Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Give UK nurseries emergency funding if they have to close down amid COVID-19
Gov Responded - 14 Apr 2020 Debated on - 25 Jun 2020 View 's petition debate contributionsIf nurseries are shut down in view of Covid-19, the Government should set up an emergency fund to ensure their survival and ensure that parents are not charged the full fee by the nurseries to keep children's places.
Provide financial support to performers and creators during the COVID-19 crisis
Gov Responded - 22 Jul 2020 Debated on - 25 Jun 2020 View 's petition debate contributionsThe prospect of widespread cancellations of concerts, theatre productions and exhibitions due to COVID-19 threatens to cause huge financial hardship for Britain's creative community. We ask Parliament to provide a package of emergency financial and practical support during this unpredictable time.
Extend grants immediately to small businesses outside of SBRR
Gov Responded - 29 May 2020 Debated on - 25 Jun 2020 View 's petition debate contributionsThe cash grants proposed by Government are only for businesses in receipt of the Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Relief, or for particular sectors. Many small businesses fall outside these reliefs desperately need cash grants and support now.
Government to offer economic assistance to the events industry during COVID-19
Gov Responded - 27 Mar 2020 Debated on - 25 Jun 2020 View 's petition debate contributionsFor the UK government to provide economic assistance to businesses and staff employed in the events industry, who are suffering unforeseen financial challenges that could have a profound effect on hundreds of thousands of people employed in the sector.
Make nurseries exempt from business rates to support the childcare sector
Gov Responded - 2 Apr 2020 Debated on - 25 Jun 2020 View 's petition debate contributionsAfter owning nurseries for 29 years I have never experienced such damaging times for the sector with rising costs not being met by the funding rates available. Business Rates are a large drain on the sector and can mean the difference between nurseries being able to stay open and having to close.
Offer more support to the arts (particularly Theatres and Music) amidst COVID-19
Gov Responded - 20 Jul 2020 Debated on - 25 Jun 2020 View 's petition debate contributionsAs we pass the COVID-19 Peak, the Government should: State where the Theatres and Arts fit in the Coronavrius recovery Roadmap, Create a tailor made financial support mechanism for the Arts sector & Clarify how Social Distancing will affect arts spaces like Theatres and Concert Venues.
Support the British aviation industry during the COVID-19 outbreak
Gov Responded - 7 May 2020 Debated on - 25 Jun 2020 View 's petition debate contributionsAs a result of the COVID-19 outbreak there are travel bans imposed by many countries, there is a disastrous potential impact on our Aviation Industry. Without the Government’s help there could be an unprecedented crisis, with thousands of jobs under threat.
Business Rate Relief to be extended to all small businesses in healthcare.
Gov Responded - 5 Jun 2020 Debated on - 25 Jun 2020 View 's petition debate contributionsTo extend the business rate relief to all dental practices and medical and aesthetics clinics and any small business that’s in healthcare
Provide financial help to zoos, aquariums, & rescue centres during the pandemic.
Gov Responded - 28 Jul 2020 Debated on - 25 Jun 2020 View 's petition debate contributionsZoos, aquariums, and similar organisations across the country carry out all sorts of conservation work, animal rescue, and public education. At the start of the season most rely on visitors (who now won't come) to cover annual costs, yet those costs do not stop while they are closed. They need help.
These initiatives were driven by Richard Thomson, 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.
Richard Thomson has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Richard Thomson has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
A Bill to apply electrical safety regulations to goods advertised for sale on online marketplaces; to require online marketplaces to remove electrical products from their websites within 24 hours of them being reported as unsafe; and for connected purposes.
Elected Representatives (Prohibition of Deception) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Liz Saville Roberts (PC)
Shared Prosperity Fund (Wales) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Ben Lake (PC)
Energy Pricing (Off Gas Grid Households) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Drew Hendry (SNP)
Ministerial Interests (Emergency Powers) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Owen Thompson (SNP)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to PQs 18593, 18594, 18595, 18596, 18597 on 2 March 2020.
The Government remains committed to supporting four CCUS clusters to deployment by 2030. On 1 November 2021 the Government published a Track-2 update which highlights the increased ambition of capturing and storing 20-30 Mtpa by 2030, including 10 Mtpa assigned for Track-2 clusters:
The Government regularly engages with the Acorn Cluster in their position as Track-1 reserve cluster, and will continue to engage with industry and other clusters during the development of the Track-2 process.
Individual investigations are a matter for Ofgem, the independent regulator, and that information is not shared with BEIS. On the mutualisation of costs specifically, Ofgem’s recent proposals target surplus balances to reduce the amount at risk of mutualisation. Their proposals also allow suppliers to continue to collect credit balances where these are required to help smooth customer payments evenly throughout the year.
On 15 December 2021, Ofgem announced an Action Plan to develop a package of measures to boost financial resilience in the energy retail market. Since then, they have taken several immediate actions to improve financial resilience.
On mutualisation of the cost of customer credit balances specifically, Ofgem’s proposals target surplus balances, reducing the amount at risk of mutualisation, while allowing suppliers to continue to collect credit balances where these are required to help even out customer payments throughout the year.
More detail on steps being taken is available in their 14 April 2022 Open Letter to domestic energy suppliers which can be found here: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/open-letter-domestic-energy-suppliers-financial-resilience.
Ofgem determines the costs that a receiving supplier can recover, including the cost of honouring credit balances that customers had with the insolvent supplier. The costs are paid via a levy on all suppliers, which they will reflect in their pricing and which Ofgem will take account of it in calculating the price cap. The cost is not met from exchequer funds.
Ofgem’s powers provide a safety net when suppliers fail, ensuring customers are seamlessly transferred to a new energy supplier.
Any customers going through Supplier of Last Resort process will not go off supply and in every case will have their credit balances protected.
Suppliers are not currently required by Ofgem to ring-fence customer credit balances, but Ofgem has consulted on implementing a ring-fencing obligation.
Ofgem first consulted on protecting customer credit balances in October 2019 (https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/supplier-licensing-review-ongoing-requirements-and-exit-arrangements).
The Department has not estimated the value of customer credit balances that have been mutualised. Ofgem approves claims for the recovery of the costs under the Supplier of Last Resort levy.
On 14 April 2022 Ofgem published an open letter outlining proposals to further tighten protections against the financial instability of suppliers, including preventing the use of customer credit balances as working capital.
On 14th April, Ofgem published an open letter outlining proposals to further tighten protections from any financial instability of suppliers, including preventing the use of customer credit balances as working capital. Ofgem plans to conduct a statutory consultation on ringfencing customer credit balances later in the spring of this year. They also plan a consultation on policy options related to capital adequacy.
The Acorn Project is the reserve cluster in Track-1 of the Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage Cluster Sequencing process. The Government has continued to engage with the cluster to help it continue its development and planning, and has allocated the project more than £40m in development funding in recent years.
The Government intends to bring forward a process to facilitate the deployment of additional ‘Track-2’ clusters.
The Heat and Buildings Strategy was published on 19th October.
As set out in the UK Hydrogen Strategy, published in August 2021, current evidence suggests the UK hydrogen economy could support over 9,000 jobs by 2030 – and up to 100,000 jobs by 2050. Estimates, including those related to specific locations and production types, will improve over time as the project pipeline for both CCUS-enabled and electrolytic hydrogen develops. The UK wide Hydrogen Strategy is clear that the Government expect, to see support economic benefits across the Union and the industrial heartlands.
The carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) industry could support £4.3 billion in GVA and 48,000 jobs per annum by 2050. Deploying CCUS clusters from the 2020s will be a strong enabler for UK exports globally, building UK CCUS expertise and driving international demand for UK CCUS goods and services.
The North Sea Transition Deal recognises that the upstream oil and gas workforce has the transferrable skills needed to support the energy transition, including the development of a hydrogen economy. The Deal supports the work of the Energy Skills Alliance, which aims to prepare the energy industry to meet the future demand for skills in new technologies. The Deal also contains a commitment for OPITO, the sector skills body, to develop an integrated people and skills plan with measurable objectives, by March 2022, to support the sector’s diversification. The Government Net Zero Strategy, recently published, further commits to reform the skills system, so that training providers, employers and learners are incentivised and equipped to help deliver our net zero aims.
Following a methodology pilot phase in 2016 to 2018, BEIS commissioned a consortium led by Vivid Economics to provide analysis on future energy innovation needs. The work, and the suite of reports, is referred to as the Energy Innovation Needs Assessments (EINAs).
As set out in the Government’s landmark Net Zero strategy carbon capture usage and storage industry could support up to 54,000 jobs across the UK by 2030.
Information in Phase 1 submissions has been used to identify those clusters to be sequenced onto Track-1 for deployment in the mid-2020s. This will be subject to negotiations to determine whether they represent value for money to the taxpayer and affordability considerations. Deviations from benefits presented in Phase 1 submissions will be considered within this process.
Any agreements to provide government support will require regular reporting on benefits by recipients and BEIS will ensure to follow best practice in government monitoring and evaluation requirements.
Through the landmark North Sea Transition Deal, the sector committed to voluntary, industry-led UK content targets for related new energy projects and decommissioning as well as for locally provided technology. The sector is considering how it will meet these targets and this month has appointed an Industry Supply Chain Champion, Sian Lloyd-Rees, to raise the profile of the UK’s energy supply chain capability. BEIS regularly engages with the Scottish Government alongside industry and regulators through the Deal Delivery Group and North Sea Transition Forum to discuss all aspects of the delivery of the Deal. The Oil and Gas Authority, as the independent regulator, will monitor the voluntary supply chain targets utilising existing tools such as their Supply Chain Action Plans.
Information in Phase 1 submissions has been used to identify those clusters to be sequenced onto Track-1 for deployment in the mid-2020s. This will be subject to negotiations to determine whether they represent value for money to the taxpayer and affordability considerations.
Through the North Sea Transition Deal, the sector committed to voluntary, industry-led UK content targets for related new energy projects and decommissioning as well as for locally provided technology. The sector is considering how they will meet these targets and this month have appointed an Industry Supply Chain Champion, Sian Lloyd-Rees, to raise the profile of the UK’s energy supply chain capability. BEIS regularly engages with the Scottish Government alongside industry and regulators through the Deal Delivery Group and North Sea Transition Forum to discuss all aspects of the delivery of the Deal. The Oil and Gas Authority, as the independent regulator, will monitor the voluntary supply chain targets utilising existing tools such as their Supply Chain Action Plans.
Through the North Sea Transition Deal, the sector committed to voluntary, industry-led UK content targets for related new energy projects and decommissioning as well as for locally provided technology. The sector is considering how they will meet these targets and this month have appointed an Industry Supply Chain Champion, Sian Lloyd-Rees, to raise the profile of the UK’s energy supply chain capability. BEIS regularly engages with the Scottish Government alongside industry and regulators through the Deal Delivery Group and North Sea Transition Forum to discuss all aspects of the delivery of the Deal. The Oil and Gas Authority, as the independent regulator, will monitor the voluntary supply chain targets utilising existing tools such as their Supply Chain Action Plans.
Ministers and officials from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy hold regular meetings with counterparts in the devolved administrations to discuss energy and decarbonisation policy, including the significant opportunities presented by the deployment of carbon capture, utilisation and storage across the UK.
Ofgem has been clear that their supplier licence reforms aim to ensure suppliers have the capacity and capability to effectively serve their customers.
The Government wants a competitive and innovative supply market, and continues to promote competition as the best driver of value and service for customers.
In a competitive market, it is normal for suppliers to exit the market from time to time. Unfortunately, some energy suppliers are facing pressures due to sudden increases in global gas prices. If a supplier fails, Ofgem will ensure customers’ are moved to a new supplier, household credit balances will be protected and gas and electricity supply will continue uninterrupted. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has been clear that protecting consumers shapes the Government’s entire approach on these gas price spikes.
Ofgem has reviewed their approach to supplier licensing with their resultant package of measures aimed at driving up standards across the energy retail sector by promoting more responsible risk management, improving governance, increasing accountability, and enhancing Ofgem’s market oversight. Additionally Ofgem is considering the responses to its March 2021 consultation on further measures that would require suppliers to automatically refund customers’ credit balances every year and protect any amounts they hold above a certain threshold.
The Government wants a competitive and innovative supply market, and continues to promote competition as the best driver of value and service for customers.
In a competitive market, it is normal for suppliers to exit the market from time to time. Unfortunately, some energy suppliers are facing pressures due to sudden increases in global gas prices. If a supplier fails, Ofgem will ensure customers’ are moved to a new supplier, household credit balances will be protected and gas and electricity supply will continue uninterrupted. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has been clear that protecting consumers shapes the Government’s entire approach on these gas price spikes.
Ofgem has reviewed their approach to supplier licensing with their resultant package of measures aimed at driving up standards across the energy retail sector by promoting more responsible risk management, improving governance, increasing accountability, and enhancing Ofgem’s market oversight. Additionally Ofgem is considering the responses to its March 2021 consultation on further measures that would require suppliers to automatically refund customers’ credit balances every year and protect any amounts they hold above a certain threshold.
The Government wants a competitive and innovative supply market, and continues to promote competition as the best driver of value and service for customers.
In a competitive market, it is normal for suppliers to exit the market from time to time. Unfortunately, some energy suppliers are facing pressures due to sudden increases in global gas prices. If a supplier fails, Ofgem will ensure customers’ are moved to a new supplier, household credit balances will be protected and gas and electricity supply will continue uninterrupted. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has been clear that protecting consumers shapes the Government’s entire approach on these gas price spikes.
Ofgem has reviewed their approach to supplier licensing with their resultant package of measures aimed at driving up standards across the energy retail sector by promoting more responsible risk management, improving governance, increasing accountability, and enhancing Ofgem’s market oversight. Additionally Ofgem is considering the responses to its March 2021 consultation on further measures that would require suppliers to automatically refund customers’ credit balances every year and protect any amounts they hold above a certain threshold.
The Government wants a competitive and innovative supply market, and continues to promote competition as the best driver of value and service for customers.
In a competitive market, it is normal for suppliers to exit the market from time to time. Unfortunately, some energy suppliers are facing pressures due to sudden increases in global gas prices. If a supplier fails, Ofgem will ensure customers’ are moved to a new supplier, household credit balances will be protected and gas and electricity supply will continue uninterrupted. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has been clear that protecting consumers shapes the Government’s entire approach on these gas price spikes.
Ofgem has reviewed their approach to supplier licensing with their resultant package of measures aimed at driving up standards across the energy retail sector by promoting more responsible risk management, improving governance, increasing accountability, and enhancing Ofgem’s market oversight. Additionally Ofgem is considering the responses to its March 2021 consultation on further measures that would require suppliers to automatically refund customers’ credit balances every year and protect any amounts they hold above a certain threshold.
The Hydrogen Strategy, published on 21st August set out that hydrogen storage, for example in salt caverns or depleted gas fields, can support the hydrogen economy in a range of ways that position it as a strategic asset as part of a fully decarbonised, net zero economy.
The Strategy made clear that there is still much work to do to understand, develop and scale up hydrogen storage infrastructure as both supply and demand grow. It committed to a review of systemic hydrogen storage requirements in the 2020s and beyond.
The Government’s review will assess the need for hydrogen storage and what form this might take. It will also consider whether funding or other incentives are needed, and whether further government regulation might be required to ensure that hydrogen storage infrastructure is available when needed.
This work, in addition to other work we are undertaking with technology developers, regulators and other industry stakeholders will help inform future Government policy on hydrogen storage. Government intends to provide an update on its review in early 2022 to facilitate further discussions with stakeholders.
Alongside its Hydrogen Strategy, the Government also published the Hydrogen Business Model consultation. The consultation includes specific questions on the treatment of small-scale storage within the Hydrogen Business Model, as well as on the potential need for a separate Government intervention to facilitate investment in future larger scale storage. Responses to these questions will also help inform our hydrogen storage review.
The Hydrogen Strategy, published on 21st August set out that hydrogen storage, for example in salt caverns or depleted gas fields, can support the hydrogen economy in a range of ways that position it as a strategic asset as part of a fully decarbonised, net zero economy.
The Strategy made clear that there is still much work to do to understand, develop and scale up hydrogen storage infrastructure as both supply and demand grow. It committed to a review of systemic hydrogen storage requirements in the 2020s and beyond.
The Government’s review will assess the need for hydrogen storage and what form this might take. It will also consider whether funding or other incentives are needed, and whether further government regulation might be required to ensure that hydrogen storage infrastructure is available when needed.
This work, in addition to other work we are undertaking with technology developers, regulators and other industry stakeholders will help inform future Government policy on hydrogen storage. Government intends to provide an update on its review in early 2022 to facilitate further discussions with stakeholders.
Alongside its Hydrogen Strategy, the Government also published the Hydrogen Business Model consultation. The consultation includes specific questions on the treatment of small-scale storage within the Hydrogen Business Model, as well as on the potential need for a separate Government intervention to facilitate investment in future larger scale storage. Responses to these questions will also help inform our hydrogen storage review.
The Hydrogen Strategy, published on 21st August set out that hydrogen storage, for example in salt caverns or depleted gas fields, can support the hydrogen economy in a range of ways that position it as a strategic asset as part of a fully decarbonised, net zero economy.
The Strategy made clear that there is still much work to do to understand, develop and scale up hydrogen storage infrastructure as both supply and demand grow. It committed to a review of systemic hydrogen storage requirements in the 2020s and beyond.
The Government’s review will assess the need for hydrogen storage and what form this might take. It will also consider whether funding or other incentives are needed, and whether further government regulation might be required to ensure that hydrogen storage infrastructure is available when needed.
This work, in addition to other work we are undertaking with technology developers, regulators and other industry stakeholders will help inform future Government policy on hydrogen storage. Government intends to provide an update on its review in early 2022 to facilitate further discussions with stakeholders.
Alongside its Hydrogen Strategy, the Government also published the Hydrogen Business Model consultation. The consultation includes specific questions on the treatment of small-scale storage within the Hydrogen Business Model, as well as on the potential need for a separate Government intervention to facilitate investment in future larger scale storage. Responses to these questions will also help inform our hydrogen storage review.
The Hydrogen Strategy, published on 21st August set out that hydrogen storage, for example in salt caverns or depleted gas fields, can support the hydrogen economy in a range of ways that position it as a strategic asset as part of a fully decarbonised, net zero economy.
The Strategy made clear that there is still much work to do to understand, develop and scale up hydrogen storage infrastructure as both supply and demand grow. It committed to a review of systemic hydrogen storage requirements in the 2020s and beyond.
The Government’s review will assess the need for hydrogen storage and what form this might take. It will also consider whether funding or other incentives are needed, and whether further government regulation might be required to ensure that hydrogen storage infrastructure is available when needed.
This work, in addition to other work we are undertaking with technology developers, regulators and other industry stakeholders will help inform future Government policy on hydrogen storage. Government intends to provide an update on its review in early 2022 to facilitate further discussions with stakeholders.
Alongside its Hydrogen Strategy, the Government also published the Hydrogen Business Model consultation. The consultation includes specific questions on the treatment of small-scale storage within the Hydrogen Business Model, as well as on the potential need for a separate Government intervention to facilitate investment in future larger scale storage. Responses to these questions will also help inform our hydrogen storage review.
The Energy White Paper sets out that natural gas has an important and on-going role to play in the future as we decarbonise our energy system. Even as work progresses with the move to a low carbon economy, energy security remains an absolute priority and Government will continue to engage with industry to ensure supply is balanced with demand.
BEIS is working with industry to explore the future role of hydrogen storage in meeting the net zero target. The UK Hydrogen Strategy provides Government’s thinking around the role of hydrogen storage, and its plans to assess whether further regulation or support mechanisms are needed.
Though it is still too early to establish the role hydrogen storage will play, and the impact the production of hydrogen and the potential need for hydrogen storage facilities might be leading to 2050, BEIS continues to work with stakeholders to determine the future of the gas system, the market and any consideration around costs in meeting the net zero target.
Last month, Government accepted the Committee on Climate Change's Carbon Budget 6 recommendation; this is a significant step in the UK's global climate leadership and CCUS and hydrogen will be critical to meeting these important commitments.
In May this year, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy set out the details of the Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) Cluster Sequencing Process. Through this process, government will look to identify at least two CCUS clusters whose readiness suggests they are most naturally suited to deployment in the mid-2020s, as part of our efforts to identify and support a logical sequence of deployment for CCUS projects in the UK. Projects within the clusters will have the first opportunity to be considered to receive any necessary support under the government’s CCUS Programme including access to the £1bn CCS Infrastructure Fund, business models for Transport & Storage, power, industrial carbon capture and low carbon hydrogen. Further details on the revenue mechanisms to bring through private sector investment via these business models will be set out later this year.
We will continue to engage with each of the devolved administrations to develop our approach the delivery of CCUS across the UK. In order to facilitate this work, we continue to be open to any CCUS projects across the UK identifying themselves to us.
The UK has expertise and assets to support both electrolytic (green) and Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) enabled (blue) hydrogen production. Our twin track approach will drive cost effective supply volumes in the 2020s in line with our 2030 ambition, whilst scaling up green hydrogen. This ambition will be supported by a range of measures, including a UK wide £240 million Net Zero Hydrogen Fund, and our hydrogen business model. We will be consulting shortly on these measures, alongside the publication of the Hydrogen Strategy. We are working closely with the Devolved Administrations, including the Scottish Government, to help realise the economic and decarbonisation benefits that a UK hydrogen economy will bring.
We have also supported the development and deployment of projects within Scotland’s industrial cluster that will deliver low carbon technologies and enabling infrastructure. Through the Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge, Scotland’s Net Zero Infrastructure Programme (SNZI) received £31.3m in March this year from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy tests public attitudes towards nuclear energy, and a wide range of other BEIS issues, through our Public Attitude Tracker.
Questions on nuclear energy were asked in Wave 29, in March 2019.
This demonstrated that 35% of the public supported nuclear energy, 23% opposed nuclear energy and 38% neither supported nor opposed nuclear energy.
We recognise the importance of access to talent for creative and cultural sectors and regularly engage with industry representatives on changes which affect creative professionals from the EU working in the UK after the transition period.
We will ensure our economy is ready to attract the best and brightest from around the world as we introduce our new points-based immigration system from 1 January 2021.
Extensive engagement has taken place across the government, both at a ministerial level and official level, throughout the development of the future immigration system, including on the new graduate and student routes and other points-based routes.
The graduate route, launching in summer 2021, represents our continued commitment to support the UK’s education sector and our strong desire to make a truly world-leading offer to international students, allowing new graduates the opportunity to remain in the UK to work or to look for work after their studies. This is already a substantial improvement on the UK’s previous post-study work offer of 4 months (6 months under the limited pilot programme). Since we had originally announced the details of the graduate route last September, the government announced a further change, extending the post-study work period to 3 years for PhD graduates.
We believe that 2 years (3 years for PhD graduates) is a fair and generous amount of time to allow international graduates to have unrestricted access to the UK labour market, enabling them to gain valuable work experience and to kick-start their careers. We also believe this will help to ensure that the UK continues to be an attractive destination for international students. We will of course keep the operation of the graduate route under review once it has been implemented.
At the end of their leave as a graduate, international students who wish to stay and work in the UK for longer will also be eligible to switch into employment immigration routes. We are reviewing and simplifying the employment routes as part of the government’s work on the future borders and immigration system to ensure that they meet the UK’s needs.
The government also recently published and updated bespoke guidance for students impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, setting out important flexibilities at this time. This includes confirming that those studying by distance/blended learning will be eligible to apply for the graduate route provided they are in the UK by 6 April 2021 and meet other requirements of the route.
We now have a world-class student visa offer befitting our world-class higher education sector, which will only improve once the student route is operational later this year and student visa processes are further streamlined.
My department engages across Government and with the Devolved Administrations on a regular basis, including through a programme of meetings which was introduced to discuss the future immigration system after the publication of the Immigration White Paper in December 2018.
EU students in the UK on, or prior to, 31 December 2020 are eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme – the deadline for applications is 30 June 2021.
From October 2020, all students (EU and non-EU) will be able to apply for a visa via the Student and Child Student routes, which will build on the current Tier 4 visa system. When the Student route opens there will be a number of improvements which will further streamline the immigration process. This will include extending the visa application window for prospective students to six months and allowing international students to apply for further leave as a Student or switch into other routes from inside the UK (in-country switching). Changes to the new Student route have been developed via extensive engagement with the sector and have been based upon the Law Commission’s report on the simplification of the Immigration Rules.
In addition, Government announced that PhD graduates will benefit from three years of leave in the UK under the new Graduate route when it is introduced in Summer 2021. International students graduating with undergraduate or master’s degrees will be able to stay in the UK to work, or look for work, for two years after graduation. This will continue to improve the UK’s globally competitive offer to international students.
Government has published, and updated, bespoke guidance for students setting out important flexibilities at this time. These have included enabling international students to complete distance/blended learning for the upcoming academic year, provided students’ sponsors intend to transition to face-to-face learning as soon as circumstances allow, and confirming that those studying by distance/blended learning will be eligible to apply for the Graduate route provided they are in the UK by 6 April 2021 and meet other requirements of the route.
We are aware that due to the increase in cost of natural gas across the globe, which is a key input for the production of ammonium nitrate-based fertiliser products, the cost of production of these fertiliser types has increased significantly. Increased demand has also increased the cost of other alternative fertiliser types. Rising cost of natural gas is affecting Europe and the global market with fertiliser companies halting production due to high input costs.
Industry data[1] reports that ammonium nitrate prices are at record highs, having nearly tripled in price since last November. They state that from November 2020 through to November 2021, the price of imported ammonium nitrate rose from £219 per tonne to between £600 and £630 per tonne, an increase of between 174-188%. Over the same time period, the price of UK produced ammonium nitrate also rose, from £208 per tonne to between £585 and £605, an increase of 181-191%.
A few months ago, the CO2 industry reached an agreement to ensure UK businesses have access to a sustainable supply of CO2. The Government supported this through a short-term financial intervention to allow CF Fertilisers to continue operating while the industry moved towards this agreement. Ammonium Nitrate production has therefore restarted and is being placed onto the domestic market.
Defra have been in contact with key industry figures including the NFU and fertiliser producers and importers, and have frequent contact with the key sector representative body for fertilisers the Agricultural industries Confederation (AIC).
We are continuing to monitor the security and stability of fertiliser and other supply chains and working closely with colleagues across government as well as industry figures. This will help inform how Defra and other industry bodies can best support farmers.
[1] AHDB Fertiliser price data (https://ahdb.org.uk/GB-fertiliser-prices) and Infofert in collaboration with Profercy european fertiliser review (https://www.profercy.com/)
We are aware that due to the increase in cost of natural gas across the globe, which is a key input for the production of ammonium nitrate-based fertiliser products, the cost of production of these fertiliser types has increased significantly. Increased demand has also increased the cost of other alternative fertiliser types. Rising cost of natural gas is affecting Europe and the global market with fertiliser companies halting production due to high input costs.
Industry data[1] reports that ammonium nitrate prices are at record highs, having nearly tripled in price since last November. They state that from November 2020 through to November 2021, the price of imported ammonium nitrate rose from £219 per tonne to between £600 and £630 per tonne, an increase of between 174-188%. Over the same time period, the price of UK produced ammonium nitrate also rose, from £208 per tonne to between £585 and £605, an increase of 181-191%.
A few months ago, the CO2 industry reached an agreement to ensure UK businesses have access to a sustainable supply of CO2. The Government supported this through a short-term financial intervention to allow CF Fertilisers to continue operating while the industry moved towards this agreement. Ammonium Nitrate production has therefore restarted and is being placed onto the domestic market.
Defra have been in contact with key industry figures including the NFU and fertiliser producers and importers, and have frequent contact with the key sector representative body for fertilisers the Agricultural industries Confederation (AIC).
We are continuing to monitor the security and stability of fertiliser and other supply chains and working closely with colleagues across government as well as industry figures. This will help inform how Defra and other industry bodies can best support farmers.
[1] AHDB Fertiliser price data (https://ahdb.org.uk/GB-fertiliser-prices) and Infofert in collaboration with Profercy european fertiliser review (https://www.profercy.com/)
We will publish summaries of Defra board meetings held since July 2019 in due course.
I apologise for the delay in responding. A reply has been prepared and will be issued very shortly.
I responded to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Gordon, dated 22 October 2021 and 26 November 2021, (Case Ref: RI4282) regarding the Export Support Service on 17 December.
As per my update to the House on 16 November, the Government remains committed to confirming the status of UK issued Blue Badges for motorists visiting Europe. Twenty countries have already committed to recognising Blue Badges and are listed on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/blue-badge-using-it-in-the-eu/using-a-blue-badge-in-the-european-union
Discussions continue with a number of countries and I will update the House further when they have concluded.
The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation agreement will allow for smooth travel to and from the EU, Covid-19 restrictions allowing.
Many dentists offer private dental care alongside National Health Service dentistry. No assessment has been made of the recruitment and retention of private dentists. In 2020/21 there were 23,733 dentists with NHS activity in England.
Health Education England set out a range of recommendations in its September 2021 Advancing Dental Care Review, which aims to tackle recruitment, retention and attracting more dentists into the NHS. Action is now being taken to implement these through their Dental Education Reform Programme. The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement are working to make the NHS dental contract more attractive to the profession. The Department is also currently working with the General Dental Council on legislative proposals which will allow it greater flexibility to expand overseas registration routes open to international applicants.
Our proposals for dental contract reform will aim to incentivise preventative dentistry, prioritise evidence-based care for those with most need and reduce incentives to deliver care that is of low clinical value. An evidence-based toolkit ‘Delivering better oral health: an evidence-based toolkit for prevention’ published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, supports dental teams in delivering preventive advice and treatment for patients. The toolkit is available at the following link:
Following a three-year review of dental education and training, Health Education England set out recommendations in the Advancing Dental Care Review. These aim to tackle recruitment and retention challenges, attracting and retaining more dentists and dental care professionals in the National Health Service. These recommendations will be implemented through the Dental Education Reform Programme.
NHS England and NHS Improvement continue to monitor the monthly data published by NHS Digital on the prescribing of anti-psychotic medication for people diagnosed with dementia. They continue to have regular conversations with regional clinical network leads and local services to understand the patterns in prescribing and potential reasons for trends being seen.
The data is available at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/recorded-dementia-diagnoses
The information requested is available at the following link:
www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-vaccinations/
The Government remains committed to considering a framework for compensation, as well as actions to address disparities in financial and non-financial support for people infected and affected by contaminated blood across the United Kingdom.
The UK is concerned by the outbreak of violence in July in South Africa, which sadly resulted in loss of life, injuries, and substantial damage to buildings and businesses. The South African Government put a number of measures in place to restore calm and secure shopping malls, petrol stations and key transport routes, including the deployment of the South African National Defence Force to support the police. The situation is now calm, and access to food and essential supplies has been restored.
We support President Ramaphosa's emphasis on the importance of the rule of law. Our Integrated Review sets out our commitment to fighting threats to democratic values and open societies around the world.
On 30 June, the UK read out a statement on behalf of 27 countries at the 44th session of the UN Human Rights Council highlighting concerns about human rights violations in Xinjiang and urging China to allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights meaningful access to the region. On 9 March, the Foreign Secretary raised the same concerns with his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi.
Agricultural vehicles will be entitled to run on rebated fuel after April 2022 for purposes relating to agriculture, horticulture, forestry and fish farming.
The activities accepted as purposes relating to agriculture, horticulture and forestry are defined in HMRC Excise Notice 75. The Government considers that running or participating in events which provide information and education that benefit agriculture are purposes relating to agriculture, and this includes taking part in charitable activities that promote these industries. Examples of such events are agricultural shows, ploughing matches and charity tractor runs. HMRC will be updating Excise Notice 75 accordingly. Rebated fuel can also be used to travel to and from where the vehicles or machines are to be used for these activities.
Agricultural vehicles will also be able to use rebated fuel when cutting verges and hedges that border public roads, clearing snow, gritting, and clearing or otherwise dealing with flooding.
This Government has provided around £400 billion of direct support to the economy during the pandemic, and as part of that it has provided £16 billion of business rates relief to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in England.
At Autumn Budget 21, the Government announced a new temporary relief worth almost £1.7 billion for these sectors to support local high streets as they adapt and recover.
At Spring Budget 21, the Government extended the 5% temporary reduced rate of VAT for the tourism and hospitality sectors until the end of September. On 1 October 2021, a new reduced rate of VAT at 12.5% was introduced to help ease businesses back to the standard rate. This rate will end on 31 March 2022. There are no plans to extend the length of this relief again.
The Net Zero Review will be published in due course and in advance of COP26.
The final report will be a high-level analytical report that uses existing data to explore the key issues and trade-offs as the UK decarbonises. Against a backdrop of significant uncertainty on technology and costs, as well as changes to the economy over the next 30 years, it will focus on the potential exposure of households and sectors to the transition, and highlight factors to be taken into account in designing policy that will allocate costs over this time horizon.
The Net Zero Review will not include specific analysis of the merits of using hydrogen to decarbonise the UK steel industry. However, earlier this year the Government published the Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy, setting out its overall approach to reducing emissions from the industrial sector. This includes how we will support fuel switching to low carbon hydrogen in industries such as steel.
The Government is also committed to exploring the development of hydrogen as a strategic decarbonised energy carrier, alongside electricity and other decarbonised gases. Hydrogen could be an important part of the transition to Net Zero and has the potential to help the economy recover in a stronger, cleaner and more sustainable way.
Finally, the Government is investing directly in hydrogen, having announced a £240m Net Zero Hydrogen Fund at Spending Review (SR) 20 which aims to kick-start low carbon hydrogen production in the UK.
Duty-free on arrival did not form part of the Government's consultation on the potential approach to duty-free and tax-free goods arising from the UK’s new relationship with the EU, which took place in the Spring of 2020. The Government nonetheless acknowledged in the summary of responses to the consultation that some stakeholders had requested the introduction of duty-free on arrival. This set out that duty-free on arrival was not a scheme that the Government previously offered and was therefore not considering implementing the scheme at that time.
While the Government sympathises with anyone who believes they were misled into using a disguised remuneration (DR) scheme, it is an individual’s responsibility to ensure the accuracy of their tax return and to understand the consequences of their decisions. It remains right that the Government takes action to tackle tax avoidance, which is unfair to the vast majority of taxpayers who pay the correct tax.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have been clear on their commitment to support all taxpayers who may need help to pay their Loan Charge liabilities. Where a taxpayer cannot afford to pay in full on time, HMRC will seek to agree payment by instalments with them. The payment plan agreed will be based on what the taxpayer can afford and there is no upper limit over how long HMRC can potentially spread payments.
HMRC have published settlement terms for taxpayers subject to the Loan Charge. These settlement terms are available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disguised-remuneration-settlement-terms-2020/disguised-remuneration-settlement-terms-2020.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are aware of 15 contractors who have used disguised remuneration (DR) schemes while engaged either by the department or by Revenue & Customs Digital Technology Services (RCDTS). In each of the cases, the contractors were engaged via an agency or a company providing a service.
HMRC do not engage in, or enter into, disguised remuneration schemes. It is possible for a contractor providing services to HMRC to use a disguised remuneration scheme without the department’s knowledge or participation. Where HMRC become aware of a contractor who is using a disguised remuneration scheme, they take robust compliance action, including the immediate termination of the engagement. Any contractor identified in the course of HMRC’s compliance work as a scheme user would be investigated in the same way as any other contractor.
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are assuring disguised remuneration settlement data received to date. This includes data on those taxpayers who were unable to meet the 30 September settlement deadline for reasons beyond their control who are continuing settlement discussions.
Information on settlements will be included in HMRC’s report to Parliament on the implementation of the independent Loan Charge Review, due before the end of the year.
At the time of the independent review of the Loan Charge, about 12,000 employers and individuals still had the opportunity to keep clear of the Loan Charge by concluding settlement, having provided all the relevant information to HMRC by 5 April 2019. Indications are that as at 2 October about 60 per cent of these have either settled, informed HMRC that they had instead decided to report and pay the Loan Charge, or have been taken out of scope of the Loan Charge following the Government’s changes in response to the independent review.
I have responded to Mr Stevenson’s letter and a copy has been sent by email on 9th Nov.
My officials are in regular contact with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for International Trade, who continue to press the EU to reconsider its position, in line with its own regulations, on the import of seed potatoes from Great Britain to the EU.
We fully appreciate the importance of Scotland’s seed potato industry, not only for our production across the UK but also for export, and its deserved reputation for high quality.
Prior to the EU import ban, Scotland exported approximately 20,000t of seed potatoes to the EU and around 2,000t to Northern Ireland, worth in the region of £11M pa. The Scottish potato sector’s output contributes over £208 million to the economy. Scottish seed potatoes are high quality and before the EU ban were exported to more than 40 countries.
My officials and I fully appreciate the importance of Scotland’s seed potato industry, not only for ware production across the UK but also for export, and its deserved reputation for high quality.
Currently, the Scottish potato sector exports to over 40 countries worldwide, with recent data suggesting that the majority (around 80%) of Scottish seed potato exports already go to countries outside the EU, including Egypt, Morocco, Thailand and Turkey, demonstrating that Scottish seed potato exporters already take advantage of world markets.
My officials and I are in regular contact with a range of stakeholders from the agricultural sector, including representatives of the Scottish seed potato sector.
The UK Government is continuously monitoring the agriculture sector and is in regular contact with EU counterparts to help mitigate trade issues, including in relation to seed potatoes.
My officials and I are in regular contact with the Northern Ireland Executive on a range of issues including those affecting the agri-food sector, most recently at an Inter-Ministerial Government EFRA meeting.
The UK Government is in regular contact with the Government of Ireland on similar issues.