Richard Foord

The Equality Act 2010 places a duty on businesses and service providers to make reasonable adjustments to improve disabled people’s access to goods and services, so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people. This reasonable adjustment duty is an anticipatory duty, meaning that those who provide goods, facilities and services to members of the public are expected to anticipate the reasonable adjustments that disabled customers may require, including auxiliary aids. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has produced guidance for service providers on reasonable adjustments and its Statutory Codes of Practice provide more detailed information on the legal responsibilities of service providers and employers to make such adjustments.

Information on air travel for 2021-22 will be published alongside the audited Cabinet Office annual report and accounts.

While there is no established definition of a business at risk of financial insolvency, the most recent Monthly Insolvency Statistics produced by the Insolvency Service show that in September 2022 there were 143 registered companies operating in the retail industry in England and Wales that became insolvent. This represents 8 per cent of all insolvencies in September. The equivalent figures for September 2021 were 94 registered companies representing 6 per cent of insolvencies in that month. The Insolvency Service does not provide insolvency data for each region of England.

Source: Insolvency Service, Monthly Insolvency Statistics (October 2022).

The Alternative Fuel Payment will provide a one-off payment to UK households that use alternative fuels for heating. This will come in addition to the £400 provided by the Energy Bills Support Scheme, and a further £800 of one-off support provided to eight million of the most vulnerable households to help with the cost of living.

Charities and non-profit organisations may be entitled to a reduction in VAT, and exclusion from the main rates of the Climate Change Levy on the energy they use for non-business purposes. Government is also bringing forward an exemption on business rates for green technology.

These organisations can also search for local schemes that provide both advice and grants on gov.uk.

In addition, the Government has announced the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, to protect all businesses, voluntary sector, and public sector organisations against rising gas and electricity bills.

The Government is developing options to deliver additional energy efficiency support to businesses.

The details of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme were announced on 21 September 2022, initially running for 6 months, covering energy use from 1 October 2022 until 31 March 2023. The Government will provide a discount on energy bills for all eligible non-domestic customers, including businesses, the voluntary sector and public sector, whose current gas and electricity prices have been significantly inflated in light of global energy prices.

On 29th July, the Government set out further details of the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) following the technical consultation which ran from April to May.

As part of this package, the Government confirmed that further funding will be available to provide equivalent support of £400 for energy bills for the households which will not be reached through the EBSS. This includes those who do not have a domestic electricity meter or a direct relationship with an energy supplier.

The Government will be announcing details in the autumn on eligibility and how additional households will receive the £400 of support.

The Government recognises the vital role that youth services and activities play in improving the life chances and wellbeing of young people. In England, between 2015 - 2021, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), including the National Citizen Service (NCS), provided over £1.1 billion to the youth sector. Over this Spending Review Period, DCMS is investing over £500 million in youth services to deliver the National Youth Guarantee, a government commitment that by 2025, every young person will have access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home and opportunities to volunteer.

As set out in section 507B of the Education Act 1996, Local Authorities have a statutory duty to ‘secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people’. This is funded from the Local Government settlement, the majority of which is un-ringfenced, allowing local authorities to spend on services according to local priorities, including on youth services. The settlement is anticipated to be almost £60 billion this year (FY 23/24) for councils in England - a 9% increase on the previous year. Details of all Local Authorities’ annual spending on youth services in England can be found in Section 251 data published on gov.uk.

DCMS is committed to working with Youth Sector organisations and Local Authorities to review and improve the Local Authority Statutory Duty Guidance for Youth Services. We will publish the outcomes of the review in due course.

The devolved administrations of Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland are responsible for their own youth services.

The Government recognises the vital role that youth services and activities play in improving the life chances and wellbeing of young people. In England, between 2015 - 2021, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), including the National Citizen Service (NCS), provided over £1.1 billion to the youth sector. Over this Spending Review Period, DCMS is investing over £500 million in youth services to deliver the National Youth Guarantee, a government commitment that by 2025, every young person will have access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home and opportunities to volunteer.

As set out in section 507B of the Education Act 1996, Local Authorities have a statutory duty to ‘secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people’. This is funded from the Local Government settlement, the majority of which is un-ringfenced, allowing local authorities to spend on services according to local priorities, including on youth services. The settlement is anticipated to be almost £60 billion this year (FY 23/24) for councils in England - a 9% increase on the previous year. Details of all Local Authorities’ annual spending on youth services in England can be found in Section 251 data published on gov.uk.

DCMS is committed to working with Youth Sector organisations and Local Authorities to review and improve the Local Authority Statutory Duty Guidance for Youth Services. We will publish the outcomes of the review in due course.

The devolved administrations of Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland are responsible for their own youth services.

BDUK does not publish figures on the average amount of time taken to review applications for the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.

BDUK is committed to working with all suppliers registered to the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme to ensure that projects are sequenced appropriately and align with the suppliers’ capacity to deliver the projects.

Projects that have been deemed as a high priority by the supplier can be submitted, reviewed and approved within 48 hours of a supplier highlighting a project to BDUK. Similarly, projects can be deprioritised by a supplier if the build date is further in the future, meaning that the review and approval process can take longer.

Vouchers for the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme are usually issued within 48 hours of Building Digital UK receiving confirmation that the beneficiary has validated their details, confirming the application. In certain instances, this timeframe can be extended while BDUK awaits the mandatory evidence that is required for a project to proceed.

Building Digital UK publishes quarterly updates on the progress of Project Gigabit. Between April and November 2022, 31,900 vouchers were issued under the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme. These figures are provisional and will be confirmed in Building Digital UK’s 2022-23 Performance Report.

​​The Department’s school transport policy aims to ensure that no pupil is unable to attend school because of a lack of transport. Local Authorities must arrange free travel to school for pupils aged 5 to 16 who attend their nearest school and cannot walk there due to distance, route safety, or as a result of special educational needs, disability or mobility problems. There are additional rights to free transport for low income families, aimed at helping them exercise school choice.

​The majority of central Government funding for home to school transport is made available to Local Authorities through the Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS), administered by the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities. The Department for Education provides grant funding to Local Authorities as a contribution towards the cost of extended rights transport. This is £45.8 million in the 2023/24 financial year.

​The Department recognises that Local Authorities are delivering services in a challenging environment. The Department is working with other Government departments and with the sector to understand the challenges they are facing.

The Department intends to confirm the next schools prioritised for the School Rebuilding Programme shortly. Details will be published on GOV.UK.

Schools, colleges, and universities have the flexibility to decide what provision is appropriate for their students’ mental and physical wellbeing. This may include the use of technology, such as apps and fitness trackers, but it is for individual educational establishments to decide whether and how technology is appropriate to their educational contexts and circumstances.

Defra Ministers meet regularly with the NFU on a wide range of issues including rural crimes such as fly tipping and livestock worrying.

We currently have no plans to review Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. The existing legal framework for dog control equips the police and local authorities with appropriate powers to tackle dangerous dogs and irresponsible dog ownership. We are working in partnership with the police, local authorities and animal welfare organisations to ensure that the full range of existing dog control powers are effectively applied to encourage responsible dog ownership and reduce the risk of dog attacks.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has not met the Neighbourhood Watch Network on rural crime issues.

The following fines have been imposed on water companies directly by Ofwat and as a result of prosecutions brought by the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate.

In addition to fines, water companies face other financial penalties such as financial undertakings from companies secured by Ofwat following enforcement cases. These include rebates to customers and money paid to charities and community groups.
Water companies can face financial penalties if they underperform against performance targets. Ofwat recently announced penalties for 2021-22, with almost £135 million being returned to customers. A breakdown of these penalties by water company can be found at: Final determinations of in-period outcome delivery incentives for 2021-22.

The following fines have been imposed on water companies directly by Ofwat and as a result of prosecutions brought by the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate.

In addition to fines, water companies face other financial penalties such as financial undertakings from companies secured by Ofwat following enforcement cases. These include rebates to customers and money paid to charities and community groups.
Water companies can face financial penalties if they underperform against performance targets. Ofwat recently announced penalties for 2021-22, with almost £135 million being returned to customers. A breakdown of these penalties by water company can be found at: Final determinations of in-period outcome delivery incentives for 2021-22.

As of 18 September 2023, there were 561,275 car practical driving tests booked, and 64,817 driving tests available within the 24-week booking window.

The average waiting time during August 2023 for a car practical driving test in England was 20.7 weeks, and in the South West it was 18.9 weeks.

A full driving licence allows a driver to use any roads, not just those they are familiar with. To be safe and competent, learner drivers need a broad range of driving experience in different areas and on different roads. Candidates do not, therefore, need to take their driving test at the nearest test centre to where they live.

As of 18 September 2023, there were 561,275 car practical driving tests booked, and 64,817 driving tests available within the 24-week booking window.

The average waiting time during August 2023 for a car practical driving test in England was 20.7 weeks, and in the South West it was 18.9 weeks.

A full driving licence allows a driver to use any roads, not just those they are familiar with. To be safe and competent, learner drivers need a broad range of driving experience in different areas and on different roads. Candidates do not, therefore, need to take their driving test at the nearest test centre to where they live.

The Government recognises the importance of transport for rural areas and is committed to improving access to services that provide vital connectivity. The Government pays almost £260 million per year in Bus Service Operators Grant, which benefits passengers by helping operators keep fares down, and enabling operators to run services that might otherwise be unprofitable and could lead to cancellation.

The Government has also provided nearly £2 billion in emergency and recovery funding to local transport authorities and bus operators since March 2020 to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on bus services and protect local bus routes. This includes an additional £130 million to continue support services until March 2023.

The Government does recognise that inflationary pressures, including rising fuel costs, are impacting operating costs of bus services across England. Recovery funding provided to LTAs from April this year has accounted for forecast inflationary increases.

The Government recognises the importance of transport for rural areas and is committed to improving access to services that provide vital connectivity. The Government pays almost £260 million per year in Bus Service Operators Grant, which benefits passengers by helping operators keep fares down, and enabling operators to run services that might otherwise be unprofitable and could lead to cancellation.

The Government has also provided nearly £2 billion in emergency and recovery funding to local transport authorities and bus operators since March 2020 to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on bus services and protect local bus routes. This includes an additional £130 million to continue support services until March 2023.

The Government does recognise that inflationary pressures, including rising fuel costs, are impacting operating costs of bus services across England. Recovery funding provided to LTAs from April this year has accounted for forecast inflationary increases.

The Government is taking decisive action to reduce the impact inflation will have on rail fares during the cost of living crisis and, in August, we guaranteed we will not be increasing fares as much as the July RPI figure. We are also delaying any change to March 2023, temporarily freezing fares for passengers to travel at a lower price for the entirety of January and February.

Earlier this year we launched the Great British Rail Sale, the first ever nationwide rail sale. Over 1.3 million tickets were sold, offering around £7million worth of savings for passengers.

There are also several railcards available to passengers, which offer discounts against most rail fares.

The Government have ensured that people with earnings below the Primary Threshold continue to have their entitlement to State Pension protected. Although the Primary Threshold, when people start making National Insurance Contributions, has increased from £190 to £242 per week in 2022/23, the Lower Earnings Limit (LEL) remains at £123 per week in 2022/23 (£6396 per annum). The LEL is the level of earnings above which people are treated as having paid National Insurance, even though they have not paid Contributions.

People with earnings from a single employer above the LEL, receive a Qualifying Year of National Insurance, which counts towards their State Pension eligibility. For people on low incomes, there is a wide range of National Insurance credits available, including people in receipt of Universal Credit, ensuring they can achieve the best possible State Pension outcome when they reach State Pension age. Information about these can be found on www.gov.uk/national-insurance-credits/eligibility.

The Government has made no such assessment.

The Government has ensured that people with earnings below the Primary Threshold continue to have their entitlement to State Pension protected. Although the Primary Threshold, when people start making National Insurance Contributions, has increased from £190 to £242 per week in 2022/23, the Lower Earnings Limit (LEL) remains at £123 per week in 2022/23 (£6396 per annum). The LEL is the level of earnings above which people are treated as having paid National Insurance, even though they have not paid Contributions.

People with earnings from a single employer above the LEL, receive a Qualifying Year of National Insurance, which counts towards their State Pension eligibility. For people on low incomes, there is a wide range of National Insurance credits available, including people in receipt of Universal Credit, ensuring they can achieve the best possible State Pension outcome when they reach State Pension age. Information about these can be found on www.gov.uk/national-insurance-credits/eligibility.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The number of people on Universal Credit, broken down by conditionality group, are published every month on Stat-Xplore, with the latest statistics currently available to 13 October 2022.

If needed, you can access guidance on how to extract the information required from Stat-Xplore.

The information requested is not held centrally.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) developed a business case for future options for nursery provision at Porton Down. After careful consideration it was concluded that UKHSA are not able to prioritise such capital costs for physical reprovision of a nursery against other needs. UKHSA are continuing to engage with partners to explore any other opportunities.

There have been joint meetings with Wiltshire Council, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and Porton Biopharma Ltd that use the nursery. A joint meeting with impacted staff and families took place on 6 March 2023.

The Major Conditions Strategy will cover prevention to treatment for six broad conditions including mental ill health and we will continue to work closely with stakeholders, citizens and the National Health Service in coming weeks to identify actions that will have the most impact.

We are already taking steps to increase access to mental health services, including for people in rural settings. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to investing an additional £2.3 billion a year into mental health services, including through integrated care board (ICB) baseline funding. As part of this, we are increasing access to NHS Talking Therapies across all parts of England, including rural areas. NHS Talking Therapies provide evidence-based support for a range of conditions.

ICBs are responsible for decisions about the provision of services in their area and how funding allocations should be used to meet the needs of people in their areas. There are a range of adjustments made in the ICB allocations formula to account for how the costs of providing health care may vary between different types of rural and urban areas.

No specific assessment has been made. NHS England’s guidance ‘Items which should not be routinely prescribed in primary care’ states that levothyroxine is the first treatment for hypothyroidism and liothyronine should not be routinely prescribed. However, the guidance states that liothyronine may be recommended for individual patients who may not respond to levothyroxine alone. NHS England is currently reviewing its guidance and has engaged with patient groups and other stakeholders to obtain feedback.

Our thoughts remain with the victims and their families of this tragic accident, and appreciate the distress caused by the ongoing delays. Officials at the British Embassy in Addis Ababa have been in contact with the Ethiopian Ministry of Transport and Air Accident Investigation Department to discuss the release of the final air accident report and will continue to lobby them for its immediate release. The Ethiopian authorities have said the report was delayed due to the pandemic and have not yet confirmed a new date for issue. We will continue to urge the Ethiopian authorities to release the report as soon as possible, as this will be part of the requirement for any inquest hearing into the crash to proceed.

The 2022-23 Local Government Financial Settlement provides local authorities with an additional £3.7 billion of resources – including the largest cash-terms increase in grant funding in 10 years. It is for local authorities to determine how to allocate this funding. The Government’s Energy Price Guarantee scheme will cap the unit price households pay for electricity and gas, which means that a typical household in Great Britain will have to pay bills equivalent to no more than £2500 a year on their energy bills this winter. In addition, the Government has provided a £650 Cost of Living payment to over 8 million households on means-tested benefits, with additional support for pensioners and those on disability benefits, and a six-month extension to the Household Support Fund in England.

The Government are committed to driving down rural crime. Whether someone lives in the countryside, a town, or a city, they should have the same peace of mind when going about their daily lives, and they should get the same high-quality service from the police if they fall victim to a crime.

The Home Secretary, Ministers and officials meet with a range of stakeholders on a regular basis to discuss how best to tackle rural crime and are taking important steps to address issues that we know affect rural communities.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act empowers and equips the police and courts with the powers they need to combat hare coursing, and the Government is supporting the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Bill, which aims to prevent the theft of quad bikes and All-Terrain Vehicles. The Government is also providing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit and new National Rural Crime Unit, which will support forces nationally in their response to rural crime such as theft of farming construction machinery, livestock theft and rural fly tipping.

The Government are committed to driving down rural crime. Whether someone lives in the countryside, a town, or a city, they should have the same peace of mind when going about their daily lives, and they should get the same high-quality service from the police if they fall victim to a crime.

The Home Secretary, Ministers and officials meet with a range of stakeholders on a regular basis to discuss how best to tackle rural crime and are taking important steps to address issues that we know affect rural communities.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act empowers and equips the police and courts with the powers they need to combat hare coursing, and the Government is supporting the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Bill, which aims to prevent the theft of quad bikes and All-Terrain Vehicles. The Government is also providing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit and new National Rural Crime Unit, which will support forces nationally in their response to rural crime such as theft of farming construction machinery, livestock theft and rural fly tipping.

The Government are committed to driving down rural crime. Whether someone lives in the countryside, a town, or a city, they should have the same peace of mind when going about their daily lives, and they should get the same high-quality service from the police if they fall victim to a crime.

The Home Secretary, Ministers and officials meet with a range of stakeholders on a regular basis to discuss how best to tackle rural crime and are taking important steps to address issues that we know affect rural communities.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act empowers and equips the police and courts with the powers they need to combat hare coursing, and the Government is supporting the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Bill, which aims to prevent the theft of quad bikes and All-Terrain Vehicles. The Government is also providing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit and new National Rural Crime Unit, which will support forces nationally in their response to rural crime such as theft of farming construction machinery, livestock theft and rural fly tipping.

Decisions around training arrangements are an operational matter for Chief Officers who are best placed with the skills and expertise to determine requirements and to manage any risks associated with training.

Safe areas are implemented around live fire facilities and they are subject to stringent planning permissions which must include consideration of any disruption to members of the public.

The Ministry of Defence is already committed to a reduction in Regular military personnel as part of the restructuring of the Armed Forces following the 2021 Integrated Spending Review. This restructuring presents Defence with the opportunity to undertake the modernisation required to meet all of their current commitments, keep the country safe, and deliver a force that is fit for the challenges of the future. The Government remains committed to ensuring that this country has the world class Armed Forces that it needs and deserves, with an extra £11 billion recently allocated over the next five years that will provide improved resilience and readiness for the military.

Defence takes a threat-led approach to setting our readiness, ensuring that the Armed Forces are ready to deter adversaries and defend the nation.

Our capability and readiness levels are regularly reviewed to ensure that they are consistent with our strategic approach and are relevant to the threat.

I have interpreted your question to relate to Typhoon pilots. The longest period for an individual to complete their flying training from starting Elementary Flying Training to completing their training in the Military Flying Training System was six years and three months. This does not include the time in the Typhoon Operational Conversion Unit. The time taken by individuals to complete their flying training can be subject to several impacting variables, such as personal aptitude and weather. The current average time taken to complete this training is significantly lower.

I have interpreted ground crew as Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel in Trade Group 1, which includes Aircraft Maintenance Avionic, Aircraft Maintenance Mechanic and Weapons Technicians.

As of 1 October 2022, the total number of personnel was 5,860 (rounded to the nearest 10).

This data covers trained RAF Regular personnel only and excludes RAF Reservists.

I am withholding the information requested as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Announcements will be made in the usual way.

Registered providers of social housing already have a duty to comply with the Regulator of Social Housing's standards. The Regulator will consult on its revised consumer standards following the passage of legislation and the issuance of government directions, and is already conducting extensive engagement with the sector to prepare providers for the new regulatory regime.

In the Levelling Up White Paper the Government set out its ambition to reduce the number of non-decent rented homes by 50% by 2030 with the biggest improvements in the lowest performing areas. In the Charter for Social Housing Residents, the government committed to a range of measures to drive up the quality of social housing, including through the introduction of a new, proactive consumer regulation regime and a review of the Decent Home Standard.

Further to the statement made by the Secretary of State on 16 November 2022, the Social Housing Regulation Bill will create a strong and proactive consumer regulation regime that will drive up standards in social housing and help tenants and the Regulator of Social Housing hold landlords to account. The Regulator will have stronger enforcement powers so they can take robust action if they identify failings by social housing landlords. We expect registered providers to place tenants’ concerns at the heart of all they do, with effective resident engagement in place, so no one has to live in sub-standard social housing.

As set out previously in response to Question UIN77402 on 11 November, our veterans play a vital role in keeping our country safe and we are committed to providing them with the support they need. Homelessness statistics for England are collected on a quarterly basis and consistently show levels of veteran homelessness are low - less than 1% of homeless households. For Winter 2021 (Oct-December) the proportion of households owed a homelessness duty with a support need due to service in the Armed Forces was 0.7%. The latest statutory homelessness statistics for England, covering the period April-June 2022, show the figure remaining at the same level and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics

The updated guidance for the Homes for Ukraine guests, hosts and councils setting out all the support options available to them can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils#four-to-6-months-after-guests-have-moved-to-your-area.