulating. Business Bank programmes are currently supporting £1.8bn of finance to over 43,000 smaller businesses, with a further £1.2bn of finance to mid-cap businesses. Over the next five years, it aims to unlock further significant bank and non-bank finance for viable smaller businesses through programmes such as the Enterprise Finance Guarantee, the Start Up Loan programme, the Investment Programme and venture capital programmes.
Government is also legislating to improve business access to finance. Provisions in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill will require major banks to refer declined small business borrowers to lending platforms. This will help put borrowers in touch with alternatives to their main bank and stimulate the growth of alternative providers. Banks will also be required to share credit data on their small and medium sized business customers with other finance providers via credit reference agencies to make it easier for alternative lenders to lend.
Government is taking steps to improve the information and advice available to potential borrowers through schemes such as ‘My Business Support Tool’. This helps businesses find the support appropriate for their size and situation quickly with businesses being able to speak to, or webchat, with a helpline adviser direct using the Business Support helpline.
Government is also improving competition and choice in finance markets. For example, authorisation processes for new banks have been streamlined, and the seven day Current Account Switching Service will be extended to businesses with a turnover of up to £6.5m from the beginning of April. The British Business Bank’s Investment Programme is co-investing up to £400 million into alternative finance providers, including challenger banks and non-bank lenders such as crowd funding platforms. In addition, the Competition and Market Authority is carrying out a market investigation of SME banking, with provisional findings and a possible remedies notice (if required) expected in September.
Government is using the tax system to support the development of alternative financing. Tax changes announced in last year’s Autumn Statement, for example, will support the development of peer to peer lending and crowdfunding platforms by allowing investors to offset losses from bad loans against other peer to peer income. In addition, the government is boosting the private placement market, which provides long-term funding for business from insurance companies and other non-bank sources, by making an exemption from withholding tax for interest on private placements.
The overall business finance environment is improving. Gross bank lending to small businesses in 2014 was 24% higher than in 2013 and, according to the latest SME Finance Monitor report, 76% of applications for loans and overdrafts made within the last 18 months were successful. Gross lending to all non-financial businesses, including large companies, in 2014 was 16% higher than in 2013. Research published by Nesta in November 2014 shows that the alternative finance market is also increasing rapidly. In 2014, the market raised £1.19 billion for businesses, more than double that raised in 2013.
The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes data on students enrolled at UK higher education institutions. Statistics on first degree qualifiers from electronic and electrical engineering subjects in the academic years 2004/05 to 2013/14 have been provided in the table.
Statistics for the 2014/15 academic year will become available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency in January 2016.
First Degree qualifications obtained by subject
UK Higher Education Institutions
Academic Years 2004/05 to 2013/14
Academic Year | Electronic and electrical engineering | STEM subjects | All subjects |
2004/05 | 5,630 | 129,480 | 306,365 |
2005/06 | 5,465 | 132,530 | 315,985 |
2006/07 | 4,980 | 132,735 | 319,260 |
2007/08 | 4,990 | 138,030 | 334,890 |
2008/09 | 4,695 | 137,465 | 333,720 |
2009/10 | 4,890 | 144,505 | 350,860 |
2010/11 | 5,190 | 150,520 | 369,010 |
2011/12 | 5,420 | 158,580 | 390,985 |
2012/13 | 5,650 | 167,420 | 403,770 |
2013/14 | 5,500 | 175,125 | 421,850 |
Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record
Notes:
1. Figures have been rounded up or down to the nearest five, so components may not sum to totals.
2. Counts in the table refer to students qualifying from both full-time and part-time courses.
3. Counts by subject are given in terms of full-person equivalents - defined using the Joint Academic Coding System (JACS).
4. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses have been defined as the sum of the JACS subject groupings: Medicine & dentistry, Subjects allied to medicine, Biological sciences, Veterinary science, Agriculture & related subjects, Physical sciences, Mathematical sciences, Computer science, Engineering & technology and Architecture, building & planning.
Information on apprenticeship starts in the Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care sector subject area is published in a supplementary table to a Statistical First Release (SFR). Data is published on an academic year basis, rather than financial year:
We have granted 401 licences over the last fifteen years, where there was a reference to the Gripen NG in the goods descriptions, or the end-use was stated on the licence application as being explicitly for the Gripen NG.
Government policy focuses on delivering growth; this in turn partly depends on longer term improvements to productivity. As such, much of the Government’s economic policy is about raising productivity, including but not limited to:
Tax cuts: Government is actively working to reduce the tax burden where possible to help give businesses the confidence to invest and grow. Initiatives announced at this year’s Autumn Statement include a doubling of the Small Business Rate Relief for a further year, and a continued cap on the annual increase in business rates at 2% from April 2015 to March 2016. More widely the UK now has the lowest headline corporate tax rate in the G7 and 4th lowest in the G20. Budget 2013 announced further measures to reduce the main corporate tax rate to 20% by 2015.
Deregulation: Government departments are working together to simplify and reduce the regulatory burden for UK businesses through the Red Tape Challenge, One In, One Out , and One In, Two Out policies. This will create a regulatory environment in which businesses have the confidence to invest and grow. This work is already showing significant signs of success; excluding EU regulation, the estimated annual net cost of regulation to UK business has fallen by £1.5bn since 2011.
Skills: Ensuring employers have access to workers with the right skills plays a crucial role in enhancing the UK’s productivity. This Government has driven up participation in education, employment or training for 16-24 year olds since 2011. Apprenticeship participation has risen by 77% from 2009/10 to 2012/13, and there have been over 2 million Apprentices started since 2010.
The Government is giving employers more direct control over the design and delivery of training solutions to address skills shortages and improve business performance through the Employer Ownership Pilot (EOP) and its successor Employer Ownership Fund (EOF). The Government is completing round 2 of EOP which will be worth £238m and has announced targeted activity for the auto supply chain and engineering under EOF.
Infrastructure: High quality infrastructure is essential for supporting productivity growth. Delivering the right infrastructure at a local, regional and national level, across the UK, is therefore key to the government’s long-term economic plan. Since 2010, this Government has completed 55 major roads and local transport projects, completed major improvements to Kings Cross station as well as 400 other stations, opened Heathrow Terminal 2 and introduced £22 billion of private sector investment in water assets.
The National Infrastructure Plan for 2014 outlines a £466 billion plan for the UK’s infrastructure, of which £189 billion is future investment. This includes £15 billion of road improvements, £38bn investment in rail and £46 billion investment in the gas and electricity network.
Science and Innovation: The government funds and supports innovation in science, technology and engineering to help the UK’s high-tech industries to thrive. This has already seen £600m of government funding committed to the development and commercialisation of eight great technologies, a further £106m investment in new Centres for Doctoral Training, which will train more than 750 new students, and £42m in the creation of the Alan Turing Institute – a world-class research institute specialising in Big Data science. Details of the government’s on-going commitment to science and innovation will feature in the soon to be released Science and Innovation Strategy.
The Government continues to attach high priority to the reduction of unnecessary EU bureaucracy. We have called on the European Commission to step up its efforts in this area, and we therefore welcome the fact that the Commission has created the new post of First Vice-President (Frans Timmermans) with specific responsibility for Better Regulation across the entire Commission.
We succeeded in securing agreement on very positive Conclusions at the 4 December EU Competitiveness Council, which call on the EU institutions to enhance efforts to reduce the overall regulatory burden, and call on the Commission to develop and put in place reduction targets in particularly burdensome areas, especially for SMEs.
In addition, as I reported in my Written Ministerial Statement of 6 November (Column 51WS), since October 2013, 10 out of the 30 recommendations of the Business Taskforce report, “Cut EU red tape”, have been achieved, saving businesses over £200 million, as highlighted in the Taskforce’s progress report published last month at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cut-eu-red-tape-business-taskforce-report-one-year-on
Following the introduction of the EU services directive, the UK has been a leader in pushing for consistent implementation across member states. More recently, the UK published a non-paper on further services liberalisation which has been widely shared in Europe. Its recommendations have attracted considerable support. We have seen positive signals on services liberalisation from the new Single Market Commissioner, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, in her keynote speech on 18th November and services liberalisation also features in the Commission’s recently published ‘Investment Plan for Europe’.
None. I refer my Rt. Hon. Friend to the answer given by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 4 December 2014 to question 216512.
UK dairy exporters who wish to enter the Chinese market have full access to the range of services offered by UK Trade and Investment, the Government department that helps UK based companies succeed globally. These services include advice from experts, help with introductions to key contacts in China and support for market visits and exhibitions.
The jurisdiction of the Groceries Code Adjudicator already extends to direct suppliers of the large supermarkets in the dairy supply chain. I have no plans to bring forward proposals to extend its remit.
The Adjudicator was created under the Groceries Adjudicator Act 2013 to oversee and to enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. The Code applies to the ten largest grocery retailers in the UK; and governs their commercial relationships with their direct suppliers of food, drink and some household goods. It imposes on retailers an over-arching principle of fair dealing with their suppliers; and includes specific provisions governing terms of supply, the timing of payments, and commercial arrangements related to marketing and promotions.
The Code does not extend to pricing, which is the responsibility of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The CMA can carry out investigations where there is evidence of abuse of a dominant position or market abuse.
Whilst the Government does not generally intervene in what businesses charge consumers for their goods and services, we do recognise the concerns over the current pressures on milk prices. That is why the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs brought forward and chaired a meeting of the Dairy Supply Chain Forum last month. Members – including retailer representatives – discussed the recommendations made in the recent independent review of the dairy industry voluntary Code of Practice, one of which was to explore the possibility of expanding adoption of the Code within the supply chain to include retailers.
I consulted extensively on changes to the reporting framework in 2013 and impact assessments, showing the costs and benefits, were published.
Initial indications are that the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors’ Report) Regulations 2013 regulations, which are one form of integrated reporting, have made a positive impact and will help shareholders in their role as stewards of the companies they own.
Ultimately, good reporting should prevail regardless of the approach but there is nothing in regulation that prevents a company taking a different integrated approach to its reporting should it choose to.
I consulted extensively on changes to the reporting framework in 2013 and impact assessments, showing the costs and benefits, were published.
Initial indications are that the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors’ Report) Regulations 2013 regulations, which are one form of integrated reporting, have made a positive impact and will help shareholders in their role as stewards of the companies they own.
Ultimately, good reporting should prevail regardless of the approach but there is nothing in regulation that prevents a company taking a different integrated approach to its reporting should it choose to.
Eleven licences were granted for the supply of military equipment for incorporation into a Mistral-class amphibious assault ship. The goods licences were granted for as follows:
components for military communications equipment, military communications equipment, software for military communications equipment, technology for military communications equipment, components for military auxiliary/support vessels, technology for military auxiliary/support vessels, components for military guidance/navigation equipment, equipment for the use of military guidance/navigation equipment, components for combat naval vessels, components for military radars, general naval vessel components.
It is not clear whether the components were for the Vladivostok, or the second Mistral-class amphibious assault ship being built in France on behalf of the Russian Navy.
Granting of licenses has been suspended.
This Department is investing £90 million to establish a small number of Centres for Agricultural Innovation. These Centres have similar overarching objectives to Catapult Centres and will drive increased translation of research and levels of innovation in agriculture and its supply chains, whilst both improving UK competitiveness and leadership in the Agri-Tech sector, and encouraging greater inward investment.
Innovate UK is responsible for the establishment of new Catapult Centres, and is guided by specific criteria when considering new sectors and challenges. Whilst the current funding arrangements mean we cannot establish these existing Centres as a Catapult Centre, we will continue to explore the potential future Centres for Agricultural Innovation.
The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills’ funding for agricultural research is through the UK Research Councils and Innovate UK (formerly TSB) as per the figures given below:
Research Council funding for agriculture research:
| £k | ||||||||
Council | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 |
BBSRC | 58,200 | 67,100 | 71,200 | 75,200 | 83,800 | 89,600 | 88,200 | 91,600 | 89,200 |
ESRC | 250 | 2,221 | 4,168 | 4,832 | 5,166 | 4,526 | 2,883 | 3,494 | 3,551 |
NERC | 3,228 | 2,668 | 3,875 | 4,732 | 6,508 | 13,626 | 7,540 | 20,149 | 18,151 |
Total | 61,428 | 69,768 | 79,243 | 84,764 | 95,474 | 107,752 | 98,623 | 115,243 | 110,902 |
Innovate UK’s funding for agriculture research:
£ | ||||||||
2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 |
864,062 | 903,749 | 871,506 | 517,216 | 1,176,288 | 8,191,617 | 8,252,014 | 12,773,370 | 9,014,373 |
Numbers of agricultural businesses registered for either VAT and/or PAYE in England are provided in the table below.
These estimates are drawn from the ONS publication ‘UK Business: activity, size and location', which provides information on the number of active VAT and/or PAYE registered businesses in the UK. Any smaller non-employing businesses that are not registered for VAT will not be included. This publication is available at:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/bus-register/uk-business/index.html
Year | Number of Agricultural businesses in England registered for VAT/PAYE |
2009 | 87,985 |
2010 | 86,695 |
2011 | 88,325 |
2012 | 87,775 |
2013 | 92,115 |
1. The figures are based on all VAT/PAYE registered businesses in the SIC industrial classification sector ‘01 Crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities.
2. A small number of businesses were not included on the Inter Departmental Business Register before 2012; the effect at this level of detail is not known but the statistics given here for 2009 to 2011 may be slightly lower than if those businesses had been included.
The KMATRIX reports requested will be placed in the libraries of the House. The report for 2013 is not yet available.
The responsibilities of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) – as set out in the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013 – do not extend to acting as a complaints body. No formal complaints of the type described have therefore been received.
The Adjudicator has, however, received representations from many farmers concerning their experiences when dealing with the large retailers covered by the GCA regime; and information provided by farmers and by other suppliers will help to inform the GCA's future activities.
To support the international priorities of the Government's industrial strategy for agricultural technologies, UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) has established the Agri-Tech Organisation. This industry-led team provides strategic and practical export support to UK based companies and promotes the UK for inward investment.
The Agri-Tech Organisation is identifying opportunities in mature and early stage markets with the support of the UK Business Ambassador for Agri-Tech and private sector advisers to maximise the UK's agricultural technology sector's growth potential. This includes working closely with UKTI overseas posts in scoping and promoting visits or events.
The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills' expenditure on agricultural research is through the UK Research Councils and the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) as per the figures given below:
Research Council funding for agriculture research:
| £k | |||
Council | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 |
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council | 87,200 | 90,200 | 87,900 | 90,800 |
Economic and Social Research Council | 2,914 | 2,328 | 3,392 | 3,102 |
Natural Environment Research Council | 9,100 | 14,800 | 15,600 | 12,600 |
Science and Technology Facilities Council | 110 | 140 | 155 | 140 |
Total | 99,324 | 107,468 | 107,047 | 106,642 |
TSB funding for Research & Development in the agricultural sector:
| 2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 |
£ | 143,089 | 3,336,702 | 7,339,822 | 9,455,470 |
There are a number of business support schemes available to small businesses, including farmers. However, the Department does not collect data on individual spend to farmers on its business support schemes. Since May 2010, the Department has routinely published details of all expenditure including funding provided through Departmental schemes and programmes. Additionally, the Department's annual report and accounts also provide summary information on a range of programmes that include direct and indirect support to all businesses. The most recent annual report can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bis-annual-report-and-accounts-2012-to-2013
Electricity generation in the U.K. is privatised and the decisions on spare step-up transformers are for the individual generator businesses. Electricity transmission operations in the U.K. are private, regulated businesses. Decisions on spare transmission connected transformers are matters for the transmission businesses, to meet the licence conditions under which they operate; they form an important component in the provision of reliability of supply. The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not hold data on generator step-up transformer or transmission connected transformer quantities held as spares by industry.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not hold comprehensive data on generator step-up and transmission connected transformer manufacturers in the U.K. The transformers used in the privatised electricity industry are sourced from manufacturers such as Alstom Grid based in Staffordshire, among others in the UK and globally.
The amounts of coal and oil imported from Russia by the UK for each year between 2008 and 2012 compared to total UK demand for those fuels are shown in the following tables.
Coal
(thousand tonnes) | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
Import | 21,249 | 17,726 | 8,322 | 12,126 | 16,933 |
Proportion of demand | 33% | 34% | 15% | 22% | 25% |
Primary Oil
(thousand tonnes) | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
Import | 8,295 | 5,065 | 5,000 | 6,058 | 7,491 |
Proportion of demand | 10% | 7% | 7% | 8% | 11% |
Petroleum Products
(thousand tonnes) | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
Import | 1,435 | 2,066 | 2,306 | 2,407 | 2,630 |
Proportion of demand | 2% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 4% |
There was no gas imported directly from Russia by the UK.
The value of UK imports of coal, primary oil and petroleum products from Russia between 2008 and 2012 are shown in the following table:
£ Million
2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |
Coal | 1,570 | 1,130 | 533 | 945 | 1,092 |
Primary oil | 2,184 | 1,156 | 1,278 | 2,316 | 3,321 |
Petroleum products | 1,091 | 770 | 1,186 | 1,805 | 1,819 |
There was no gas imported directly from Russia by the UK.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is not an investigative agency and has no power to investigate allegations of crime. The CPS will review any cases referred to it by the police or other investigators in accordance with the two stage test that is set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors. Where there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and it is in the public interest, such cases will be prosecuted.
Any criminal allegations would need to be reported to the relevant police force to investigate in the first instance.
The government takes any unauthorised disclosure of official information extremely seriously, and each Department is responsible for investigating potential losses or leaks of its information. It has been the policy of successive administrations not to comment on leaks or leak investigations.
The Reducing Regulation Committee (RRC) is the primary forum in Government for securing collective agreement on issues related to reducing regulation. There are no definitive criteria for which issues engage collective responsibility but, as set out in the Cabinet Manual, issues which are likely to lead to significant public comment or affect more than one department will usually require collective agreement through Cabinet or a Cabinet Committee.
As the RRC is a Cabinet Committee, correspondence or discussions between its members are not publicly disclosed to protect the principles of collective responsibility. The Committee's function is to collectively agree the Government position on the matter that has been put to it, which will then be taken forward by the relevant department, almost always in a manner which will enter the public domain. As such, the Committee is just one element of the Government's wider efforts to reduce regulation led by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Details of the membership of Cabinet Committees are available on Gov.UK. The Reducing Regulation sub-Committee is comprised of the Business Secretary, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Lord Chancellor, the Trade Secretary, Environment Secretary, the Leader of the House of Commons, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Minister of State for Employment, the Minister of State for Exiting the EU and the Parliamentary Secretary at the department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The Reducing Regulation sub-Committee considers issues related to reducing regulation. Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees, including when and how often they meet and minutes of their proceedings, is not publicly disclosed to protect the principles of collective responsibility.
An Act of Parliament is required before any UK-wide referendum can be held. It is for Parliament to debate and agree the terms under which any referendum would take place, including provisions for setting the date, franchise and the question that would appear on the ballot paper. Processes to hold any referendum must, in addition, incorporate adequate time to prepare for the poll and a minimum campaigning period. The Electoral Commission recommends that legislation relating to a poll should be clear at least six months before it is required to be implemented or complied with.
A majority of the electorate voted to leave the EU in June 2016. The British people made their choice and they want their Government to deliver on that choice. It is a matter of Government policy that there will not be a second referendum on our exit from the EU.
The National Security Council has agreed the high-level findings of the National Security Capability Review. Ministers have agreed that we should finalise the National Security Capability Review with a view to publishing the conclusions in spring.
The Government has declared the following land as surplus in the Coast to Capital LEP area. This does not include sites that were previously declared as surplus and are now disposed.
Department | Sum of Land Area (ha) | Count of Department Property |
Department for Education | 0.7505 | 1 |
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 1.0689 | 6 |
Ministry of Defence (Civil) | 24.4138 | 1 |
Ministry of Justice | 0.4587 | 2 |
Grand Total | 26.6919 | 10 |
The Government is working towards its commitment to raise £5 billion from releasing surplus land in 2015 - 2020 and we plan to publish a transparency report on land sales in 2015/16 and 2016/17 shortly.
We are also supporting collaboration across the public sector to make better use of our collective estate. Our successful partnership with the Local Government Association to deliver the One Public Estate programme is now supporting over 90% of councils in England following its latest expansion last month. Through joint working across central and local government and the wider public sector we are delivering more integrated public services, local growth (homes and jobs) and efficiencies.
The Government Property Unit in Cabinet Office is responsible for overseeing implementation of the Government Estate Strategy. This means working with Government Departments to ensure the estate is efficient and fit-for-purpose to support operations now and in the future.
The GPU commissions Departments to produce annual Strategic Asset Management Plans, setting out how they plan to implement the Government Estate Strategy within their property portfolio.
Government is working towards our commitment to raise £5 billion from releasing surplus land in 2015 - 2020. In doing so, our ambition is to also unlock land with capacity for 160,000 new homes.
We are also supporting collaboration across the public sector to make better use of our collective estate. Our successful partnership with the Local Government Association to deliver the One Public Estate programme aims to support 95% of councils in England by 2018. Through joint working across central and local Government and the wider public sector we are delivering more integrated public services, local growth (homes and jobs) and efficiencies. We are currently in the process of further expanding the One Public Estate programme. In addition to new and existing partnerships applying for funding and support to deliver collaborative schemes, we have partnered with the Department for Communities and Local Government to include a £45 million capital Local Authority Land Release Fund. This combination of One Public Estate and DCLG funding and support will be a significant boost to unlocking public land for new homes. The current partnerships are expected to release land to deliver 25,000 housing units by 2020.
The Government Property Unit is responsible for minimising vacancy by supporting departments to sell, sublet, find alternative use, and to do early surrenders. Interventions such as these have contributed significantly to minimising the vacancy rates and cost to the taxpayer.
As shown in the State of the Estate Report 2015-16 published in February 2017, total vacant space represents 1.4% of the entire Central Estate, a drop of 2% from 2014–15. This is well below the average in the private sector of 8.9%.
No buildings appear on the unit’s electronic property system as vacant in the Mid-Sussex area. The buildings listed below are currently listed for disposal in the West Sussex region. There are no other records marked as surplus, or offering vacant space in West Sussex, or the Mid-Sussex constituency:
Property Name | Address | Department |
CHICHESTER COMBINED COURT | SOUTHGATE, CHICHESTER, WEST SUSSEX, PO19 1SX | Ministry of Justice |
CHICHESTER MAGISTRATES COURT | MARKET AVENUE, CHICHESTER, WEST SUSSEX, PO19 1YE |
|
I refer My Rt. Hon Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hemsworth on 7 February 2017 to UIN: 62923.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The Cabinet Office does not hold any information relating to the use of opinion poll companies by other government departments.
Government has supported a Cyber Higher Apprenticeship programme delivered by the Tech Partnership with Training Provider QA, creating more than 250 new roles across industry for school leavers. New Cyber Intrusion Analyst and Cyber Security Technologist Trailblazer Apprenticeships have been developed which are now available to Employers and Apprentices. We have also integrated a cyber stream into the Fast Track Civil Service Apprenticeship scheme, offering 50 new roles across government with another cohort joining this year. Additionally, GCHQ has its own apprenticeship scheme incorporating cyber security. Since 2012, over 170 new apprentices have either graduated or joined the tailored two year foundation degree course.
As announced by the Chancellor in November 2015, we are working with Employers to develop a Cyber Security Higher Apprenticeship pilot scheme that will address cyber skills gaps in three critical sectors: Transport, Finance and Energy. These apprenticeships will combine relevant cyber content, with sector-specific training. Industry in each sector will play a leading role in defining the additional course content. We will launch a targeted marketing campaign to encourage businesses and young people to consider a cyber apprenticeship with opportunities being advertised shortly.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
In 2013, the Cabinet Office and the Local Government Association came together to launch the One Public Estate programme, a pioneering initiative designed to support central and local government to work collaboratively on land and property solutions.
It brings together all public sector bodies within a locality to work together in developing a radically new approach to managing their land and property. By pooling data on their asset holdings and developing joint plans to share property and release surplus land and buildings for other uses, the programme is designed to:
Two years on, the programme has already shown that, with small levels of investment and support, a great deal can be achieved. The 12 pilot areas that joined the programme in year 1 expect to cut running costs in the order of £21 million and to raise £88 million in capital receipts by 2018, as well as creating 7,500 new homes and 5,500 new jobs.
An additional £6m was announced at Summer Budget to expand the programme, with larger partnerships of councils and more ambitious schemes. 126 councils, working in 29 partnerships, have applied to join a third phase of the programme.
The 2015 National Security Strategy, informed by the National Security Risk Assessment, is considering a wide range of risks including those to our economic and financial security.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The Major Projects Leadership Academy is delivered through the Oxford SaÏd Business School, in partnership with Deloitte. I will place a copy of the Major Projects Leadership Academy curriculum and a reading list in the House of Commons Library shortly and publish them at https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/managing-major-projects-more-effectively
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The Voting Membership of the Main Honours Committee comprises Head of the Civil Service (Chair); Chairs of the 9 Honours Committees; Chief of the Defence Staff; Permanent Secretary of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office; another Permanent Secretary; Cabinet Secretary and a representative from the Prime Minister's Office. Membershipfor the past five years is set out below. Current membership of all honours committees is available at www.gov.uk/honours-committees.
A copy of the table listing the Membership of the committee over the last 5 years will be placed in the Library of the House.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
We are going to need a substantial increase in low carbon generation to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050. Nuclear power currently provides around 20% of our electricity generation and is likely to have an important role in delivering a low cost, stable, reliable, lowcarbon system in 2050.
Under the Enterprise Act 2002, the Government has the power to intervene in mergers that raise public interest concerns including national security. The Government looks at each merger on a case by case basis.
Since 2015, the Government has intervened under the Enterprise Act 2002 on the grounds of national security on four occasions: Sepura/Hytera (2017), Northern Aerospace/Gardner Aerospace (2018), Inmarsat/Connect Bidco (2019) and Cobham/AI Convoy Bidco (2019).
Each year, Cabinet Office publishes sector security and resilience plans. The plans set out the thirteen critical national infrastructure sectors and their resilience in relation to the risks identified in the National Risk Assessment. The plans can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sector-resilience-plans.
Under the Enterprise Act 2002, the Government has the power to intervene in mergers that raise public interest concerns including national security. The Government looks at each merger on a case by case basis.
Since 2015, the Government has intervened under the Enterprise Act 2002 on the grounds of national security on four occasions: Sepura/Hytera (2017), Northern Aerospace/Gardner Aerospace (2018), Inmarsat/Connect Bidco (2019) and Cobham/AI Convoy Bidco (2019).
Each year, Cabinet Office publishes sector security and resilience plans. The plans set out the thirteen critical national infrastructure sectors and their resilience in relation to the risks identified in the National Risk Assessment. The plans can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sector-resilience-plans.
Under the Enterprise Act 2002, the Government has the power to intervene in mergers that raise public interest concerns including national security. The Government looks at each merger on a case by case basis.
Since 2015, the Government has intervened under the Enterprise Act 2002 on the grounds of national security on four occasions: Sepura/Hytera (2017), Northern Aerospace/Gardner Aerospace (2018), Inmarsat/Connect Bidco (2019) and Cobham/AI Convoy Bidco (2019).
Each year, Cabinet Office publishes sector security and resilience plans. The plans set out the thirteen critical national infrastructure sectors and their resilience in relation to the risks identified in the National Risk Assessment. The plans can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sector-resilience-plans.
The Department has not made any formal assessment of the security of supply of rare earth elements. However, neodymium and dysprosium are included on the EU’s list of critical raw materials, because of their high economic importance and high supply risk. Tellurium is not on that list, but the Government is aware of its scarcity and importance to manufacturing of alloys and some electronic equipment.
We enjoy strong relationships with a huge range of companies and business representatives and through those conversations we have not been made aware of any specific concerns regarding the supply of these materials.
I can also confirm that I have not held specific conversations with any country regarding rare earth elements. However, the UK Government’s long-held approach to ensuring sufficient supply of materials is through lobbying for free, fair and open global markets. As my rt. hon Friend the Prime Minister has stated, we want to ensure that we promote the greatest possible trade with the world.
Through our day-to-day contacts with industry, we will continue to monitor the situation.
The Department has not made any formal assessment of the security of supply of rare earth elements. However, neodymium and dysprosium are included on the EU’s list of critical raw materials, because of their high economic importance and high supply risk. Tellurium is not on that list, but the Government is aware of its scarcity and importance to manufacturing of alloys and some electronic equipment.
We enjoy strong relationships with a huge range of companies and business representatives and through those conversations we have not been made aware of any specific concerns regarding the supply of these materials.
I can also confirm that I have not held specific conversations with any country regarding rare earth elements. However, the UK Government’s long-held approach to ensuring sufficient supply of materials is through lobbying for free, fair and open global markets. As my rt. hon Friend the Prime Minister has stated, we want to ensure that we promote the greatest possible trade with the world.
Through our day-to-day contacts with industry, we will continue to monitor the situation.
The Department has not made any formal assessment of the security of supply of rare earth elements. However, neodymium and dysprosium are included on the EU’s list of critical raw materials, because of their high economic importance and high supply risk. Tellurium is not on that list, but the Government is aware of its scarcity and importance to manufacturing of alloys and some electronic equipment.
We enjoy strong relationships with a huge range of companies and business representatives and through those conversations we have not been made aware of any specific concerns regarding the supply of these materials.
I can also confirm that I have not held specific conversations with any country regarding rare earth elements. However, the UK Government’s long-held approach to ensuring sufficient supply of materials is through lobbying for free, fair and open global markets. As my rt. hon Friend the Prime Minister has stated, we want to ensure that we promote the greatest possible trade with the world.
Through our day-to-day contacts with industry, we will continue to monitor the situation.
The Industrial Strategy sets out the Government’s vision to make the UK a global centre for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data innovation. We have committed to improving the UK's system for training in digital skills and lifelong learning, to ensure that working people have the support they need to benefit from the opportunities offered by automation towards a higher-wage future. Government is in regular discussion with business and business representative organisations, including issues affecting the workforce.
The AI Sector Deal brings together commitments from Government, Industry and Academia in a £0.95bn package of support to promote the adoption and use of AI, supported by up to £110 million government investment, which includes:
Government is investing £406 million in maths, digital and technical education, and in the 2018 Autumn Budget, my rt. hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced an initial £100 million to start the roll out of the National Retraining Scheme, an ambitious, far-reaching programme to drive adult learning and retraining.
As part of the UK Industrial Strategy, government will be refreshing the 2015 national strategy for quantum technologies in collaboration with National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP) partners.
This will follow a refresh of the programme’s governance arrangements, in response to the scale of private investment anticipated under phase 2 of the 10-year NQTP.
In Autumn Statement 2013, the UK government announced an investment of £270m over five years into the first phase of the NQTP, intended to move quantum technology out of laboratories and into the marketplace, to boost British business and make a real difference to everyday lives.
The national strategy itself was drawn up in 2015 by the Quantum Technologies Strategic Advisory Board (QT SAB). It was published by Innovate UK and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and its recommendations are delivered mainly through the work of the NQTP. In 2018, the UK government committed a further £315m (subject to business case approval) towards the second phase – due to start in 2019.
The strategy aims to create a coherent government, industry and academic community that will give the UK a world-leading position in the emerging multi-billion-pound quantum technology markets, delivering transformational improvements across areas as diverse as sensing, imaging, computing and communications, and substantially enhancing the value of some of the biggest UK-based industries such as finance, defence, aerospace, energy and telecommunications.
The evidence gathered by the British Antarctic Survey shows significant changes in the Antarctic ice sheet that have occurred due to human-induced climate change, and natural phenomena, over recent years. Reports produced by the British Antarctic Survey form an important contribution to reports produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The Antarctic ice sheet contribution to sea level rise has been growing in recent years and represents a significant fraction of the total. The recent IPCC’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C states that instabilities exist for the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets, which could result in multi-metre rises in sea level over timescales of centuries to millennia. According to the IPCC there is “medium confidence” that these instabilities could be triggered at around 1.5°C to 2°C of global warming above pre-industrial levels.
Satellite observations show that since 2002, the Antarctic ice sheet has been losing 127 billion tonnes of mass per year, and that the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report states that the average rate of ice loss from the Antarctic ice sheet has likely increased from 30 gigatonnes per year over the period 1992-2001, to 147 gigatonnes per year over the period 2002 to 2011.
These findings emphasise the importance of international collaborative research, such as the £20 million UK-US International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration in Antarctica, to understand its ice sheet stability and potential impacts on future global sea-level rise.
The IPCC will publish a Special Report on Oceans and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate later this year, which will include an up-to-date assessment of observed and projected changes in the Antarctic region. Once published, we will respond to these findings in due course.
The Government published the 2017-18 Better Regulation Annual Report in July 2018, which gave an assessment of the total progress that the Government has made towards the Business Impact Target and individual departmental totals. The next annual report is due to be published in the Summer.
Diversity in our energy mix provides vital insurance against future uncertainty and in ensuring security of supply can be maintained. As part of this, nuclear power as well as other low carbon power technologies have an important role to play in the UK’s energy future as we transition to a low carbon economy.
We regularly compare the impact on electricity system costs of deploying technologies, as well as assessing their impact on energy security, decarbonisation and consumer bills. This includes looking at the benefits smaller reactors can provide to the UK energy mix.
This will also include considering the findings of the Expert Finance Working Group which was set up to advise Government on how small reactor projects could raise private investment in the UK, and the outputs from the Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) R&D Programme of which all 8 participants have now submitted their feasibility studies
The Government recognises the potential long-term value of small modular reactor (SMR) technology and in October announced £7m funding over the next 2 years to build capacity of the UK nuclear regulators to support and assess advanced nuclear technologies like SMRs. We expect to make further announcements of SMR policy in the coming months.
In January 2017 we launched our Industrial Strategy Green Paper, ‘Building our Industrial Strategy’.
The objective of our modern Industrial Strategy is to improve living standards and drive economic growth by increasing productivity and making sure that growth is spread across the whole country.
We have set up a £23 billion National Productivity Investment Fund to drive improved productivity across the country; including a £4.7bn increase in investment for science, research and innovation – the biggest increase in any Parliament in almost 40 years.
We are also supporting a new private sector initiative led by Sir Charlie Mayfield with up to £13 million grant funding over three years to raise business awareness of productivity and to provide practical tools to businesses to improve productivity.
The Government is working collaboratively with industry and skills bodies, including through the Nuclear Skills Strategy Group (NSSG), to ensure the nuclear industry has access to the required engineering and science capabilities. The NSSG reports up to the Nuclear Industry Council which I co-chair, and Nuclear Industry Association Chair, John Hutton, which will be considering skills initiatives as a key pillar of the developing Industrial Strategy. The pipeline of future scientists and engineers needed for the sector is being strengthened through national Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education as well as Government-backed skills initiatives such as the Apprenticeship Levy and the National College for Nuclear. The National College for Nuclear aims to train 7,000 people by 2020, with the first intake of students to begin in Autumn.
The Government is fully committed to maintaining the UK’s world-leading science, research and higher education base.
According to Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data, the University of Chichester in West Sussex received public research funding, from Higher Education Funding Council for England and the Research Councils, of £802,000 in 2015/16. HESA data shows that 19 institutions in the South East, which includes the universities of Oxford, Southampton and Reading, but excludes London, received a total of £544 million of public research funding in 2015/16.
The Autumn Statement 2016 announcement of an extra £2 billion a year in research and development by 2020- 21 underlines the place of science and innovation at the heart of this Government’s industrial strategy.
The Government published the Industrial Strategy Green Paper on 23 January 2017.
This document outlines how Government intends to build on the diverse strengths of our cities and regions, including Sussex, using record investment in infrastructure, research and innovation and inward investment to ensure higher growth is seen across the UK.
We welcome responses from all businesses, organisations and individuals from mid and West Sussex who wish to contribute, including the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership.
The Department for Education (DfE) is responsible for the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the body that supports training and skills in construction.
DfE is currently working closely with employers in the construction industry to develop new apprenticeships for the sector. While evidence suggests there are sufficient learners going through the skills system, with over 200,000 construction qualifications being taken each year, reforms set out in the skills plan (July 2016) will ensure these qualifications become more relevant and meet the industry’s needs.
Additionally, the Construction Leadership Council, the business led sector council which advises Government on key strategic issues, has investigated the labour model in the construction industry and commissioned an independent report (published in October 2016), making recommendations for industry and Government. The Government is currently considering the review’s recommendations.
I refer the Hon Member to my response during Topical questions today in the Chamber.
VisitBritain and VisitEngland are responsible for promoting the UK as a tourist destination, through a range of different initiatives and campaigns. VisitBritain receive grant-in-aid totalling £19.4m from DCMS and VisitEngland receive £7m. They also receive £22.8m of GREAT funding to support promotion activities. For every £1 the Government has invested in VisitBritain for international marketing, an overseas visitor spends £20 in Britain.
These include the £40m Discover England Fund, which is targeted at developing high quality tourism products across England. The “Make Great Memories in England’s National Parks” that targets the Australian and German markets is one project from this fund.
Additionally, in 2017 VisitBritain participated in travel trade missions across the world such as Destination Britain: China, the World Travel Market, World Routes and Destination Britain: North America. They also hold a variety of domestic promotion events throughout the country.
DCMS publish exports of services figure for the Digital Sector at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/544789/DCMS_Sectors_Economic_Estimates_2016.xlsx, as part of DCMS Sectors Economic Estimates.
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport holds primary responsibility for Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy. DCMS and BEIS jointly support the industry-led review of Artificial Intelligence announced in the Digital Strategy.
BBC Monitoring is funded from the television licence fee, which is set by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport under Section 365 of the Communications Act (2003). The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of Government and funding for the Monitoring scheme is a matter for the BBC.
The Government has implemented a basic broadband scheme to enable all premises to gain access to speeds of at least 2Mbps. This enables residents to gain access to every government service available online. Funding for subsidised connections through the scheme is provided by Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) as part of the government's superfast broadband programme. Consumers in eligible premises can access services from any of the suppliers who have been entered onto the scheme by BDUK.
In addition it is the Government's intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation. This will give people the legal right to request a broadband connection, no matter where they live, by the end of this Parliament. Our ambition is that the minimum download speed should initially be set at 10 Mbps.
The rate payable by gambling operators will be informed by this independent economic analysis of the funding of horseracing and further discussion with the betting and racing industries. We will be consulting on the findings of the report with both industries within the next few weeks and intend to publish the report in due course.
The rate payable by gambling operators will be informed by this independent economic analysis of the funding of horseracing and further discussion with the betting and racing industries. We will be consulting on the findings of the report with both industries within the next few weeks and intend to publish the report in due course.
I have had no discussions with the Royal Parks about the estate yard in Hyde Park. Following my decision this year to increase the capital allocation for the parks, my officials have been in discussion with TRP about rebuilding the existing ageing Hyde Park nursery facility. Planning on this is underway and, subject to relevant permissions, when complete will enable the estate to grow 95% of its plants on site in a new more efficient building.
By the end of phase two of the Superfast Broadband Programme approximately 95% of homes and businesses in West Sussex will have access to superfast broadband. For the Mid Sussex constituency over 96% of premises will have access to superfast broadband by the end of the project.
To inform work to replace the current levy system, we have commissioned an independent economic analysis of the costs and funding of horseracing. This economic analysis work will also examine relevant comparable models
Officials have held discussions with the European Commission on the compatibility of a new Horserace Betting Right with the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Work is continuing on the detailed policy design of the replacement for the existing levy. We will make a further announcement in due course.
To inform work to replace the current levy system, we have commissioned an independent economic analysis of the costs and funding of horseracing. This economic analysis work will also examine relevant comparable models.
To inform work to replace the current levy system, we have commissioned an independent economic analysis of the costs and funding of horseracing. This economic analysis work will also examine relevant comparable models, including the Australian system, however any reform of the Levy will need to comply with EU law.
The levy rate is set annually and is paid by bookmakers based in Great Britain, it does not currently apply to betting operators based offshore. The Government remains committed to replacing the current levy system to create a level playing field for British based and offshore gambling operators.
Work is continuing on the detailed policy design of the replacement for the existing levy.
As part of the design work we commissioned an independent economic analysis of the costs and funding of racing. This will draw on information provided by betting and racing, and will be key to assessing what level of funding from betting to racing would be reasonable.
We will make a further announcement in due course
Work is continuing on the detailed policy design of the replacement for the existing levy. We will make a further announcement in due course.
The Government continually assesses a range of possible risks to the UK’s infrastructure, and arrangements are in place across Government and industry to ensure the ongoing resilience and availability of services.
Current and Capital Expenditure for Kew Palace - 2001-02 to 2014-15.
As a self-financing, Royal Charter Body with charitable status, Historic Royal Palaces' definition of current and capital expenditure may differ from those used within government. The representation expenditure represents the final phase of the overall £6.6 million repair and representation project culminating in the re-opening of Kew Palace in 2006. All figures in the table exclude non-recoverable VAT (currently an additional 13%.)
Due to HRP's success at Kew, it has taken on and is now representing the Royal Kitchens and is in the process of planning the same for the Great Pagoda, both transferred from the Royal Botanic Gardens. Spending increases since 2006 are as a result of these openings.
Year | Current expenditure £000s | Representation expenditure £000s | Capital Expenditure £000s |
2001/2 | 6 | ||
2002/3 | 26 | ||
2003/4 | 11 | 20 | |
2004/5 | 11 | 371 | |
2005/6 | 30 | 2,630 | 327 |
2006/7 | 295 | 6 | 95 |
2007/8 | 349 | (19) | 248 |
2008/9 | 329 | (10) | |
2009/10 | 324 | 10 | |
2010/11 | 292 | ||
2011/12 | 283 | ||
2012/13 | 315 | 173 | |
2013/14 | 387 | ||
2014/15 | 412 | ||
|
|
|
|
The Government funded programme rollout of superfast broadband is progressing well and is on track to provide access to superfast broadband to 95% of the UK by the end of 2017. Over 2.5m premises how have access to superfast broadband for the first time and it is being made available to a further 40,000 homes and businesses every week.
My Department has not made an assessment of the value to the tourist economy of military, ceremonial and pageantry activities in London. However, VisitBritain estimates that visitors drawn here by the appeal of our culture and heritage spend over £6.8 billion annually (out of a total overseas visitor spend of £21.8 billion in 2014). Around £500 million of that figure can be attributed to attractions and events with a connection to Britain’s royal heritage.
Local authorities are required to provide schools with sufficient funds to enable mainstream schools to meet the additional cost of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities, up to the value of £6,000 per pupil. This funding comes from the schools’ block of the dedicated schools grant.
When the costs of additional support required for a pupil with SEN exceed £6,000, the local authority should also allocate additional top-up funding to cover the excess costs. This top-up funding, and all funding for special schools comes from the local authority’s high needs budget.
West Sussex have received the following amounts in the schools and high needs blocks in the last three years:
Year | Schools block funding | High needs funding |
2016 to 2017 | £428.0 million | £71.7 million |
2017 to 2018 | £434.9 million | £75.7 million |
2018 to 2019 | £445.6 million | £79.3 million |
On 17 December 2018, we announced an additional £250 million in high needs funding across the current financial year and the next. The additional allocation for West Sussex was £1.8 million for 2018 to 2019. This is included in the figures above.
The National Statistics release ‘Special educational needs in England: January 2018’ includes numbers of children with special educational needs (SEN) and education, health and care (EHC) plans.
The release is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england-january-2018. Table 15 of the local authority tables includes information on the number of pupils in West Sussex with SEN and EHC plans.
The information requested is not held by the department.
Data is collected by the department on assessments for education, health and care plans that are completed within their 20-week target. This is published in table 8 of the ‘Statements of SEN and EHC plans: England, 2018’ publication, which is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statements-of-sen-and-ehc-plans-england-2018.
Initial Teacher Training (ITT) must prepare trainees to meet the Teachers' Standards (2011) in order to gain Qualified Teacher Status. This includes enabling trainees to demonstrate that they can manage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment.
Providing the best possible training is at the heart of the Government’s drive to improve teaching standards. The Department published the framework of core content for ITT in July 2016, alongside a behaviour management report. The framework advises that trainees should “learn and practise a range of routines for improving pupil behaviour…and be able to employ strategies to secure and maintain an orderly classroom.” The behaviour management report advises that providers should “ensure trainees have the skills, knowledge and attitudes to manage behaviour successfully”.
In May 2018, the Department committed to extending the induction period for new teachers, supported by an early career framework (ECF). The content of this framework will complement ITT and support trainees to continue to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours as they embark on their early careers.
The Department for Education produces guidance for head teachers and school staff on developing school behaviour policy and explains the powers members of staff have to maintain discipline in the classroom. The full guidance can be viewed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/488034/Behaviour_andDiscipline_in_Schools_-_A_guide_for_headteachers_and_School_Staff.pdf.
In addition, the Government commissioned behaviour expert, Tom Bennett, to conduct an independent review on behaviour management in schools. ‘Creating a culture’, published in 2017, focused on leadership, culture and systems used to tackle disruptive pupil behaviour. It provides practical advice for head teachers about creating a school culture that prevents low-level disruption, maintains good discipline and promotes pupils’ education, focus and wellbeing. The full report can be viewed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/602487/Tom_Bennett_Independent_Review_of_Behaviour_in_Schools.pdf.
In 2018, the Government announced a £10 million investment to further support schools and teachers to share best practice and knowledge on behaviour management and classroom management.
Music is compulsory in the national curriculum for 5 to 14 year olds. At primary school level, data from the Omnibus Survey in 2017 reveals that the average amount of teaching time in primary schools was broadly similar to the amount of time spent teaching history and geography. At secondary schools, the data from the school workforce census in the table below shows that the proportion of time spent teaching music between 2010 and 2017 has remained broadly stable.
Proportion (%) of total teaching hours spent on music in years 7-13 in state-funded secondary schools | |||||||
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
This Government recognises the importance of quality language teaching at primary and secondary school. Ofsted are responsible for inspecting maintained schools and academies, including language provision.
The Department has made languages compulsory at Key Stage 2. Modern foreign languages (MFLs) are compulsory at Key Stage 3, giving pupils skills and knowledge and broadening their horizons. At Key Stage 4, languages are an essential part of the EBacc combination of core academic subjects. The proportion of pupils studying languages has risen from 40% in 2010 to 46% in 2018. Ofsted plans to conduct research into languages at secondary schools and is due to report on this in 2019-20.
In 2016, Her Majesty’s former Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, reported that the majority of primary-age pupils in schools visited enjoyed having the chance to learn a foreign language. The report did however note concerns including a lack of allocated time to study languages. The Department is developing greater expertise in secondary school provision of languages, and will use this to encourage improvements in primary provision. Sir Michael’s comments can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/hmcis-monthly-commentary-may-2016.
The Department is developing a number of initiatives to encourage improved languages provision in schools including an MFL Pedagogy Hub pilot programme, a Mandarin Excellence Programme, and a package of financial incentives to attract the best candidates into MFL teaching.
Currently, there are two maths schools, Exeter Mathematics School and King’s College London Mathematics School, both of which opened in 2014.
The Government has not set a specific target for the number of maths schools it will establish in each of the next five years. We want to work with leading universities to establish high quality schools, ensuring our most mathematically able students succeed in mathematics related disciplines at top universities.
The Government is committed to raising both the standard of, and pupil participation in, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education at all stages of education.
As my Rt hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced at the 2017 autumn budget, we are investing an additional £33 million to expand the Teaching for Mastery mathematics programme and will introduce a new premium for 16-19 providers of up to £600 per additional student studying advanced mathematics qualifications. The Government has also invested an additional £84 million to improve the teaching of computing and drive up participation in computer science
To improve the development of technical STEM skills, the Government is introducing a national system of 15 technical routes, which will include digital, engineering and manufacturing. The new T levels, which will be developed with employers, will provide progression opportunities into skilled work or higher level study, including degrees. Together with the work already underway to reform the apprenticeships system including STEM apprenticeships, they will provide a reformed, comprehensive and high quality technical option.
The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes statistics on students obtaining qualifications from UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The latest statistics refer to the academic year 2016/17: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/news/11-01-2018/sfr247-higher-education-student-statistics/qualifications.
Information on first degree qualifiers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects from the academic year 2013/14 onwards has been provided in the table below.
First degree qualifiers1 in STEM2 subjects at UK HEIs
Academic years 2013/14 to 2016/17
Academic year | Number of qualifiers3 |
2013/14 | 174,950 |
2014/15 | 170,480 |
2015/16 | 172,480 |
2016/17 | 181,215 |
Source: HESA Student Record
Notes
The Government offers financial incentives, including scholarships and tax-free bursaries, for trainee teachers. These are typically worth up to £26,000 for trainees in priority subjects, including modern foreign languages (MFL). The Department has also developed a number of measures to encourage more MFL specialists into initial teacher training (ITT). These include targeted marketing campaigns, providing support to potential ITT applicants across priority subjects to increase the proportion of successful applications; and providing seed funding to higher education institutions to develop an offer for languages degree students to opt-in to complete qualified teacher status alongside their undergraduate degree.
The Department has developed programmes including the ‘Teacher Subject Specialism Training’ (TSST), to attract existing teachers into MFL. TSST aims to enhance the MFL expertise of current teachers and provide more targeted support to help returning teachers and career changers into the profession.
The Department is creating expert hubs for languages that will share best practice in pedagogy among schools. These hubs will improve access to high quality, modern MFL teaching. Further details will be announced in due course.
This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to you and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
I refer my Rt hon. Friend for Mid Sussex to the answer I gave on 23 October 2017 to 108593:
The Department has reformed the computer science GCSEs and A level so that they provide a stronger foundation for further academic and vocational study, and better prepare students for higher education. The new, more rigorous computer science curriculum is designed to ensure that pupils acquire the knowledge and skills they need to become active creators of digital technology, and the department has funded support for teachers to deliver it.
Since 2012 we have invested £5m in the Network of Teaching Excellence in Computer Science run by Computing at School (CAS), which has built a national network of over 400 ‘Master Teachers’ whom schools can commission to provide bespoke training for their teachers.
An additional £500,000 competitive match-funded scheme has supported innovative approaches to promoting excellent computing teaching with generous additional investment and engagement from industry leaders, including projects backed by Microsoft and Google.
The inclusion of computer science in the English Baccalaureate has also helped to ensure that more pupils obtain a high-quality GCSE qualification in this important subject, preparing them to complete further study in computing-related fields.
From our Supporting Mental Health in Schools and Colleges survey (2017), we have identified many schools that offer training to staff on mental health. (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/634726/Supporting_Mental-Health_survey_report.pdf).
The Children and Young People’s Mental Health Green Paper, to be published before the end of the year, will consider how we secure consistent and quality training.
Round Two of the Teaching and Leadership Innovation Fund (TLIF) is planned to launch in January 2018, with funding of up to £45 million. The TLIF seeks to fund high-quality professional development for teachers and school leaders in the schools and areas of England that need it most. Round Two will focus on a range of specific policy areas, including promoting good mental wellbeing and supporting good mental health in schools. More information on the TLIF Round Two will be available in due course.
I am sorry, but the Department does not hold data on the parliamentary constituency of care leavers, so the information requested is not available for Mid Sussex constituency. Data on the activity of care leavers is only available for those aged up to and including 21 years.
The number of care leavers aged 19 to 21 years old in West Sussex in 2015-16 was 305, of which 125 were not in education, employment or training.
For care leavers aged 17 to 18 years old, of the 135 who were in West Sussex, 50 were not in education, employment or training. Information on care leavers aged 17 and 18 years old was collected for the first time for the year ending 31 March 2016 and is published as experimental statistics.
These figures were published in 2016 in the statistical release “Children looked after in England including adoption: 2015 to 2016 (SFR 41/2016)”, https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2015-to-2016.
Good mental health is a priority for the Government. On 9 January, the Prime Minister committed to a range of activity to improve the lives of children including the publication of a Children and Young People’s Mental Health Green Paper by the end of this year.
We are working with the Department of Health to ensure Mental Health First Aid training is available to all secondary schools, with the aim of having trained at least one teacher in every secondary school by 2019. Funding is split between the Department of Health and Mental Health First Aid England. By the end of this year, 1000 places will be delivered across 100 courses, with one representative from each school per course. The scheme will extend in 2018 and 2019 to cover every secondary school in England.
Many secondary and an increasing number of primary schools provide pupils with access to counselling support. In order to provide schools with the help they need to deliver this provision effectively, the Department published a blueprint for school counselling services. Further details can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/counselling-in-schools.
The Government recognises that teachers are not mental health professionals. Where more serious problems occur, it is expected that pupils should receive additional support from, amongst others, professionals working in specialist Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS), voluntary organisations and local GP practices. The Department is extending its pilot to identify points of contact for mental health in schools and NHS CYPMHS to up to 1200 more schools and colleges in 20 additional Clinical Commissioning Group areas.
Good mental health is a priority for the Government. On 9 January, the Prime Minister committed to a range of activity to improve the lives of children including the publication of a Children and Young People’s Mental Health Green Paper by the end of this year.
We are working with the Department of Health to ensure Mental Health First Aid training is available to all secondary schools, with the aim of having trained at least one teacher in every secondary school by 2019. Funding is split between the Department of Health and Mental Health First Aid England. By the end of this year, 1000 places will be delivered across 100 courses, with one representative from each school per course. The scheme will extend in 2018 and 2019 to cover every secondary school in England.
Many secondary and an increasing number of primary schools provide pupils with access to counselling support. In order to provide schools with the help they need to deliver this provision effectively, the Department published a blueprint for school counselling services. Further details can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/counselling-in-schools.
The Government recognises that teachers are not mental health professionals. Where more serious problems occur, it is expected that pupils should receive additional support from, amongst others, professionals working in specialist Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS), voluntary organisations and local GP practices. The Department is extending its pilot to identify points of contact for mental health in schools and NHS CYPMHS to up to 1200 more schools and colleges in 20 additional Clinical Commissioning Group areas.
I will write to the Rt hon. Member with the information requested. This answer is delayed due to Department officials quality assuring the information requested. A copy of the letter will be placed in the House libraries.
The Regional Schools Commissioner for the South East and South London (SESL) and members of his team meet senior officials from West Sussex County Council (WSCC) regularly. Following the publication of the Key Stage 2 (KS2) and Key Stage 4 (KS4) results for 2017 officials challenged WSCC on the poor performance of West Sussex local council (LC) maintained schools at KS2 in particular. Provisional Key Stage 1 data shows that the LC is below the national average in all subject areas. We also asked them to set out their plans to address that performance.
SESL officials also examine the performance of academies and academy trusts, and ask them to account for poor performance. Where we have concerns, we may commission experienced Education Advisers to visit individual schools to assess the trust’s capacity to make improvements. Depending on the adviser’s findings we may direct the trust to take specific actions and will continue to monitor progress closely where we have concerns.
Officials are working with WSCC to improve the performance of maintained schools and academies in West Sussex in a number of ways. Following their most recent meeting with WSCC, officials will be issuing a joint statement of school improvement principles to the sector to help demonstrate that we are taking a coordinated approach. They are also working with WSCC to develop and coordinate strong and strategic bids for support under the School to School Improvement Fund, building on a project to support maths at KS2 that was supported in the first round.
Operationally, officials are in active discussions with WSCC to identify specific schools where an academy solution would be beneficial post KS2 results, and to undertake a programme of joint visits to those schools to encourage them to move to academy status. Officials have also asked WSCC to support multi academy trusts (MAT) looking to deliver school improvement via the MAT Development and Improvement Fund in approaching LC schools to join those MATs and access the available support. This funding is targeted specifically at Achieving Excellence Areas in Arun, Worthing and Crawley.
I will write to the Rt hon. Member with the information requested. This answer is delayed due to Department officials quality assuring the information requested. A copy of the letter will be placed in the House libraries.
The Department primarily allocates revenue funding at local authority level.
The schools block allocation for individual maintained schools for the financial year and academies for the academic year are published online for the following years:
2016-17: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2016-to-2017.
2015-16: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2015-to-2016
2014-15: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2014-to-2015
2013-14: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2013-to-2014
The Department did not publish online the school block allocation for individual schools in 2012-13.
Individual school allocations for 2017-18 will be published later this year. The formulae that local authorities have used to distribute funding to schools this year are published at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/schools-block-funding-formulae-2017-to-2018.
We recently consulted on a national funding formula for schools. We believe that the current funding arrangements are unfair and we remain committed to changing them.
We received over 25,000 responses to the consultation, which we are analysing in detail. We are grateful to all those who expressed their views on school funding and the proposed formula as part of this process. We will publish the response to the consultation in due course. We are unable to confirm the funding each school will receive in future years.
The Department primarily allocates revenue funding at local authority level.
The schools block allocation for individual maintained schools for the financial year and academies for the academic year are published online for the following years:
2016-17: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2016-to-2017.
2015-16: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2015-to-2016
2014-15: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2014-to-2015
2013-14: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2013-to-2014
The Department did not publish online the school block allocation for individual schools in 2012-13.
Individual school allocations for 2017-18 will be published later this year. The formulae that local authorities have used to distribute funding to schools this year are published at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/schools-block-funding-formulae-2017-to-2018.
We recently consulted on a national funding formula for schools. We believe that the current funding arrangements are unfair and we remain committed to changing them.
We received over 25,000 responses to the consultation, which we are analysing in detail. We are grateful to all those who expressed their views on school funding and the proposed formula as part of this process. We will publish the response to the consultation in due course. We are unable to confirm the funding each school will receive in future years.
Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is responsible for Ofsted’s common inspection framework, school inspection handbook and safeguarding guidance, which set out how inspectors consider and report on these matters. The school inspection handbook sets out that inspectors should evaluate the experience of particular individuals and groups, including those with mental health needs.
It also includes as a grade descriptor for outstanding schools that “pupils make informed choices about healthy eating, fitness and their emotional and mental wellbeing”. Inspectors must evaluate how well schools fulfil their statutory and other responsibilities, and how well staff exercise their professional judgement, in keeping pupils safe.
The report of the Sussex area review was published on 29 November 2016 and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sussex-further-education-area-review-report. Copies of the draft report were sent to Hon members on the 23 June 2016, in advance of their meeting with officials to discuss the recommendations arising from the review prior to publication.
The Sussex Area Review, which included Central Sussex College, was undertaken earlier this year and a report of the review was published on 29 November 2016. It can be found on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sussex-further-education-area-review-report.
Following the recommendations of the review, Central Sussex College and Chichester College announced in November 2016 that they are working towards a potential merger of the two colleges. Government will continue to work with both colleges to secure a high quality and financially resilient merged college that meets the educational and economic needs of the Sussex area
Central Sussex College is closing its Hayward Heath campus in summer 2017 and with the college, we are continuing to work with West Sussex County Council to secure a future educational use of the site.
In July 2016, we published the refreshed cross-government care leaver strategy ‘Keep on Caring’. It set out the five outcomes that we want to achieve for care leavers, that they: are better prepared to live independently; are supported to access education, employment and training; experience stability and feel safe and secure; have good health and wellbeing; and achieve financial stability. ’Keep on Caring’ is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keep-on-caring-supporting-young-people-from-care-to-independence
Through the Children and Social Work Bill we are introducing a set of corporate parenting principles that will govern how local authorities deliver services to children in care and care leavers, placing a new requirement on local authorities to consult on and publish their local offer for care leavers; and we are extending the role of the Personal Advisor to age 25 for all care leavers.
In addition, we are developing the Care Leaver Covenant to encourage the whole of society to support care leavers. We have also announced plans to pilot Staying Close, as an alternative to Staying Put for young people leaving residential care; and we will develop Social Impact Bonds focused on supporting care leavers into education, employment and training.
This Government is committed to radically reforming the children’s social care system to ensure the most vulnerable children can fulfil their potential. The Innovation Programme is at the heart of this.
In its first two years the Innovation Programme invested £110million in 53 projects operating across 59% of all top-tier local authorities and involving over 120 public, private and voluntary sector organisations to test new approaches in children’s social care.
Evaluation is central to the Innovation Programme to build a strong evidence base of what works to improve outcomes for children. Independent project evaluation reports, co-ordinated by Oxford University’s Rees Centre, will be published over the next few months, with programme-wide thematic reports in summer 2017.
In April, we committed a further £200million to support innovation and improvement in children’s social care. We have recently announced funding to scale up a number of projects that have shown early signs of success, including for Pause to expand their programme supporting women to break the cycle of repeat pregnancy and social care interventions.
In 2014/15, one state funded mainstream primary school in West Sussex was rated in the top 250 in England for Key Stage 2 National Curriculum assessment outcomes at level 5 and above in reading, writing and mathematics.
The percentage of pupils achieving level 5 and above in reading, writing and mathematics for 2014/15 is published at school level as part of the ‘Primary school performance tables, key stage 2: 2015 (final)’ publication[1].
Information on attainment under the new national curriculum tests at Key Stage 2 was published at school level as part of the ‘Primary school performance tables, key stage 2: 2016 (revised)’ publication on 15th December 2016.
My officials have had two face-to-face meetings this term with lead West Sussex County Council officers to discuss school performance. These meetings have focused on particular concerns about results at Key Stage 2, as results at Key Stage 4 were better. At KS2 West Sussex were 144th out of 150 local authorities in England, compared to 52nd of 150 at KS4.
These meetings resulted in agreement about maintained schools that will be considered for sponsored academy status, and academy trusts, which will be challenged by the Regional Schools Commissioner for poor performance in their schools. West Sussex County Council have issued warning notices to four primary schools identified as performing particularly badly. DfE officials will continue to meet the local authority to discuss schools causing particular concern.
The Regional Schools Commissioner has visited West Sussex twice this term at the invitation of the local authority, and has spoken to heads and governors about current issues affecting schools. Officials are following this up with individual meetings with schools to discuss concerns and options for converting to academy status, joining together as multi-academy trusts, and other ways forward.
As confirmed in the Area Review Guidance published in March 2016, we will publish the area review reports once each wave of the reviews has been completed. We expect to publish the Sussex area review report by the end of November 2016.
Information on pupil performance in West Sussex and nationally at Key Stages 1, 2 and 4 is published as part of the “Phonics screening check and key stage 1 assessments: England 2016”[1], “National curriculum assessments: key stage 2, 2016 (provisional)”[2] and “GCSE and equivalent results: 2015 to 2016 (provisional)”[3] statistical first releases (SFRs).
The Department no longer collects information on Key Stage 3 results. Further details are available in the secondary school accountability consultation response[4].
The table below shows 2016 teacher assessed provisional attainment information for pupils at the end of Key Stage 1:
[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gcse-and-equivalent-results-2015-to-2016-provisional
State funded schools | West Sussex | England | ||||
| Number of eligible pupils1 | Percentage reaching the expected standard2 | Percentage reaching the higher standard | Number of eligible pupils1 | Percentage reaching the expected standard2 | Percentage reaching the higher standard |
Reading | 9,240 | 69 | 16 | 641,598 | 74 | 24 |
Writing | 9,240 | 53 | 7 | 641,598 | 65 | 13 |
Mathematics | 9,240 | 65 | 9 | 641,598 | 73 | 18 |
Science3 | 9,240 | 78 | - | 641,595 | 82 | - |
Source: Key Stage 1 attainment information
Notes:
The table below shows 2016 provisional attainment information for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 in reading, writing (teacher assessment) and mathematics:
State funded schools1 | West Sussex | England | ||||
| Number of eligible pupils2 | Percentage reaching the expected standard3 | Percentage achieving a high score4 | Number of eligible pupils2 | Percentage reaching the expected standard3 | Percentage achieving a high score4 |
Reading, writing and mathematics | 8,276 | 44 | 2 | 586,181 | 52 | 5 |
Source: 2015/16 (Provisional) Primary school performance data
Notes:
The table below shows 2016 provisional GCSE and equivalent entries and achievements of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4:
State funded schools1 | West Sussex | England | ||
Number of pupils at the end of key stage 42 | 8,129 | 538,623 | ||
| Pupils entered for all components | Percentage of pupils who achieved | Pupils entered for all components | Percentage of pupils who achieved |
A*-C in English and maths GCSEs | 96.7 | 64.5 | 96.8 | 62.8 |
English Baccalaureate | 40.9 | 26.0 | 39.7 | 24.6 |
State funded schools | West Sussex | England |
Average attainment 8 score per pupil3 | 50.7 | 49.9 |
State funded schools | West Sussex | England | ||
| Number of pupils included in the measure | Average Progress 8 score4 | Number of pupils included in the measure | Average Progress 8 score4 |
Progress 83 | 7,756 | 0.11 | 512,368 | -0.03 |
Source: 2015/16 key stage 4 attainment data (Provisional)
Notes: 1. Cover achievements in state-funded schools only. They do not include pupils recently arrived from overseas and so will not match with state-funded figures in the main tables. |
| ||||||||||
2. Includes entries and achievements by these pupils in previous academic years. |
| ||||||||||
3. Attainment 8 and Progress 8 are part of the new secondary accountability system being implemented for all schools from 2016. Attainment 8 is calculated for all schools, Progress 8 is calculated for state-funded schools and non-maintained special schools only. More information on the calculation of these measures is available in the Progress 8 guidance: |
| ||||||||||
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/progress-8-school-performance-measure | |||||||||||
4. A Progress 8 score of 1.0 means pupils in the group make on average a grade more progress than the national average; a score of -0.5 means they make on average half a grade less progress than average. Progress 8 scores should be interpreted alongside the associated confidence intervals. If the lower bound of the confidence interval is greater than zero, it can be interpreted as meaning that the group achieves greater than average progress compared to pupils in mainstream schools nationally and that this is statistically significant. If the upper bound is negative, this means that the group achieves lower than average progress compared to pupils in mainstream schools nationally and that this is statistically significant. |
| ||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
West Sussex County Council is ranked joint 49th lowest for the percentage of students reaching the expected standard in reading, joint 5th lowest for mathematics and joint 5th lowest in reading, mathematics and writing combined.
The information that you requested is given in the table below shows Key stage 2 attainment in reading, mathematics and reading, writing and mathematics for West Sussex local authority and England (State-funded schools1).
West Sussex | Number of eligible pupils2 | Percentage reaching the expected standard3 | Percentage achieving a high score4 | Average scaled score5 |
Reading | 8,276 | 64 | 20 | 102 |
Mathematics | 8,276 | 63 | 13 | 102 |
Reading, writing and mathematics | 8,276 | 44 | 2 | Not Applicable |
England (state-funded schools) | Number of eligible pupils | Percentage reaching the expected standard | Percentage achieving a high score | Average scaled score |
Reading | 586,337 | 66 | 19 | 103 |
Mathematics | 586,310 | 70 | 17 | 103 |
Reading, writing and mathematics | 586,181 | 52 | 5 | Not Applicable |
Notes:
The information given in the table is published at local authority and national level as part of the“National curriculum assessments: key stage 2, 2016 (provisional)” statistical first release (SFR)[1].
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-curriculum-assessments-key-stage-2-2016-provisional (Table L1 - Reading, writing and maths; Table L2 – reading and mathematics)
As confirmed in the Area Review Guidance published in March 2016, we will publish the area review reports and we expect to publish the Sussex area review in the near future.
The Post 16 education and training area review of Sussex, which involved both the Coast to Capital LEP and West Sussex County Council, as well as all the colleges in Sussex, was undertaken earlier this year and a report of the review is expected to be published shortly. As part of the review, Coast to Capital LEP indicated the need to maintain further education in Crawley and arrangements are being taken forward to ensure that this need is met.
We are also working with West Sussex County Council to establish the future use of the Haywards Heath campus, following the Central Sussex College’s announcement to withdraw from this campus in April 2016.
The Post 16 education and training area review of Sussex, which involved both the Coast to Capital LEP and West Sussex County Council, as well as all the colleges in Sussex, was undertaken earlier this year and a report of the review is expected to be published shortly. As part of the review, Coast to Capital LEP indicated the need to maintain further education in Crawley and arrangements are being taken forward to ensure that this need is met.
We are also working with West Sussex County Council to establish the future use of the Haywards Heath campus, following the Central Sussex College’s announcement to withdraw from this campus in April 2016.
Funding for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) is allocated to local authorities through the dedicated schools grant, which includes both funding to be delegated to mainstream schools, and funding for the additional costs associated with educating children and young people with high needs.
Schools are funded through a formula set by their local authority, and local authorities are required to delegate funds to a level that enables schools to meet the additional cost of pupils with SEN up to £6,000 per annum. It is for individual schools to decide how they allocate their overall budget to ensure they meet the specific needs of children with learning difficulties.
For those pupils whose additional support costs more than £6,000 the local authority pays top-up funding to the schools from their high needs budget. Top-up funding rates are for local authorities to agree with their schools.
West Sussex County Council’s high needs allocation, within the dedicated schools grant, in each of the last three years was as follows:
2013-14 – £67.69m
2014-15 – £70.53m
2015-16 – £71.64m
We do not hold information on the total funding allocated by West Sussex County Council for supporting children with learning difficulties to schools in the Mid Sussex constituency or in the West Sussex county area.
Central Sussex College is within the Sussex area review, part of wave 1 of the area review programme which began in September 2015. This review covers Brighton & Hove City, East Sussex, and West Sussex Councils, and Coast to Capital and South East Local Enterprise Partnerships.
The other further education institutions included in this review are: Chichester College; City College, Brighton and Hove; Northbrook College, Sussex; Plumpton College; Sussex Coast College; Sussex Downs College; Worthing College; Bexhill College; Brighton Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College; and Varndean College.
The local steering groups overseeing each area review hold regular meetings and do not intend to publish interim findings of any area review.
The Department is committed to making the outcomes transparent, and once each review reaches its conclusions, there will be a report published at the end of each Area Review process.
Savings of £600 million will be made by reducing the Education Services Grant (ESG), including phasing out the additional funding that goes to schools and local authorities. We will be making a small efficiency saving (around £80 million) from the ESG in 2016-17, and will be setting out our proposals for savings from 2017-18 in the New Year. This will include consulting on the details of the statutory duties that will be removed.
Savings of £600 million will be made by reducing the Education Services Grant (ESG), including phasing out the additional funding that goes to schools and local authorities. We will be making a small efficiency saving (around £80 million) from the ESG in 2016-17, and will be setting out our proposals for savings from 2017-18 in the New Year. This will include consulting on the details of the statutory duties that will be removed.
The government provides local authorities and other bodies responsible for school buildings with capital funding for schools through condition funding and basic need funding for new school places. Local authorities can spend this money on new school buildings but the department does not collect the data centrally on the number of new school buildings. Information on the impact of this funding in each local authority and parliamentary constituency could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The government does directly deliver new schools, in new or refurbished buildings, through the Free Schools, University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools programmes. There are currently 383 schools that are open through these programmes.
A list of all open free schools can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/free-schools-open-schools-and-successful-applications.
A list of all open University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/utcs-and-studio-schools-open-schools-and-applications-received.
The government is committed to delivering our manifesto pledge to make school funding fairer. It was announced at the Spending Review that we intend to introduce a National Funding Formula for schools, high needs and early years in 2017. We will set out our detailed plans for a National Funding Formula, including the criteria to be included in the formula for schools, in the New Year and will consult on our proposals extensively.
Information on the age of school blocks was collected through the Property Data Survey (PDS) and the categories used to define the age of blocks were Pre 1919, Inter War, 1945 to 1966, 1967 to 1976, post 1976 and temporary premises.
The PDS collected data on 244 schools in West Sussex and in response to the question we can confirm:
(a) and (b) The PDS did not identify blocks built prior to 1870 or between 1870 and 1914 therefore we do not have this information. However we did identify buildings built prior to 1919 and can confirm that there are 21 schools in West Sussex in which all blocks on site were constructed before 1919.
(c) The PDS collected information on blocks constructed between 1919 and 1939 and we can confirm that there are 4 schools in West Sussex in which all blocks were constructed during this time.
(d) The PDS collected information on blocks built since 1945 and we can confirm that there are 163 schools in which all blocks have been constructed since then.
Of the remaining 56 schools that were surveyed through the PDS, these schools comprise of blocks of mixed age across each of the categories listed within (a) and (b), (c) and (d).
The PDS excluded all schools that were deemed to be modernised (rebuilt or refurbished since 2004), part of a PFI agreement or planned to be renewed or rebuilt under central capital programmes, therefore the above data excludes schools within these categories in West Sussex.
The area cost adjustment for the schools block of the dedicated schools grant for 2015-16 is based on a combination of a teacher cost adjustment and a general labour market specific cost adjustment for non-teaching staff pay.
Teacher cost adjustments for the four regional pay bands (and the area cost adjustment itself) was published in the technical note to “Fairer schools funding: arrangements for 2015 to 2016”: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fairer-schools-funding-arrangements-for-2015-to-2016
The general labour market specific cost adjustment was calculated and published by the Department for Communities and Local Government in “Methodology Guide for the Area Cost Adjustment 2013/14”: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140505104649/http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1314/methacas.pdf
The methodology for combining the teacher and general labour market elements into the area cost adjustment is described in Annex C of “Fairer schools funding 2015 to 2016”: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fairer-schools-funding-2015-to-2016
A map showing the area covered by the Department’s definition of a) the West Sussex Fringe and b) the West Sussex Non-Fringe is attached.
The area cost adjustment for the schools block of the dedicated schools grant for 2015-16 is based on a combination of a teacher cost adjustment and a general labour market specific cost adjustment for non-teaching staff pay.
Teacher cost adjustments for the four regional pay bands (and the area cost adjustment itself) was published in the technical note to “Fairer schools funding: arrangements for 2015 to 2016”: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fairer-schools-funding-arrangements-for-2015-to-2016
The general labour market specific cost adjustment was calculated and published by the Department for Communities and Local Government in “Methodology Guide for the Area Cost Adjustment 2013/14”: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140505104649/http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1314/methacas.pdf
The methodology for combining the teacher and general labour market elements into the area cost adjustment is described in Annex C of “Fairer schools funding 2015 to 2016”: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fairer-schools-funding-2015-to-2016
A map showing the area covered by the Department’s definition of a) the West Sussex Fringe and b) the West Sussex Non-Fringe is attached.
The department has collected information on the condition of the school estate through the Property Data Survey (PDS). It provides a relative view of the issues in addressing different types of condition need.
A PDS Programme summary report was produced in January 2015 and is available to view on GOV.UK. The report summarises the condition need for the school estate regionally, by phase and building type.
The Department for Education uses the Teacher Supply Model (TSM) to estimate the demand for qualified teachers in active service within state-funded schools in England each year using a range of assumptions including projections for the numbers of pupils in schools. The TSM then estimates the number of postgraduate Initial Teacher Training (ITT) places required in England to meet this demand, given the number of entrants expected through routes other than the Newly Qualified Teacher route; for example through returning to teaching.
The TSM estimates the number of postgraduate training places required one year in advance and is updated each year to take account of the most up-to-date data – for example, the population projections published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) - which means our estimates change each year. As with any long-term forecast, the further into the future the forecast the more uncertain the estimates become. For this reason, the department does not produce 25 year forecasts of teacher demand. The forecast period of the current TSM provides the department with estimates of the broad trend in likely future demand for teachers which is sufficient for our policy development needs.
The 2016/17 version of the TSM, which was used to inform the 2016/17 ITT recruitment process, along with a user guide explaining the methodology in detail, is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-supply-model.
Pupil forecasts based on ONS population projections have been made out to 2024 and they suggest that pupil numbers are due to rise significantly over that period. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that there are sufficient schools to meet that need, and for determining precisely how many new schools are needed in their area.
We allocate funding for new school places to local authorities three years in advance in order to balance the need for robust forecasts and to ensure certainty for local authorities over their future funding allocations.
Providing this funding to support local authorities in creating additional school places is one of the Government’s top priorities. This is signalled by the £7 billion that this Government has committed to spend on new places over the course of this Parliament; as well as the £5 billion that the previous Coalition Government invested in school places between 2011 and 2015 (more than double the £1.9 billion spent between 2007 and 2011).
Provisional information on the latest Key Stage 2 results in West Sussex and other local authorities is published as part of the “National curriculum assessments: key stage 2, 2015 (provisional)” release[1].
These indicate that 77% of pupils in West Sussex local authority achieved level 4 or above in reading, writing and mathematics, below the national average of 80%. This is down from 78% in 2013/14.
In the same year, 21% of pupils in West Sussex local authority achieved level 5 or above in reading, writing and mathematics, below the national average of 24%. This is down from 22% in 2013/14.
Since the phonics check was introduced in West Sussex, the proportion of children who achieve the expected standard has risen each year to 73% in 2015. This remains, however, below the national average of 77%.
Standards in some West Sussex schools are currently too low. I have therefore written to West Sussex County Council, asking them to set out their plans to improve results, so that more children in West Sussex receive the standard of education to which they are entitled.
This is part of our national plan to raise standards, by setting higher expectations in our curriculum and qualifications; creating a self-improving school system; and promoting strong school governance through academies and free schools. We are also committed to making sure schools are funded fairly so all pupils have access to a good education – a key part of our core mission ensure every child reaches their full potential.
[1] 2014/15 provisional local authority level tables can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/456135/SFR30_2015_KS2_LA_Tables.xls
Provisional information on the latest Key Stage 2 results in West Sussex and other local authorities is published as part of the “National curriculum assessments: key stage 2, 2015 (provisional)” release[1].
These indicate that 77% of pupils in West Sussex local authority achieved level 4 or above in reading, writing and mathematics, below the national average of 80%. This is down from 78% in 2013/14.
In the same year, 21% of pupils in West Sussex local authority achieved level 5 or above in reading, writing and mathematics, below the national average of 24%. This is down from 22% in 2013/14.
Since the phonics check was introduced in West Sussex, the proportion of children who achieve the expected standard has risen each year to 73% in 2015. This remains, however, below the national average of 77%.
Standards in some West Sussex schools are currently too low. I have therefore written to West Sussex County Council, asking them to set out their plans to improve results, so that more children in West Sussex receive the standard of education to which they are entitled.
This is part of our national plan to raise standards, by setting higher expectations in our curriculum and qualifications; creating a self-improving school system; and promoting strong school governance through academies and free schools. We are also committed to making sure schools are funded fairly so all pupils have access to a good education – a key part of our core mission ensure every child reaches their full potential.
[1] 2014/15 provisional local authority level tables can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/456135/SFR30_2015_KS2_LA_Tables.xls
Average per pupil revenue funding figures for Gloucestershire, Essex, Hampshire and East Sussex are given below. With the introduction of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) in 2006-07, the changes to the funding mechanism meant figures were no longer available to be shown split by phase of education.
Figures for financial years 2005 to 2013 are shown below. These are in cash terms:
Average revenue per pupil funding (cash £) | 2005-06 (baseline) | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
Gloucestershire | 3,610 | 3,840 | 4,110 | 4,350 | 4,520 | 4,730 | 4,660 | 4,660 |
Essex | 3,760 | 3,980 | 4,240 | 4,440 | 4,620 | 4,860 | 4,820 | 4,820 |
Hampshire | 3,630 | 3,840 | 4,090 | 4,300 | 4,490 | 4,720 | 4,650 | 4,650 |
East Sussex | 3,860 | 4,070 | 4,370 | 4,560 | 4,740 | 4,980 | 4,910 | 4,910 |
These are in real terms using September 2015 GDP deflators in 2014-15 prices:
Average revenue per pupil funding (real £) | 2005-06 (baseline) | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
Gloucestershire | 4,430 | 4,580 | 4,760 | 4,910 | 4,980 | 5,060 | 4,920 | 4,830 |
Essex | 4,610 | 4,740 | 4,920 | 5,020 | 5,100 | 5,200 | 5,080 | 4,990 |
Hampshire | 4,450 | 4,570 | 4,750 | 4,850 | 4,950 | 5,050 | 4,900 | 4,810 |
East Sussex | 4,740 | 4,850 | 5,070 | 5,150 | 5,230 | 5,340 | 5,180 | 5,090 |
Per pupil figures are using DSG allocations plus other schools related grants, e.g. school standards grant, school standards grant (personalisation), standards fund, and pupils aged 3-15 rounded to the nearest £10. Most of the additional grants were mainstreamed into DSG in 2011-12.
The changes to DSG funding in financial year 2013 to 2014 with funding allocated through three blocks, namely schools, early years and high needs, means there is no longer a comparable overall figure with previous years. The tables below show the DSG schools block unit funding figures in cash and real terms for each LA.
DSG schools block per pupil funding (cash £) | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 |
Gloucestershire | 4,203 | 4,203 | 4,358 |
Essex | 4,393 | 4,393 | 4,386 |
Hampshire | 4,277 | 4,277 | 4,269 |
East Sussex | 4,450 | 4,450 | 4,442 |
DSG schools block per pupil funding (real £[1] ) | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 |
Gloucestershire | 4,263 | 4,203 | 4,315 |
Essex | 4,456 | 4,393 | 4,343 |
Hampshire | 4,338 | 4,277 | 4,227 |
East Sussex | 4,514 | 4,450 | 4,398 |
[1] Real terms figures shown in 2014-15 prices using GDP deflators at 30.09.15.
Since 2011-12 schools have received the Pupil Premium which targets funding at pupils from the most deprived backgrounds to help them achieve their full potential. In 2011-12, the Premium was allocated for each pupil known to be eligible for Free School Meals, looked after children and children of parents in the armed services. In 2012-13 coverage was expanded to include pupils known to have been eligible for Free School Meals at any point in the last six years. The amounts per pupil amounts for each type of pupil are shown in following table in cash terms:
Pupil Premium per pupil (£) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 |
Free School Meal Pupil Primary | £488 | £623 | £953 | £1323 | £1320 |
Free School Meal Pupil Secondary | £488 | £623 | £900 | £935 | £935 |
Service Children | £200 | £250 | £300 | £300 | £300 |
Looked After Children | £488 | £623 | £900 | £1900[2] | £1900[2] |
[2] Also includes children adopted from care.
Total Pupil Premium allocations for each local authority for each year are shown in the following table in cash terms:
Pupil Premium Allocations (£ millions) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-16 (prov.) |
Gloucestershire | 4.575 | 8.904 | 13.931 | 18.717 | 19.533 |
Essex | 11.306 | 23.648 | 37.361 | 49.434 | 50.417 |
Hampshire | 9.518 | 19.679 | 30.960 | 40.671 | 40.350 |
East Sussex | 4.676 | 9.011 | 14.092 | 18.759 | 18.685 |
These figures in real terms:
Pupil Premium Allocations (£ millions) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-16 (prov.) |
Gloucestershire | 4.825 | 9.222 | 14.130 | 18.717 | 19.340 |
Essex | 11.924 | 24.492 | 37.896 | 49.434 | 49.918 |
Hampshire | 10.038 | 20.381 | 31.403 | 40.671 | 39.950 |
East Sussex | 4.932 | 9.333 | 14.294 | 18.759 | 18.500 |
Price Base: Real terms at 2014-15 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 30.09.2015.
The table below shows capital funding for the financial years that are available. The data is in cash terms as allocations are phased across more than one year making real terms calculations meaningless. Complete information on the split of capital between phases of education is not held centrally.
Capital allocations £m | Gloucestershire | Essex | Hampshire | East Sussex |
2005-06 | 34.6 | 72.4 | 67.3 | 23.5 |
2006-07 | 41.8 | 56.8 | 64.9 | 19.8 |
2007-08 | 54.6 | 67.1 | 75.6 | 35.3 |
2008-09 | 68.7 | 91.7 | 70.2 | 42.7 |
2009-10 | 58.5 | 147.4 | 90.2 | 46.7 |
2010-11 | 68.1 | 104.8 | 63.2 | 32.3 |
2011-12 | 33.9 | 79.1 | 69.5 | 32.1 |
2012-13 | 43.5 | 94.3 | 67.7 | 38.2 |
2013-14 | 32.7 | 83.7 | 62.5 | 35.4 |
2014-15 | 35.7 | 85.4 | 70.2 | 34.7 |
2015-16 (prov.) | 13.3 | 50.8 | 37.2 | 19.4 |
Notes:
Average per pupil revenue funding figures for Gloucestershire, Essex, Hampshire and East Sussex are given below. With the introduction of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) in 2006-07, the changes to the funding mechanism meant figures were no longer available to be shown split by phase of education.
Figures for financial years 2005 to 2013 are shown below. These are in cash terms:
Average revenue per pupil funding (cash £) | 2005-06 (baseline) | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
Gloucestershire | 3,610 | 3,840 | 4,110 | 4,350 | 4,520 | 4,730 | 4,660 | 4,660 |
Essex | 3,760 | 3,980 | 4,240 | 4,440 | 4,620 | 4,860 | 4,820 | 4,820 |
Hampshire | 3,630 | 3,840 | 4,090 | 4,300 | 4,490 | 4,720 | 4,650 | 4,650 |
East Sussex | 3,860 | 4,070 | 4,370 | 4,560 | 4,740 | 4,980 | 4,910 | 4,910 |
These are in real terms using September 2015 GDP deflators in 2014-15 prices:
Average revenue per pupil funding (real £) | 2005-06 (baseline) | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
Gloucestershire | 4,430 | 4,580 | 4,760 | 4,910 | 4,980 | 5,060 | 4,920 | 4,830 |
Essex | 4,610 | 4,740 | 4,920 | 5,020 | 5,100 | 5,200 | 5,080 | 4,990 |
Hampshire | 4,450 | 4,570 | 4,750 | 4,850 | 4,950 | 5,050 | 4,900 | 4,810 |
East Sussex | 4,740 | 4,850 | 5,070 | 5,150 | 5,230 | 5,340 | 5,180 | 5,090 |
Per pupil figures are using DSG allocations plus other schools related grants, e.g. school standards grant, school standards grant (personalisation), standards fund, and pupils aged 3-15 rounded to the nearest £10. Most of the additional grants were mainstreamed into DSG in 2011-12.
The changes to DSG funding in financial year 2013 to 2014 with funding allocated through three blocks, namely schools, early years and high needs, means there is no longer a comparable overall figure with previous years. The tables below show the DSG schools block unit funding figures in cash and real terms for each LA.
DSG schools block per pupil funding (cash £) | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 |
Gloucestershire | 4,203 | 4,203 | 4,358 |
Essex | 4,393 | 4,393 | 4,386 |
Hampshire | 4,277 | 4,277 | 4,269 |
East Sussex | 4,450 | 4,450 | 4,442 |
DSG schools block per pupil funding (real £[1] ) | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 |
Gloucestershire | 4,263 | 4,203 | 4,315 |
Essex | 4,456 | 4,393 | 4,343 |
Hampshire | 4,338 | 4,277 | 4,227 |
East Sussex | 4,514 | 4,450 | 4,398 |
[1] Real terms figures shown in 2014-15 prices using GDP deflators at 30.09.15.
Since 2011-12 schools have received the Pupil Premium which targets funding at pupils from the most deprived backgrounds to help them achieve their full potential. In 2011-12, the Premium was allocated for each pupil known to be eligible for Free School Meals, looked after children and children of parents in the armed services. In 2012-13 coverage was expanded to include pupils known to have been eligible for Free School Meals at any point in the last six years. The amounts per pupil amounts for each type of pupil are shown in following table in cash terms:
Pupil Premium per pupil (£) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 |
Free School Meal Pupil Primary | £488 | £623 | £953 | £1323 | £1320 |
Free School Meal Pupil Secondary | £488 | £623 | £900 | £935 | £935 |
Service Children | £200 | £250 | £300 | £300 | £300 |
Looked After Children | £488 | £623 | £900 | £1900[2] | £1900[2] |
[2] Also includes children adopted from care.
Total Pupil Premium allocations for each local authority for each year are shown in the following table in cash terms:
Pupil Premium Allocations (£ millions) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-16 (prov.) |
Gloucestershire | 4.575 | 8.904 | 13.931 | 18.717 | 19.533 |
Essex | 11.306 | 23.648 | 37.361 | 49.434 | 50.417 |
Hampshire | 9.518 | 19.679 | 30.960 | 40.671 | 40.350 |
East Sussex | 4.676 | 9.011 | 14.092 | 18.759 | 18.685 |
These figures in real terms:
Pupil Premium Allocations (£ millions) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-16 (prov.) |
Gloucestershire | 4.825 | 9.222 | 14.130 | 18.717 | 19.340 |
Essex | 11.924 | 24.492 | 37.896 | 49.434 | 49.918 |
Hampshire | 10.038 | 20.381 | 31.403 | 40.671 | 39.950 |
East Sussex | 4.932 | 9.333 | 14.294 | 18.759 | 18.500 |
Price Base: Real terms at 2014-15 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 30.09.2015.
The table below shows capital funding for the financial years that are available. The data is in cash terms as allocations are phased across more than one year making real terms calculations meaningless. Complete information on the split of capital between phases of education is not held centrally.
Capital allocations £m | Gloucestershire | Essex | Hampshire | East Sussex |
2005-06 | 34.6 | 72.4 | 67.3 | 23.5 |
2006-07 | 41.8 | 56.8 | 64.9 | 19.8 |
2007-08 | 54.6 | 67.1 | 75.6 | 35.3 |
2008-09 | 68.7 | 91.7 | 70.2 | 42.7 |
2009-10 | 58.5 | 147.4 | 90.2 | 46.7 |
2010-11 | 68.1 | 104.8 | 63.2 | 32.3 |
2011-12 | 33.9 | 79.1 | 69.5 | 32.1 |
2012-13 | 43.5 | 94.3 | 67.7 | 38.2 |
2013-14 | 32.7 | 83.7 | 62.5 | 35.4 |
2014-15 | 35.7 | 85.4 | 70.2 | 34.7 |
2015-16 (prov.) | 13.3 | 50.8 | 37.2 | 19.4 |
Notes:
Average per pupil revenue funding figures for Gloucestershire, Essex, Hampshire and East Sussex are given below. With the introduction of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) in 2006-07, the changes to the funding mechanism meant figures were no longer available to be shown split by phase of education.
Figures for financial years 2005 to 2013 are shown below. These are in cash terms:
Average revenue per pupil funding (cash £) | 2005-06 (baseline) | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
Gloucestershire | 3,610 | 3,840 | 4,110 | 4,350 | 4,520 | 4,730 | 4,660 | 4,660 |
Essex | 3,760 | 3,980 | 4,240 | 4,440 | 4,620 | 4,860 | 4,820 | 4,820 |
Hampshire | 3,630 | 3,840 | 4,090 | 4,300 | 4,490 | 4,720 | 4,650 | 4,650 |
East Sussex | 3,860 | 4,070 | 4,370 | 4,560 | 4,740 | 4,980 | 4,910 | 4,910 |
These are in real terms using September 2015 GDP deflators in 2014-15 prices:
Average revenue per pupil funding (real £) | 2005-06 (baseline) | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
Gloucestershire | 4,430 | 4,580 | 4,760 | 4,910 | 4,980 | 5,060 | 4,920 | 4,830 |
Essex | 4,610 | 4,740 | 4,920 | 5,020 | 5,100 | 5,200 | 5,080 | 4,990 |
Hampshire | 4,450 | 4,570 | 4,750 | 4,850 | 4,950 | 5,050 | 4,900 | 4,810 |
East Sussex | 4,740 | 4,850 | 5,070 | 5,150 | 5,230 | 5,340 | 5,180 | 5,090 |
Per pupil figures are using DSG allocations plus other schools related grants, e.g. school standards grant, school standards grant (personalisation), standards fund, and pupils aged 3-15 rounded to the nearest £10. Most of the additional grants were mainstreamed into DSG in 2011-12.
The changes to DSG funding in financial year 2013 to 2014 with funding allocated through three blocks, namely schools, early years and high needs, means there is no longer a comparable overall figure with previous years. The tables below show the DSG schools block unit funding figures in cash and real terms for each LA.
DSG schools block per pupil funding (cash £) | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 |
Gloucestershire | 4,203 | 4,203 | 4,358 |
Essex | 4,393 | 4,393 | 4,386 |
Hampshire | 4,277 | 4,277 | 4,269 |
East Sussex | 4,450 | 4,450 | 4,442 |
DSG schools block per pupil funding (real £[1] ) | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 |
Gloucestershire | 4,263 | 4,203 | 4,315 |
Essex | 4,456 | 4,393 | 4,343 |
Hampshire | 4,338 | 4,277 | 4,227 |
East Sussex | 4,514 | 4,450 | 4,398 |
[1] Real terms figures shown in 2014-15 prices using GDP deflators at 30.09.15.
Since 2011-12 schools have received the Pupil Premium which targets funding at pupils from the most deprived backgrounds to help them achieve their full potential. In 2011-12, the Premium was allocated for each pupil known to be eligible for Free School Meals, looked after children and children of parents in the armed services. In 2012-13 coverage was expanded to include pupils known to have been eligible for Free School Meals at any point in the last six years. The amounts per pupil amounts for each type of pupil are shown in following table in cash terms:
Pupil Premium per pupil (£) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 |
Free School Meal Pupil Primary | £488 | £623 | £953 | £1323 | £1320 |
Free School Meal Pupil Secondary | £488 | £623 | £900 | £935 | £935 |
Service Children | £200 | £250 | £300 | £300 | £300 |
Looked After Children | £488 | £623 | £900 | £1900[2] | £1900[2] |
[2] Also includes children adopted from care.
Total Pupil Premium allocations for each local authority for each year are shown in the following table in cash terms:
Pupil Premium Allocations (£ millions) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-16 (prov.) |
Gloucestershire | 4.575 | 8.904 | 13.931 | 18.717 | 19.533 |
Essex | 11.306 | 23.648 | 37.361 | 49.434 | 50.417 |
Hampshire | 9.518 | 19.679 | 30.960 | 40.671 | 40.350 |
East Sussex | 4.676 | 9.011 | 14.092 | 18.759 | 18.685 |
These figures in real terms:
Pupil Premium Allocations (£ millions) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-16 (prov.) |
Gloucestershire | 4.825 | 9.222 | 14.130 | 18.717 | 19.340 |
Essex | 11.924 | 24.492 | 37.896 | 49.434 | 49.918 |
Hampshire | 10.038 | 20.381 | 31.403 | 40.671 | 39.950 |
East Sussex | 4.932 | 9.333 | 14.294 | 18.759 | 18.500 |
Price Base: Real terms at 2014-15 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 30.09.2015.
The table below shows capital funding for the financial years that are available. The data is in cash terms as allocations are phased across more than one year making real terms calculations meaningless. Complete information on the split of capital between phases of education is not held centrally.
Capital allocations £m | Gloucestershire | Essex | Hampshire | East Sussex |
2005-06 | 34.6 | 72.4 | 67.3 | 23.5 |
2006-07 | 41.8 | 56.8 | 64.9 | 19.8 |
2007-08 | 54.6 | 67.1 | 75.6 | 35.3 |
2008-09 | 68.7 | 91.7 | 70.2 | 42.7 |
2009-10 | 58.5 | 147.4 | 90.2 | 46.7 |
2010-11 | 68.1 | 104.8 | 63.2 | 32.3 |
2011-12 | 33.9 | 79.1 | 69.5 | 32.1 |
2012-13 | 43.5 | 94.3 | 67.7 | 38.2 |
2013-14 | 32.7 | 83.7 | 62.5 | 35.4 |
2014-15 | 35.7 | 85.4 | 70.2 | 34.7 |
2015-16 (prov.) | 13.3 | 50.8 | 37.2 | 19.4 |
Notes:
Average per pupil revenue funding figures for Devon are given below. With the introduction of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) in 2006-07, the changes to the funding mechanism meant figures were no longer available to be shown split by phase of education.
Figures for financial years 2005 to 2013 are shown below. These are in cash terms:
Average revenue per pupilfunding (cash) | 2005-06 (baseline) | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
Devon LA (£) | 3,560 | 3,800 | 4,050 | 4,220 | 4,430 | 4,680 | 4,600 | 4,600 |
These are in real terms using September 2015 GDP deflators in 2014-15 prices:
Average revenue per pupil funding (real) | 2005-06 (baseline) | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
Devon LA (£) | 4,370 | 4,530 | 4,700 | 4,770 | 4,880 | 5,010 | 4,850 | 4,770 |
Per pupil figures use DSG allocations plus other schools related grants, e.g. school standards grant, school standards grant (personalisation), standards fund, and pupils aged 3-15 rounded to the nearest £10. Most of the additional grants were mainstreamed into DSG in 2011-12.
The changes to DSG funding in financial year 2013 to 2014 with funding allocated through three blocks (namely schools, early years and high needs) means there is no longer a comparable overall figure with previous years. The table below shows the DSG schools block unit funding figures in cash and real terms for Devon LA.
DSG schoolsblock per pupil funding (£) | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 |
Devon LA (cash) | 4,156 | 4,156 | 4,342 |
Devon LA (real) [1] | 4,215 | 4,156 | 4,299 |
[1] Real terms figures shown in 2014-15 prices using GDP deflators at 30.09.15.
Since 2011-12 schools have received the Pupil Premium which targets funding at pupils from the most deprived backgrounds to help them achieve their full potential. In 2011-12, the Premium was allocated for each pupil known to be eligible for universal infant free school meals (UIFSM), looked after children and children of parents in the armed services. In 2012-13 coverage was expanded to include pupils known to have been eligible for Free School Meals at any point in the last six years. The amounts per pupil for each type of pupil are shown in following table in cash terms:
Pupil Premium per pupil (£) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 |
Free School Meal Pupil Primary | £488 | £623 | £953 | £1323 | £1320 |
Free School Meal Pupil Secondary | £488 | £623 | £900 | £935 | £935 |
Service Children | £200 | £250 | £300 | £300 | £300 |
LookedAfter Children | £488 | £623 | £900 | £1900[2] | £1900[2] |
[2] Also includes children adopted from care.
Total Pupil Premium allocations for Devon local authority for each year are shown in the following table in cash terms:
Pupil Premium Allocations (£ millions) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-16 (prov.) |
Devon | 5.486 | 11.161 | 17.221 | 22.942 | 23.220 |
These figures in real terms:
Pupil Premium Allocations (£ millions) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-16 (prov.) |
Devon | 5.786 | 11.559 | 17.467 | 22.942 | 22.990 |
Price Base: Real terms at 2014-15 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 30.09.2015.
The table below shows capital funding for the financial years that are available. The data is in cash terms as allocations are phased across more than one year making real terms calculations meaningless. Complete information on the split of capital between phases of education is not held centrally.
Devon £m | Capital allocations |
2005-06 | 30.5 |
2006-07 | 53.0 |
2007-08 | 68.1 |
2008-09 | 56.8 |
2009-10 | 71.6 |
2010-11 | 31.8 |
2011-12 | 31.1 |
2012-13 | 37.5 |
2013-14 | 48.4 |
2014-15 | 42.3 |
2015-16 (prov.) | 10.2 |
Notes:
Average per pupil revenue funding figures for Gloucestershire, Essex, Hampshire and East Sussex are given below. With the introduction of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) in 2006-07, the changes to the funding mechanism meant figures were no longer available to be shown split by phase of education.
Figures for financial years 2005 to 2013 are shown below. These are in cash terms:
Average revenue per pupil funding (cash £) | 2005-06 (baseline) | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
Gloucestershire | 3,610 | 3,840 | 4,110 | 4,350 | 4,520 | 4,730 | 4,660 | 4,660 |
Essex | 3,760 | 3,980 | 4,240 | 4,440 | 4,620 | 4,860 | 4,820 | 4,820 |
Hampshire | 3,630 | 3,840 | 4,090 | 4,300 | 4,490 | 4,720 | 4,650 | 4,650 |
East Sussex | 3,860 | 4,070 | 4,370 | 4,560 | 4,740 | 4,980 | 4,910 | 4,910 |
These are in real terms using September 2015 GDP deflators in 2014-15 prices:
Average revenue per pupil funding (real £) | 2005-06 (baseline) | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
Gloucestershire | 4,430 | 4,580 | 4,760 | 4,910 | 4,980 | 5,060 | 4,920 | 4,830 |
Essex | 4,610 | 4,740 | 4,920 | 5,020 | 5,100 | 5,200 | 5,080 | 4,990 |
Hampshire | 4,450 | 4,570 | 4,750 | 4,850 | 4,950 | 5,050 | 4,900 | 4,810 |
East Sussex | 4,740 | 4,850 | 5,070 | 5,150 | 5,230 | 5,340 | 5,180 | 5,090 |
Per pupil figures are using DSG allocations plus other schools related grants, e.g. school standards grant, school standards grant (personalisation), standards fund, and pupils aged 3-15 rounded to the nearest £10. Most of the additional grants were mainstreamed into DSG in 2011-12.
The changes to DSG funding in financial year 2013 to 2014 with funding allocated through three blocks, namely schools, early years and high needs, means there is no longer a comparable overall figure with previous years. The tables below show the DSG schools block unit funding figures in cash and real terms for each LA.
DSG schools block per pupil funding (cash £) | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 |
Gloucestershire | 4,203 | 4,203 | 4,358 |
Essex | 4,393 | 4,393 | 4,386 |
Hampshire | 4,277 | 4,277 | 4,269 |
East Sussex | 4,450 | 4,450 | 4,442 |
DSG schools block per pupil funding (real £[1] ) | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 |
Gloucestershire | 4,263 | 4,203 | 4,315 |
Essex | 4,456 | 4,393 | 4,343 |
Hampshire | 4,338 | 4,277 | 4,227 |
East Sussex | 4,514 | 4,450 | 4,398 |
[1] Real terms figures shown in 2014-15 prices using GDP deflators at 30.09.15.
Since 2011-12 schools have received the Pupil Premium which targets funding at pupils from the most deprived backgrounds to help them achieve their full potential. In 2011-12, the Premium was allocated for each pupil known to be eligible for Free School Meals, looked after children and children of parents in the armed services. In 2012-13 coverage was expanded to include pupils known to have been eligible for Free School Meals at any point in the last six years. The amounts per pupil amounts for each type of pupil are shown in following table in cash terms:
Pupil Premium per pupil (£) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 |
Free School Meal Pupil Primary | £488 | £623 | £953 | £1323 | £1320 |
Free School Meal Pupil Secondary | £488 | £623 | £900 | £935 | £935 |
Service Children | £200 | £250 | £300 | £300 | £300 |
Looked After Children | £488 | £623 | £900 | £1900[2] | £1900[2] |
[2] Also includes children adopted from care.
Total Pupil Premium allocations for each local authority for each year are shown in the following table in cash terms:
Pupil Premium Allocations (£ millions) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-16 (prov.) |
Gloucestershire | 4.575 | 8.904 | 13.931 | 18.717 | 19.533 |
Essex | 11.306 | 23.648 | 37.361 | 49.434 | 50.417 |
Hampshire | 9.518 | 19.679 | 30.960 | 40.671 | 40.350 |
East Sussex | 4.676 | 9.011 | 14.092 | 18.759 | 18.685 |
These figures in real terms:
Pupil Premium Allocations (£ millions) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-16 (prov.) |
Gloucestershire | 4.825 | 9.222 | 14.130 | 18.717 | 19.340 |
Essex | 11.924 | 24.492 | 37.896 | 49.434 | 49.918 |
Hampshire | 10.038 | 20.381 | 31.403 | 40.671 | 39.950 |
East Sussex | 4.932 | 9.333 | 14.294 | 18.759 | 18.500 |
Price Base: Real terms at 2014-15 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 30.09.2015.
The table below shows capital funding for the financial years that are available. The data is in cash terms as allocations are phased across more than one year making real terms calculations meaningless. Complete information on the split of capital between phases of education is not held centrally.
Capital allocations £m | Gloucestershire | Essex | Hampshire | East Sussex |
2005-06 | 34.6 | 72.4 | 67.3 | 23.5 |
2006-07 | 41.8 | 56.8 | 64.9 | 19.8 |
2007-08 | 54.6 | 67.1 | 75.6 | 35.3 |
2008-09 | 68.7 | 91.7 | 70.2 | 42.7 |
2009-10 | 58.5 | 147.4 | 90.2 | 46.7 |
2010-11 | 68.1 | 104.8 | 63.2 | 32.3 |
2011-12 | 33.9 | 79.1 | 69.5 | 32.1 |
2012-13 | 43.5 | 94.3 | 67.7 | 38.2 |
2013-14 | 32.7 | 83.7 | 62.5 | 35.4 |
2014-15 | 35.7 | 85.4 | 70.2 | 34.7 |
2015-16 (prov.) | 13.3 | 50.8 | 37.2 | 19.4 |
Notes:
The Government is committed to making school funding fairer, to protecting the schools budget and to maintaining the Minimum Funding Levels uplift in this Parliament.
The Government has already made significant progress on these commitments. We have protected schools funding for 2016-17 and baked into the baseline the extra £390 million we allocated in the previous parliament to the least fairly funded local authorities. We will come forward with our proposals on making school funding fairer in due course.
The Secretary of State and I met with my Honourable Friend the Member for Mid Sussex and colleagues from West Sussex recently to discuss the issue. The Government fully understands the strength of feeling among Members that school funding needs to be made fairer.
The number and proportion of pupils in West Sussex local authority known to be eligible for free school meals in each year from 2006 to 2015 are shown in the table below.
Year | Number of pupils on roll (4) | Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (4) | % of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals |
2006 (1) | 103,825 | 5,851 | 5.6 |
2007 (1) | 102,799 | 5,594 | 5.4 |
2008 (1) | 102,097 | 5,506 | 5.4 |
2009 (2) | 103,109 | 6,458 | 6.3 |
2010 (2) | 103,706 | 7,296 | 7.0 |
2011 (2) | 104,429 | 8,304 | 8.0 |
2012 (2) | 104,950 | 10,163 | 9.7 |
2013 (3) | 106,320 | 10,209 | 9.6 |
2014 (3) | 107,536 | 10,456 | 9.7 |
2015 (3) | 108,590 | 10,928 | 10.1 |
Source: School Census | |||
Notes: | |||
1. Includes state funded primary and secondary schools. | |||
2. Includes state funded primary, secondary and special schools. | |||
3. Includes state funded primary, secondary and special schools and pupil referral units. | |||
4. All figures include full time and part time pupils of all ages who are sole or dual main registrations. | |||
5. Figures are as at January of each given year. |
In response to PQs 9189-9193, please find attached an Excel workbook that details the individual school and academy budgets and pupil numbers for all providers in the West Sussex local authority area. These have been sourced wherever possible up to 2012-2013 from published section 251 statements, which detail local authority spending at school level and from published school and academy allocations for 2013-14 and 2014-15.
Since 2005-06 there has been an increasing number of providers who are funded centrally as they join the academy programme. It should be noted that academies are funded using the same local authority formulae as an LA maintained school, and any differences locally reflect the demographic profile and population of the school or academy.
To improve procurement efficiencies in the schools sector the Department for Education works closely with the Crown Commercial Service and other public sector buying organisations to create deals which better meet school needs. Schools procurement guidance is available on GOV.UK together with practical steps that schools can take such as, encouraging schools to share market intelligence, expertise, and buying common items collaboratively to achieve economies of scale from the supply market.
The department works closely with representative school groups such as the Association of School and College Leaders and the National Association of School Business Managers to raise awareness of good deals available for schools and the benefits of adopting best practice procurement. To increase commercial capability and capacity in schools we have piloted a train the trainer programme which has been very well received.
Schools procurement guidance is published online at:
www.gov.uk/government/collections/departmental-advice-schools
The table below sets out the number of schools funded by the local authority and centrally in West Sussex. There have been an increasing number of providers who are funded centrally as they join the academy programme. It should be noted that academies are funded using the same local authority formulae as a local authority maintained school, and any differences locally reflect the demographic profile and population volume of the school or academy.
2010-2011 | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-16 | |
Paid centrally [1] | 4 | 15 | 35 | 35 | 46 | 50 |
Paid by the LA [2] | 283 | 270 | 244 | 245 | 232 | 229 |
Total | 287 | 285 | 279 | 280 | 278 | 279 |
Figures reflect the financial year April - March
[1] Providers included in the academy programme:
Academy |
Free Schools |
Studio Schools |
UTCs |
|
|
[2] Providers not in the academies programme:
Community School |
Community Special School |
Foundation School |
Foundation Special School |
Voluntary Aided School |
Voluntary Controlled School |
The Department for Education publishes a list of all state-funded and independent schools in England on the GOV.UK website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-in-england
The list includes the name and type of establishment (community, voluntary aided etc.) for schools located in the West Sussex local authority area.
Average per pupil revenue funding figures for West Sussex are given below. With the introduction of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) in 2006-07, the changes to the funding mechanism meant figures were no longer available to be shown split by phase of education.
Figures for financial years 2005 to 2013 are shown below. These are in cash terms:
Average revenue per pupil funding (cash) | 2005-06 (baseline) | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
West Sussex LA | 3,680 | 3,890 | 4,150 | 4,320 | 4,520 | 4,740 | 4,710 | 4,710 |
These are in real terms using July 2015 GDP deflators in 2014-15 prices:
Average revenue per pupil funding (real) | 2005-06 (baseline) | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
West Sussex LA | 4,500 | 4,630 | 4,800 | 4,880 | 4,970 | 5,080 | 4,950 | 4,870 |
Per pupil figures are using DSG allocations plus other schools related grants, e.g. school standards grant, school standards grant (personalisation), standards fund, and pupils aged 3-15 rounded to the nearest £10. Most of the additional grants were mainstreamed into DSG in 2011-12.
The changes to DSG funding in financial year 2013 to 2014 with funding allocated through three blocks, namely schools, early years and high needs, means there is no longer a comparable overall figure with previous years. The table below shows the DSG schools block unit funding figures in cash and real terms for West Sussex LA:
DSG schools block per pupil funding | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 |
2015-2016 |
West Sussex LA (cash) | 4,196 | 4,196 | 4,198 |
West Sussex LA (real)* | 4,254 | 4,196 | 4,156 |
*Real terms figures shown in 2014-15 prices using GDP deflators at 08.07.15
Since 2011-12 schools have received the Pupil Premium which targets funding at pupils from the most deprived backgrounds to help them achieve their full potential. In 2011-12, the Premium was allocated for each pupil known to be eligible for Free School Meals, looked after children and children of parents in the armed services. In 2012-13 coverage was expanded to include pupils known to have been eligible for Free School Meals at any point in the last six years. The amounts per pupil for each type of pupil are shown in the following table in cash terms:
Pupil Premium per pupil (£) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 |
Free School Meal Pupil Primary | £488 | £623 | £953 | £1323 | £1320 |
Free School Meal Pupil Secondary | £488 | £623 | £900 | £935 | £935 |
Service Children | £200 | £250 | £300 | £300 | £300 |
Looked After Children | £488 | £623 | £900 | £1900* | £1900* |
*Also includes children adopted from care
Total Pupil Premium allocations for West Sussex local authority for each year are shown in the following table in cash terms:
Pupil Premium Allocations (£ millions) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-16 (prov.) |
West Sussex | 4.263 | 9.502 | 15.393 | 21.033 | 21.339 |
These figures in real terms:
Pupil Premium Allocations (£ millions) | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | 2015-16 (prov.) |
West Sussex | 4.483 | 9.833 | 15.607 | 21.033 | 21.128 |
Price Base: Real terms at 2014-15 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 08.07.2015
The table below shows capital funding for the financial years that are available. The data is in cash terms as allocations are phased across more than one year making real terms calculations meaningless. Complete information on the split of capital between phases of education is not held centrally.
West Sussex | |
£m | Capital allocations |
2005-06 | 44.8 |
2006-07 | 36.8 |
2007-08 | 55.0 |
2008-09 | 50.3 |
2009-10 | 77.9 |
2010-11 | 94.8 |
2011-12 | 121.8 |
2012-13 | 45.4 |
2013-14 | 38.5 |
2014-15 | 54.1 |
2015-16 (prov.) | 18.5 |
Notes:
1. Capital allocations includes capital grant and supported borrowing allocations.
2. Figures are rounded to the nearest £100,000.
3. Funding in 2015-16 is still subject to project progress and is therefore subject to change.
In response to PQs 9189-9193, please find attached an Excel workbook that details the individual school and academy budgets and pupil numbers for all providers in the West Sussex local authority area. These have been sourced wherever possible up to 2012-2013 from published section 251 statements, which detail local authority spending at school level and from published school and academy allocations for 2013-14 and 2014-15.
Since 2005-06 there has been an increasing number of providers who are funded centrally as they join the academy programme. It should be noted that academies are funded using the same local authority formulae as an LA maintained school, and any differences locally reflect the demographic profile and population of the school or academy.
In response to PQs 9189-9193, please find attached an Excel workbook that details the individual school and academy budgets and pupil numbers for all providers in the West Sussex local authority area. These have been sourced wherever possible up to 2012-2013 from published section 251 statements, which detail local authority spending at school level and from published school and academy allocations for 2013-14 and 2014-15.
Since 2005-06 there has been an increasing number of providers who are funded centrally as they join the academy programme. It should be noted that academies are funded using the same local authority formulae as an LA maintained school, and any differences locally reflect the demographic profile and population of the school or academy.
In response to PQs 9189-9193, please find attached an Excel workbook that details the individual school and academy budgets and pupil numbers for all providers in the West Sussex local authority area. These have been sourced wherever possible up to 2012-2013 from published section 251 statements, which detail local authority spending at school level and from published school and academy allocations for 2013-14 and 2014-15.
Since 2005-06 there has been an increasing number of providers who are funded centrally as they join the academy programme. It should be noted that academies are funded using the same local authority formulae as an LA maintained school, and any differences locally reflect the demographic profile and population of the school or academy.
In response to PQs 9189-9193, please find attached an Excel workbook that details the individual school and academy budgets and pupil numbers for all providers in the West Sussex local authority area. These have been sourced wherever possible up to 2012-2013 from published section 251 statements, which detail local authority spending at school level and from published school and academy allocations for 2013-14 and 2014-15.
Since 2005-06 there has been an increasing number of providers who are funded centrally as they join the academy programme. It should be noted that academies are funded using the same local authority formulae as an LA maintained school, and any differences locally reflect the demographic profile and population of the school or academy.
As part of our programme to develop a school-led system, the government supports the development of excellent school leadership, together with high-quality teaching. Professional development for schools leaders, to support and develop excellent leadership, is therefore important.
The National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) enables headteachers to develop their skills in areas such as leading and improving teaching, leading an effective school and leading change for improvement. A range of short programmes are also available to headteachers to support their development, either through school-led providers of the NPQH or through self-study modules available via the National Archives located within the GOV.uk website.
The National College for Teaching and Leadership recently piloted a Multi-Academy Trust Leadership Programme. This had a heavy emphasis on high-level business and strategic finance skills in recognition of the fact that the need for leadership and business skills varies considerably between leading a single school, and running a chain of five or more schools.
A review of headteacher standards, chaired by Dame Dana Ross-Wawrzynski, was launched by the Department for Education on 17 April 2014. It brought together a group of respected professionals, including headteachers, to create new standards for the sector. The standards set out the behaviour, qualities and knowledge expected of today’s headteachers. The new National Standards of Excellence for Headteachers were published in January 2015 and are available online at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-standards-of-excellence-for-headteachers
System leaders also provide support for improving the leadership skills of headteachers. For example, ‘local leaders of education’ work outside their own school, providing support to another headteacher and their school. The two headteachers work together to plan and implement improvements.
The government has no plans to introduce Chartered Teacher status. We are committed to supporting the work to establish a College of Teaching, an independent professional body for teachers. A consortium of education organisations is working to establish the College, and is considering whether the College could award Chartered Teacher status to members who have completed a programme of professional development. However, such operational decisions are the responsibility of the independent organisation itself, and not for the government to determine.
The government is improving the capacity for schools to take the lead in training and developing their teachers through the national network of Teaching School Alliances. This network is leading collaboration between schools and helping to make professional development more effective, which in turn is helping teachers to improve.
The government expects teachers’ professional development to be increasingly led by schools and teachers. Schools and headteachers are best placed to determine which development activities will be most beneficial for their schools. To help them do this, the government has established an independent Teachers’ Professional Development Expert Group – chaired by David Weston, Chief Executive of the Teacher Development Trust – to develop a new standard for teachers’ professional development. The new standard will complement the existing ‘Teachers’ Standards’, and help teachers and schools to understand what makes professional development most effective.
Currently, there are two maths schools, Exeter Mathematics School and King’s College London Mathematics School, both of which opened in 2014.
The Government has not set a specific target for the number of maths schools it will establish in each of the next five years. We want to work with leading universities to establish high quality schools, ensuring our most mathematically able students succeed in mathematics related disciplines at top universities.
The new General Licences issued by Defra and published on the 14 June provides information and advice in regard to the application of those licences on or within 300 metres of the boundary of protected sites, which include Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas. Underpinning with Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) designation provides the key mechanism to manage terrestrial European sites. General guidance on the consenting process for permitted activities on SSSIs is published on Gov.uk:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest
No formal assessment of the effect of seal activity on Atlantic salmon stocks has been made in English rivers.
Although diet studies suggest that seals typically prey on other fish species, seals are known to consume salmon in estuaries, around nets and river mouths. Predation by seals is controlled by regulations including licensed sustainable culling, as well as non-lethal methods such as sound scaring equipment.
Defra funds research conducted by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and the Environment Agency to address factors contributing to the decline of salmon in English rivers. Factors, such as water quality, migration barriers, marine survival and exploitation are addressed in Defra’s 5 year Implementation Plan for Salmon Management in England and Wales, conducted by Cefas for the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation. Progress on these plans is reported on annually.
Projects Defra is currently funding include:
- Anthropogenic Factors – ‘Prioritising the management of salmonid based on the relative impacts of anthropogenic factors’
- Stock assessment methodology improvement – ‘Genetic sex ratio analysis of salmon smolts and adults’
- Climate Change – ‘Predicted effects of Climate Change on UK diadromous fish populations’
The numbers of cormorant and goosander licences issued between 2014 and 2019 (to date) by Natural England on behalf of the Secretary of State are given in the table below. Individual licences are licences issued to an individual or angling club/fishery. An area based licence is one licence issued to a primary contact which covers multiple individuals amongst a group of fisheries within a defined catchment or area.
Species | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 (to date) |
Cormorant (Individual) | 409 | 456 | 450 | 435 | 429 | 106 |
Goosander (Individual) | 31 | 35 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 9 |
Cormorant only (Area Based Licence) | 6 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 1 |
Goosander only (Area Based Licence) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cormorant / Goosander (Area Based Licence) | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
The overall impact on immature fish is not assessed at a national level.
However, in granting licences to control protected birds Natural England consider the evidence of damage provided by the applicant (for example the impact on immature fish) as well as the conservation status of the species.
Additionally, the Environment Agency have funded advisory posts to support affected fisheries using income from fishing licence sales. The current arrangement is part of the angling services contract awarded to the Angling Trust which pays for three posts that provide specialist management advice to angling clubs and fisheries owners impacted by cormorants and other fish predators.
In his appearance at the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee hearing on 2nd July 2019, the Secretary of State stated our ambition to have a robust licencing scheme in place by February 2020. The new scheme will include provisions for protected sites.
The Government is keen that the welfare needs of racehorses are well met, both during their racing lives and afterwards. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is responsible for the safety of racehorses at British racecourses and the BHA works alongside the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare to make horseracing as safe as possible.
The BHA has strong links to the international racing industry and was involved in establishing the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) Horse Welfare Committee.
The Government considers that the standards of regulation, veterinary provision and facilities and fixtures at British racecourses is good. However, both I and the BHA consider that more can be done to make horseracing safer which is why I have been holding regular discussions with the BHA about this. Most recently on the 14 May, I met the BHA as well as the new independent Chair of the BHA’s newly appointed Horse Welfare Board. This Board was formed in March 2019 and includes members from across the racing industry, veterinarians and animal health and welfare specialists. This was a constructive meeting where the number of fatalities of racehorses was acknowledged and both sides agreed that further action is required to tackle avoidable harm and make the sport safer.
The Board committed to doing all it can to improve welfare outcomes. I stressed the need for the BHA to develop a robust action plan that will deliver tangible results and intend to stay in regular contact with both the BHA and newly appointed Horse Welfare Board to continue to press for improvements in racehorse welfare.
The Government is keen that the welfare needs of racehorses are well met, both during their racing lives and afterwards. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is responsible for the safety of racehorses at British racecourses and the BHA works alongside the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare to make horseracing as safe as possible.
The BHA has strong links to the international racing industry and was involved in establishing the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) Horse Welfare Committee.
The Government considers that the standards of regulation, veterinary provision and facilities and fixtures at British racecourses is good. However, both I and the BHA consider that more can be done to make horseracing safer which is why I have been holding regular discussions with the BHA about this. Most recently on the 14 May, I met the BHA as well as the new independent Chair of the BHA’s newly appointed Horse Welfare Board. This Board was formed in March 2019 and includes members from across the racing industry, veterinarians and animal health and welfare specialists. This was a constructive meeting where the number of fatalities of racehorses was acknowledged and both sides agreed that further action is required to tackle avoidable harm and make the sport safer.
The Board committed to doing all it can to improve welfare outcomes. I stressed the need for the BHA to develop a robust action plan that will deliver tangible results and intend to stay in regular contact with both the BHA and newly appointed Horse Welfare Board to continue to press for improvements in racehorse welfare.
The Government is keen that the welfare needs of racehorses are well met, both during their racing lives and afterwards. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is responsible for the safety of racehorses at British racecourses and the BHA works alongside the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare to make horseracing as safe as possible.
The BHA has strong links to the international racing industry and was involved in establishing the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) Horse Welfare Committee.
The Government considers that the standards of regulation, veterinary provision and facilities and fixtures at British racecourses is good. However, both I and the BHA consider that more can be done to make horseracing safer which is why I have been holding regular discussions with the BHA about this. Most recently on the 14 May, I met the BHA as well as the new independent Chair of the BHA’s newly appointed Horse Welfare Board. This Board was formed in March 2019 and includes members from across the racing industry, veterinarians and animal health and welfare specialists. This was a constructive meeting where the number of fatalities of racehorses was acknowledged and both sides agreed that further action is required to tackle avoidable harm and make the sport safer.
The Board committed to doing all it can to improve welfare outcomes. I stressed the need for the BHA to develop a robust action plan that will deliver tangible results and intend to stay in regular contact with both the BHA and newly appointed Horse Welfare Board to continue to press for improvements in racehorse welfare.
We intend to make an announcement on the Secretary of State’s decision on general licences shortly.
The Government recognises the particular concerns of the sheep sector in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal as over 30% of UK sheepmeat production is exported to our near neighbours in the EU. Leaving the EU without a deal at the end of October would reduce returns for all sheep producers with the impact likely to be greater in the upland areas given the later pattern of marketing from these regions.
This is why it is important to reach an agreement on our withdrawal from the EU. However, as any responsible Government would, we are also preparing for the possibility of ‘no deal’ and we are in close contact with representatives of the sheep sector across the UK regarding contingency plans to minimise disruption for the sector.
Specific guidance for the food and drink sector is published on gov.uk. This includes advice for importers and exporters of animal products, food labelling, tariffs, data protection and more. Furthermore, alongside the publication of technical notices, we continue to work closely with farmers, businesses and trade associations across the food and drink sector to keep them informed of EU departure preparations.
The Government recognises the particular concerns of the sheep sector in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal as over 30% of UK sheepmeat production is exported to our near neighbours in the EU. Leaving the EU without a deal at the end of October would reduce returns for all sheep producers with the impact likely to be greater in the upland areas given the later pattern of marketing from these regions.
This is why it is important to reach an agreement on our withdrawal from the EU. However, as any responsible Government would, we are also preparing for the possibility of ‘no deal’ and we are in close contact with representatives of the sheep sector across the UK regarding contingency plans to minimise disruption for the sector.
Specific guidance for the food and drink sector is published on gov.uk. This includes advice for importers and exporters of animal products, food labelling, tariffs, data protection and more. Furthermore, alongside the publication of technical notices, we continue to work closely with farmers, businesses and trade associations across the food and drink sector to keep them informed of EU departure preparations.
Natural England wrote to Wild Justice on 13 March 2019 confirming its intention to undertake a planned review of its general licences during 2019, and that Wild Justice and other stakeholders would be able to participate in that review. Natural England argued that, in this context, it would be premature for Wild Justice to commence legal proceedings.
The legal costs to Natural England of defending cases CO1673/2018 and CO1683/2018, and the related appeal of those cases, were £106,000. Natural England was awarded costs for successfully defending the challenge in the High Court though these costs were capped at £10,000 for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and £5,000 from Mark Avery in accordance with cost protection rules for Aarhus Convention claims.
In accordance with the usual convention, legal advice is not disclosed outside of the Government. This ensures that the Government can obtain full and frank legal advice in confidence.
Defra fully recognises the implications of the withdrawal of these licences for pest controllers, farmers and gamekeepers. For this reason, the Secretary of State has taken back decision making powers with respect to the three licences in question. Defra has initiated a call for evidence in order to better understand the impact of the withdrawal, which closes on Monday 13 May. Due to the nature of the general licences, Natural England does not hold records of the numbers of people who rely on them but it estimates up to 50,000 people may be affected.
Defra fully recognises the implications of the withdrawal of these licences for pest controllers, farmers and gamekeepers. For this reason, the Secretary of State has taken back decision making powers with respect to the three licences in question. Defra has initiated a call for evidence in order to better understand the impact of the withdrawal, which closes on Monday 13 May. Due to the nature of the general licences, Natural England does not hold records of the numbers of people who rely on them but it estimates up to 50,000 people may be affected.
The current costs of woodpigeon damage to the individual grower sectors are not known.
A 2014 estimate of woodpigeon damage to the overall UK oilseed rape crop was approximately £2 million for a ‘low impact’ year (2% of national crop severely damaged) and approximately £5 million for a ‘high impact’ year (5% of national crop severely damaged). This is based on an average loss of £131 per hectare for severely damaged crop. These figures were presented at a National Farmers Union bird deterrent event held in December 2014.
We do not have figures or estimates for damage overall to other UK crops. However, a small scale consultation in 2014 with growers produced estimates of economic loss associated with woodpigeon crop damage ranging from £125 per hectare for oilseed rape to £250 per hectare for peas and £330-£1,250 per hectare for brassicas. It should be noted that general estimates were often broad, lacked detail or in some cases were not provided.
The Breeding Birds Survey 2017 estimates that the number of woodpigeons in England has increased by 39% from 1995 to 2017.
The Secretary of State has discussed Natural England’s approach to the withdrawal of general licences with both Chief Executive Marian Spain and new Chair Tony Juniper.
The Secretary of State has discussed Natural England’s approach to the withdrawal of general licences with both Chief Executive Marian Spain and new Chair Tony Juniper.
I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the reply previously given on 29 April 2019 to PQ 246908.
Natural England has explained to me that action was taken once it was apparent there were technical issues with birds2019@naturalengland.org.uk. All issues were resolved within three hours.
Natural England informed stakeholders of the Judicial Review from Wild Justice on 15 March 2019.
Natural England announced it would withdraw the licences on 23 April 2019.
The licences were withdrawn on 25 April 2019.
Natural England has a number of functions vested in it by various specific enactments, some of which contain specific requirements to consult in certain circumstances. In addition, as a Government regulator, Natural England must have regard to the Regulator’s Code issued under the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 as well as comply with appropriate Government policies and procedures on regulation.
Between 25 April and 8 May 2019 Natural England has received 3,828 individual licence applications for the control of wild birds for purposes which were formerly covered by the general licences GL04, GL05 and GL06.
The Secretary of State has taken over ultimate decision making powers for general licences relating to the purposes covered by the three revoked general licences. The Secretary of State will consider the present situation with intensity and urgency; his priority is getting this right. The Government has issued a call for evidence https://www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-launches-call-for-evidence-on-decision-to-revoke-general-licences to help our consideration of the issues of new general licences.
The Secretary of State has taken over ultimate decision making powers for general licences relating to the purposes covered by the three revoked general licences. The Secretary of State will consider the present situation with intensity and urgency; his priority is getting this right. The Government has issued a call for evidence https://www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-launches-call-for-evidence-on-decision-to-revoke-general-licences to help our consideration of the issues of new general licences.
The decision to revoke the licences was made by Natural England (NE) as the licensing authority, not the government. We have not yet decided on a review of the recent situation.
The Judicial Review was brought against Natural England as the licensing authority, not Defra. As such Defra did not contact interested organisations to communicate any views in relation to the legal challenge.
I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the reply previously given on 29 April 2019 to PQ 246908.
The Secretary of State has overall ministerial insight. As the Environment Minister, I have regular liaison meetings with Natural England, while all Ministers do interact with Natural England in line with their portfolios.
Natural England informed the following stakeholders that the licences were subject to challenge on 15 March, and again directly on 23 April when the decision to revoke the contested general licences was announced: the RSPB, the Wildlife Trusts, the RSPCA, the National Farmers’ Union, the Countryside Alliance, the Country Land and Business Association, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, the Moorland Association, the Local Government Association, the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, the National Gamekeepers Organisation, the National Pest Technicians Association, the National Wildlife Crime Unit and the Tenant Farmers Association.
Wild Justice’s legal challenge to the General Licences 04/05/06 was against Natural England, as the licensing authority. Defra discussed with Natural England its intention of withdrawing the three general licences to understand the arguments and implications of conceding. Natural England has also discussed with Defra its plans for urgent interim measures as a consequence of the legal challenge, as well as the longer term review of general and class licences.
Natural England are currently working with the Met Office and the National Parks to objectively review the operation of the Fire Severity Index (FSI), based on the relevant science. We have had contact with the England and Wales Wildfire Forum and they will be invited to provide information on the effectiveness of the FSI during the on-going stakeholder engagement process.
The Uplands Management Group (UMG) were commissioned by Defra to develop guidance on Wildfire Management Plans. We have seen initial representations during this process and await finalised guidance from the Group.
The Government will review its abstraction plan in 2021.
The Environment Agency (EA) monitors groundwater boreholes in the surrounding area of the Alre catchment (where Alresford Salads factory is located), and in the principal River Itchen, for atrazine and its breakdown products. The EA therefore holds monitoring data on atrazine and its concentrations for the River Itchen and groundwater in the Alre catchment, including self-monitoring data provided by Alresford Salads. The data confirms that riverine concentrations of atrazine within the Itchen are consistent with atrazine concentrations detected in groundwater. The data shows a reduction in atrazine concentrations over time, and consistently below the Environmental Quality Standard, Drinking Water Standard and Predicted No Effect Concentration.
Atrazine is a herbicide that no longer has EU approval for use. Its use was restricted in 2006 and completely withdrawn in 2007 in the UK.
Primary responsibility for deer management lies with local landowners. Defra and the Forestry Commission are members of the Deer Initiative Partnership which brings together land management and conservation organisations, with the shared goal of sustainable deer management. The Deer Initiative has produced guidance for deer managers. Defra has not issued specific guidance to the Forestry Commission, which has its own operating procedures for managing deer on the public forest estate.
The Defra wildfire review on our future approach to land management (in the context of future mitigation of wildfire) is ongoing. The report will incorporate evidence, reviews and guidance currently being gathered. This includes a review of evidence on wildfire and its management, including the social science behind this. This is currently being conducted by Natural England and I expect that to be published before the end of June 2019. The Defra review will then be published shortly after. This will then be used to inform future wildfire management planning.
Natural England is working with the Met Office and the National Parks to objectively review the operation of the Fire Severity Index (FSI), based on the relevant science. The outcome of this review will include any recommendations for improvements to the FSI system.
Defra’s Uplands Management Group are also in the process of producing moorland wildfire mitigation guidance. Furthermore, the England & Wales Wildfire Forum (EWWF) hosted a stakeholder workshop in February on behalf of Defra the outputs of which will be used to feed into the review.
The Government is committed to driving sustainable growth in the rural economy, of which small and medium enterprises are a vital part.
The Government is supporting small rural businesses to become more productive and competitive through the £3.5 billion Rural Development Programme for England. This seven year programme is providing over £500 million to help grow rural businesses, including for farm and food sectors, through a range of socio-economic schemes that includes the Growth Programme and LEADER. This includes £75 million allocated to improving rural broadband.
We are also working closely with DCMS to improve digital infrastructure in rural areas, helping rural businesses and communities. Improved digital connectivity can help remove the barriers to remote working, provide better access to customers and suppliers and improve business efficiency.
As a signatory of the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement, we are taking a leading role in the implementation of an international plan to address the conservation status of the curlew. The plan includes a requirement for land management techniques that reduce levels of nest and chick predation to those associated with stable populations. Predator control already takes place to support conservation of curlew, including for example, as part of normal farming and gamekeeping practice.
Predator control plays a useful role in the conservation of ground-nesting birds. To date, English agri-environment schemes have not funded predator control although in some situations this may be encouraged through guidance. The current Countryside Stewardship scheme, for the first time, includes capital items which support the deployment of permanent and temporary anti-predator fencing. This helps conserve ground-nesting birds, which have been shown to benefit from reduced egg and chick losses due to mammalian predators.
Evidence for the efficacy of predator control for species conservation will feed into discussions on future agriculture policy.
Genotype (strain) 9:d of Mycobacterium bovis represents about 3% of all isolates of the bacterium cultured every year from cattle herds sustaining a fully confirmed bovine TB incident in England. The vast majority of herds infected with this strain of M. bovis are located in Wiltshire (the natural or endemic home range of genotype 9:d).
The implications for rural areas are at the core of Defra’s policy making as illustrated by, for example, the recent consultation on the future for food, farming and the environment (www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-future-for-food-farming-and-the-environment) and our 25 Year Environment Plan(www.gov.uk/government/publications/25-year-environment-plan). As the champion for rural proofing across Government, we are working with other departments to ensure the interests of rural communities and businesses are considered throughout the Government’s policy making process.
Since December 2017 the Animal and Plant Health Agency has had two meetings with Sussex farmers and National Farmers Union on TB. The meetings took place on 12 December 2017 and 29 June 2018.
There are currently no plans to bring forward legislation in this area.
There is a responsibility on individuals to recognise the impact these products can have, particularly on very dry land.
Natural England (NE) will work with the Met Office to review the operation of the Fire Severity Index, based on the best available evidence. It will consider in the light of this review whether any changes to the calibration of the Index need to be made in due course. NE will do this in collaboration with its fellow ‘relevant authorities’ (including national park authorities) who share its statutory role of giving directions to close areas of open access land when necessary.
Access Authorities have their own guidance for managing operational risks including severe fire risk. Where Natural England or another relevant authority have powers to close access to land designated as open access land under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, procedures are in place to ensure that administrative closure of the land can be achieved quickly.
The Government is considering the latest data and working closely with industry to understand labour demand and supply, including both permanent and seasonal workforce requirements.
Under the implementation period agreement, employers in the agricultural and food processing sectors can continue to recruit EU citizens until the end of 2020. In June 2018 we announced further details about how EU citizens and their families can obtain settled status in the UK.
The Government keeps its position on seasonal workers under close review.
Defra engages regularly with key bodies in the agriculture and horticulture sector to explore seasonal labour. In September, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister met representatives from industry at Defra’s Seasonal Workforce Working Group to discuss the best practice for attracting and retaining workers and this included representatives from the soft fruit industry.
We are also directly engaging with industry through 2018 agricultural shows. Most recently the Secretary of State attended the Royal Highland Show. He spoke about various issues, including the labour needs of both skilled and unskilled workers across the UK.
With a few exceptions (such as movements to slaughter) cattle at least 42 days old that are moved into herds in the low TB risk area of England (LRA) from higher TB risk areas in GB must have i) a clear pre-movement TB test in the 60 days before being moved, followed by ii) a post-movement TB test between 60and 120 days after arrival. Both TB tests are privately arranged and paid for by the herd keepers.
The incidence of bovine TB in West Sussex is very low. Sporadic cases arise usually as a result of inward movements of infected cattle from higher incidence areas of GB. The levels of bovine tuberculosis in West Sussex are described in the regional TB epidemiological reports for the Low Risk Area. The most recent assessment was for the first six months of 2017 and the specific report can be found here:
There have been no discussions with Bradford District Metropolitan Council about curlews on Ilkley Moor.
Defra’s programme of research on ash dieback has broadly focused on three areas:
The 2011 National Forestry Inventory estimated that there are 125.9 million ash trees in British woodlands (9% of the estimated 1.4 billion broadleaf trees in woodlands) and further research suggests that there are approximately 25-60 million ash trees in the wider environment (excluding 2 billion saplings). Evidence from continental Europe suggests that up to 90% of ash trees may become infected. As older trees can survive infection for a number of years and some trees may be tolerant to disease, we expect local effects on landscapes and woodlands to be gradual and mitigated by other tree species taking the place of ash. A proportion of ash trees will show natural tolerance to the disease and these trees are likely to repopulate sites, preserving the ash tree for future generations to enjoy.
The latest population trends indicate a decline in the population of UK puffins. UK-scale accurate trends in the puffin breeding population will, however, not be known until a new census of the UK’s breeding seabird populations is completed. Work on the breeding seabird census 2015-2019 is underway.
Declines in puffin breeding populations are thought to be due to a combination of factors, including climate change related food shortages and unfavourable weather conditions during the breeding season.
Work on the next breeding seabird census, covering 2015-2019, is underway. The Seabirds Count census approach was developed by the Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP) partnership, which is coordinated by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) in partnership with government agencies and conservation organisations.
To date the census has incorporated data collected by volunteers and professional surveyors as part of ongoing SMP annual monitoring and from other survey initiatives such as Common Standard Monitoring of the UK’s breeding seabird special protection area network. During the 2018 and 2019 breeding seasons, the JNCC will be working with the SMP partnership to increase census survey coverage.
There are currently 15 Net Limitation Orders (NLOs) in place around the country. An NLO limits the numbers of licences allowed to fish for salmon and sea trout within that geographical area. They are often combined with fishery specific byelaws and licence conditions that restrict catch numbers, methods and fishing timings for that fishery. Each NLO lasts for up to ten years, so they expire at different times.
The current NLO for Southern Region expires in July 2018. Work is currently underway to review this NLO. The Environment Agency is not expecting to recommend an increase in exploitation by nets as a result of this review. Currently only one licence operates in the Southern Region NLO area.
The UK’s wide ranging body of biosecurity legislation is based on EU requirements for plant and animal health. Leaving the EU provides an opportunity to review that legislation and consider introducing measures more suited to the UK’s biosecurity concerns.
The Environment Agency (EA) enforces byelaws to ensure that fish stocks remain healthy. These byelaws prevent the sale of rod and line caught salmonids, provide a close season during spawning and encourage fish to grow to adulthood by imposing minimum size limits for retained fish. There is no licenced net fishery along the West Sussex coast.
The EA is also conserving and enhancing salmon and sea trout stocks by sharing resources with regulatory partners and by supporting communities, landowners and fisheries representatives. This includes conducting patrols with the Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) to protect fish stocks from illegal plunder. The Sussex IFCA is reviewing legislative measures for protecting migratory fish, subject to consultation.
The EA’s work with partners also includes improving fish passage and habitat by planting trees to provide protective shade for fish and by constructing fish passes, such as on the River Ouse at East Mascalls. Through improving water quality the Environment Agency aims to maximise fish spawning success and is working with the Sussex Flow Initiative to address pollution from diffuse sources.
Young salmon (or parr) were seen for the first time on the River Ems in West Sussex during the EA’s 2016 fish survey. This is testament to the collective impact of this work.
The Environment Agency has issued the following number of groundwater activity permits in each of the last five years in (a) Mid Sussex constituency and (b) West Sussex:
Year | Mid Sussex constituency | West Sussex |
2013 | 0 | 2 |
2014 | 0 | 5 |
2015 | 0 | 4 |
2016 | 0 | 1 |
2017 (year to date) | 1 | 9 |
The Environment Agency (EA) works with partners and stakeholders to improve the water environment.
The EA uses evidence to prioritise and target work in areas most at risk from pollution, including both point and diffuse sources. The EA completes its regulatory duties focusing on compliance and enforcement of main polluters. The EA also provides advice and guidance through pollution prevention campaigns.
The EA works with and influences Water Companies (Southern Water, South East Water and Portsmouth Water) to make environmental improvements through their business planning processes. This results in further investigations and improvements to Sewage Treatment Works and other works within river catchments.
The EA works with two Catchment Partnerships in West Sussex to align priorities and develop joint initiatives to tackle water quality issues across the catchment areas.
Partnership projects in West Sussex have delivered 16km of rivers enhanced since January 2016. The EA is working with a wide range of partners throughout West Sussex on projects to be delivered over the next 3 years which will directly or indirectly relate to water quality improvement in rivers. An example of solutions being explored are natural flood management opportunities and working with the landowners to intercept, store and filter run-off containing diffuse pollution.
The Environment Agency’s remit includes the management of fisheries for specific migratory stocks such as salmon and sea trout, and shellfish in the 6 mile zone. For wider marine fish stocks that are present along the coast of West Sussex, the UK Government remains committed to ensuring we have sustainable fisheries and a healthy marine environment. This includes restoring and maintaining harvested fish species at above levels which can produce the maximum sustainable yield. The recent management of sea bass and skates and rays is representative of two key stocks, with their geographic distribution including the east Channel, that reflect the ongoing shared management progress towards meeting this commitment.
Sea bass are a key species for both anglers and the inshore fleet operating in the east Channel, and have been in decline in EU waters north of 48° North, so have been subject to EU management measures in recent years to recover the stock. At the recent December Council negotiations for 2018 further restrictions on commercial and recreational bass fishing were agreed. The UK aim was to ensure a fishing mortality rate is applied that will help achieve an increase in the spawning stock for the following year, which will support longer term recovery.
The main commercial skate and ray species in the Greater North Sea region, which includes the east Channel, are recovering, and this supported our securing a 20% increase to the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) in both of these areas for 2018.
Information on the collection and management of all local authority waste for England, including figures for individual local authorities, are published on an annual basis. Latest published figures are for 2015/16 and are given below.
Local authority | Proportion of all local authority waste sent to landfill in 2015/16 (per cent) |
Kent County Council | 6.5 |
Surrey County Council | 6.0 |
East Sussex County Council | 5.3 |
West Sussex County Council | 36.6 |
Hampshire County Council | 6.1 |
Defra has invested over £2 million in research into acute oak decline over the last five years. Significant progress has been made in discovering the bacterial cause of the weeping stem lesions. Ongoing research aims to understand the exact role of the native bark boring beetle (Agrilus biguttatus) and whether other stress factors, such as climate and soil conditions, may make trees more vulnerable.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency delivers a programme of biosecurity education and engagement with the nursery and garden centre sector. This is delivered through visits, trade shows, talks, workshops, publications and partnership working with industry associations. Nurseries and garden centres are made aware of potential trade pathways for the spread of pest and diseases, and the steps they can take to reduce this risk through implementing appropriate biosecurity measures. Topical issues for importers and retailers, are also reported online at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/protecting-plant-health-topical-issues
The publically available UK Plant Health Risk Register, records and rates risks to UK crops, trees, gardens and ecosystems from plant pests and pathogens. It forms an agreed, evidence based framework for decisions on major pest and disease threats. The major threats to trees include Phytophthora ramorum, emerald ash borer, ash dieback and acute oak decline.
Information on the collection and management of all local authority waste for England, including figures for individual local authorities is published on an annual basis. Latest published figures are for 2015/16. For England 19.6 per cent of all local authority waste was disposed to landfill and West Sussex County Council sent 36.6 per cent of all its waste to landfill in 2015/16.
Data are reported at a local authority level rather than on the basis of parliamentary constituencies, so it is not possible to provide information for the mid Sussex constituency.
There is systematic screening of pest and disease risks which may be introduced through the trade in live trees. We carry out risk-based inspections at our borders to prevent the entry of such pests. Our inspectors are highly effective in comparison to their peers: the UK consistently makes more interceptions of harmful organisms than any other EU member state (around 40% of the total for the EU).
We have strengthened EU regulations through the introduction of protected zones for high risk pests and statutory notification schemes for firewood and tree species at risk, for example, plane, oak, sweet chestnut and prunus. Over the last two years we have seen a 36% decrease in the number of imported oak and pine trees and a 65% decrease in the number of imported sweet chestnut.
The disease known as ‘sudden oak death’ in the USA, is caused by the pathogen Phytophthora ramorum and has significantly affected North American native oak species. Tests have shown that Britain’s native oaks are not particularly susceptible and the disease has had little impact here on oak.
The main host species affected by this disease in Britain are larch, sweet chestnut and rhododendron, and the disease is widespread across Scotland, Wales and south-west England. The Forestry Commission has a management programme in place to slow the spread of this disease and carry out annual surveys to confirm its presence or absence.
The Agriculture Bill will provide stability to farmers as we leave the EU. It will make sure that after we leave the EU we have an effective system in place to support UK farmers and protect our natural environment for future generations. We will listen to everyone who has an interest in the future of the industries as we prepare new approaches to support our farmers to grow and sell more world-class food.
The Agriculture Bill, announced in the Queen’s Speech, will ensure that after we leave the EU we have an effective system in place to support UK farmers and protect our natural environment for future generations. We will listen to everyone who has an interest in the future of the industry as we prepare new approaches to support our farmers to grow more world-class food.
Defra works with local authorities and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to provide advice and promote best practice among local authorities on waste and recycling. Local councils, and householders have played a key role in increasing the UK’s recycling rate from 11% at the turn of the century to 44% in 2015/16.
Greater consistency in local authority recycling – taking account of best practice – in particular has potential to increase recycling rates further. WRAP are working with an Advisory Group of waste stakeholders, to look at the benefits and opportunities from having greater consistency in the materials collected and collection systems to enable local authorities to recycle more, and to make it easier for householders to put the right materials in the right bin.
Recycle Now, launched in 2004, is the national recycling campaign for England. It is supported and funded by Defra and managed by WRAP. It is used locally by over 90% of Local Authorities in England and includes information to inform people about the many items that can be recycled around the home.
Defra works with local authorities and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to provide advice and promote best practice among local authorities on waste and recycling. Local councils, and householders have played a key role in increasing the UK’s recycling rate from 11% at the turn of the century to 44% in 2015/16.
Greater consistency in local authority recycling – taking account of best practice – in particular has potential to increase recycling rates further. WRAP are working with an Advisory Group of waste stakeholders, to look at the benefits and opportunities from having greater consistency in the materials collected and collection systems to enable local authorities to recycle more, and to make it easier for householders to put the right materials in the right bin.
Recycle Now, launched in 2004, is the national recycling campaign for England. It is supported and funded by Defra and managed by WRAP. It is used locally by over 90% of Local Authorities in England and includes information to inform people about the many items that can be recycled around the home.
The Forestry Commission is a cross-border Non Ministerial Department with a governance framework set out in the Forestry Act 1967 (as amended). It is headed by a Board of Commissioners, established by statute. In England, the Forestry Commissioners are responsible for the Forestry Commission’s governance and are accountable to the Secretary of State. As Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment and Rural Life Opportunities, I act on behalf of the Secretary of State in this regard.
The Government is investing £780 million in superfast broadband. This will enable 95% of homes and businesses, including those based on farms, to have access to superfast broadband by the end of 2017. Clawback from contracts could extend this further. Standard broadband of at least 2Mbps was made available to everyone by the end of 2015, enabling digital access to all public services, and superfast broadband is now available to over 90% of UK premises – up from 45% in 2010. We are looking at superfast solutions for the last 5%. Farmers will also benefit from the broadband Universal Service Obligation which we are working to introduce by 2020, with an ambition that this will be set at 10 megabits per second.
Grant payments made by core Defra to the RSPB during financial years 2011-12 to 2015-16 are shown the table attached.
Defra has announced plans for a new litter strategy and we are working with industry, experts and councils across England to improve the way we all tackle the scourge of litter. The litter strategy will promote affordable and replicable ways to influence littering behaviour – and reduce littering. It will encourage innovation in physical infrastructure and cleansing methods, and in product design, and will help to make a compelling and engaging case for investment in work to tackle litter and littering.
To develop the strategy we will seek the views of, among others, representatives from local government, campaign groups and independent experts, as well as voices from the packaging and fast-food industries. As part of this process we will also establish a number of working groups on specific issues, such as roadside litter, data and monitoring and enforcement.
We are committed to tackling fly-tipping as set out in the Government’s manifesto. Subject to Parliamentary approval, we will give local authorities the power to issue fixed penalty notices for small-scale fly-tipping. Regulations were laid in Parliament on 11 March. These new enforcement tools will be available to local authorities from 9 May, providing them with an alternative to prosecutions and will assist them to take a proportionate enforcement response. This will build on other actions, including:
Cracking down on offenders by strengthening the Sentencing Council’s
Guideline for sentencing for environmental offences, which came into force on 1 July 2014.
Making it easier for vehicles suspected of being involved in waste crime to be
stopped, searched and seized.
Continuing our work with the Defra-chaired National Fly-Tipping Prevention
Group to promote and disseminate good practice in the prevention, reporting,
investigation and clearance of fly-tipped waste.
The payment window for the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme runs from 1 December 2015 to 30 June 2016. While in recent years, the RPA has been able to make a higher proportion of payments earlier in the payment window, the new CAP is very complex and has created new administrative burdens for the RPA.
As of 2 March 2016 some 71,700 claimants, representing over 82% of all eligible claims, have received their payments, bringing the total paid to date for the 2015 scheme to £1.13 billion.
The Government (Defra, the Department for Transport, Food Standards Agency and the Home Office) accepted 137 of more than 200 recommendations made by the Farming Regulation Task Force in 2011.
The Farming Regulation Task Force Implementation Group published a final assessment of our delivery in April 2014 in which they concluded that we had completed or made progress against the vast majority of the accepted recommendations. The remaining 27 recommendations are currently being reviewed as part of the ‘Cutting Red Tape: Review of the Information managements in the Agricultural Sector’. A report on the findings of this review will be published shortly.
Dairy processors have undertaken a sustained high level of investment in the UK. In recent years, capital investment by the top five dairy organisations in the UK has regularly exceeded £100m per annum. In total, over the period March 2006 to 2013, capital expenditure by these organisations exceeded £1.2bn.
It is important to continue to encourage high quality inward investment from around the world to boost security and growth. UKTI, the Great British Food Unit and Dairy UK are hosting a senior delegation of dairy companies from China in March 2016. These companies are interested in building stronger relations with British counterparts whether through the development of direct imports of finished products into China, collaboration on ingredients and processing, or joint ventures.
The Food Information Regulations (No. 1855) were introduced in 2014 and has resulted in better and more consistent labelling of food in a number of areas, including allergen labelling, ingredients labelling and, from the end of this year, nutrition labelling.
Origin labelling is also improved by these Regulations with new rules on origin labelling of meat of poultry, sheep, goat and pigs introduced in April last year. In addition, we look forward to prospective implementing acts on origin labelling of ingredients of foods, including meat and dairy, where this is different from the place that the food itself was made. The Government is fully engaged in these discussions and expects them to result in improved labelling of meat and dairy products in due course.
We have been pressing for mandatory origin labelling on dairy products, in particular lightly processed dairy products such as butter, cheese and cream but have met with some resistance from the European Commission. We will continue to press for these improvements.
.
There is great global demand for quality British dairy products and we are working to maximise this opportunity by opening up new markets around the world. Eight dairy companies accompanied the Secretary of State on a trade mission to China in November, and next month a Chinese dairy delegation is visiting to discuss opportunities for investment in our domestic industry.
Further trade missions are planned over the coming months to the US, Japan and China. Together with UKTI we will continue to promote our fantastic British dairy brand.
The dairy industry code of best practice on contractual arrangements was created in Great Britain in 2012 in response to concern about fluctuating milk prices. About 85% of producers have signed up to it. There is general acceptance that the code's introduction has led to some improvement for milk producers.
Ultimately, the code is voluntary and owned by the industry. However, this is something that I regularly discuss with the NFU and Dairy UK with a view to encouraging other, primarily smaller processors to sign up.
I recognise that many farmers are struggling with the prolonged period of low prices.
The £26.2 million aid package we secured for the UK from the European Commission – and paid out in November and December – provided some immediate relief to hard-pressed farmers. From 1 April, farmers will be able to average their tax over five years instead of two, helping them deal with volatility between years. We are also looking at the development of a dairy futures market in the UK to allow farmers to fix their prices for longer periods.
Collaboration is a powerful way for groups of farmers to share knowledge and expertise, market information and good farming practice, exercise joint purchasing power and strengthen their negotiating position within the supply chain.
We have put in place the legal framework that allows dairy producer organisations (DPOs) to form and provided some initial funding through the launch of the £5m Dairy Fund in 2013. The first domestic DPO, Dairy Crest Direct, was formally recognised by the Rural Payments Agency in May 2015, bringing together 1,050 dairy farmers across England and Wales.
In 2015, AHDB Llaeth/Dairy commissioned Promar International to carry out a study into ‘The Feasibility of a Dairy Producer Organisation in Wales’ on behalf of a group of Welsh dairy farmers. A report is available at: http://dairy.ahdb.org.uk/resources-library/market-information/adhoc-reports/the-feasibility-of-a-dairy-producer-organisation-in-wales-report/
The spread of ash dieback has been progressing much as we expected. This is based on the scientific modelling of the outbreak undertaken by Cambridge University.
The Government has a comprehensive surveillance programme in place to monitor the infection. The level of infection is widely variable in areas, with the south-east of England being worst affected. A map showing outbreaks is updated regularly and available online at: http://chalaramap.fera.defra.gov.uk/
Ash is the third most prevalent broadleaved species in GB woodlands (estimated stocked area of ash is 142,000 thousand hectares, with an estimated 126 million trees) and as a proportion of total UK woodlands is around 4.7 percent (142,000 hectares as a proportion of three million hectares). Ash is also very common in non-woodland settings and it is estimated that there are 27-60 million ash trees[1] in non-woodland environments (parks, gardens, lining roads and railways).
Local effects on landscapes and woodlands will mostly be gradual and mitigated by other tree species taking the place of ash trees. Natural tolerance to the disease does exist and the UK is leading the way on the work to identify resistant strains.
[1] The Tree Council (2015): Chalara in Non-Woodland Situations. Findings from a 2014 study.
A series of research projects, jointly funded by Defra, has looked into the ecological impacts of ash dieback and investigated possible woodland management options which might ameliorate the problems caused by ash dieback. The results from this work have been published at:
http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/5273931279761408.
The research found that there are tree species that share ecological traits or support some of the species associated with ash trees. However, there is no single tree species that would be able to fill the niche provided by ash in terms of both its ecosystem characteristics and biodiversity contribution.
The Forestry Commission provides advice to woodland managers about how best to manage and adapt to ash dieback, for example by planting a variety of tree species as diversity brings resilience to pests and diseases.
Investing in research is one of our key commitments in response to ash dieback. We have invested over £21 million into tree health research and the UK is leading the way on the work to identify resistant strains. Defra funded research has already identified three genetic markers for tolerance. This is a significant first step in developing trees with tolerance to the disease and testament to the innovation and dedication of our world leading scientists.
The Government-funded screening trial of 155,000 ash saplings is also unprecedented in its scope.
Collectively, our research is investigating the genetic basis for natural tolerance and screening our native ash trees for genetic markers; work is also underway to further our understanding of the pathogen, how it spreads and local management approaches to protect individual, high value trees.
Work has already started on the National Resilience Review, which is considering forecasting and modelling, resilience of key infrastructure and the way we make decisions on flood expenditure.
The Review is being delivered by a cross-Government team and will be published in the summer. It will be led by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Letwin, and include the Government’s Chief Scientist, Defra, DECC, DCLG, HM Treasury and the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency.
Over the past five years Forest Research, in collaboration with Rothamsted Research, has conducted a systematic survey to model the distribution of acute oak decline (AOD) in England and Wales. The results show that the condition currently affects several thousand oak trees, mostly across East Anglia, the Midlands and southern England.
Since 2013, Defra has invested £1.1 million in research to understand the causes, distribution and scale of AOD in the UK.
Earlier this year Defra, in collaboration with the Research Councils, the Scottish Government and the Forestry Commission, launched a further £2 million call for research proposals on ‘oak health’ and Phytophthora. The successful bids from this call are due to be announced shortly.
The Government understands that many dairy farmers currently find themselves in a difficult position. We hope the recently announced EU support package we secured will offer some relief while we continue to pursue a host of additional measures, such as the creation of a futures market for dairy and better branding and labelling in supermarkets. 81% of dairy farmers across the UK have now received their payment.
We continue to work closely with farming unions to improve the stability of the industry as a whole and help farming businesses become more resilient. This will prepare us to benefit from the growing demand for British dairy both at home and overseas.
The information requested is set out in the tables attached.
The information requested is set out in the tables attached.
The information requested is set out in the tables attached.
The information requested is set out in the tables attached.
In 2012 Defra published research on the extent of use and humaneness of snares in England and Wales. Ministers are currently considering options.
We have been working with Sub-Group members to finalise the Hen Harrier Action Plan with a view to publishing it shortly.
Privately-funded Research and Development, insofar as it supports innovation and new technologies, is one of several drivers of productivity growth in agriculture. Defra and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, with oversight from the Agritech Strategy’s Leadership Council,have carried out an assessment of public and private investment to support innovation in the agri-food sector, and its relationship with productivity growth. The outcomes of this exercise will be published by the end of November.
Under the Climate Change Act 2008, the Government has a statutory role to produce, on a five-yearly cycle, an assessment of the risks and opportunities for the UK arising from climate change. The first Climate Change Risk Assessment was published in 2012. Work is underway on the second CCRA, for which Defra is funding the Adaptation Sub-Committee of the Committee on Climate Change to produce the underpinning Evidence Report by July 2016. This will include an up-to-date review of evidence on the effects of climate change on agriculture, and all other sectors. The CCRA Government Report will be laid before Parliament no later than January 2017.
We are due to publish our 25 year plan for British food and farming early in 2016.
Food supply is one of the UK’s critical national infrastructures and Defra produces an annual sector resilience plan as lead Government Department.
The UK food sector has a highly effective and resilient food supply chain, owing to the size, geographic diversity and competitive nature of the industry. The resilience of the sector has been demonstrated by the response to potentially disruptive challenges in recent years, although it is dependent on other critical services such as fuel, energy, transport and communications. The Government and industry work together closely to identify and mitigate risks and ensure the continued resilience of food supply.
The Government is developing a 25 year food and farming plan to further grow our food and farming industry. We want to export more and produce more for the domestic market. We aim to improve productivity and profitability through greater efficiency, the deployment of new technology and by building on the strong international reputation of British food at home and abroad.
Statistics on the proportion of UK crops used for biofuel production are only available from 2012. Figures for 2012 and 2013 are given in the attached table. 2014 data is to be published on GOV.UK this December.
When the Animal Welfare Act 2006 was reviewed in 2010, no recommendations were made specific to horses. Earlier this year, improvements were made to the Animals Act 1971 in relation to fly-grazing horses to enable horses left on other people’s land, without the landowner’s permission, to be removed more quickly. We have included the Riding Establishments Acts 1964 and 1970 in a review of animal establishment related licensing that my department is currently undertaking. We will issue a formal consultation shortly on a set of proposals.
The Framework document between Defra and Kew is currently in draft. Defra and Kew are working in line with the draft Framework document, which sets out how the bodies work together but is not legally binding. Defra is looking at how it works with its arm’s length bodies and this may inform the finalisation of the document.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency and Rural Payments Agency are working closely to develop a range of proposals. The Secretary of State will announce any decisions made in this area in due course.
The overseas Embassy network plays a central role in the promotion of food and drink exports. Most Embassies have staff working on food and drink.
In view of the potential market in China, especially for animals and animal products, Defra and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board have created a dedicated Agriculture and Food Counsellor post in the Embassy in Beijing; this is the first of its kind. We are exploring with UKTI and FCO, who are responsible for our posts overseas, how we can build on this model and make best use of the network to provide clear leadership to boost our food and drink exports.
Defra is improving productivity in the rural economy through a number of measures, including:
Boosting productivity in the rural economy, investing in a strong economy, and infrastructure such as roads, rail, and high speed broadband will also bring businesses closer to market.
The overseas Embassy network plays a central role in the promotion of food and drink exports. Most Embassies have staff working on food and drink.
In view of the potential market in China, especially for animals and animal products, Defra and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board have created a dedicated Agriculture and Food Counsellor post in the Embassy in Beijing; this is the first of its kind. We are exploring with UKTI and FCO, who are responsible for our posts overseas, how we can build on this model and make best use of the network to provide clear leadership to boost our food and drink exports.
We want to unleash the potential of the countryside. Innovation is an important part of this.
Boosting productivity across the food chain will be a key part of the 25 year plan for food and farming. The £4.5m Sustainable Intensification Platform aims to take world class research from our universities to improve the productivity of our farmers. The £5m European Innovation Partnership under the Rural Development Programme will fund projects that link research, farming and forestry practices to encourage innovation. The Government is also investing £160m through the UK Strategy for Agricultural Technologies to take innovation from the research laboratory to the farm.
Relevant information is provided in the Environment Agency’s Salmonid & Freshwater Fisheries Statistics for England & Wales, 2013 report which is available via the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/383598/Report2013.v2.pdf
Information on the number and location (i.e. area of coast/estuary) of salmon netting and trapping stations in operation in England in 2013 can be found at Table 7 in that report. The salmon catch in each location in 2013 and each of the previous ten years can be found at Table 14.
Information for 2014 will be made available in due course.
Age data is not collected for farm workers. The average age of farm holders in England in 2013 was 59.
The Department does not hold information to answer this question in full. The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
However, the following information may be useful.
· The UK plant health risk register assesses the likelihood of non-native pests and diseases of plants being introduced or spreading to their full extent and the impact and value at risk. The register is updated monthly and the outputs are all published: https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/phiw/riskRegister/
· In 2010, a Defra funded study by CABI estimated the cost of yield losses caused by non-native plant diseases at around £282m across GB. A sector breakdown shows the majority of costs are incurred in the grain, commercial vegetable and potato sectors: www.nonnativespecies.org/downloadDocument.cfm?id=487
· A 2010 report by the Animal and Plant Health Agency looked at the costs of ‘conflicts’ between human and wildlife interests, including pests. The estimated £500m annual cost of these conflicts and mitigation actions includes UK agriculture.
· A 2003 Defra study assessed the costs to GB agriculture of 35 endemic livestock diseases. This study has not been updated: http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=ZZ0102_1215_FRP.doc
· Tackling bovine TB costs English taxpayers in the region of £100m per year with additional costs to farmers estimated to run to tens of millions of pounds each year.
The table below shows the average income for entrepreneurial labour (typically farmers and their partners) received over the last 15 years for the United Kingdom. The values are expressed in real terms; this is where earlier years’ data are adjusted to take account of inflation so they are comparable to the 2013 data.
Total income from farming (TIFF) in real terms (2013 prices) per annual work unit (AWU) of entrepreneurial labour in the United Kingdom 1999 to 2013
Year | TIFF / AWU of entrepreneurial labour (£) |
1999 | 12,457 |
2000 | 9,360 |
2001 | 10,123 |
2002 | 13,243 |
2003 | 16,741 |
2004 | 15,646 |
2005 | 14,634 |
2006 | 14,318 |
2007 | 15,300 |
2008 | 23,035 |
2009 | 23,641 |
2010 | 22,654 |
2011 | 28,316 |
2012 | 25,120 |
2013 | 29,145 |
The Government is investing £90million in Centres for Agricultural Innovation under the Agri-Tech Strategy. One key requirement for the Centres will be that they facilitate knowledge exchange between scientists, farmers, growers and others in the food supply chain. We intend soon to announce a final decision on the first centre which will apply “big data” to farming and develop means of measuring sustainability.
The Rural Development Programme’s Countryside Productivity scheme will provide £141million of support for improvements in farming and forestry productivity; encourage the creation of new farming and forestry enterprises; and facilitate technology transfer within the farming and forestry sectors.
Part of this support will be through farmer-led operational groups under the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability. These groups will bring together farmers, advisors, researchers and others to solve issues of common concern and build bridges between research and practice. Grant funding of between £5,000 and £150,000 per project will be available towards the cost of taking an innovative idea from initial research to the market place. A key element is the emphasis on dissemination of results and knowledge transfer.
We will announce details of further support for training and knowledge transfer under the Programme later this year.
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is an opportunity to make it easier and cheaper for British producers to do business across the Atlantic, and to give consumers more choice. The negotiations are continuing and the final outcome is not yet known. Defra’s initial analysis suggests that a successful deal could lead to a net increase in UK agriculture, food and drink output of up to £600 million and total exports by up to £550 million.
a) The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has not funded basic agricultural research within the past 15 years. Such research is commissioned by the Research Councils who are funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
b) Defra’s expenditure on applied agricultural research in each of the last 15 years, excluding food science research but including agri-environment and soils research, is as follows:
Defra’s expenditure on applied agricultural research (£millions)
1999/2000 | 2000/01 | 2001/02 | 2002/03 | 2003/04 | 2004/05 | 2005/06 | 2006/07 |
78.8 | 78.0 | 79.5 | 78.7 | 79.3 | 79.4 | 77.8 | 71.5 |
2007/08 | 2008/09 | 2009/10 | 2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | |
64.9 | 59.4 | 61.1 | 59.0 | 57.8 | 52.1 | 43.5 |
Note: This has been supplemented since January 2014 by £160million allocated by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and the Department for International Development to agricultural research and innovation under the UK Strategy for Agricultural Technologies, which Defra developed jointly with these departments.
The Secretary of State has set out a long-term economic plan for food and farming - the number one priority is to enable a productive and resilient industry. As part of this work, Defra is dedicated to opening up new markets at home and abroad, making EU regulations work for British farmers, and protecting this country from plant and animal disease.
Earlier this month the Secretary of State introduced Food Enterprise Zones (FEZs), which will make the planning process easier for ambitious businesses that want to expand. Defra is making available grants of up to £50,000 in 11 areas to facilitate the setting up of Local Development Orders and FEZs. She has now opened applications for a second round.
To boost technology development, £70m of the £160m for Agri-Tech is funding an Agri-Tech Catalyst to commercialise near market innovation. 52 Agri-Tech Catalyst projects, worth £43m (£30m of government funding), have been announced. Successful projects from the Third Round will be announced in March 2015.
The table below shows the change in total factor productivity for UK agriculture each year from 1995 to 2013. Over this 18 year period total factor productivity in the UK increased by 15.8%. The effects of the poor weather in 2012 also impacted on the 2013 level of total factor productivity, as autumn planting for wheat and oilseed rape were down and the lack of forage crops produced in 2012 led to increased volumes of animal feed used in 2013. The estimate for 2014 is due to be published at the end of April 2015.
Total factor productivity in the United Kingdom 1995 to 2013
Year | Total factor productivity index (1995=100) | Change from previous year |
1995 | 100.0 | |
1996 | 98.8 | -1.2% |
1997 | 100.3 | 1.5% |
1998 | 102.9 | 2.6% |
1999 | 107.5 | 4.5% |
2000 | 110.2 | 2.5% |
2001 | 108.1 | -1.9% |
2002 | 114.7 | 6.1% |
2003 | 115.1 | 0.3% |
2004 | 115.4 | 0.3% |
2005 | 119.3 | 3.4% |
2006 | 118.2 | -0.9% |
2007 | 116.1 | -1.8% |
2008 | 120.6 | 3.9% |
2009 | 117.4 | -2.7% |
2010 | 117.1 | -0.2% |
2011 | 120.6 | 3.0% |
2012 | 116.1 | -3.8% |
2013 | 115.8 | -0.2% |
The number of people working on farms in England and in the United Kingdom from 1995 to 2014 is set out in the table below.
Figures pre-2000 cover all farms, whereas figures from 2000 onwards relate to commercial holdings only, so are not directly comparable. Commercial farms are defined as those with significant levels of farming activity and have any of the following:
· More than 5ha farmed area
· More than 1ha permanent nursery/fruit crops
· More than 0.5ha outdoor crops
· More than 0.1ha glasshouses
· Any area used to grow mushrooms
· More than 10 cattle, 50 pigs, 20 sheep, 20 goats or 1,000 poultry
The principal effect of this change was to reduce the number of part-time farmers who had very small levels of farming activity.
Number of people working on agricultural holdings on 1 June | |||
Number of people (thousands) | |||
England | United Kingdom | ||
1995 | 425 | 620 | |
1996 | 421 | 616 | |
1997 | 417 | 611 | |
1998 | 415 | 608 | |
1999 | 398 | 586 | |
2000 | 333 | 516 | |
2001 | 333 | 514 | |
2002 | 328 | 507 | |
2003 | 313 | 491 | |
2004 | 322 | 501 | |
2005 | 319 | 494 | |
2006 | 317 | 491 | |
2007 | 308 | 481 | |
2008 | 312 | 483 | |
2009 | 293 | 464 | |
2010 | 293 | 466 | |
2011 | 303 | 476 | |
2012 | 307 | 481 | |
2013 | 296 | 464 | |
2014 | 302 | 476 | |
Figures prior to 2000 relate to all holdings, whereas figures from 2000 onwards relate to commercial holdings only. |
I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bassetlaw, John Mann, on 11 September 2014, Official Report, column 723W.
The Lead Ammunition Group is independent of the Government and as such is not obliged to produce a report to the Government by a specified date. However, it is my understanding that the Group hopes to submit the report in 2015.
I had a constructive discussion on the prospects for introducing futures markets for skimmed milk powder at the Dairy Supply Chain Forum on 19 November. Members are exploring how this could be achieved and the NFU will report on progress in the New Year.
Through the joint Defra/industry Farming Resilience Group, which I chair, we are also considering the potential for the use of futures markets to manage volatility and risk. The next meeting will take place in January 2015.
On its website, DairyCo provides domestic dairy farmers with a range of educational materials and guidance on futures markets and other forms of price risk management.
I had a constructive discussion on the potential for developing futures markets at the Dairy Supply Chain Forum on 19 November. There is scope to develop some of the embryonic markets we already have in skimmed milk powder in the UK. By building on what currently exists and by improving accessibility, it may help to manage the inherent volatility in the marketplace. Membersof the Dairy Supply Chain Forum are exploring how this could be achieved and the NFU will report on progress in the New Year. These issues are also being explored through the joint Defra/Industry Farming Resilience Group, which I chair. The next meeting will take place in January 2015.
On its website, DairyCo provides domestic dairy farmers with a range of educational materials and guidance on futures markets and other forms of price risk management.
The Actual Milk Price Equivalent and Intervention of Milk Price Equivalent indicators capture historic market trends and cannot be used to estimate future prices.
The EU Milk Market Observatory (MMO) provides a range of information on price trends and short-term analysis. Intervention prices for skimmed milk powder and butter are set out in EU Regulation 1370/2013.
The UK has been monitoring the Russian ban on EU agricultural products closely since it came into effect on 7 August. We are continuing to work closely with trade associations and industry to minimise the potential impact of the ban on businesses.
Of the £1.1bn of EU dairy product lines exported to Russia in 2013, the most affected countries are The Netherlands (£218m), Finland (£215m) Lithuania (£135m) and Germany (£135m). Cheese is the main product that has been affected (£826m), in particular produce from The Netherlands (£197m), Germany (£120m) and Lithuania (£115m). In comparison, the UK exported £5.8m of cheese to Russia in 2013.
The Commission has announced market support measures for the dairy industry in response to the ban.
We have worked closely with the dairy industry to produce the ‘Leading the Way’ Growth Plan, launched in June 2014. The Plan aims to eliminate the dairy deficit by value by 2025, including growing the UK’s share of the domestic market by displacing imports. We discussed the Growth Plan and how industry might address the dairy trade deficit at the Dairy Supply Chain Forum on 19 November 2014. The industry steering group set up to oversee progress on the Growth Plan will report on this in the New Year.
By making improvements to the public procurement process the Government is making it easier for local suppliers to access the public sector market. We are pushing the case at EU level for better country of origin labelling. This would benefit the UK dairy industry in a number of ways, including requiring British cheeses to be made from British milk
The Government offers no direct financial support to marketing of milk and other dairy products. The industry is doing its own work on promoting milk consumption across all age groups through campaigns such as “Make Mine Milk” which is part funded by the EU.
DairyCo is the levy funded body for the dairy sector. Their total annual budget is approximately £8m and £500,000 of this is spent on marketing development.
It is for port operators to decide if they wish to provide border inspection facilities to facilitate the importation of regulated food products. Defra’s responsibility, with regard to imports of animal products, is to work with Port Health Authorities and the Food and Veterinary Office of the European Commission to ensure that such facilities meet EU standards. The Food Standards Agency fulfils a similar role for the approval of Designated Points of Entry for food of non-animal origin.
I recognise the importance of having an adequate network of inspection facilities. I would welcome representations from interested parties, if it is believed there is a problem with the current provision of such facilities.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) publishes a range of information on the responsible use of antibiotics including the Code of Practice on the Responsible Use of Animal Medicines on the Farm.
The VMD also supports the various guidelines published by the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) which cover all major food producing species – including dairy and beef cattle.
Antibiotics are prescription only medicines; they can only be used following a diagnosis and prescription from a veterinary surgeon.
The Government continues to work with the EU Commission and other Member States to ensure better enforcement of the rules on the welfare of animals during transport.
Defra and MAFF spent a total of £925M* on agricultural research between 1997/98 and 2009/10.
Financial year | Farming Research (£M) | Animal Health and Welfare Research (£M) | Total agricultural research (excluding food, agri-environment, soils, plant health, pesticide safety) (£M) |
1997/1998 | 46 | 27 | 73 |
1998/1999 | 44 | 30 | 74 |
1999/2000 | 42 | 34 | 76 |
2000/2001 | 41 | 34 | 75 |
2001/2002 | 39 | 38 | 77 |
2002/2003 | 37 | 39 | 76 |
2003/2004 | 39 | 38 | 77 |
2004/2005 | 38 | 39 | 76 |
2005/2006 | 36 | 38 | 74 |
2006/2007 | 30 | 39 | 69 |
2007/2008 | 26 | 37 | 63 |
2008/2009 | 23 | 34 | 57 |
2009/2010 | 27 | 32 | 59 |
TOTAL | 467 | 458 | 925 |
* Source: Omnicom (Defra science database). Figures exclude research on food (post farm gate), biodiversity conservation through agri-environment schemes, plant health and pesticide safety.
Surveillance and monitoring is carried out across the UK to provide intelligence on the rate of spread for Chalara and to help determine the extent of the disease. This work will continue on new infected sites and, in consultation with interested parties, the Government will consider what future surveillance work is needed.
Epidemiological modelling on the basis of current evidence suggests that the pathogen is likely to continue to spread in Great Britain, although there is likely to be noticeable regional variation, with areas in the south east, east and south west most affected. These predictions will need to be updated as additional information from ongoing research becomes available. The distribution of confirmed findings is published weekly by the Forestry Commission on its website and shows the precise coverage so far. I attach the latest map here but further updates can be found by using the following link.
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara#Distribution
The impact of Chalara infection depends on tree age, provenance or genotype, location, weather and microclimate conditions, and presence of honey fungus (Armillaria) or opportunistic secondary pathogens. Trees in forests are likely to be more affected because of the greater prevalence of honey fungus and favourable microclimates for spore production and infection. Trees cannot recover from infection, but larger trees can survive infection for a considerable time and some might not die.
Defra and the Forestry Commission do not record or make estimates of numbers of individual tree deaths. Chalara has infected many species of ash worldwide, with differing levels of intensity. Trees cannot recover once infected, although larger ash trees can survive infection for a considerable period of time.
Epidemiological modelling on the basis of current evidence suggests that the pathogen is likely to continue to spread in Great Britain, although there is likely to be noticeable regional variation, with areas in the south east, east and south west most affected. These predictions will need to be updated as additional information from ongoing research becomes available.
Defra and the Government Office for Science will be publishing Sir Mark Walport’s study entitled ‘Animal & Plant Health in the UK: An Assessment of Future Science Capability’ in due course.
This is subject to a commercial confidentiality restriction and all companies have signed a confidentiality agreement. Therefore, we are not in the position to disclose publicly the names of the companies until after the procurement is completed. We are in the middle of a public procurement under EU regulations.
Research by Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee has identified that 1,058 species have all or part of their lifecycle associated with ash woodlands in the UK, for example as a habitat, food source or hunting ground. Of these only 45 are exclusively recorded on ash, with a further 62 highly associated but also recorded on other species. No single tree species will be able to fill the niche provided by ash trees in terms of both its ecosystem characteristics and biodiversity contribution. The most appropriate strategy for managing the biodiversity impacts of ash dieback will vary from site to site.
Research is being undertaken to produce genetic maps of the pathogen and of ash trees to allow identification and breeding of resistant or tolerant ash trees and, where appropriate, improve detection techniques.
Ash saplings have been planted in areas with a high risk of infection to identify trees with resistance or tolerance to the disease. Ash seeds have been collected from a number of locations across the UK to be used in future screening and breeding programmes.
Standardised techniques for producing infection in the laboratory are being developed. This will allow disease development to be assessed under controlled conditions. This will be essential for identifying genetic markers for host resistance for use in breeding programmes.
The 2013 Water Framework Directive (WFD) classification results for England report that 1,017 rivers are assessed as being of, or having potential for, good ecological status. This is 21% of assessed river water bodies. These are the most recent classification results available for Cycle 1 of the WFD planning cycle (2009 to 2015).
Defra supports increasing the seasonal production of fruit and vegetables through working with the sector, investing in new technology and research, and our sponsorship of the Horticulture Innovation Partnership
Since the recommendations by the Fruit and Vegetable Taskforce in 2010, the Government and industry have worked jointly to overcome barriers towards increasing the amount of indigenous fruit and vegetables produced. This has been despite the poor weather of 2012 and 2013.
National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are well established national landscape designations that define areas with particular landscape qualities that merit protection. They are the jewels in the crown of our country's landscape and are given the strongest protection from damaging development.
Whilst Defra has no plans to introduce legislation to identify listed landscapes, English Heritage maintains a 'Register of Historic Parks and Gardens' which identifies over 1,600 sites assessed to be of national importance.
The UK Government does not hold stocks of food. Food supply is part of the UK's Critical National Infrastructure, and food industry sectors are resilient with wide and diverse sources of supply and strong contingency plans. Defra works closely with the industry and across Government, including Devolved Administrations, on the resilience of food supply, and ensures that industry sectors have the support they need to respond in the event of emergency situations.
The Government does not hold stocks of food. The UK Food Security Assessment, published in 2010 and subsequently reviewed biennially, is an evidence based analysis of our food security looking ahead ten years. The assessment considers the global context to UK food security as well as the resilience of UK food supply chains, and concludes that the UK has good levels of resilience based on diverse sources of supply as well as strong domestic production. The holding of stockpiles of food is not considered to be a valid indicator of food security.
Defra has taken a number of steps to reduce regulation in the agricultural industry. In January 2014, Defra announced proposals under the Red Tape Challenge agriculture theme to scrap or improve 56% of the 516 regulations reviewed.
Defra is carrying out a thorough review of the visits made by Defra and its regulators with the aim of significantly reducing the burden on generally compliant farmers and concentrating enforcement action on those with a history of non-compliance. We expect to achieve this through improved targeting of visits, stopping unnecessary checks or visits and sharing data between regulators.
The agricultural industry will also benefit from our review of guidance and data. Our target is to make all Defra and its regulators' guidance simple, quick and clear, with an ambition to reduce the volume by over 80% by March 2015. For data reporting we are aiming to reduce the time that businesses spend on reporting data by 20% by March 2016.
As published in April 2014 in the Independent Farming Regulation Task Force report, incorporating earned recognition into dairy hygiene inspections has reduced the number of FSA inspections taking place on dairy farms by over 8,000 per year. 14 out of 31 on-farm inspection regimes incorporate an element of earned recognition and, overall, we are removing £13 of compliance costs for every pound added.
We know that we have to continue to build on this good work and have further to go.
The UK currently has a high degree of food security in terms of access, availability, resilience and variety of food supply. The evidence for this is in the UK Food Security Assessment, published in 2010, which analysed the different factors impacting on UK food supply. UK food security is built on a strong food production base in the UK and access to a wide variety of markets through the EU and an open, rules-based world trading system.
Secure food supplies are derived from being fully integrated into a well-functioning and transparent global market, not just relying on UK production. Reduced access to global markets would heighten supply vulnerability in the event of emergencies such as poor weather, which negatively affect domestic production.
Improvements in productivity which lead to the UK increasing its domestic production will benefit the food chain and the UK economy more generally and are welcome, but are not alone sufficient to guarantee food security.
Defra officials have commissioned an analysis of the economic impact of the recent floods on English farm businesses. The report is being finalised and will be published in due course. I shall place a copy in the Library of the House.
The agricultural science research and development budget for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was £53M in 2010/11, £55M in 2011/12, £55M in 2012/13 and £47M in 2013/14.
We are working with farmers, food and drink manufacturers and retailers to ensure the UK has the right climate to attract increased inward investment and to enable UK producers to grow and compete on global and domestic markets.
To support the agricultural industry to improve productivity and competitiveness, the Government is investing £160 million in an industry-led UK Strategy for Agricultural Technologies. Other activities in support of the food and drink sector include: enabling consumers to select British products through country of origin labelling; working with individual sectors, such as dairy and livestock, to increase their competitiveness; and supporting industry activities to develop a skilled workforce and increase innovation.
We are also improving public procurement of food and catering services so that it contributes to a competitive UK food and farming sector.
To help UK producers grasp opportunities on the global market, Defra and UKTI launched the ‘International Export Action Plan' and ‘Food is GREAT' campaign. The Export Action Plan outlines an ambitious target, jointly agreed by Government and industry, to help 1,000 UK food and drink companies with their international growth by October 2015, adding a further £500 million to the economy. Defra Ministers are working hard to personally visit priority overseas markets, champion the best of British food and break down barriers to trade.
The Department spent £14.8m in 2013-14 on support to farmers through specific grants. This excludes Common Agricultural Policy payments. Figures relating to the three previous financial years would only be available at disproportionate cost.
The Environment Agency's Thames Estuary 2100 Plan, which covers the area known as the “Thames Gateway”, sets out the current levels of risk to the area and the plans to protect areas at risk from tidal flooding until the end of the century.
Following the winter storms, the Environment Agency reassessed the condition of all flood defences on the Thames and the level of flood protection they offer.
The annual totals fluctuate depending on local need for investment in particular projects and the level of funding available. The table below shows capital expenditure on flood and coastal erosion risk management within the Thames Gateway area between 2008/09 and 2013/14. Figures for earlier years are not available.
The figures in the table include Government flood defence grant in aid, local levy (raised by Regional Flood and Coastal Committees from councils) and contributions from other public and private sources spent on projects carried out by the Environment Agency and by local authorities in the area.
The figures in the table do not include revenue costs, such as staff salaries and the routine river maintenance programmes or region-wide projects and programmes, such as flood and coastal erosion risk management strategies and reservoir inspection programmes.
‘
(£k) | |||||||
2008/09 | 2009/10 | 2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | Total | |
Thames Gateway area | 17,975 | 35,342 | 29,907 | 13,740 | 10,583 | 13,558 | 121,105 |
The Thames Gateway area in this table includes expenditure in on tidal defences in Barking and Dagenham, the outer Thames estuary in Essex, the Thames and Southern Regional Flood and Coastal Committee's area, including Kent, the Environment Agency's Thames Barrier team areas.
The Government and industry first launched the joint Food and Drink International Action Plan in 2012 and a refreshed Plan last October. The Plan commits us to deliver £500 million of value to the UK economy by supporting 1,000 companies by October 2015. In 2013 exports of UK Food and Drink reached £18.9 billion from £18.2 billion in 2012. In 2013 we opened 112 markets for animals and animal products, helping increase exports to non-EU markets by £179 million to £1.35 billion. This year we have opened 54 new markets for animals and animal products.
The Government has been successful in breaking down restrictions relating to BSE to provide greater opportunities to increase beef and lamb exports. Following lifting of the BSE ban by the US earlier this year, enabling export of beef once technical negotiations have been concluded, a memorandum of understanding on Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies has been agreed with China providing a framework for negotiations. Once opened these markets could be worth up to £181m per annum. The Government and industry continue to work together to increase food and drink exports.
We are carrying out a programme of sectoral and regulatory analysis, which will identify the key factors for British businesses and the labour force that will affect our negotiations with the EU as well as the issues that will affect our relationship with the EU on security, justice and migration. We are also building a detailed understanding of how withdrawing from the EU will affect our domestic policies, to seize the opportunities and ensure a smooth process of exit. This work is drawing on a wide range of sources of information and analysis, as well as extensive stakeholder engagement and previous government work.
We continually monitor the humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We are concerned by the high levels of poverty, unemployment, and food insecurity, as well as the fragile health system, shrinking Gazan economy and the lack of access to consistent supplies of electricity.
DFID recently announced an aid package of £2 million to the International Committee for the Red Cross to support delivery of medicines, equipment and rehabilitation services. The UK’s new economic development programme aims to help the economy in Gaza and the West Bank by increasing trade and creating jobs. The UK has also made a commitment to UNRWA of up to £80m over the next two years to help provide health services and education to Palestinian refugees living across the Middle East. The UK is committed to alleviating the humanitarian situation in the OPTs and continues to urge the parties to prioritise progress towards reaching a durable solution.
The UK Government is supportive of the UN’s Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, as a step forward in international co-operation to tackle irregular migration and as a framework to help us deliver our commitments under the sustainable development goals.
We believe that the final document sets out a better international framework for action and co-operation on migration, whilst importantly respecting a State’s sovereign right to determine its own migration policy. The Compact also contains important commitments and actions to help us tackle human trafficking and people smuggling.
Moreover, our aim is to use the Compact to further our Migration priorities within multilateral fora. This includes: reducing modern slavery; upholding migrant’s human rights; and addressing irregular migration through improved border management and safer and more productive legal migration.
We remain committed to working closely with European and Global partners to build on the momentum we have gathered thus far to ensure effective implementation of the Compact.
We look forward to the formal launch of the Compact in Marrakech this December.
The United Nations (UN) have begun a review of the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism. Officials are following the review closely.
DFID is working closely with FCO, MoD and other departments to incorporate the lessons learned from hurricanes Irma and Maria and ensure a stronger collective response to any hurricane this year. This includes more effective coordination and communication with partners and regional countries and structures, clearer guidance on command and control structures, and an improved crisis response framework which identifies the roles and responsibilities of all involved departments. Activities are on-going and there is a DFID mission currently in the region to further assess and support maximum preparedness for 2018.