Roger Godsiff

The Government does not comment on cases in which it has no involvement. Under UK laws a foreign investor can already sue the Government over allegedly unfair or unlawful treatment. UK domestic courts and our legal system will continue to be the main route for resolving the vast majority of disputes between foreign investors and the Government regardless of any investment protection provisions included in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). This is because our domestic courts typically offer a quicker and cheaper method of resolving disputes.

The European Commission has published its proposal for investment protections in TTIP. This includes various possible measures to ensure these provisions are fair and transparent, including prohibiting claims from being pursued simultaneously under investor-state dispute settlement provisions and in domestic courts.

The UK will continue to work with the Commission on the details of these latest proposals. We need investment protections that ensure UK investors are treated fairly overseas by foreign governments. But the UK will make sure that governments can continue to regulate lawfully in the public interest.

The Low Pay Commission publish an annual report on the National Minimum Wage (NMW) which includes a full assessment of the Government’s NMW compliance and enforcement strategy. The 2015 report is available here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-minimum-wage-low-pay-commission-report-2015 - the next report is due to be published in February 2016.

From April 2016, we are increasing the calculation of penalties from 100% to 200% of the arrears owed. The penalty is reduced by half if employers pay within 14 days.

By increasing the penalties for underpayment of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) we intend to deter employers from breaking the law so that working people receive the money they are legally due.

This new calculation ensures a tougher penalty for employers found to have underpaid the NMW.

The fast track Impact Assessment for increasing the penalties has been validated by the Regulatory Policy Committee and published here - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2015/324

The Government’s Response to the consultation relating to UK Export Finance’s anti-bribery and corruption policy is expected to be published early in the New Year.

The Government is committed to meeting its legally binding target to help as many fuel poor homes as reasonably practicable reach energy efficiency Band C by 2030, with interim targets on Band E by 2020 and Band D by 2025.

This Government has also set a specific goal of insulating 1 million homes by the end of this Parliament, in line with our commitments on fuel poverty.

A reformed domestic supplier obligation (ECO) from April 2017 will upgrade the energy efficiency of well over 200,000 homes per year. This will help to tackle the root cause of fuel poverty and continue to deliver on our commitment to help 1 million more homes this Parliament. We are providing support for households to improve their energy efficiency through the new supplier obligation, which will run for 5 years.

Our extension of the Warm Home Discount to 2020/21 at current levels of £320m pa will alsohelp households who are at most risk of fuel poverty with their energy bills.

The Government is committed to meeting its legally binding target to help as many fuel poor homes as reasonably practicable reach energy efficiency Band C by 2030, with interim targets on Band E by 2020 and Band D by 2025.

This Government has also set a specific goal of insulating 1 million homes by the end of this Parliament, in line with our commitments on fuel poverty.

A reformed domestic supplier obligation (ECO) from April 2017 will upgrade the energy efficiency of well over 200,000 homes per year. This will help to tackle the root cause of fuel poverty and continue to deliver on our commitment to help 1 million more homes this Parliament. We are providing support for households to improve their energy efficiency through the new supplier obligation, which will run for 5 years.

Our extension of the Warm Home Discount to 2020/21 at current levels of £320m pa will alsohelp households who are at most risk of fuel poverty with their energy bills.

The Government is committed to meeting its legally binding target to help as many fuel poor homes as reasonably practicable reach energy efficiency Band C by 2030, with interim targets on Band E by 2020 and Band D by 2025.

This Government has also set a specific goal of insulating 1 million homes by the end of this Parliament, in line with our commitments on fuel poverty.

A reformed domestic supplier obligation (ECO) from April 2017 will upgrade the energy efficiency of well over 200,000 homes per year. This will help to tackle the root cause of fuel poverty and continue to deliver on our commitment to help 1 million more homes this Parliament. We are providing support for households to improve their energy efficiency through the new supplier obligation, which will run for 5 years.

Our extension of the Warm Home Discount to 2020/21 at current levels of £320m pa will alsohelp households who are at most risk of fuel poverty with their energy bills.

Since 2013 the Government has supported industry in delivering over 1.6 million measures which were installed in over 1.3 million households through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) alone. We are now working with the industry and consumer groups on a new value-for-money approach.

We’ve also commissioned an independent review led by Peter Bonfield to investigate quality, standards and consumer protection to ensure that the system properly supports and protects consumers.

The National Infrastructure Commission will be resourced to carry out its task of advising Government on the UK’s infrastructure needs and priorities. It will not have adirectrole in funding infrastructure delivery.

We are clear that support should be focussed on those with the greatest need.

We expect the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) will be mixed agreements covering areas of both EU and Member State competence. In that case, they will be subject to agreement by each EU Member State, the EU Council and the European Parliament. As part of this process the agreements will be laid before Parliament for scrutiny before they are ratified by the UK. After political agreement is reached on the text of TTIP and TiSA and it has been established that these will be mixed agreements, we will confirm the procedures for Parliamentary approval.

I will attend the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Paris.

I will meet world leaders to help lay the groundwork for an ambitious new global deal to address climate change. A global deal is the only way we can deliver the scale of action required to keep limiting the global temperature rise to below 2 degrees within reach. An ambitious agreement will help drive a global, irreversible, transformational shift to a low carbon economy which will promote innovation and drive down the costs of low carbon technology, further enabling cost effective climate action and mitigation ambition in the future. It will also help to create a more competitive, stable and transparent framework and opportunity for business and investors.

Coal accounted for 39% of total UK electricity generation in 2012, falling to 30% in 2014. This trend is expected to continue and the Department’s published forecasts suggest that, in our central scenario, the last unabated UK coal fired power station will close in 2026.

However, if market conditions are right, there is a possibility that coal could continue to produce electricity until the late 2020s.

Source: DECC Updated energy and emissions projections 2014 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/368021/Updated_energy_and_emissions_projections2014.pdf

The Open University is an autonomous institution and it is for them to make decisions about how best to structure their workforce and meet the needs of their students.

All export licence applications are carefully assessed on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application. A licence will not be issued for any country if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the Criteria.

We keep all licences under review in the light of changing circumstances in countries of destination for UK arms exports, including Saudi Arabia.

A political solution is the best way to bring long term stability to Yemen and to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe. The UK is fully and actively supporting the UN’s efforts to achieve this.

Energy policy is constantly kept under review, but government departments do not publish White Papers as a matter of routine. The Government is focused on delivering its priorities to ensure security of supply, to keep bills as low as possible and decarbonise the economy cost effectively and does not have any plans to publish a new White Paper at the current time.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newport West (Mr Flynn) on 3 February 2015, UIN 222484.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave it him on 9 June 2015, UIN 1272.

It is my normal practice to attend Head of Government European Council meetings, and for the relevant Minister to attend relevant Council meetings.

I have nothing further to add.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the former Member for Louth and Horncastle (Sir Peter Tapsell) and the former Member for Croydon South (Sir Richard Ottaway) at Prime Minister’s Questions on 21 January 2015, Official Report, columns 210-212.

The total value of contracts the core Department has with private sector providers is set out in the table below. Records prior to April 2011 are not available.

This Government is committed to community energy and launched the first Community Energy Strategy in January 2014. A key commitment of that Strategy is to undertaken a sector survey in 2016 which will investigate a wide range of community energy benefits.

The Government recently responded to the consultation on extending the Warm Home Discount to 2015/16. In addition to extending the scheme to 2015/16, all participating suppliers will have to adopt standard criteria for their Broader Group schemes. This will make the Warm Home Discount more accessible to families with children and make it simpler to switch between the participating suppliers. The rebate for customers in 2015/16 has been maintained at £140 which means that an additional 71,000 Broader Group rebates will be paid to customers, potentially benefitting for the first time.

For setting a repayment plan for customers who fall behind on payments, all energy suppliers are required to take ability to pay into account. Some suppliers also provide special grants and other services to help families. Further information is available free from the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99.

The information requested is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost. Contracts of the Department are published on the Cabinet Office Website which can be found at:

www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk.

The Department would be able to provide further contract information by narrowing the scope, if specific procurement projects were identified.

As an indication of departmental spend our financial records show that the following payments have been made to 3^rd party suppliers:

• April 2013 to March 2014: £184,784,757.64;

• April 2014 to January 2015: £147,863,946.28.

Community energy schemes can already supply local markets provided they hold a supply licence (or exemption) or have a partnership with a licensed supplier.

In recognition that existing routes may not meet the needs of every community scheme, the Government has established a Local Supply Working Group to identify key regulatory barriers and suggest solutions. An update on the Local Supply Working Group will be included in the Community Energy Strategy update that will be published in March 2014.

The Department does not hold information on how many families are in debt with their energy companies.

Ofgem closely monitors domestic energy suppliers’ performance and publishes information in relation to debt owed by domestic electricity and gas accounts holders in Great Britain, but they do not publish data relating to families with children or constituency areas. At the end of 2013, latest data available, 1.5 million domestic electricity account holders and 1.4 million domestic gas account holders were in debt to their energy supplier:

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/92186/annualreport2013finalforpublication.pdf.

Ofgem’s Domestic Suppliers’ Social Obligations: 2013 Annual Report

The UK aims to operate one of the most rigorous and transparent export control systems in the world. All export licence applications are rigorously assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking into account all prevailing circumstances at the time of application. Exports to Saudi Arabia continue to be subject to close scrutiny, in particular under Criterion Two which concerns the ‘respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination as well as respect by that country for international humanitarian law’. The Government will not issue an export licence if there is a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression.

Export licences are kept under review in the light of changing international circumstances. A cross-government mechanism can suspend or revoke extant licences when a changing situation, such as an outbreak of conflict or acts of internal repression, means the licence would no longer be consistent with the Consolidated Criteria.

Pharmacy students are funded in the same way as chemistry, biology and other science subjects which will not be subject to a student number control at HEFCE funded institutions in 2015/16. Medicine and dentistry attract a much larger amount of Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) grant funding than science subjects like pharmacy. Therefore it would not be appropriate to cap pharmacy student numbers.

The UK-Colombia Bilateral Investment Agreement completed its parliamentary scrutiny under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act on 14 July 2014. The Agreement entered into force on 10 October 2014 which was sixty days after the date of receipt of the last notification by which the Parties notify each other in writing that their respective internal requirements for entry into force of the Agreement have been fulfilled.

Seven licences have been granted to four companies for the export of tear gas for Hong Kong since 2010.

The names of the companies who were granted these licences are exempt from disclosure because this information was provided in confidence and such information is commercially sensitive.

The Government will not issue an export licence if there is a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression.

No licences granted to companies to export dual-use chemicals that could be used as precursors to the production of chemical weapons to Syria remain in place.

The names of the companies which had licences approved to export dual-use chemicals that could be used as precursors to the production of chemical weapons to Syria cannot be disclosed. Following an assessment under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act the public interest, in the maintenance of the confidentiality and overall integrity of the export licensing system, on this occasion outweighs the public interest in the disclosure of the name of the exporter.

Applications to export dual use chemicals to Syria were assessed thoroughly against strict licensing criteria, drawing on open source and classified information. However, the licences were revoked following a revision to the sanctions regime which came into force on 17 June 2012. No goods were exported to Syria under these licences before they were revoked.

The UK aims to operate one of the most rigorous and transparent export control systems in the world. All export licence applications are rigorously assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking into account all prevailing circumstances at the time of application. In particular, Criterion Two concerns the ‘respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination as well as respect by that country for international humanitarian law’. The Government will not issue an export licence if there is a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression.

Export licences are kept under review in the light of changing international circumstances. A cross-government mechanism can suspend or revoke extant licences when a changing situation, such as an outbreak of conflict or acts of internal repression, means the licence would no longer be consistent with the Consolidated Criteria.

Companies are held accountable by investors, consumers and civil society as well as governments for the way in which they conduct their operations, including labour conditions, and how they report on their actions in this regard.

Since October 2013, quoted companies have been required to provide information in their Annual Report about social, community and human rights issues, including information about any policies of the company in relation to those matters and the effectiveness of those policies.

The Department has negotiated at the European level to strengthen current human rights disclosure requirements and make them more specific. Provisions have now been agreed that will apply across all EU Member States from 2017 to large quoted companies and Public Interest Entities. My Department will shortly be consulting on the transposition of these measures into UK law.

Additional disclosure requirements will be introduced in the Modern Slavery Bill. Big businesses will have to publicly state each year what action they have taken to ensure their supply chains are slavery free. This requirement goes further than any similar legislation in the world by applying to businesses regardless of the nature of a company or what it supplies, whether goods or services.

In September 2013, the UK was the first country to publish a National Action Plan implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The Action Plan underlines the duty of businesses to respect the human rights of their employees and those in their supply chains. My Department is taking action to develop guidance for businesses reporting on this obligation, beginning with the retail sector.

In order to toughen up our enforcement of the National Minimum Wage my Department has made it simpler to name and shame employers that break the law on the National Minimum Wage and has increased the financial penalty that employers pay for breaking the law from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the unpaid wages owed to workers. The maximum penalty has also increased from £5,000 to £20,000 and will be applied per worker not per firm.

All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria and the prevailing circumstances at the time of each application. Criterion 2 concerns the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination, as well as respect by that country for international humanitarian law. An export licence would not be granted if there was a clear risk that the goods to be exported might be used for internal repression.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office posts overseas have a standing requirement to monitor developments in human rights and conflicts in their respective countries and to report back if there are any developments that might affect licensing policy. In addition, open source material such as NGO reporting is used to make such assessments.

Licences are revoked on a case-by-case basis if the proposed export is judged to be no longer compatible with the Consolidated Criteria. Existing licences, and the processing of new export licences, may be suspended, again on a case-by-case basis, where the security conditions in the export destination deteriorate to the point that it is not possible to make a judgement as to whether a particular licence remains consistent with the Consolidated Criteria.

All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria and the prevailing circumstances at the time of each application. Criterion 2 concerns the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination, as well as respect by that country for international humanitarian law. An export licence would not be granted if there was a clear risk that the goods to be exported might be used for internal repression.

Information on the total value of exports of tear gas from the UK in 2013 is not available from published trade statistics.

The European Commission negotiates on behalf of the EU according to instructions from its members. Member States are consulted for their views on the content of each negotiating paper.

The European Commission’s negotiators have the opportunity to discuss and amend texts through rounds of talks until a consensus is reached by all TiSA members.

Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) is a commercial exhibition run by Clarion Events. Any decision as to whether to allow a company that may have been ejected from a previous DSEI to exhibit at a future one is a matter for Clarion.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between BIS and Clarion was set in place in 2013 to give Clarion the authority they need to control the activities of their exhibitors at DSEI. It sets out Clarion’s role and responsibilities, and those of the exhibitor companies, regarding UK export and trade control legislation.

The European Commission negotiates on behalf of the Member States in the EU. The negotiating teams of the EU and the other negotiating states are led by chief negotiators, and contain officials with expertise in the areas under negotiation. It is the mutual responsibility of these negotiating teams and their officials to draft the agreements, including in the case of the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), the prudential carve-out, which forms part of the Financial Services chapter.

The text will be released as part of a whole package when negotiations are complete.

The European Commission has made it clear that safeguards are in place in all EU wide trade agreements to ensure that Member State governments remain free to manage public services as they wish.

http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/press/index.cfm?id=1115

The UK Government is a strong supporter of the Trade in Services Agreement, which provides an opportunity to address barriers to trade in services through seeking to deepen services trade rules and regulatory disciplines and to address market access objectives. Given the crucial role of financial stability to overall economic stability, governments and regulators need to have the ability to closely monitor and regulate banks, insurance companies and other financial services providers. The TiSA text will contain a prudential carve-out which will fully protect the ability of UK and international financial regulators to regulate and take any prudential actions for the sake of financial stability or to protect investors, depositors, policy holders or persons to whom a fiduciary duty is owed by a financial service supplier.

As with other trade agreements currently in place, such as the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services, we expect agreements under negotiation, such as the Trade in Services Agreement, to contain provisions regarding data transfer and provisions regarding data protection. As with other agreements, we will want to see these provisions provide robust safeguards for the protection of EU citizens’ data while at the same time allowing for legitimate data transfers to third countries.

The UK Government is a strong supporter of the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), which provides an opportunity to address barriers to trade in services through seeking to deepen services trade rules and regulatory disciplines and to address market access objectives. There is no intention to prevent the regulation of new insurance products, nor would the UK endorse such a move. Furthermore, the prudential carve-out element of the TiSA agreement will fully protect the ability of UK and international financial regulators to regulate and take any prudential actions for the sake of financial stability or to protect investors, depositors, policy holders or persons to whom a fiduciary duty is owed by a financial service supplier.

The UK Government is a strong supporter of the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), which provides an opportunity to address barriers to trade in services through seeking to deepen services trade rules and regulatory disciplines and to address market access objectives. Given the crucial role of financial stability to overall economic stability, governments and regulators need to have the ability to closely monitor and regulate banks, insurance companies and other financial services providers. The TiSA text will contain a prudential carve-out which will fully protect the ability of UK and international financial regulators to regulate and take any prudential actions for the sake of financial stability or to protect investors, depositors, policy holders or persons to whom a fiduciary duty is owed by a financial service supplier.

The UK Government recognises the importance of trade to delivering long term growth and jobs. The Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) is the first negotiation to focus solely on trade in services, an area of key UK competitive advantage. As the second largest exporter of services, with 6.5% of global trade, the UK is a strong supporter of the TiSA. Independent analysis shows that an ambitious agreement could add as much as £2-3 billion annually to the UK economy in the long-term.

Information on the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) can be found on the European Commission’s dedicated TISA website - http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in-focus/tisa/ . In a bid to encourage transparency, the EU has published its initial TiSA offer from November 2013, the EU proposal for core text provisions based on the World Trade Organisation’s General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the EU proposal on financial services.

Whilst the Commission are committed to publishing as much information as possible on the TiSA, for trade negotiations to work and succeed, it is necessary that there is a degree of confidentiality surrounding the negotiating texts to ensure that the best deals are obtained.

DSEI is a commercial exhibition run by Clarion Events. The decision whether to allow a company to exhibit is a matter for Clarion Events in compliance with UK law and export control regulation.

In December 2013 the Government announced a package of measures to reduce household bills by an average of around £50 in 2014 compared to what they would have been. The package consisted of a £12 Government Electricity Rebate which will be delivered to customers of all licenced domestic electricity suppliers in autumn 2014 and 2015, proposed changes to the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), which will result in £30-£35 off bills, on average, this year and voluntary action by electricity distribution network companies to reduce network costs in 2014/15, which will allow a further one-off reduction of an average of around £5 on electricity bills. All of the big 6 have announced how they will be passing the benefits on to consumers. This is set out in an Energy UK publication available here:

http://www.energy-uk.org.uk/publication/finish/3-factsheets-and-guides/1106-eco-changes-major-energy-suppliers.html

It is the role of the independent Low Pay Commission to make National Minimum Wage rate recommendations that maximises earnings, without damaging employment prospects.

The National Minimum Wage for those aged 21 and over is currently £6.31, rising to £6.50 from 1 October 2014. Given the remit of the Low Pay Commission, we can conclude that they would consider that a higher rate would have a negative impact on employment.

In its 2015 recommendations, the Government has asked the Low Pay Commission to consider whether we are entering a new phase where real term increases in the National Minimum Wage can be afforded without damaging employment rates.

The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill will make provision for the implementation of a central registry of company beneficial ownership information. We will implement the registry through secondary legislation as soon as practicable following Royal Assent of the Bill, which is subject to the will of Parliament.

The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill will make provision for the implementation of a central registry of company beneficial ownership information. The legislation will set out the penalties that apply to companies who fail to provide information, or provide false information, to Companies House. These will be based on, or extend, existing company law criminal offences.

This Government is fully committed to the National Minimum Wage set by the independent Low Pay Commission at a level that maximises the wages of the low paid without damaging their employment prospects by setting it too high.

We ask the Low Pay Commission to consider the evidence and recommend the National Minimum Wage rates, to achieve this.

This Government has accepted an above inflation increase in the NMW including an increase in the apprentice rate from £2.68 to £2.73. The increase will come into effect on 1 October 2014 and will provide low paid workers with the biggest cash increase in their pay packets since 2008.

The Low Pay Commission has judged that a higher increase in the minimum wage would risk damaging employment prospects for the lowest paid.

The announced changes to Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) will be subject to a full equality analysis to determine the impact of these changes on students with protected characteristics. The equality analysis will be given full consideration before regulations are laid before the House.

These changes will apply to all full-time, full-time distance learning, part-time and postgraduate students in higher education applying for DSA for the first time from the 2015/16 academic year. DSAs are not available to further education students, as the Government provides Learning Support funding to further education colleges and providers to help meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

Shale gas and oil operations involve hydraulic fracturing in wells drilled over a mile below the surface. At that depth it is highly unlikely that there will be any negative impact closer to the surface.

Like most other industrial activities, oil and gas operations require permission from landowners to access their land in order to reach mineral deposits.

Operators prefer where possible to agree this through negotiation with the landowner, but there is an existing legal route by which they can apply for access where this cannot be negotiated. In this respect, it is already possible for an operator to gain access to land for the extraction of oil or gas without a landowner's permission through the courts.

The Government is considering whether these existing procedures used to obtain access are fit for purpose in relation to underground land. We have not yet made a decision on what actions we may take.

The announced changes to Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) will be subject to a full equality analysis to determine the impact of these changes on students with protected characteristics. The equality analysis will be given full consideration before regulations are laid before the House.

These changes will apply to all full-time, full-time distance learning, part-time and postgraduate students in higher education applying for DSA for the first time from the 2015/16 academic year. DSAs are not available to further education students, as the Government provides Learning Support funding to further education colleges and providers to help meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

I meet with ministerial colleagues frequently to discuss a variety of issues. However, as was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s policy to provide details of all such meetings.

The Gulf Strategy Integrated Delivery Team was established in 2015.

Its remit is to coordinate the Government’s strategic approach to UK engagement with the Gulf States as set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015.

It employs three full-time and one part-time Government employees. One is military and three are civilian.

Administration costs were £70,004 in the 2015-16 financial year and the budget for administration costs in the 2016-17 financial year is £423,000. The 2015-16 figure reflects the fact the unit was established later in the financial year.

The Gulf Strategy Integrated Delivery Team was established in 2015.

Its remit is to coordinate the Government’s strategic approach to UK engagement with the Gulf States as set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015.

It employs three full-time and one part-time Government employees. One is military and three are civilian.

Administration costs were £70,004 in the 2015-16 financial year and the budget for administration costs in the 2016-17 financial year is £423,000. The 2015-16 figure reflects the fact the unit was established later in the financial year.

The Gulf Strategy Integrated Delivery Team was established in 2015.

Its remit is to coordinate the Government’s strategic approach to UK engagement with the Gulf States as set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015.

It employs three full-time and one part-time Government employees. One is military and three are civilian.

Administration costs were £70,004 in the 2015-16 financial year and the budget for administration costs in the 2016-17 financial year is £423,000. The 2015-16 figure reflects the fact the unit was established later in the financial year.

There is no central Cabinet Office policy to reduce the overall Civil Service headcount in the current Parliament. Workforce planning is primarily the responsibility of each department to determine based on their individual operational and policy requirements. Each department has their own spending agreements with HM Treasury for this Parliament and are responsible for ensuring they have the right workforce and capability in place to deliver their commitments.

Earlier this year, departments published their Single Departmental Plans, setting out the key programmes of work required to deliver the Government’s Manifesto commitments. Departments have been developing plans to ensure they have the workforce required to deliver their Single Departmental Plans.

Workforce planning is primarily the responsibility of each department to determine based on their individual operational and policy requirements. Each department has their own spending agreement with HM Treasury for this Parliament and are responsible for ensuring they have the right workforce and capability in place to deliver their commitments.

Earlier this year, departments published their Single Departmental Plans, setting out the key programmes of work required to deliver the Government’s Manifesto commitments. Departments have been developing plans to ensure they have the workforce required to deliver their Single Departmental Plans.

The Civil Service constantly reviews its capabilities in order to deliver the Government’s agenda. Cabinet Office is working with all departments across the Civil Service to better understand their capacity and capability requirements over this Parliament following the decision to exit the EU, but it is too early to make a detailed assessment at this stage.

Workforce planning is primarily the responsibility of each department to determine based on their individual operational and policy requirements. Each department has their own spending agreements with HM Treasury for this Parliament and are responsible for ensuring they have the right workforce and capability in place to deliver their commitments.

Earlier this year, departments published their Single Departmental Plans, setting out the key programmes of work required to deliver the Government’s Manifesto commitments. Departments have been developing plans to ensure they have the workforce capacity and capability required to deliver their Single Departmental Plans.

The Government requires good tax compliance behaviour in procurement. Procurement Policy Note 03/14 sets out the scope, background and detailed guidance for the policy of using the procurement process to promote tax compliance:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-policy-note-0314-promoting-tax-compliance

Salaries for special advisers appointed after the election have been set to reflect an individual’s role and responsibilities. As with other public servants, any future increases in special adviser salaries will be subject to the annual 1% cap for four years from 2016-17.

I refer the hon Member to my Written Ministerial Statement of 1 March 2016 [Hansard reference HCWS566]

I welcome the UN Secretary-General's leadership in convening the World Humanitarian Summit which comes at a critical time given that there are currently more displaced people globally than at any time since the Second World War. We want to see a renewed commitment to the protection of civilians in conflict, a stronger focus on protecting and empowering women and girls, smarter financing, and a new approach to building resilience to natural hazards before they take place.

No decision has yet been taken about the composition of the UK's delegation to the Summit.

Further to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member in November to UIN 17111, I can confirm that a consultation will be launched shortly.

All public servants, including special advisers, are subject to an overall 1% pay remit.

All public servants, including special advisers, are subject to an overall 1% pay remit.

In due course.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 14 October 2015 to UIN: 12011.

The consultation on making property ownership by foreign companies more transparent will be launched in the near future. The format and scope will be decided on shortly. The

consultation will allow stakeholders sufficient time to provide a considered response.

This Government is committed to transparency and, since January 2011, central government departments have been required to publish on Contracts Finder information on contracts above the value of £10,000. It can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder.

All payments made by the Cabinet Office over £25,000 are published on data.gov.uk

The deduction of trade union subscriptions from payroll through check-off is a matter delegated to Departments.

Departments should keep these arrangements under review to ensure that they are appropriate and meet the needs of a modern workplace, as per section 7.3.3 of the Civil Service management code.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland on 3 March 2014 (Official Report) Column Ref: 663W.

The remit of the Oil and Gas Authority is to Maximise the Economic Recovery of Petroleum from the UKCS (MER UK). The Energy Act 2016 sets out matters to which the OGA must have regard whilst exercising its functions.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2016/20/section/8/enacted

Greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors of the UK’s economy are taken into account when assessing our performance against the carbon budgets and the UK remains committed to the Paris Agreement.

As part of this, we have requested that they provide evidence on how reductions in line with the Committee on Climate Change’s recommendations might be delivered in key sectors of the economy and we will consider their advice carefully when it is received.

The independent oil and gas regulator, the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), has a principal statutory objective to maximise the economic recovery of petroleum from the UK Continental Shelf. This informs their licensing decisions. In the UK, we have been producing oil and gas from offshore fields for more than 50 years and the 31^st offshore licensing round could offer further opportunities to contribute to the UK’s diverse energy mix as we transition to a low carbon economy.

Oil and gas will continue to play an important role as part of the energy mix for decades to come. Greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors of the UK’s economy are taken into account when assessing our performance against the carbon budgets.

The UK remains committed to the Paris Agreement and we are leading the world in our response to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s special report on global warming of 1.5°C– commissioning the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) for their advice on the implications of the Paris Agreement for the UK’s long-term emissions reduction targets, just one week after its publication. As part of this, we have requested that they provide evidence on how reductions in line with the CCC’s recommendations might be delivered in key sectors of the economy and we will consider their advice carefully when it is received.

The Committee on Climate Change’s (CCC) focus for this particular advice will rightly be on our long-term targets, including the costs, benefits and deliverability of more ambitious targets.

Although government has asked the CCC not to consider formally carbon budgets four and five as part of this commission, they have been asked for evidence on how reductions in line with the CCC’s recommendations might be delivered in key sectors of the economy.

If the CCC considers that the most effective way of communicating this information is through a cost-effective pathway (which could include the years captured by carbon budgets four and five), they may incorporate that information into their advice.

The Committee on Climate Change’s (CCC) focus for this particular advice will rightly be on our long-term targets.

Although government has asked the CCC not to consider formally carbon budgets four and five as part of this commission, they have been asked for evidence on how reductions in line with the CCC’s recommendations might be delivered in key sectors of the economy.

If the CCC considers that the most effective way of communicating this information is through a cost-effective pathway (which could include the years captured by carbon budgets four and five), they may incorporate that information into their advice.

Oil and gas will continue to play an important role as part of the energy mix for decades to come. As we continue to move to a low carbon economy we need to ensure we have a balanced energy mix, so we have a reliable, clean and affordable energy system. This means that in the medium term there will be a role for oil and gas; currently over 85% of the population use gas for heating and around 65% for cooking, with UK Continental Shelf oil and gas production still equivalent to around half of demand.

We are leading the world in our response to the special report on global warming of 1.5°C – commissioning the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) for their advice on the implications of the Paris Agreement for the UK’s long-term emissions reduction targets, just one week after its publication. As part of this, we have requested that they provide evidence on how reductions in line with the CCC’s recommendations might be delivered in key sectors of the economy and we will consider their advice carefully when it is received.

As part of this, we have requested that they provide evidence on how reductions in line with the CCC’s recommendations might be delivered in key sectors of the economy and we will consider their advice carefully when it is received.

All Government Ministers and officials meet regularly with industry representatives, including those from the energy industry. A register of ministerial meetings is published on a quarterly basis as part of Departments’ transparency data.

We are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. Greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors of the UK’s economy are taken into account when assessing our performance against the Carbon Budgets- this includes emissions from offshore oil production sites on the UK sector of the continental shelf.

As we continue to move to a low carbon economy we need to ensure we have a balanced energy mix so we have a reliable, clean and affordable energy system. This means that in the medium term there will be a role for some fossil fuels.

The Alligin field is due to start production in 2020, with the crude oil produced sold on the international market and therefore available for both export and domestic consumption depending on prevailing market conditions and commercial considerations. Trading oil on the international market is the best way to ensure reliable and affordable supplies for UK consumers. The Government remains committed to ensuring the UK gets the maximum economic benefit from its oil and gas reserves.

The UK was the first country to introduce long-term legally binding emission reduction targets through the Climate Change Act 10 years ago, and since then we have galvanised action and initiative across the UK and internationally, including helping secure the landmark Paris Agreement in 2015 and launching the Powering Past Coal Alliance.

The fourth and fifth carbon budgets require ambitious emissions reductions equivalent to 51% and 57% over the periods 2023-27 and 2028-32 from a 1990 baseline, and we have some of the most stringent legislative targets in the world.

Following the recent IPCC report, we commissioned advice from the Committee on Climate Change on our long-term targets. As noted by the CCC, this may include an update of their advice on the most cost-effective pathway for emission reduction. We will consider that advice carefully when it is received.

The Department receives a wide variety of representations on many topics including the IPCC Special Report on global warming of 1.5 degrees.

We are leading the world in our response to the IPCC report – commissioning our independent experts, the Committee on Climate Change, for advice on our long-term targets a week after the report’s publication. We will consider the Committee’s advice carefully when received.

The Energy Act 2016 which established the Oil and Gas Authority as an independent company to regulate, promote and influence the UK oil and gas sector. The Oil and Gas Authority, in their role to regulate the sector, were responsible for taking the decision to permit the development of the Alligin oil field.

Oil and gas will continue to play an important role as part of the energy mix for decades to come. We are committed to reducing carbon emissions form 1990 levels by 80% by 2050 and any emission from use of oil or gas will be included in our binding carbon budgets

As we continue to move to a low carbon economy we need to ensure we have a balanced energy mix, so that we have a reliable, clean and affordable energy system. This means that in the medium term there will be a role for oil and gas; over 85% of the population currently use gas for heating and around 65% for cooking, with UK Continental Shelf oil and gas production still equivalent to around half of demand.

We are leading the world in our response to the special report on global warming of 1.5°C – commissioning the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) for their advice on the implications of the Paris Agreement for the UK’s long-term emissions reduction targets, just one week after its publication.

As part of this, we have requested that they provide evidence on how reductions in line with the CCC’s recommendations might be delivered in key sectors of the economy and we will consider their advice carefully when it is received.

We are committed to reducing carbon emissions from 1990 levels by 80% by 2050 and any emission from use of oil or gas will be included in our binding carbon budgets.

As we continue to move to a low carbon economy we need to ensure we have a balanced energy mix so we have a reliable, clean and affordable energy system. This means that in the medium term there will be a role for some fossil fuels.

Greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors of the UK’s economy are taken into account when assessing our performance against carbon budgets. This includes emissions from offshore oil and gas production sites on the UK Continental Shelf.

Last month we asked the Committee on Climate Change for their advice on the implications of the Paris Agreement for the UK’s long-term emissions reduction targets, including on setting a net zero target. We expect to receive their response in spring 2019 and will consider their recommendations carefully before deciding any appropriate next steps to take.

Following the publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s special report on global warming of 1.5°C last month, I have asked our independent experts, the Committee on Climate Change, for their advice on the implications of the Paris Agreement for the UK’s long-term emissions reduction targets, including on setting a net zero target and how emissions reductions might be achieved across the economy.

We will consider their advice carefully when it is received.

The decision to permit new oil and gas developments in the UK Continental Shelf is a matter for the independent regulator, the Oil and Gas Authority. In the UK, we have been producing oil and gas from offshore fields for more than 50 years and this new field will contribute to the UK’s diverse energy mix as we transition to a low carbon economy.

All Government Ministers and officials meet regularly with industry representatives, including those from the energy industry. A register of ministerial meetings is published on a quarterly basis as part of Departments’ transparency data.

Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS) has an important role in supporting decarbonisation of industry, power, heat and transport.

There are 18 large-scale CCUS projects operating globally capturing over 30 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. Although there are no large-scale CCUS projects operating in the UK, information on the estimated price per tonne of carbon captured across a range of CCUS projects can be found at:

https://www.globalccsinstitute.com/publications/global-costs-carbon-capture-and-storage

The Government is committed to supporting the development of CCUS in the UK. The Clean Growth Strategy included three illustrative pathways to meeting our 2050 target over the next thirty years. Two of these included a role for CCUS, with up to 170 Million tonnes of CO2e being captured and stored in 2050. CCUS can reduce emissions from our industrial centres, and offers opportunities to improve the competitiveness of UK industry. That is why we are investing £100 million to March 2021 on industrial energy and CCUS innovation.

In the UK, we have been regulating for gas and oil drilling, both onshore and offshore, for many years and have one of the best track records in the world when it comes to protecting our environment while also developing our industries.

The Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) monitors seismicity as part of their regulatory duties at shale gas sites. Before consent for hydraulic fracturing is granted, a Hydraulic Fracture Plan must be agreed with the OGA. Operators have to evaluate the historical and background seismicity and the in-situ stress regime, and delineate faults in the area of the proposed well to identify the risk of activating any fault by hydraulic fracturing. The fracture plan also includes appropriate plans to monitor seismicity before, during and after the well operations.

The OGA requires certain controls and requirements to be adhered to by an operator including following a real-time traffic light system during hydraulic fracturing. If a seismic event over 0.5ML on the ‘Richter Local Scale’ (a ‘red’ event) is detected and causally linked to the operations, hydraulic fracturing is suspended for a minimum of 18 hours.

Seismic events with a magnitude of 2.0 or below (on the Local Richter Scale) are usually not felt at the surface and a magnitude 0.5 is far below the ground motion caused by a passing vehicle, for context, the British Geological Survey has estimated that in the UK we have, on average, around 166 natural occurring earthquakes of 2.9ML and below per year.

We are considering responses to the recent Consultation proposing to close the Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) scheme, and the Call for Evidence on small-scale low-carbon generation. The Government will set out its response in due course.

The current pot structure has been more than adequate in enabling the competition that has driven down clearing prices in Contract for Difference allocations.

There are no plans to review the policy on shale gas, it remains the Government’s view that there are potentially substantial benefits from the safe and sustainable exploration and development of our onshore shale gas resources.

Wave 25 of the Public Attitude tracker from April 2018 showed that 64% of people either supported or were neither in support or opposition to shale gas developments in the UK.

The Government remains committed to decarbonising the economy. Natural gas still meets a third of our energy demand and can have a long-term role – particularly alongside the development of carbon capture, utilisation and storage – which is compatible with our climate change targets as we transition to a low carbon economy.

In the Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan, published by the Government and Ofgem in July 2017, Ofgem committed to modify the generation licence to include electricity storage facilities. Ofgem has consulted on this and will respond shortly. In the meantime, storage operators can continue to apply to Ofgem for the existing generation licence.

We published a progress update to the Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan on the 16^th October 2018.

The basis on which technologies are included in the Contracts for Difference pots is set out in our 2014 State Aid approval.

In our Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan, published last year, the Government committed to amending the Electricity Act 1989 to define electricity storage as a distinct subset of generation in primary legislation, when parliamentary time allows. This is an important measure to improve regulatory clarity for electricity storage, and one that we will honour.

The Plan also addressed the issue of storage operators overpaying certain levies and charges. Ofgem has consulted on a new modified generation licence for storage facilities and will respond to this consultation shortly. Storage providers that hold this licence will not pay towards certain levies (the Renewables Obligation, Feed in Tariff, Contracts for Difference and Capacity Market auctions costs). The Government has also clarified that the electricity received and stored by electricity storage facilities may be supplied to them free from the Climate Change Levy where relevant conditions are met.

Ofgem outlined in their Targeted Charging Review Consultation, their view that storage is currently overpaying network charges and stated that the industry is best placed to take forward these changes. Industry has now raised these code modifications, and these are now going through industry governance.

The Government will respond to the National Infrastructure Commission’s Assessment in due course but there are no plans to move offshore wind into Pot 1.

The Clean Growth Strategy announced up to £557 million of annual support for further Contracts for Difference.

The next competitive auction for less established renewable technologies, including offshore wind, is planned to be held in spring 2019.

On 15 June, Government announced that it will lower the threshold for suppliers’ participation in the scheme from 250,000 down to 150,000 customer accounts between 2019 and 2021. From 2021, if the scheme were to continue, Government will review the threshold, with a view to continuing to reduce it, if the evidence supports this approach. A gradual approach will ensure that smaller suppliers have enough time to put the right processes in place to take part in the scheme and reflects the increasing maturity of challengers in the energy retail market.

Of the roughly 1.4m Pension Credit Guaranteed Credit recipients, over 1.2m receive the Warm Home Discount automatically on their energy bills as a result of being with a participating supplier and being named on the energy bill. We estimate that roughly 60,000 pension credit guarantee credit recipients who would be eligible under the scheme do not receive the rebate as a result of being with a non-participating supplier. As a result of the changes introduced, 20,000 more pensioners in 2019/20, and an additional 10,000 pensioners in 2020/21 could benefit from the scheme, if the eligibility criteria were to continue in their current form.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) support research grants via the Research councils and Innovate UK. BEIS does not impose conditions neither does the Research Councils or Innovate UK as part of their terms and conditions.

Research Councils invest in basic research into the development of new drugs and treatments to the point where other organisations, often industry, fund further development.

Neither BEIS nor the Research Councils have undertaken an assessment.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) support research grants via the Research councils and Innovate UK. BEIS does not impose conditions neither does the Research Councils or Innovate UK as part of their terms and conditions.

Research Councils invest in basic research into the development of new drugs and treatments to the point where other organisations, often industry, fund further development.

Neither BEIS nor the Research Councils have undertaken an assessment.

The Department does not hold specific data on the proportion of gas CHP plant that qualifies as Good Quality for the purposes of exemption from business rates. However, in 2016, based on data from the Digest of UK Energy Statistics and the Combined Heat and the Power Quality Assurance (CHP QA) programme database, there were 2,182 CHP schemes in the United Kingdom. Of these, 1,155 were certified as Good Quality CHP. If schemes that are not ordinarily liable for business rates, such as those in the public sector, are excluded then our data suggests that 749 Good Quality gas CHP schemes would be eligible for an exemption from business rates.

As set out in the Clean Growth Strategy, the Government will be looking at a long term trajectory for energy performance standards across the private rented sector, with the aim of as many private rented homes as possible being upgraded to EPC Band C by 2030, where practical, cost effective and affordable. We will consider options with a view to consulting in 2018.

I made an oral statement to the House on 11 July 2017 to announce the publication of the Matthew Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices.

The Review looked at ways to ensure that the regulatory framework surrounding employment, and the support Government provides to businesses and workers, was keeping pace with changes in the labour market and the economy.

The report is comprehensive and detailed and will require detailed, careful thought and further consultation. It is important that we take action where we need to.

This Government will give the report the careful consideration it deserves and will respond in full later this year.

The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property)(England and Wales) Regulations 2015 require all landlords of domestic privately rented property in England and Wales to ensure that, from 1 April 2018, their properties reach at least an energy performance rating of E before granting a tenancy to new or existing tenants, unless a prescribed exemption applies.

Tenants would benefit from improved homes in the form of reduced energy bills. Data derived from the 2014 English Housing Survey shows that the average annual cost of heating an E rated home in the private rental sector to an adequate level is £510 cheaper than for an F rated private rented sector home, and £990 cheaper than for a G rated property. There would also be wider health and wellbeing benefits for tenants associated with increased comfort from warmer homes.

The published impact assessment for the regulations estimated that effective implementation of the domestic provisions will save 1.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent between 2013 and 2065.

The Department is focussed on running competitive auctions to award contracts for difference (CFD) to UK-based renewable electricity projects. There are currently no plans to open the UK CFD scheme to non-UK projects.

The Crown Estate UK Wave and Tidal Key Resource Areas study (2012)^[1] assessed the UK’s theoretical maximum resource for tidal stream, barrage and lagoon resource at 95 TWh/year (32 GW), 96 TWh/year (45 GW) and 25 TWh/year (14 GW) respectively. The Department’s Technology Innovation Needs Assessment ^[2] (TINA) published in 2012 estimated that tidal stream energy could practically deliver up to 20-30 TWh/year around 2050.

[1] http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/media/5476/uk-wave-and-tidal-key-resource-areas-project.pdf

[2] http://www.lowcarboninnovation.co.uk/working_together/technology_focus_areas/marine/

Tidal stream technologies are currently eligible to compete for support in the Contracts for Difference (CFD) allocation round process. CFDs provide efficient long-term support for, and incentivise investment in, low carbon electricity generation. The Government is currently assessing the recommendations of the Hendry Review and will publish a response in due course.

My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State, his Ministers and officials have engaged frequently with stakeholders across the Department’s portfolio of responsibilities.

The Government remains committed introducing the register of beneficial ownership for foreign companies that own UK property, which was announced at the Anti-Corruption summit in 2016.

This register is an important element of the forthcoming anti-corruption strategy. It will give assurance that the UK is a hostile environment for hiding the proceeds of corruption or laundering money.

In its “Green Investment Bank: sale of shares” report laid before Parliament on 3 March 2016, the Government set out its objectives for the sale and the process by which the sale would be conducted. Bids have been evaluated at each stage of the process against the Government’s sale objectives.

The Green Investment Bank (GIB) is being sold as a going concern and potential investors will be buying into the company’s green business plan and forward pipeline of projects. The Government has asked potential investors to confirm their commitment to GIB’s green values and investment principles and how they propose to protect them, as part of their bids for the company.

In addition to this, to protect GIB’s green purposes in future, GIB has created a special share, held by an independent company with the right to approve or reject any changes to GIB’s green purposes should such a change ever be proposed.

In its “Green Investment Bank: sale of shares” report laid before Parliament on 3 March 2016, the Government set out its objectives for the sale and the process by which the sale would be conducted. Bids have been evaluated at each stage of the process against the Government’s sale objectives.

The Green Investment Bank (GIB) is being sold as a going concern and potential investors will be buying into the company’s green business plan and forward pipeline of projects. The Government has asked potential investors to confirm their commitment to GIB’s green values and investment principles and how they propose to protect them, as part of their bids for the company.

In addition to this, to protect GIB’s green purposes in future, GIB has created a special share, held by an independent company with the right to approve or reject any changes to GIB’s green purposes should such a change ever be proposed.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is responsible for the Government’s strategic relations programme, which manages relationships with key investors and exporters through named contact ministers.

DIT and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy are currently refreshing the allocation of contact ministers across Government and intend to publish the updated list on Gov.uk in due course.

The UK played a leading role in securing the Paris Agreement, which drives international action towards tackling climate change and limiting the global temperature rise to well below 2°C.

At home, we remain committed to the UK’s Climate Change Act which requires us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050 on 1990 levels, including emissions from energy.

Government policy is that operators of new nuclear power stations will be financially and legally responsible for the storage and disposal of the radioactive waste and spent fuel produced by those power stations.

A Government consultation seeking views on options to move Land Registry operations to the private sector closed on 26 May. My department is analysing these response to help inform a Government decision. No decision has been taken on the future of Land Registry.

The Government’s policy is to facilitate a review of post 16 education and training, with each area establishing the best structures to offer high quality provision to meet the current and future needs of all learners and employers within the local area; this may or may not involve institutions merging.

We have discussed and agreed with a wide range of stakeholders an approach to ensuring equality is considered by colleges as part of any restructuring and will shortly be publishing guidance on this as part of a wider package of support about area review implementation.

A government consultation seeking views on options to move operations of Land Registry to the private sector closed on 26 May. Government is currently analysing the responses but no final decisions have been made. We have not received any bids.

We funded an independent further education adviser to undertake an assessment of mergers undertaken by the sector since 1992 in 2015. The results of the assessment were shared with the sector and are available here (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/current-models-of-collaboration-post-14-further-education). That demonstrated that mergers could deliver significant benefits but that effective leadership and management of structural change was an essential part of ensuring the full benefits were realised as quickly as possible.

In respect of the effect of mergers on equalities, further education colleges are independent corporations and it is for each college governing body to assess the impact of changes on groups protected by the Equalities Act 2010 and to take that assessment into account when making decisions around mergers.

The Government believes we will need to take the step of enshrining the global goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions, reached at the UN climate summit at the end of 2015, into UK law. The question is not whether but how we do it. As a first step, our independent advisors, the Committee on Climate Change, is looking at the implications of the commitments in Paris, including the zero carbon emissions goal. It has said that it will report in the autumn. We will consider carefully the recommendations of the Committee.

This Government is committed to the Climate Change Act and the target of at least an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Our priority this year is setting the fifth carbon budget (covering the period 2028-32) by the end of June and developing our plan on how we will meet our existing targets. We are clear that this must be done while keeping our energy supply safe and costs as low as possible for hardworking families and businesses.

We expect the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement will be a mixed agreement covering areas of both EU and Member State competence. In that case, it will be subject to agreement by each EU Member State, the EU Council and the European Parliament. As part of this process the agreement will be laid before Parliament for scrutiny before it is ratified by the UK. We will confirm the procedures for Parliamentary approval when it is presented for signature.

Her Majesty’s Government is satisfied that we are not in breach of our international obligations. A licence will not be issued, to Saudi Arabia or any other destination, if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. On that basis there are no plans to commission a review of the legality of arms sales.

Her Majesty’s Government takes its export responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world.

All exports of arms and controlled military goods are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application. This includes the UK’s obligations under Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP.

The UK is satisfied that we are not in breach of our international obligations, including under the Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP. A licence will not be issued, to Saudi Arabia or any other destination, if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the mandatory UK Licensing Criteria.

No representations have been received on the legal advice commissioned by Amnesty International and Saferworld.

The reading room for classified documents relating to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is not yet open. Members of both Houses will be informed of the process and details of how to access the room shortly, once these have been finalised.

The policy framework for arms export licensing to all destinations, including Saudi Arabia, remains as set out in the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, known as the Consolidated Criteria.

This requires all export licence applications to be carefully assessed on a case by case basis against the Consolidated Criteria, taking into account all relevant factors at the time of application, including reporting by non-Governmental organisations, the United Nations and others.

A licence will not be issued, for any country, if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the Criteria.

The Energy Act 2016 which established the Oil and Gas Authority as an independent company to regulate, promote and influence the UK oil and gas sector. The Oil and Gas Authority, in their role to regulate the sector, were responsible for taking the decision to permit the development of the Alligin oil field.

We are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. Greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors of the UK’s economy are taken into account when assessing our performance against the Carbon Budgets- this includes emissions from offshore oil production sites on the UK sector of the continental shelf.

As we continue to move to a low carbon economy we need to ensure we have a balanced energy mix so we have a reliable, clean and affordable energy system. This means that in the medium term there will be a role for some fossil fuels.

On 15 June, Government announced that it will lower the threshold for suppliers’ participation in the scheme from 250,000 down to 150,000 customer accounts between 2019 and 2021. From 2021, if the scheme were to continue, Government will review the threshold, with a view to continuing to reduce it, if the evidence supports this approach. A gradual approach will ensure that smaller suppliers have enough time to put the right processes in place to take part in the scheme and reflects the increasing maturity of challengers in the energy retail market.

Of the roughly 1.4m Pension Credit Guaranteed Credit recipients, over 1.2m receive the Warm Home Discount automatically on their energy bills as a result of being with a participating supplier and being named on the energy bill. We estimate that roughly 60,000 pension credit guarantee credit recipients who would be eligible under the scheme do not receive the rebate as a result of being with a non-participating supplier. As a result of the changes introduced, 20,000 more pensioners in 2019/20, and an additional 10,000 pensioners in 2020/21 could benefit from the scheme, if the eligibility criteria were to continue in their current form.

The Alligin field is due to start production in 2020, with the crude oil produced sold on the international market and therefore available for both export and domestic consumption depending on prevailing market conditions and commercial considerations. Trading oil on the international market is the best way to ensure reliable and affordable supplies for UK consumers. The Government remains committed to ensuring the UK gets the maximum economic benefit from its oil and gas reserves.

We recognise the importance of tackling childhood obesity, which is caused by a number of complex factors. The Childhood Obesity Plan for Action, published in August, considered a number of different policy responses to address this problem. Additional advertising restrictions were considered as part of this process, but current restrictions in the UK are amongst the toughest in the world and the plan focuses on those areas which experts tell us are most effective.

The recently published White Paper addresses concerns that were raised during our public consultation by the devolved nations and some English regions. The Government has made detailed proposals which ensure that the BBC is accountable to licence fee payers in all nations and regions in the UK through a clear focus on the BBC’s obligations in the new operating licence regime, clear board-level responsibilities, and a continued commitment to the out-of-London production targets.

Budgeting and commissioning decisions are editorial matters for the BBC.

No decision has been taken regarding commencement of section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013. The matter is still under consideration.

Criminal proceedings connected to the subject matter of the Leveson Inquiry, including the appeals process, have not yet completed. We‎ have always been clear that these cases must conclude before we consider Part 2 of the Inquiry.

The government published a Summary of Responses to the BBC Charter Review consultation on 1 March 2016.

Please find the information in the table below:

Schools, as part of their routine financial planning, will have already set budgets for their current funding year, which began in April for maintained schools and September for academies. 1% is the minimum schools should have anticipated for increases in teachers’ pay, in line with the previous public sector pay policy. Funding therefore needs to cover the difference between this minimum and the award itself, which the Department has provided for in full.

The Department will be supporting schools in England to implement the award with an investment of £508 million through a new teachers’ pay grant of £187 million in 2018-19 and £321 million in 2019-20. The grant will provide additional support to all maintained schools and academies, over and above the funding that they receive through the National Funding Formula.

Schools, as part of their routine financial planning, will have already set budgets for their current funding year, which began in April for maintained schools and September for academies. 1% is the minimum schools should have anticipated for increases in teachers’ pay, in line with the previous public sector pay policy. Funding therefore needs to cover the difference between this minimum and the award itself, which the Department has provided for in full.

The Department will be supporting schools in England to implement the award with an investment of £508 million through a new teachers’ pay grant of £187 million in 2018-19 and £321 million in 2019-20. The grant will provide additional support to all maintained schools and academies, over and above the funding that they receive through the National Funding Formula.

Schools, as part of their routine financial planning, will have already set budgets for their current funding year, which began in April for maintained schools and September for academies. 1% is the minimum schools should have anticipated for increases in teachers’ pay, in line with the previous public sector pay policy. Funding therefore needs to cover the difference between this minimum and the award itself, which the Department has provided for in full.

The Department will be supporting schools in England to implement the award with an investment of £508 million through a new teachers’ pay grant of £187 million in 2018-19 and £321 million in 2019-20. The grant will provide additional support to all maintained schools and academies, over and above the funding that they receive through the National Funding Formula.

Schools, as part of their routine financial planning, will have already set budgets for their current funding year, which began in April for maintained schools and September for academies. 1% is the minimum schools should have anticipated for increases in teachers’ pay, in line with the previous public sector pay policy. Funding therefore needs to cover the difference between this minimum and the award itself, which the Department has provided for in full.

The Department will be supporting schools in England to implement the award with an investment of £508 million through a new teachers’ pay grant of £187 million in 2018-19 and £321 million in 2019-20. The grant will provide additional support to all maintained schools and academies, over and above the funding that they receive through the National Funding Formula.

The department has never had a target for recruiting early years teachers. The Early Years Initial Teacher Training Programme has always been a demand-led programme.

Information on the use of assistive technology in higher education can be found in this 2017 report, commissioned by the then Higher Education Funding Council for England: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/rereports/year/2017/modelsofsupport/.

The Department for Education funds English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses through the adult education budget. We do not collect data on learners that would allow us to identify them as refugees. We have previously published providers’ overall spending on ESOL, which includes funding for refugee learners. I refer the hon. Member for Birmingham, Hall Green to the answer my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Apprentices and Skills gave on 12 March 2018 to 131906.

In addition, as part of the Home Office’s Vulnerable Person Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) and Vulnerable Children Resettlement Programme (VCRP), local authorities receive £8520 per person for the first year of resettlement (with the exception of Northern Ireland, where the tariff is £8000 per person) from which they are required to provide a range of support services, including access to English language support. Local authorities are able to determine for themselves how this tariff funding is used, based on local need and service provision.

The government has also made an additional £10 million available over five years for English language support for those resettled on the VPRS and VCRP programmes. This funding is for the provision of ESOL classes, and equates to £850 per adult resettled. The Home Office has also allocated funding (£600,000 in each of the financial years 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19, and £500,000 in 2019/20) to enable local authorities to provide additional childcare to those on the VPRS and VCRS so that they can attend ESOL classes.

Since 2015 eligible students have been required to pay £200 towards the cost of computer equipment recommended for them, given that computer ownership is now widespread and therefore a mainstream cost for all students. In December 2014 the government published an Equality Analysis of the changes to Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs), in advance of the introduction of the £200 student contribution to computer costs from September 2015. The analysis is available to view here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/
attachment_data/file/392610/bis-14-1108-higher-education-disabled-students-allowances-equality-analysis-revised-16-12-2014.pdf.

The department has commissioned a research project to explore the impact of DSAs on eligible students, including the impact of recent reforms. The research findings will be responded to when they are available in spring 2018.

Eligible higher education students are able to access maintenance loans, which are paid as a contribution towards a student’s living costs at university. All students require access to a computer so this is now a mainstream cost to participate in higher education, and we believe it is reasonable for any student to fund the purchase of a standard computer for email and word processing purposes from their maintenance support. The cost of a standard computer has been calculated at around £200. Any disabled student recommended a higher-powered computer to run assistive software is funded for any costs in excess of £200. Students are not expected to fund any assistive software or the training to use it. We do not consider it is necessary to provide an additional £200 in the form of a loan, given that this is a cost all students are expected to fund as part of their maintenance.

On 16 March 2018, the government published data and analysis as part of the Department for Education’s Children in Need Review. This included the finding that Children in Need have worse educational outcomes than their peers from the early years, make less progress throughout school, and are more likely than other children to become a young adult who is Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) three years after completing Key Stage 4.

We have no plans to extend the scope of the review to consider long-term employment, housing or health outcomes. However we recognise that the factors affecting these children’s educational outcomes may also lead to other poorer outcomes which is why our data publication sets out our intention to understand the lifetime outcomes of Children in Need, including exploring the feasibility of matching the Department for Education’s Children in Need data with data from other government departments. Children’s social care and schools have a central role in supporting Children in Need, it is therefore important for us to focus the review on what we can do now whilst making progress to understand more about other outcomes over the longer-term.

The majority of School Efficiency Advisers (SEAs) are practising school business professionals working in the sector. Payment for their deployments as SEAs will go directly to the school or academy trust that employs them.

These advisers will not be paid to advise the school or academy trust that already employs them, but will be deployed to advise other schools and trusts.

The information the Department holds on staff whose role is defined as that of school business professional is shown in the attached table.

During the pilot being operated in this academic year, the funding for payments for School Efficiency Advisers (SEAs) comes from within the Department’s existing budget and has been allocated by the Department for this purpose.

SEAs are helping to share effective practice by extending the expertise they have already shown in their existing employment across the sector.

All the SEAs recruited to date are Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) Fellows that have applied in response to ISBL advertising the opportunity to its Fellows. The criteria for selection are having skills in school financial management and passing an accreditation process, demonstrating their ability to provide tailored advice to schools. The Department is still in the process of SEA recruitment and continue to receive expressions of interest for the role in the pilot phase.

The Department is currently carrying out the accreditation panels for the potential SEAs in the pilot phase. Of those who have been accredited as SEAs so far, 19 per cent are currently self-employed; and 81 per cent are employed as a school business professional.

During the pilot being operated in this academic year, the funding for payments for School Efficiency Advisers (SEAs) comes from within the Department’s existing budget and has been allocated by the Department for this purpose.

SEAs are helping to share effective practice by extending the expertise they have already shown in their existing employment across the sector.

All the SEAs recruited to date are Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) Fellows that have applied in response to ISBL advertising the opportunity to its Fellows. The criteria for selection are having skills in school financial management and passing an accreditation process, demonstrating their ability to provide tailored advice to schools. The Department is still in the process of SEA recruitment and continue to receive expressions of interest for the role in the pilot phase.

The Department is currently carrying out the accreditation panels for the potential SEAs in the pilot phase. Of those who have been accredited as SEAs so far, 19 per cent are currently self-employed; and 81 per cent are employed as a school business professional.

During the pilot being operated in this academic year, the funding for payments for School Efficiency Advisers (SEAs) comes from within the Department’s existing budget and has been allocated by the Department for this purpose.

SEAs are helping to share effective practice by extending the expertise they have already shown in their existing employment across the sector.

All the SEAs recruited to date are Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) Fellows that have applied in response to ISBL advertising the opportunity to its Fellows. The criteria for selection are having skills in school financial management and passing an accreditation process, demonstrating their ability to provide tailored advice to schools. The Department is still in the process of SEA recruitment and continue to receive expressions of interest for the role in the pilot phase.

The Department is currently carrying out the accreditation panels for the potential SEAs in the pilot phase. Of those who have been accredited as SEAs so far, 19 per cent are currently self-employed; and 81 per cent are employed as a school business professional.

During the pilot being operated in this academic year, the funding for payments for School Efficiency Advisers (SEAs) comes from within the Department’s existing budget and has been allocated by the Department for this purpose.

SEAs are helping to share effective practice by extending the expertise they have already shown in their existing employment across the sector.

All the SEAs recruited to date are Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) Fellows that have applied in response to ISBL advertising the opportunity to its Fellows. The criteria for selection are having skills in school financial management and passing an accreditation process, demonstrating their ability to provide tailored advice to schools. The Department is still in the process of SEA recruitment and continue to receive expressions of interest for the role in the pilot phase.

The Department is currently carrying out the accreditation panels for the potential SEAs in the pilot phase. Of those who have been accredited as SEAs so far, 19 per cent are currently self-employed; and 81 per cent are employed as a school business professional.

Our new criteria for free school meals eligibility will set an annual earned income threshold of £7,400 for families in receipt of Universal Credit. This will, depending on a family’s exact circumstances, typically equate to an annual household income of between £18,000 and £24,000 when benefits are taken into account.

Establishing an earnings threshold for free school meals eligibility gives us a clear and practical system for schools and local authorities to deliver, and our Eligibility Checking System will make the checks simple and straightforward. We do not have any plans to introduce tapered eligibility criteria for free school meals. Such an option would add complexity for families and increase the administrative burden on schools and local authorities.

As set out in the response to the hon. Member for Birmingham Hall Green’s question of 19 February, the department has been considering the responses to the proposals set out in the ‘Schools that Work for Everyone’ consultation, and we will be responding to the consultation in due course.

School Efficiency Advisers (SEA) are experts working with schools as part of our initial pilot to support school leaders to optimise their use of resources and to deliver educational outcomes and contribute to whole-school improvement.

The daily rate for an SEA will be £400, and up to £100 in travel expenses. This will be paid by the Department. Payment will either go directly to the school for releasing their school business professional for deployment, in the case of SEAs who are self-employed – payment will go directly to the SEA.

The Department has been considering the responses to the proposals set out in the ‘Schools that Work for Everyone’ consultation, and plans to respond in due course.

The Department for Education has been considering the representations made in this consultation and will be publishing shortly.

The School Admissions Code (the Code) places a statutory duty on school admission authorities to consult locally before making any changes to their admission arrangements. Where no changes are proposed, they must consult at least once every seven years to ensure that the admission arrangements continue to meet local needs.

The Department does not collect information on the consultation process of individual admission authorities.

Admission authorities are responsible for ensuring that they comply with the requirements of the Code, including those around consultation.

Anyone who believes that an admission authority has not complied with the Code, may make an objection to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator. The decision reached by the Schools Adjudicator is binding and enforceable by the Secretary of State.

We are currently conducting a pilot on the use of school efficiency advisers (SEAs). We have contracted the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) for administrative and accreditation support as an interim measure during the pilot phase, in order that we can deliver this scheme as quickly as possible for the benefit of schools and trusts with the greatest need. ISBL offers a skilled, established, group of professionals who are currently practising in the sector.

To date, we have spent approximately £33,000 on the contract with ISBL to support the pilot. Once the pilot concludes, and assuming a decision is made to proceed to roll out the approach, we intend to conduct an open procurement process which would be launched later this year.

Institute of School Business Leaders Fellows are an established, experienced resource with current knowledge of the sector and of school business leadership. In order to achieve fellowship status, they must have demonstrated a high level of professional expertise.

The Department has introduced a robust training and accreditation process, which is designed to provide assurance that school efficiency advisers (SEA) are proficient and can take a consistent approach to the analysis of key efficiency metrics.

The day rate of a SEA will be £500, including travel. These experts will start working with schools in early 2018 as part of our initial pilot.

In this pilot phase, the Department is prioritising support to trusts and schools which have the greatest need. As part of the pilot, we are taking a more proactive approach with local authorities to support their work with maintained schools and, where required, the Education and Skills Funding Agency will consider the use of School Efficiency Advisers (SEAs). Over time, and subject to the outcome of the pilot, we will expand the pool of SEAs and therefore be able to support a wider range of trusts/schools.

The Department has used schools’ and trusts’ financial data to build a picture of the sector as a whole. Using this data, and discussions with trusts, we have identified those trusts who may benefit from working with a SEA.

The pilot will test how school efficiency advisers (SEAs) deliver value for money for the taxpayer and drive significant savings in schools at a cost efficient rate. We will monitor effectiveness and cost as part of the pilot, which will be used to determine the ultimate size of the programme.

To date, we have spent approximately £33,000 on the contract with Institue of School Business Leaders to support the pilot.

The School Efficiency Adviser (SEA) project is one part of a wider programme, which is committed to helping schools improve their efficiency, including saving £1 billion on non-staff spend on schools by 2019-2020. The Department already provides support, guidance and tools in order to help schools achieve the best value from their resources, improve pupil outcomes and promote social mobility.

The pilot will test how SEAs deliver value for money for the taxpayer and drive significant savings in schools at a cost efficient rate. We will monitor effectiveness and cost as part of the pilot.

School efficiency advisers (SEAs) are one part of the Department’s school efficiency and financial health policy. The Department has committed to provide efficiency experts where appropriate to support schools to improve their efficiency and financial health. We are piloting the provision of this expertise through SEAs, working with the Institute for School Business Leadership.

The overall objective of the support provided by the SEA is that the school can identify how it can improve its efficiency and make best use of its resources. In assessing the programme we will consider the value for money to the taxpayer and the effectiveness of the SEA approach in terms of delivering efficiency savings for the sector.

Universities are autonomous institutions and they are responsible for their own pension provision. Government has no role in relation to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) beyond regulation as is applied to all workplace pension schemes by The Pensions Regulator.

Neither my Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State nor the Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation has discussed the USS with Universities UK (UUK) or the University and College Union. Officials have sought updates from UUK on the latest developments regarding the USS. These were informal discussions and there were no outcomes.

The department has made no assessment of the impact of the proposed changes to the USS, and believes it would be inappropriate to comment.

The information requested is not collected by the Department.

The Department for Education does not pay any of its employees through trusts. The department does not hold information about the payment of staff employed in maintained schools.

In July 2017 we announced an additional £1.3 billion for schools and high needs across 2018-19 and 2019-20; in addition to the schools’ budget set at Spending Review 2015. This means funding per pupil for schools and high needs will be maintained in real terms for the next two years.

Alongside our substantial investment, we are committed to helping schools maximise efficiencies. As part of this support and where appropriate, we will provide efficiency experts to schools. This additional support will be focused on providing practical advice to maximise efficiencies. These experts will start working with schools in early 2018 as part of our initial pilot. This pilot will allow us to better assess the impact of the support going forward.

My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, announced an additional £1.3 billion for schools and high needs across 2018-19 and 2019-20, in addition to the schools budget set at Spending Review 2015, on 17 July. As a result, core funding for schools will rise from almost £41 billion in 2017-18 to £42.4 billion in 2018-19 and £43.5 billion in 2019-20, representing an increase in the total schools budget of over 6% between this year and 2019-20. This means funding per pupil will now be maintained in real terms for the remaining two years of this Spending Review.

We have now announced details of our final national funding formula for schools, and the funding it will allocate for schools and local authorities, including schools in Birmingham and Birmingham Hall Green. Full details are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-tables-for-schools-and-high-needs.

This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to you and a copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

The latest figures for the secondary school application round show that there is a higher demand by parents for places in faith schools in relation to offers than there is for non-faith school places. They also show that parents’ relative preferences for faith and non-faith school places have remained stable over the last 3 years.

In the 2016 secondary school application round non-faith school first preferences to offers ratio was 0.98. For faith schools the ratio was 1.08.

The data, which the Department collects on admissions and school choice, does not enable an assessment to be made as to the specific reason why parents are more likely to make faith schools their first preference.

There are often a range of factors that affect how parents choose a particular school, such as location, type of school, whether a sibling already attends, feeder arrangements, reputation and Ofsted rating. It is therefore not possible to make a precise assessment as to what is the main reason why parents are more likely to make a faith school their first preference.

The Church of England and the Archbishop of Canterbury have responded positively to our proposal to expand the number of high-quality faith schools. The Church of England has worked with us to deliver new places through the free schools programme and they have opened 14 free schools to date.

As the Archbishop made clear in his article in the Times Education Supplement of 23 September 2016, the Church of England are drawing up ambitious plans to open many more free schools. We look forward to receiving those applications.

This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to you and a copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

We do not collect data on the curriculum provision of individual schools, including on the provision of sex education. Sex education is compulsory in all maintained secondary schools. Primary maintained schools and academies are encouraged to teach it as an important part of delivering a balanced curriculum.

This Government has introduced the primary legislation required to allow alternative student finance, consistent with the principles of Islamic finance, to be offered alongside grants and loans. The Higher Education and Research Bill is currently before Parliament.

The Government’s recent consultation ‘Early years funding: changes to funding for 3- and 4-year-olds’ closed on 22 September 2016. We are analysing responses and are on track to publish the Government Response shortly.

The new data on nationality, country of birth and English language proficiency will, for the first time, assist the understanding of the impact of migration on schools. For example, what extra support the Government may need to provide to schools with high numbers of children who do not speak English as a first language. It will also help to plan for enough good school places for every child.

Without the evidence and data, the Department cannot have a clear picture of how the school system is working. It will ensure that funds are allocated where needed and that no groups of children miss out on the education they deserve.

The new data on nationality and country of birth is solely for DfE analysts to use for research. This data has not been shared outside the Department.

To address any uncertainties regarding how this information should be collected or used, an information note is placed in the House Libraries.

The School Census is the DfE’s primary source of administrative data about pupils attending schools in England and has been running since 2006. It is collected termly from all state schools in England and contains information for each pupil such as their name, address, date of birth, gender, ethnicity, whether they have special education needs. The data collected is vital in supporting a number of the department’s strategic objectives and is widely used by DfE for the purpose of improving, and promoting, the education and well-being of children in England.

The Department publishes a School Census user guide. This guide supports schools in understanding Departmental data requirements and assists schools to meet their statutory duty to complete the school census.

The Census collects the same information for most children; for example, name, age, address. However some data is restricted to children of a certain age or attending certain types of school; for example, “learning aims” are only collected for post-16 pupils. The Census guidance is clear that for the new data items of nationality and country of birth to be collected this year, schools do not need to see any documentation when collecting this information, i.e. they do not need to see passports or other forms of identification. The guidance is also clear that parents and families are also able to refuse to provide this information if they wish. However, the Department is aware that a number of schools have not implemented the collection in accordance with the guidance. We will, therefore, work with the sector to consider how it can better support schools in collecting school census data for future rounds.

To address any uncertainties, I have placed an information note in the House Libraries.

The school census user guide for the 2016 to 2017 academic year is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-census-2016-to-2017-guide-for-schools-and-las.

Faith schools are amongst some of the highest performing in this country and are more likely to be rated good or outstanding by Ofsted as compared to non-faith schools. The department does not routinely collect information about individual schools’ admission arrangements. Schools designated with a religious character can choose to give priority to children on the basis of their faith, where the school is oversubscribed. It is though for the admission authority of the school to decide whether or not to prioritise some or all of their places on the basis of faith within their oversubscription criteria.

On 9^th September the Prime Minister announced that we will remove the 50 per cent cap on new faith free schools and consult on a new set of much more effective requirements to ensure that new faith free schools are properly inclusive. The consultation document, 'Schools that work for everyone', is available at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/school-frameworks/schools-that-work-for-everyone

We want a diverse range of schools to give parents greater choice and drive up standards. The proposals set out in our consultation, 'Schools that Work for Everyone', aim to increase local capacity by enabling a wider group of providers to establish new schools. The proposal to remove the 50 per cent cap on religious selection in new free schools has, for some faith groups, been a barrier to setting up new schools. The removal of the cap and the establishment of new faith schools will add to the overall stock of places and should increase choice for parents.

All schools must promote religious tolerance and integration whatever their character and ethos. The Department is currently consulting on proposals to replace the 50% cap on faith admissions in faith free schools with new measures to better promote inclusivity and community cohesion. The proposed measures, alongside existing requirements to promote fundamental British values, will apply to all new faith free schools with 100% faith admissions and help ensure that pupils are prepared for life in modern Britain. The consultation document is available at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/school-frameworks/schools-that-work-for-everyone

Some faith groups, including the Catholic Church, have felt unable to open new schools through the free schools route because they believe it contravenes religious rules. This has meant, for example, that in areas where there has been significant growth in the Catholic population, the Catholic Church has not set up sufficient school places to meet demand.

We want more high quality providers to be able to set up new schools and we are consulting on how best to do that. The consultation document, 'Schools that work for everyone' is available at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/school-frameworks/schools-that-work-for-everyone

The Department is currently consulting on proposals to remove the 50% cap on faith admissions in new faith free schools. The outcome of the consultation and government response will be presented to Parliament. The consultation document, 'Schools that work for everyone', is available at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/school-frameworks/schools-that-work-for-everyone

Any changes to the Schools Admissions Code are subject to Parliamentary scrutiny.

The post 16 area reviews are aimed at improving the quality and relevance of the teaching offer to learners as well as ensuring the long term financial viability of colleges. The reviews take account of the best available evidence including the demand for numeracy and literacy in the local area. 22 area reviews are underway and there is no evidence that access to learning, including access to adult education classes on numeracy and literacy, is being reduced as a result of the area reviews.

Area reviews of post-16 education and training institutions are predominantly focused on general further education and sixth form colleges in order to ensure that there are high quality, financially resilient colleges that are able to meet the needs of young people and adults across the country. Schools with sixth forms and Higher Education Institutions can opt in to a review if they wish to do so and if they have the agreement of the review’s local steering group.

Each review conducts a detailed analysis of the current post-16 provision in the area which includes the offer made by schools with sixth forms and Higher Education Institutions. Regional Schools Commissioners and local authorities sit on local area review steering groups and will take account of the analysis from area reviews in any decisions they make about future schools provision.

Where an area review recommends further education colleges to merge, there will have been a financial assessment of the efficiencies that could be secured through the merger. These are likely to include reductions in administrative and management costs, as duplication of functions is reduced. This will make resources available for re-investment in delivering high quality teaching. This was one of the lessons that was learned from the pilot review carried out in North East Norfolk and North Suffolk and reflects the assessment undertaken by an independent further education adviser in 2015 of mergers in the further education sector to date. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/current-models-of-collaboration-post-14-further-education)

As education is a devolved matter, any assessment of the mergers of further education institutions in Scotland would be a matter for the Scottish Government.

The Government recognises a key part of raising the standard of education for all children, regardless of background, is to ensure they receive a good level of development in literacy and numeracy before they start school at age five, which is why in 2010 we extended the free entitlement to 15 hours for all three and four year olds

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework sets the prime areas of learning which early years providers must follow. This includes a focus on communication and language. The Early Years Foundation stage is published on gov.uk and is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335504/EYFS_framework_from_1_September_2014__with_clarification_note.pdf

The 2014-15 EYFS Profile results tell us that the proportion of children achieving a good level of development continues to increase – 66 % in 2015, compared to 60% in 2014 and 52% in 2013. The EYFS Profile results also show that more than 80% of children are reaching the expected communication and language skills by age five. A higher proportion of children eligible for free school meals are achieving a good level of development – 51% in 2015 compared to 45% in 2014. Although the gap between disadvantaged children and their peers is narrowing, we recognise there is still some way to go.

The quality of early education is improving, the numbers of qualified staff have risen, the numbers of graduates in the workforce continues to rise, and a record number of providers are rated good or outstanding, with 86% of providers currently on the Early Years Register judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness at 31 March 2016.

The quality of the workforce continues to rise with 87% of staff in full day care settings now qualified to level 3 (equivalent level of study to A-level). To improve the quality of the workforce further, we have introduced early years teachers who must meet the same entry qualification requirements as teachers of older children. We have also introduced an early years pupil premium to help providers support the learning and development of children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Funding for education is a priority for this government. As announced at the Spending Review, we have protected the core schools budget in real terms. This year the schools budget will total around £40 billion. We are also committed to making funding fairer by introducing a national funding formula. A national funding formula will ensure that all schools are on an even starting point from which to build educational excellence. This is because a national funding formula will recognise pupil need, and pupils with similar needs will attract the same amount of funding wherever they are in the country.

Academy trusts are responsible for making their own spending decisions including for consultancy and the salaries they set for staff, although we would expect pay to reflect the size and complexity of the trust. As public bodies trusts must secure value for money. They have transparency obligations which means they must publish annual accounts making clear how much they pay school leaders.

Nationally we have protected the core schools budget in real terms to the end of the current Spending Review period, enabling a per-pupil protection for the dedicated schools grant so that the money available for our schools will increase as pupil numbers rise.

The DSG allocations for Birmingham in 2016-17 are found in the table below:

Birmingham DSG allocations 2016-17

Allocations for future years will be announced in due course.

We believe that schools should be funded on a consistent and predictable basis, which is why we have proposed to introduce a National Funding Formula. The first stage of our two part consultation closed on 17 April and we are currently considering all the responses. We will be launching the second stage of the consultation, which will include illustrative allocations for all schools and local areas, later in the year.

Academy trusts must spend their funds on their charitable objectives to advance education. Within this limit, trusts are responsible for determining for themselves how to allocate their funds across different activities, including marketing, and for ensuring that their spending decisions achieve regularity, propriety and value for money. Trusts are best placed to make this decision, in light of their individual circumstances.

Marketing and public relations is not a category under which the Department collects expenditure information from academies and data is not, therefore, held by the Department in a way which distinguishes it from other spending by academies.

Income and expenditure data for academies is collected and published each year by the Department as a Statistical First Release. The latest published data is for 2013/14 and can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-and-expenditure-in-academies-in-england-2013-to-2014

It is not possible to differentiate for any spend in an academy whether it was made from public funds or from self-generated income.

As stated in my response to the Hon. Member’s previous question 36565, the Government believes that sex and relationship education is essential for children’s development and preparation for responsible adult life. We have received requests about updating the guidance which we will consider carefully.

Future college mergers will tend to be decided through area reviews of post-16 education which are focused on meeting the needs of learners in each area. Area reviews, because they are overseen by steering groups including Chairs and Principals of colleges as well as local authorities, are well placed to ensure decisions are taken which are in the interests of local further education students, taking into account travel to learn distances. The steering group’s recommendations will always be based on the best available evidence, including an analysis of local economic and educational needs, and the mapping of current curriculum provision and travel to learn patterns.

As well as being members of area review steering groups, local authorities have statutory responsibility for transport to education and training for 16- to 19-year-olds. We expect local authorities to make reasonable decisions about the support they offer based on the needs of their young people, local transport infrastructure and the resources they have available. Authorities will need to take account of the recommendations arising from each area review and the impact on transport for learners. Local authorities fund any support they provide for transport to post-16 education through the grants they receive from national government and through generated income, such as council tax.

Most 16- to 19-year olds have access to a discount or concession on local travel, from their local transport provider, their local authority, or from their education or training provider. The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund is also available to support young people with the costs associated with attending education or training, and transport is the biggest single area of expenditure for which this fund is used.

The Government believes that sex and relationship education (SRE) is essential for children’s development and preparation for responsible adult life. The Secretary of State’s guidance makes clear that all schools should ensure that young people, whatever their developing sexuality or identity, feel that SRE is relevant to them and sensitive to their needs. We have received requests about updating the guidance and have made a commitment to develop an action plan for improving PSHE and have agreed to consider updating the 2000 statutory SRE guidance. In her letter of 10 February 2016 to the Education Select Committee, the Secretary of State said that she would consider updating the SRE guidance.

As part of our current review of the School Admissions Code, we are considering whether changes need to be made to address some of the issues highlighted by the Schools Adjudicator. The School Admissions Code requires that the oversubscription criteria of all state-funded schools, including schools with a religious character, are reasonable, clear, objective, and procedurally fair. Schools operating faith-admission arrangements must ensure that parents can easily understand how any faith-based criteria will be reasonably satisfied. Parents should be able to look at a set of arrangements and understand easily how places for that school will be allocated.

If parents consider arrangements are unclear or unfair they can object to the Schools Adjudicator.

Officials regularly meet with a range of stakeholders to discuss admissions policy.

We want every child, regardless of birth or background, to fulfil their full potential. Good quality early education can positively affect a child’s later attainment, which is why local authorities in England have a legal duty to ensure all three- and four-year-olds and the most disadvantaged two-year-olds are able to take up a funded early education place free of charge.

Each eligible child is entitled to 570 hours of free early learning a year, equivalent to 15 hours a week of early education for 38 weeks per year. Government figures show 99% of four-year-olds and 96% of three-year-olds are accessing free childcare. Survey findings also indicate 70% of disadvantaged two year-olds are taking up the offer.

The early years pupil premium, which was introduced in April last year, provides nurseries and schools delivering the early education entitlement for three- and four-year-olds with an extra 53p an hour for each eligible child to help them improve the outcomes of disadvantaged children and close the gap in school readiness between disadvantaged children and their peers.

The Government will shortly consult on a package of changes to the School Admissions Code. These changes will respond to concerns from parents and to the findings within the Chief Adjudicator’s Annual Reports. These changes will include measures to improve fairness and transparency.

Admission authorities for all state-funded schools, including schools with a religious character, are required to comply with the Code. This includes a requirement that ‘the practices and the criteria used to decide the allocation of school places are fair, clear and objective’.

The Code is clear that parents have a right to object to a school’s admission policy. Where an objection is made and the adjudicator finds that the admission arrangements are unclear, or unfair, or that they otherwise fail to comply with the Code, the admission authority is required by law to change them. The deadline for objections is set many months in advance of the closing date for school applications. This ensures that any admission arrangements which breach the Code can be amended to comply before parents apply for a place.

The new national curriculum tests at Key Stages 1 and 2 were first announced in March 2014, and since then we have provided schools with further information to help them adapt to the assessment arrangements. In addition to sample questions published in summer 2014, complete sample tests were published in summer 2015 to give primary schools nearly a year of lead-in time to ensure their pupils are adequately prepared.

The new interim teacher assessment frameworks ay Key Stages 1 and 2 were published in September 2015 and were therefore provided at the start of the academic year in time for use this summer. Our public consultation on the frameworks received a large volume of diverse feedback, which we wanted to give proper consideration before introducing the important change for schools. Recent publications in January and February 2016 did not announce any change to assessment arrangements, but provided example materials to support teachers in making teacher assessment judgements.

We have made removing unnecessary workload a priority so that the efforts of teachers are focused on teaching. Our primary assessment reforms have been designed to put arrangements for the majority of classroom assessment back into the hands of the school and to reduce the tracking burdens that national curriculum levels encouraged. We believe schools are best placed to decide how to assess pupils in line with their curriculum and that over time this should lead to a reduction in teacher workload.

Following the introduction of the new national curriculum and the removal of levels, we have developed new forms of statutory assessment at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2. The duty to report assessment at these points remains unchanged from previous years. We do recognise, however, that in this first year the new forms of assessment are used pupils and teachers will be adapting their approach. The best way to prepare pupils remains to focus on teaching the new national curriculum, which schools have been doing since September 2014.

Throughout the introduction of our important reforms to primary assessment, we have worked closely with teachers and head teachers and continue to listen to the concerns of the profession as the details of the new arrangements are finalised. We are working constructively with the teaching profession and their representatives to find solutions to some of the remaining issues.

Admission authorities for all state-funded schools, including schools with a religious character, are required to comply with the School Admissions Code. This includes a requirement that ‘parents should be able to look at a set of arrangements and understand easily how places for that school will be allocated’.

We support the right of schools with a religious designation to prioritise children of their faith. The code requires such schools, as a minimum, to prioritise looked after and previously looked after children of their faith ahead of other children. We have no plans to change this requirement.

The code can only be applied to bodies within the education sector. It cannot place requirements upon religious bodies. It does, however, require that when schools with a religious designation adopt admission criteria which prioritise children based on their faith, the schools must take account of religious activities as laid out by their religious authority.

Compliance with the code is enforced by the Schools Adjudicator. Where an objection is made and the adjudicator finds that the arrangements are unclear, unfair, or that they otherwise fail to comply with the code, the admission authority is required by law to change the policy.

The Government will shortly consult on a package of changes to the code which will both respond to the findings within the Chief Adjudicator’s Annual Reports and concerns raised by parents. That package will include measures to improve fairness and transparency.

Admission authorities for all state-funded schools are required to comply with the School Admissions Code. This includes a requirement that ‘parents should be able to look at a set of arrangements and understand easily how places for that school will be allocated’. We consider that the code provides clear advice to all admission authorities.

Compliance is enforced by the Schools Adjudicator. Where an objection is made and the adjudicator finds that the arrangements are unclear, unfair, or that they otherwise fail to comply with the code, the admission authority is required by law to change the policy.

The degree to which maintained schools comply with the code is monitored through the Chief Adjudicator’s Annual Report. We consider the findings of the report and whether changes to the system are necessary.

Admission authorities for all state-funded schools, including schools with a religious character, are required to comply with the School Admissions Code. This includes a requirement that ‘parents should be able to look at a set of arrangements and understand easily how places for that school will be allocated’.

We support the right of schools with a religious designation to prioritise children of their faith. The code requires such schools, as a minimum, to prioritise looked after and previously looked after children of their faith ahead of other children. We have no plans to change this requirement.

The code can only be applied to bodies within the education sector. It cannot place requirements upon religious bodies. It does, however, require that when schools with a religious designation adopt admission criteria which prioritise children based on their faith, the schools must take account of religious activities as laid out by their religious authority.

Compliance with the code is enforced by the Schools Adjudicator. Where an objection is made and the adjudicator finds that the arrangements are unclear, unfair, or that they otherwise fail to comply with the code, the admission authority is required by law to change the policy.

The Government will shortly consult on a package of changes to the code which will both respond to the findings within the Chief Adjudicator’s Annual Reports and concerns raised by parents. That package will include measures to improve fairness and transparency.

Admission authorities for all state-funded schools are required to comply with the School Admissions Code. This includes a requirement that ‘parents should be able to look at a set of arrangements and understand easily how places for that school will be allocated’. We consider that the code provides clear advice to all admission authorities.

Compliance is enforced by the Schools Adjudicator. Where an objection is made and the adjudicator finds that the arrangements are unclear, unfair, or that they otherwise fail to comply with the code, the admission authority is required by law to change the policy.

The degree to which maintained schools comply with the code is monitored through the Chief Adjudicator’s Annual Report. We consider the findings of the report and whether changes to the system are necessary.

Admission authorities for all state-funded schools, including schools with a religious character, are required to comply with the School Admissions Code. This includes a requirement that ‘parents should be able to look at a set of arrangements and understand easily how places for that school will be allocated’.

We support the right of schools with a religious designation to prioritise children of their faith. The code requires such schools, as a minimum, to prioritise looked after and previously looked after children of their faith ahead of other children. We have no plans to change this requirement.

The code can only be applied to bodies within the education sector. It cannot place requirements upon religious bodies. It does, however, require that when schools with a religious designation adopt admission criteria which prioritise children based on their faith, the schools must take account of religious activities as laid out by their religious authority.

Compliance with the code is enforced by the Schools Adjudicator. Where an objection is made and the adjudicator finds that the arrangements are unclear, unfair, or that they otherwise fail to comply with the code, the admission authority is required by law to change the policy.

The Government will shortly consult on a package of changes to the code which will both respond to the findings within the Chief Adjudicator’s Annual Reports and concerns raised by parents. That package will include measures to improve fairness and transparency.

The Government recognises that young carers face challenges participating in higher education and they may require additional support to do so effectively. We have made changes to student support for those in higher education in the 2016/17 academic year. In particular, students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are living away from home and studying outside London can receive a maximum maintenance loan for living costs of £8,200 a year in 2016/17. This represents an increase of £766 from the maximum combined loans and grants available in 2015/16. In addition to the main support package, a student who is a young carer can apply for a Childcare Grant or Parents’ Learning Allowance.

Students in 16-19 education can also apply for a discretionary bursary to help meet the costs of their travel, equipment, educational trips or anything else that they might require to participate effectively in their education. Funding is also allocated to sixth forms and colleges so they can provide additional educational support to students fromdisadvantaged backgrounds, including young carers.

The Government recognises the valuable service that young carers provide both to their community and their families. It is vital that they are not disadvantaged in their education, and have the same access to education, career choices, and wider opportunities as other young people.

In November 2015, officials from the Education Funding Agency met representatives from the Carers Trust to discuss how best to support young carers through the 16-19 bursary fund. We will work with the National Association of Managers of Student Services to review the use of the discretionary bursary fund and amend our funding guidance to ensure that institutions prioritise the needs of young carers.

We are protecting the schools budget in real terms, as we pledged in our manifesto. Throughout this Parliament, the amount of money for our schools will increase as pupil numbers rise. In 2015-16 we increased funding for the 69 least well-funded local authorities by £390 million, and that increased level of funding will be included in the baseline for future years. We will go further to target funding effectively, and end historic unfairness in the system, by introducing a national funding formula. We will provide every school with a fair allocation matched to need, that allows them to continue driving up educational standards and support every child to achieve to the best of their potential, whatever their background and wherever they live.

A full answer could only be provided at disproportionate cost. This is because, to date, the Department has operated a devolved approach to contract management. In addition, the Department’s finance systems do not split contract spend between private sector, public sector, and third sector providers. The Department is implementing a new contracts system in 2015, which will provide improved coverage and detail on spending in 2015-16 and onwards.

The Secretary of State for Education has confirmed that reducing unnecessary workload for teachers is an absolute priority for this Government. She is committed to taking action and is exploring ways to do this with trade unions through the current programme of talks at the Department for Education. The Department welcomes the National Union of Teachers’ (NUT) contribution to the programme of talks and their further contribution to the debate through the proposed eight-step action programme for tackling workload. The Department will consider carefully the proposals put forward by the NUT. These will be considered alongside the results of the recent ‘Workload Challenge’, a survey of teachers launched by the Secretary of State and the Deputy Prime Minister, which closed recently after receiving more than 40,000 responses. The results are being analysed and a programme of action will be published early next year.

This Government has taken steps to reduce bureaucracy and burdens on schools, but we know that there is more to be done and are absolutely committed to working with teachers to find solutions.

No one is allowed to charge an academy trust for the use of land that a maintained school can use for free. If maintained schools pay a fee – for example, for use of shared sports facilities – then this arrangement can continue when a school converts to become an academy.

Information about the number of schools, including the number of academies, that pay a fee for use of land or facilities is not held centrally and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

All disposals of publicly funded land by an academy would be judged on their individual merits and the Department for Education places no absolute thresholds in such cases. My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, would expect to balance the considerations listed against the circumstances under which the land in question is being disposed, and the future plans for it following disposal.

Guidance on academy land transfers is published online at: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/254887/land_transfer_advice_april_2013.pdf

State-funded schools, including free schools and academies, should not teach creationism as an evidence-based scientific theory. Outside of science lessons, it is permissible for schools to cover creationism as part of religious education lessons, providing that this does not undermine the teaching of established scientific theory. Academies and free schools are required to teach a broad and balanced curriculum and the model funding agreement now prohibits the teaching of creationism as an evidence-based theory. Independent schools must comply with the independent school standards, and are subject to inspections by Ofsted or an alternative inspectorate.

All state-funded schools are subject to Ofsted inspections and a range of intervention powers are in place if required. In addition, any breach of academy or free school funding agreements in relation to creationism would be swiftly dealt with by the Department for Education and could result in the termination of the funding agreement.

My Rt hon. friend, the Secretary of State for Education, may need to make a determination in order to protect the public investment in the land where the land ceases, or will cease, to be used for an academy. The Secretary of State will consider a range of factors, including:

1. the degree of public investment in the land and the degree of any enhancement to the value attributable to that investment;

2. the degree of private investment in the land and the degree of any enhancement to the value attributable to that investment;

3. the length of time that the land has been in public use;

4. the value of the land at the date of determination.

Additional protections for school playing fields would continue to apply, as set out in published guidance, which is available at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/protection-of-school-playing-fields-and-public-land-advice

A copy of the guidance has been placed in the House Library.

If an academy trust ceases to operate a state-funded school, the Department for Education would normally identify another academy trust to take responsibility for the academy. Land would be transferred to the new trust – either as a leasehold or freehold. In the unlikely event that an academy closes entirely, my Rt. hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, can exercise his powers to protect public land, which include returning former local authority land to the relevant authority or ensuring the land remains in educational use by transferring it to another school.

The Department for Education does not hold a policy on who an appropriate person is to hold title deeds for schools funded by the UK taxpayer, as the law strictly controls the disposal of publicly-funded school land.

When community schools convert to academies, the freehold is retained by the local authority and a lease is granted to the academy trust. In some circumstances, my Rt. hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, may allow publicly-funded school land to be transferred to a person concerned in the running of an academy. Where this occurs, the transfer will be to an academy trust, which will have satisfied the Secretary of State as to its ability to operate a state-funded school.

The Department for Education funds English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses through the adult education budget. We do not collect data on learners that would allow us to identify them as refugees. We have previously published providers’ overall spending on ESOL, which includes funding for refugee learners. I refer the hon. Member for Birmingham, Hall Green to the answer my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Apprentices and Skills gave on 12 March 2018 to 131906.

In addition, as part of the Home Office’s Vulnerable Person Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) and Vulnerable Children Resettlement Programme (VCRP), local authorities receive £8520 per person for the first year of resettlement (with the exception of Northern Ireland, where the tariff is £8000 per person) from which they are required to provide a range of support services, including access to English language support. Local authorities are able to determine for themselves how this tariff funding is used, based on local need and service provision.

The government has also made an additional £10 million available over five years for English language support for those resettled on the VPRS and VCRP programmes. This funding is for the provision of ESOL classes, and equates to £850 per adult resettled. The Home Office has also allocated funding (£600,000 in each of the financial years 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19, and £500,000 in 2019/20) to enable local authorities to provide additional childcare to those on the VPRS and VCRS so that they can attend ESOL classes.

When community schools convert to academies, the freehold is retained by the local authority and a lease is granted to the academy trust.

There are strict rules protecting publicly funded land used by academies, regardless of who holds the freehold. This is set out in published guidance, which is available at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/protection-of-school-playing-fields-and-public-land-advice

A copy of the guidance has been placed in the House Library.

The Government is keen that the welfare needs of racehorses are well met, both during their racing lives and afterwards and any racehorse fatality is one too many.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is responsible for the safety of racehorses at British racecourses, including the Grand National. The BHA works alongside the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare to make horseracing as safe as possible. However, both I and the BHA consider that more can be done to make horseracing safer which is why I have been holding regular discussions with the BHA about this, including the fatalities at the Grand National, Cheltenham Festival 2019 as well at any other racetrack.

On 14 May, I am due to meet the BHA Chair and the new independent Chair of the BHA’s newly appointed Horse Welfare Board when I will again press them on what progress they are making to improve racehorse safety and what further lessons have been learned from this year’s Grand National and Cheltenham Festival.

The Government understands that the BHA carried out post-mortem examinations on all three horses which incurred fatal injuries at the Aintree Grand National meeting.

The number of pheasant hatching eggs and live birds imported into England from the EU in 2018 was:

The number of pheasant hatching eggs and live birds imported into the UK from third countries in 2018 was:

Hatching eggs – 91,560

Live birds – 5,250

All imports were from the USA.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency is not able to determine how many of the above imports from third countries were imported into England.

Defra is keen that the welfare needs of racehorses are well met, both during their racing lives and afterwards. The loss of any racehorse is a tragedy.

Since the end of last year, I have been in regular dialogue with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) about racehorse safety both at Cheltenham and in racing in general. As the BHA are responsible for racehorse safety at tracks, I have not had any direct contact with Cheltenham racetrack.

I have recently written to the Chair of the BHA requesting an update on the cause of the fatalities at this year’s event and why they were not prevented by the policies that were put in place, as a result of the seven fatalities at last year’s Festival. I will also discuss these concerns when I meet the newly appointed independent Chair of the racing industry’s new Horse Welfare Board, Barry Johnson, who is a former Chair of World Horse Welfare as well as a former President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

I am also seeking clarity on the roles and responsibilities of the Horse Welfare Board to ensure that it will be able to make recommendations that the racing industry will implement.

Defra is keen that the welfare needs of racehorses are well met, both during their racing lives and afterwards. The loss of any racehorse is a tragedy.

Since the end of last year, I have been in regular dialogue with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) about racehorse safety both at Cheltenham and in racing in general. As the BHA are responsible for racehorse safety at tracks, I have not had any direct contact with Cheltenham racetrack.

I have recently written to the Chair of the BHA requesting an update on the cause of the fatalities at this year’s event and why they were not prevented by the policies that were put in place, as a result of the seven fatalities at last year’s Festival. I will also discuss these concerns when I meet the newly appointed independent Chair of the racing industry’s new Horse Welfare Board, Barry Johnson, who is a former Chair of World Horse Welfare as well as a former President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

I am also seeking clarity on the roles and responsibilities of the Horse Welfare Board to ensure that it will be able to make recommendations that the racing industry will implement.

Defra is keen that the welfare needs of racehorses are well met, both during their racing lives and afterwards. The loss of any racehorse is a tragedy.

Since the end of last year, I have been in regular dialogue with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) about racehorse safety both at Cheltenham and in racing in general. As the BHA are responsible for racehorse safety at tracks, I have not had any direct contact with Cheltenham racetrack.

I have recently written to the Chair of the BHA requesting an update on the cause of the fatalities at this year’s event and why they were not prevented by the policies that were put in place, as a result of the seven fatalities at last year’s Festival. I will also discuss these concerns when I meet the newly appointed independent Chair of the racing industry’s new Horse Welfare Board, Barry Johnson, who is a former Chair of World Horse Welfare as well as a former President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

I am also seeking clarity on the roles and responsibilities of the Horse Welfare Board to ensure that it will be able to make recommendations that the racing industry will implement.

Defra is keen to ensure that we uphold our high standards of animal welfare including in relation to horseracing. Irresponsible use of the whip is completely unacceptable.

The British Horseracing Association (BHA) requires that whips be used responsibly and jockeys may only use the whip within certain strict rules. The BHA last undertook a review of the whip in 2011. The BHA policy on the whip was drawn up in consultation with animal welfare groups, such as the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare.

Defra understands that the BHA will give further consideration to use of the whip as part of their development of an industry-wide welfare strategy.

The Government is proud of the high food safety and animal welfare standards that underpin our high-quality Great British produce. The UK will maintain its high standards as part of any future free trade agreements.

In the UK, close-confinement stalls for breeding sows have been banned since 1999. The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 requires all sows and gilts to be kept in groups. This protection will continue after we leave the EU.

The Government is proud of the high food safety and animal welfare standards that underpin our high-quality Great British produce. The UK will maintain its high standards as part of any future free trade agreements.

The UK has transposed EU Council Directive 96/22/EC (as amended) into national law; the ‘Animals and Animal Products (Examination for Residues and Maximum Residue Limits) (England and Scotland) Regulations 2015', with similar legislation for Wales and Northern Ireland, which prohibits the use of beta-agonists in both domestic production and imported products. This protection will continue after we leave the EU.

The Government is proud of the high food safety and animal welfare standards that underpin our high-quality Great British produce. The UK will maintain its high standards as part of any future free trade agreements.

Regulation 2015/1375 lays down specific rules on official controls for Trichinella in meat, including the testing of pig carcases, and will be transposed into national law to ensure food safety protection is maintained. This protection will continue after we leave the EU.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) does not hold information on pheasants and partridges kept in raised laying cages for the breeding of game birds for sporting purposes in England and Wales. APHA does not hold this information for Bettws Hall Game Farm.

APHA does not maintain year on year statistics for game farms. APHA only takes a register of the number of birds usually kept on a holding, which is supplied at the time of registration by the owner/keeper of the birds.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) does not hold information on pheasants and partridges kept in raised laying cages for the breeding of game birds for sporting purposes in England and Wales. APHA does not hold this information for Bettws Hall Game Farm.

APHA does not maintain year on year statistics for game farms. APHA only takes a register of the number of birds usually kept on a holding, which is supplied at the time of registration by the owner/keeper of the birds.

Claire Perry, Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), who attends cabinet and is responsible for climate change mitigation, attended the meeting.

Working closely with BEIS, Defra is delivering greenhouse gas emission reductions within the agriculture, forestry and waste management sectors, as set out in the Clean Growth Strategy and the 25 Year Environment Plan.

We are leading the world in our response to the IPCC report. The UK hosted the European launch of the IPCC’s report at the first ever Green Great Britain Week held between 15-19 October. Following the report we have commissioned the UK’s independent advisors, the Committee on Climate Change, for advice on the implications of the Paris Agreement for the UK’s long-term emission reduction target, including on setting a net zero target.

Keepers of animals including primates must provide for the welfare needs of their animals as required by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. To assist in this regard, there is the statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Privately Kept Non-human Primates. Anyone keeping a primate as a pet in a domestic setting, or otherwise causing unnecessary suffering, would be in breach of the 2006 Act and liable to a penalty of six months’ imprisonment or an unlimited fine, or both. The Government has announced that the maximum custodial penalty for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal will rise from six months’ imprisonment to five years’ imprisonment.

As of 1 October new laws were introduced regulating the sale of pets. The new laws provide strict minimum welfare standards for any business selling pets. In addition, Defra has worked with the Pet Advertising Advisory Group on the development of voluntary minimum standards for the online advertising of pets, which now include a prohibition on the sale of primates on five of the main online advertising sites.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) provides annual statistics of the number of horse fatalities at racecourses, which are published on their website. These show that since 2013, the percentage of runners being killed at a racetrack has dropped steadily from 0.22% to 0.18% in 2017.

In April, the BHA announced a review into the six racehorse fatalities at this year’s Cheltenham Festival. One of the objectives of the review is to demonstrate openness and transparency by publishing the review, which seeks to improve continuously. The review is scheduled to report in the autumn.

Whilst officials have not met representatives of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) to discuss racehorse fatalities during the years stated, I am aware that the BHA work alongside animal welfare organisations, such as the RSPCA, and regularly review the safety of racetracks and where necessary, make improvements. The Government is satisfied that the BHA work to make horseracing as safe as possible. Annual statistics on the numbers of racehorses killed on racetracks are available on the BHA website, here:https://www.britishhorseracing.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Equine-Injuries-and-Fatalities-2017-data-.pdf .

Regarding training fatalities, under BHA rules, all trainers are required to notify deaths of horses to Weatherbys. As part of their work on a new equine database, the BHA are also looking at enhancing the information to be provided in these circumstances.

The Government has been in regular contact with a number of stakeholders about a range of horse welfare issues including those relating to racehorses.

Whilst officials have not met representatives of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) to discuss racehorse fatalities during the years stated, I am aware that the BHA work alongside animal welfare organisations, such as the RSPCA, and regularly review the safety of racetracks and where necessary, make improvements. The Government is satisfied that the BHA work to make horseracing as safe as possible. Annual statistics on the numbers of racehorses killed on racetracks are available on the BHA website, here:https://www.britishhorseracing.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Equine-Injuries-and-Fatalities-2017-data-.pdf .

Regarding training fatalities, under BHA rules, all trainers are required to notify deaths of horses to Weatherbys. As part of their work on a new equine database, the BHA are also looking at enhancing the information to be provided in these circumstances.

The Government has been in regular contact with a number of stakeholders about a range of horse welfare issues including those relating to racehorses.

Herbicides can only be sold and used if their active substances (such as glyphosate) are approved at EU level and if the products are authorised nationally. Approval and authorisation are only granted if scientific risk assessments demonstrate that the intended use will not harm human health or have an unacceptable effect on the environment.

Glyphosate was approved at EU level at the end of 2017. The UK supported this decision on the basis that the scientific assessment was satisfactory. As is required following a new or renewed approval, the UK regulator is currently reviewing the authorisations for all glyphosate products.

Defra’s Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes applies to England and there are no proposals to change its territorial scope.

We have an ongoing dialogue with the devolved administrations on animal welfare matters, which includes discussing plans to update the animal welfare codes. The case for reviewing the gamebird code remains under consideration.

Defra has not had direct discussions with small and medium-sized businesses in Birmingham or the West Midlands about the financial effect of clean air zones.

The Government assessed the impacts of charging Clean Air Zones on businesses nationally in the 2016 impact assessment. This did not look at the impacts on Birmingham or the West Midlands in isolation.

The Government assessed the impacts of charging in clean air zones on businesses nationally in the 2016 impact assessment. This did not look at the impacts on Birmingham or the West Midlands in isolation.

The UK plan for tackling roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations is clear that local authorities must conduct feasibility studies with robust economic impact assessments, following the HMT Green Book approach. The feasibility studies being produced by local authorities will look at these impacts at a local level.

When we leave the European Union, we will maintain our current standards. We will keep our existing UK legislation, and the EU Withdrawal Bill will convert EU law into UK law as it applies at the moment of exit. Any future trade agreements must work for consumers, farmers, and businesses in the UK. We will not water down our standards on food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection as part of any future trade deals.

The Withdrawal Bill will convert current EU law into domestic law wherever practical, giving consumers and businesses as much certainty as possible. This includes laws relating to chemicals. The UK is strongly committed to the effective and safe management of chemicals. That will not change when we leave the EU.

While it would not be appropriate to pre-judge the outcome of the negotiations we will discuss with the EU and Member States how best to continue cooperation in chemicals regulation in the best interests of both the UK and the EU.

Animal and Plant Health Agency do not record information on the number of game farms in England & Wales using un-enriched raised laying cages

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is only able to provide information relating to ‘Game Birds’ from June 2014. However, this data does not make any distinction between pheasant or partridge farms.

No comparable figures are available prior to 2014.

The attached table provides the statistics covering the number of visits, number of breaches, type of breach and action taken.

The Secretary of State has been clear that we need to maintain and where possible enhance environmental outcomes both now and after we leave the EU.

The Government published the first Litter Strategy for England on 10 April, setting out our aim to clean up the country, including rivers and beaches.

Our strategy is to apply best practice in education, enforcement and infrastructure to deliver a substantial reduction in litter and littering behaviour within a generation. The common aim of all the actions in the Litter Strategy is to change the behaviour of those who currently feel that it is acceptable to drop litter. By reducing the amount of litter dropped, and improving cleaning, we will also reduce the litter reaching our rivers and beaches.

Pollution caused by sewage is controlled by discharge permits issued by the Environment Agency (EA) which must meet the requirements of various environmental regulations including the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations and Bathing Water Regulations. In England, between 2015 and 2020 water companies are investing over £2 billion to improve their sewerage infrastructure, guided by the requirements of the EA. This includes investment to improve sewage treatment works and collecting systems with the aim of reducing the polluting impact of sewage discharges on beaches and rivers. The results to date are that bathing waters are at their highest ever quality, thousands of miles of rivers have been improved and the number of pollution incidents greatly reduced.

The Sentencing Council recently updated its guidelines for magistrates. In their revised guideline, the Sentencing Council aims to ensure that the most serious cases of animal cruelty receive longer sentences of up to the maximum of 6 months’ imprisonment. The Government keeps maximum penalties under review. This includes sentencing trends, and whether there is any evidence that the courts may be finding their sentencing powers inadequate.

Defra has considered the report, ‘The welfare of wild animals in travelling circuses’, commissioned by the Welsh Government. It remains the position of the Department that there is insufficient evidence to justify a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses on welfare grounds. The Government intends to introduce primary legislation to effect a ban on ethical grounds.

Since its introduction in January 2013, only two circuses have been licensed under the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012.

Costs to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for the day-to-day administration of the licensing scheme are covered by the application fee payable each year by a circus. The application fee is set at £389.36. For the period 2013 to 2017, APHA have received £3,893.60 in applications fees from the two licensed circuses.

Costs of inspections under the licensing scheme are also paid for by licensed circuses. Inspection fees are set at £72.53 per hour and inspectors can also claim reasonable travel and subsistence costs. For the period 2013 to date, the total costs of inspections incurred by the two licensed circuses are £23,555.76.

Until exit negotiations are concluded the UK remains a full member of the European Union (EU) and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. During this period the Government will continue to negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation.

The government has not yet reached a position on the nature of future arrangements once we leave the EU.

The Government is considering future arrangements for existing EU legislation. We look forward to working with the industry, rural communities and the wider public to shape our plans for a future outside the EU.

As I said in my previous answer, any future changes in the law will be subject to full scrutiny and proper Parliamentary debate.

As previously stated, further information on Ministerial meetings with organisations is available on Gov.UK, as part of the quarterly transparency information.

Data on meetings with Departmental officials is not centrally recorded. Any further information could only be obtained by incurring disproportionate costs.

The UK has a long commitment to improving the environment even before the EU; for example the Clean Air Act was introduced in 1956. Our strong commitment to improving air quality will continue after the UK leaves the EU.

As we prepare to negotiate our exit the Government will continue to ensure the right policies are in place for a cleaner, healthier environment for everyone.

DEFRA will soon be publishing a 25 Year Environment Plan Framework, in line with our manifesto. The publication of the Framework will be a clear message on our world-leading ambition to leave the environment in a better state for future generations than we find it.

Air quality has improved significantly in recent decades; we are working at local, national and international levels and will continue to do more.

We remain fully committed to delivering our manifesto commitment to be the first generation to leave the natural environment of England in a better state than we found it. We are developing a 25 Year Environment Plan to deliver this.

Earlier this month, the Prime Minister announced our plans for a Repeal Bill that will convert current EU law into domestic British law. This will give consumers, workers and businesses as much certainty as possible by maintaining the existing laws wherever practicable and desirable. Any future changes in the law will be subject to full scrutiny and proper Parliamentary debate. The decision to leave the EU means we now have a unique opportunity, in future, to design a set of policies tailored to the needs of the UK, its species and habitats.

Defra does not hold information on schools in the city that are located in areas with pollution higher than World Health Organisation limits. Birmingham City Council is responsible for reviewing and assessing air quality in its area. It declared a city wide Air Quality Management Area in 2005 and an action plan to tackle NO₂ was put in place. Birmingham City Council is best placed to provide the information requested.

In 2015 measured concentrations of PM₁₀ in the UK were below EU and WHO limit values. Measured concentrations of PM_2.5 were well below the EU limit value of 20µg/m³ but slightly above the WHO value of 10µg/m³ by between 2 and 3µg/m³.

In 2015, Birmingham exceeded the EU limit value for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) in and around the city centre. The main source of NO₂ emissions is road traffic.

In December 2015, the Government published the national air quality plan for reducing NO₂ concentrations through a new programme of Clean Air Zones in five cities in England, including Birmingham. The plan combines targeted local and national measures and continued investment in clean technologies. These measures will also reduce particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5) concentrations. A public consultation seeking views on the draft Clean Air Zone Framework and on the draft regulation mandating the implementation of Clean Air Zones was published on 13 October 2016.