Robert Jenrick

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) assesses the appropriateness and suitability of all potential grant funding recipients, and their ability to deliver the support required as part of HMG’s BN(O) Welcome Programme. This Programme reflects the UK’s historic and moral commitment to the people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up BN(O) status at the point of Hong Kong’s handover to China in 1997.

In deciding whether to make a grant award to any organisation through the Hong Kong BN(O) Welcome Programme, a robust due diligence process is undertaken.

National museums and galleries in the UK, including the British Museum, operate independently of the Government, but some are prevented by law from “deaccessioning” objects in their collections unless, broadly, they are duplicates or unfit for retention. The two exceptions to this are when the objects are human remains that are less than 1000 years old, and objects that were spoliated during the Nazi era. The Government has no plans to change this law.

The Lowdham Flood Alleviation Scheme will be submitting a planning application to the Local Planning Authority this month, October 2021. Subject to approval of that application, construction work is anticipated to start in March 2022 and is currently programmed to continue until summer 2023. The upstream reservoir will provide significant flood risk reduction to almost 200 properties in the village of Lowdham, as well as local businesses and infrastructure.

Along with other operators East Midlands Railway (EMR) reduced services during the height of the pandemic as demand was reduced and the ability to operate services reliably was affected by driver resource constraints and delayed arrival of rolling stock from another operator.

EMR will be operating an increased timetable from December this year as some services are re-instated, and further additions are part of consideration of plans for May 2022. It essential that these service additions are done in a measured way to provide a reliable service that appropriately meets post-COVID levels of demand.

Following consultations early this year where stakeholders were presented with the potential options to improve the A46 Newark Bypass, National Highways has been considering the feedback received to help develop the best option. National Highways anticipate a decision on the preferred route to be made later this year or early next year.

NHS England are contacting those eligible for a COVID-19 booster vaccine, including those in Newark and Nottinghamshire, inviting them to book an appointment by either calling 119 or booking online. If an eligible individual has not been contacted at six months and one week since their second dose, they are invited to book their booster dose via the National Booking Service without the need of an invitation letter.

A national ‘BOOST your immunity this winter’ communications campaign has launched setting out the importance of getting the COVID-19 booster and flu vaccinations this winter.

The UK condemns in the strongest terms the attacks on the UAE on 17 and 24 January. We are in close contact with our Emirati partners and continue to offer our support. We share concerns about the Houthis' continual attacks on civilians in Yemen and cross-border attacks against Saudi Arabia and the UAE. We keep the use of sanctions under close review and supported the UN Security Council's sanctioning of four Houthi individuals in 2021.

Iran has been in non-compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments since 2019 and its nuclear programme is more advanced now than it has ever been.

We strongly urge Iran to halt all activities in violation of the JCPoA without delay and to seize the opportunity in front of them in the current JCPoA Vienna negotiations to restore the nuclear deal. The JCPoA is not perfect but it currently represents the only framework for monitoring and constraining Iran's nuclear programme. The diplomatic door is firmly open to Iran to conclude a deal, and there is a fair and comprehensive offer on the table which would benefit the Iranian people and economy. Iran's nuclear escalation means we have weeks, not months, to restore the deal before the JCPoA's core non-proliferation benefits are lost and the deal collapses.

The government regularly assesses the impact of Iran's continued destabilising activity throughout the region, including its political, financial and military support to several militant and proscribed groups, including Hizballah in Lebanon and Syria, militias in Iraq and the Houthis in Yemen. Such activity compromises the region's security, its ability to prosper and escalates already high tensions, with consequences for the international community. The UK regularly engages with partners in the region on Iran, including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and UAE. Most recently, on 20 December the Foreign Secretary hosted representatives from the Gulf Co-operation Council, including those three states, at Chevening. Iran's nuclear programme and its destabilising regional activity were discussed.

We regularly discuss our concerns at Iran's nuclear escalation with our partners. Iran's nuclear programme is more advanced than it has ever been and is undermining regional and international security. We are clear that Iran should halt all activities in violation of the JCPoA without delay and to seize the opportunity in front of them in current JCPoA Vienna negotiations to restore the nuclear deal. If a deal is not swiftly concluded, Iran will be responsible for missing the opportunity to restore the JCPoA and for bringing about the collapse of the deal. In this scenario, we would carefully consider all the options in partnership with our allies.

The government regularly assesses the impact of Iran's continued destabilising activity throughout the region, including its political, financial and military support to several militant and proscribed groups, including Hizballah in Lebanon and Syria, militias in Iraq and the Houthis in Yemen. Such activity compromises the region's security, its ability to prosper and escalates already high tensions, with consequences for the international community. The UK regularly engages with partners in the region on Iran, including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and UAE. Most recently, on 20 December the Foreign Secretary hosted representatives from the Gulf Co-operation Council, including those three states, at Chevening. Iran's nuclear programme and its destabilising regional activity were discussed.

We regularly discuss our concerns at Iran's nuclear escalation with our partners. Iran's nuclear programme is more advanced than it has ever been and is undermining regional and international security. We are clear that Iran should halt all activities in violation of the JCPoA without delay and to seize the opportunity in front of them in current JCPoA Vienna negotiations to restore the nuclear deal. If a deal is not swiftly concluded, Iran will be responsible for missing the opportunity to restore the JCPoA and for bringing about the collapse of the deal. In this scenario, we would carefully consider all the options in partnership with our allies.

The Government regularly assesses potential threats to the UK, and takes the protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety in the UK very seriously.

As you would expect, Home Office officials work closely with the FCDO and DLUHC as well as other government departments to ensure that the UK is a safe and welcoming place for people from Hong Kong.

The Government condemns the recent attack in Abu Dhabi.

The Government does not routinely comment on intelligence matters, including whether an organisation is or is not under consideration for proscription. The Government keeps the list of proscribed organisations under review.

Between 15th and 29th August, the UK evacuated over 15,000 people from Afghanistan. Under ‘Operation Warm Welcome’, we are taking a cross-government approach to supporting Afghans to rebuild their lives, find work, pursue education and integrate with their local communities. We are working at pace with local authorities to source appropriate accommodation for Afghan families who were evacuated to the UK.

Data on relocation will be published as part of our quarterly release which can be found at this link: Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The length of time that a family will remain in bridging hotels is dependent on a number of factors including the availability of appropriate housing. Over 300 Local Authorities have pledged housing, helping to provide the long term support required by these families.

Between 15th and 29th August, the UK evacuated over 15,000 people from Afghanistan. Under ‘Operation Warm Welcome’, we are taking a cross-government approach to supporting Afghans to rebuild their lives, find work, pursue education and integrate with their local communities. We are working at pace with local authorities to source appropriate accommodation for Afghan families who were evacuated to the UK.

Data on relocation will be published as part of our quarterly release which can be found at this link: Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The length of time that a family will remain in bridging hotels is dependent on a number of factors including the availability of appropriate housing. Over 300 Local Authorities have pledged housing, helping to provide the long term support required by these families.

The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme is not yet open and remains under development. Officials are working urgently to stand up the remaining elements of the scheme. However, the first to be resettled through this scheme will be some of those who arrived in the UK under the evacuation programme, which included individuals who were considered to be at particular risk.

There will not be a formal Home Office owned application process for the ACRS. Instead, eligible people will be prioritised and referred for resettlement to the UK.

Further information on the eligibility, prioritisation and referral of people for the ACRS is set out in the policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September, available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghanistan-resettlement-and-immigration-policy-statement.