Sajid Javid Portrait

Sajid Javid

Conservative - Former Member for Bromsgrove

First elected: 6th May 2010

Left House: 30th May 2024 (Dissolution)


Sajid Javid is not a member of any APPGs
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
26th Jun 2021 - 5th Jul 2022
Chancellor of the Exchequer
24th Jul 2019 - 13th Feb 2020
Home Secretary
30th Apr 2018 - 24th Jul 2019
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
8th Jan 2018 - 30th Apr 2018
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
14th Jul 2016 - 8th Jan 2018
Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
8th May 2015 - 14th Jul 2016
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
9th Apr 2014 - 8th May 2015
Minister for Equality
9th Apr 2014 - 15th Jul 2014
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
7th Oct 2013 - 9th Apr 2014
Public Accounts Committee
4th Sep 2012 - 25th Nov 2013
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
6th Sep 2012 - 7th Oct 2013
Work and Pensions Committee
12th Jul 2010 - 29th Nov 2010


Division Voting information

Sajid Javid has voted in 2354 divisions, and 8 times against the majority of their Party.

20 Mar 2019 - Amendments Relating to the Provision of Integrated Care Regulations 2019 (S.I., 2019, No. 248) - View Vote Context
Sajid Javid voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 4 Conservative Aye votes vs 296 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 216 Noes - 317
14 Mar 2019 - UK’s Withdrawal from the European Union - View Vote Context
Sajid Javid voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 112 Conservative Aye votes vs 188 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 412 Noes - 202
21 May 2013 - Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill - View Vote Context
Sajid Javid voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 124 Conservative Aye votes vs 134 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 366 Noes - 161
5 Feb 2013 - Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill - View Vote Context
Sajid Javid voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 131 Conservative Aye votes vs 139 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 400 Noes - 175
11 Jul 2012 - Sittings of the House - View Vote Context
Sajid Javid voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 87 Conservative No votes vs 142 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 241 Noes - 256
11 Jul 2012 - Sittings of the House - View Vote Context
Sajid Javid voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 93 Conservative Aye votes vs 139 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 267 Noes - 233
11 Jul 2012 - Sittings of the House - View Vote Context
Sajid Javid voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 90 Conservative Aye votes vs 123 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 280 Noes - 184
7 Sep 2011 - Health and Social Care (Re-committed) Bill - View Vote Context
Sajid Javid voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 94 Conservative Aye votes vs 115 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 118 Noes - 368
View All Sajid Javid Division Votes

All Debates

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
John Bercow (Speaker)
(104 debate interactions)
Lindsay Hoyle (Speaker)
(55 debate interactions)
John Healey (Labour)
Secretary of State for Defence
(45 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Home Office
(1051 debate contributions)
Department of Health and Social Care
(975 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(969 debate contributions)
Department for Education
(425 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Sajid Javid's debates

Latest EDMs signed by Sajid Javid

Sajid Javid has not signed any Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Sajid Javid, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Sajid Javid has not been granted any Urgent Questions

Sajid Javid has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

16 Bills introduced by Sajid Javid


A Bill to make provision about health and social care.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 28th April 2022 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 20th June 2018

To make provision for and in connection with offences relating to offensive weapons.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 16th May 2019 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 27th June 2018

A Bill to make provision about overseas production orders

This Bill received Royal Assent on 12th February 2019 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 7th September 2016

A Bill to make provision about planning and compulsory purchase; and for connected purposes.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 27th April 2017 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 15th July 2015

A Bill to make provision about industrial action, trade unions, employers’ associations and the functions of the Certification Officer.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 4th May 2016 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 16th September 2015

A bill to make provision relating to the promotion of enterprise and economic growth; provision about Sunday opening hours and Sunday working; and provision restricting exit payments in relation to public sector employment.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 4th May 2016 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 6th June 2018

To make provision in relation to terrorism; to make provision enabling persons at ports and borders to be questioned for national security and other related purposes; and for connected purposes.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 12th February 2019 and was enacted into law.


A Bill to make provision, where two or more hereditaments occupied or owned by the same person meet certain conditions as to contiguity, for those hereditaments to be treated for the purposes of non-domestic rating as one hereditament; and to increase the percentage by which a billing authority in England may increase the council tax payable in respect of a long-term empty dwelling.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 1st November 2018 and was enacted into law.


A bill to make provision about the granting of old-style secure tenancies in cases of domestic abuse.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 10th May 2018 and was enacted into law.


A Bill to make provision enabling relief from non-domestic rates in England and Wales to be conferred in respect of hereditaments used for the purposes of facilitating the transmission of communications by any means involving the use of electrical or electromagnetic energy; and for connected purposes.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 8th February 2018 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 18th December 2013

A Bill to consolidate certain enactments relating to co-operative societies, community benefit societies and other societies registered or treated as registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965, with amendments to give effect to recommendations of the Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 14th May 2014 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 20th December 2018

The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to make provision to end rights to free movement of persons under retained EU law and to repeal other retained EU law relating to immigration; to confer power to modify retained direct EU legislation relating to social security co-ordination; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 80%

Last Event - Committee Debate: 9th Sitting: House Of Commons
Tuesday 5th March 2019
Introduced: 16th July 2019

A has been called and Parliament is no longer sitting. The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before . This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill To make provision in relation to domestic abuse; to make provision for and in connection with the establishment of a Domestic Abuse Commissioner; to prohibit cross-examination in person in family proceedings in certain circumstances; to make provision about certain violent or sexual offences, and offences involving other abusive behaviour, committed outside the United Kingdom; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 60%

Last Event - Committee Debate: 3rd Sitting: House Of Commons
Thursday 31st October 2019
(Read Debate)
Introduced: 16th July 2019

A has been called and Parliament is no longer sitting. The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before . This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill To make provision in relation to domestic abuse; to make provision for and in connection with the establishment of a Domestic Abuse Commissioner; to prohibit cross-examination in person in family proceedings in certain circumstances; to make provision about certain violent or sexual offences, and offences involving other abusive behaviour, committed outside the United Kingdom; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 60%

Last Event - Committee Debate: 3rd Sitting: House Of Commons
Thursday 31st October 2019
(Read Debate)
Introduced: 13th January 2017

A Bill To Make provision about non-domestic rating in England; to amend Chapter 4ZA of Part 1 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992; to confer power on the Greater London Authority and certain local authorities in England to impose levies on non-domestic ratepayers to raise money for expenditure on projects expected to promote economic development; to confer power on certain local authorities in England to impose a levy on persons with certain property interests in a business improvement district to finance projects to be carried out in the district; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 60%

Last Event - Committee Debate: 9th Sitting: House Of Commons
Tuesday 21st February 2017

A Bill to set a legal cap on the amount of outstanding net Government debt as a percentage of gross domestic product; and for connected purposes

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Tuesday 12th July 2011

Sajid Javid has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
10th Jun 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many full-time equivalent officials were employed by the Government in the Racial Disparity Unit on June 10 (a) 2020, (b) 2019 and (c) 2018.

The Race Disparity Unit became a fixed team in 2019. On 10 June 2020 there were 25 full-time equivalent officials; on 10 June 2019 there were 26 full-time equivalent officials.

5th Jun 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the weddings industry on the timescale for easing covid-19 restrictions to allow small weddings to take place.

Further to the answer given to PQs 54003, 54280 and 54102 on 8 June 2020, the Government understands the huge significance of weddings to couples planning to get married. We are working to ease restrictions safely to enable weddings to take place.

1st May 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to support veterans and their families in Worcestershire.

This Government is absolutely committed to making the United Kingdom the best place to be a veteran anywhere in the world. We have created the Office for Veterans’ Affairs in the Cabinet Office to ensure veterans are represented right at the heart of Government.

We have also introduced measures such as discounted railcards; guaranteed interviews to make it easier for veterans to join the Civil Service; creating more Armed Forces champions in the Department for Work and Pensions; introducing a national insurance holiday to encourage employers to maximise the talents of veterans in our workforce; improved access to housing, and making it easier for veterans to access physical and mental healthcare support for veterans in the NHS. This is alongside introducing legislation to ensure veterans are not subject to unfair historic investigations and further strengthening the Armed Forces Covenant in law.

14th May 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what support his Department is providing to (a) entrepreneurs and (b) people who wish to expand their small businesses.

The Government has put measures in place to support businesses of all sizes and stages of growth.

The Start Up Loans Company is part of the Government-backed British Business Bank and offers support to start or grow new businesses and those in operation for up to 24 months. Loans of up to £25,000 are available to individuals aged 18 and over, repayable across 1 to 5 years at a competitive fixed rate of 6%. These loans include 12 months of free mentoring from an industry expert.

The Government’s new ‘Help to Grow’ scheme will help small businesses across the UK to learn new skills, reach new customers, and boost profits. Help to Grow: Management will provide intensive management skills support to 30,000 small businesses. Help to Grow: Digital could support 100,000 small businesses with online advice and a voucher for software costs.

The Business Support Helpline and the 38 Growth Hubs across England also offer tailored advice to businesses and entrepreneurs seeking financial support, as well as joining up national and local support.

The Government’s business advice pages on GOV.UK, including the business finance finder search tool, provide information and guidance relevant to starting, growing and maintaining a business, as well as statutory rights and obligations, and links to support provided by devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

14th May 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent steps his Department has taken to work with representatives of the wedding industry on pilot schemes to facilitate the easing of social distancing restrictions on ceremonies and receptions.

BEIS Ministers and officials meet with representatives of the sector-led UK Weddings Taskforce on a regular basis to discuss the challenges faced by the sector and how best to support it through the pandemic.

Information provided by the Weddings Taskforce is contributing to the Events Research Programme and helping us draw conclusions on how to bring about the return of larger weddings after Step 4.

1st Feb 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department has taken to support businesses not required to close by law during the covid-19 lockdown but that are significantly affected by restrictions on the retail, hospitality and leisure industry.

Local Authorities have been provided with funding via the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG). The ARG is a discretionary scheme aimed at supporting businesses including those that have not been mandated to close but which have had their trade adversely affected by the restrictions that have been put in place to tackle Covid-19 and save lives. Eligibility for the ARG is set locally, and guidance makes clear that Local Authorities may use this funding for grants or for other related business support as they see fit.

My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a further £500m top up to ARG in January, in addition to £1.1bn already allocated in November 2020.

17th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to assess the potential merits of easing covid-19 restrictions on weddings through the use of (a) pilot schemes and (b) further consultation with the UK Weddings Taskforce.

The Government is keen to allow larger wedding receptions and celebrations to take place as soon as it is safe. Weddings by their nature bring families and friends together in a single group for extended periods of time, are highly social, and particularly vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19.

Through vaccination and testing we hope to increase the number of attendees when the scientific evidence shows that it is safe to do so.

I am planning to meet with the UK Weddings Taskforce early in the New Year.

11th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what support and information his Department has made available for small businesses which are considering establishing an online presence for the first time.

The Government provides a wide range of support and information for small businesses. The main source of information is the GOV.UK website, with support also available via the Business Support Helpline on FREEPHONE 0800 998 1098 and via the network of 38 local Growth Hubs in England.

In order to provide specific support for businesses considering establishing an online presence, the Government launched The Skills Toolkit on 28 April 2020. The online learning platform includes over 70 courses in digital, numeracy and employability/readiness to help people build their skills, progress in work and boost job prospects. These courses include Fundamentals of Digital Marketing, How to Create Great Online Content and Digital Skills: Social Media (for business).

Furthermore, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is supporting the Digital Boost platform, which provides much-needed digital support for small businesses and charities in the UK that have been impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. The platform is building a community of skilled digital expert volunteers, who are providing one-to-one support to small businesses and charities free of charge to help them improve their digital capability, build sustainable incomes through digital channels, reach more customers online, and stay competitive during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.

The National Cyber Security Centre also published guidance on 20 May to support businesses moving from physical to digital delivery. The guidance was created specifically to support businesses who are relying more heavily on IT services to run their business. The support package includes guidance on home working, video teleconferencing and spotting Covid-19-related email scams.

We also provide grant funding to Be the Business, a business-led independent charity which aims to raise productivity at the firm level, through technology adoption and by promoting best practice management and leadership. Be the Business provides a tech adoption toolkit to help SMEs decide what kind of technology might benefit them, how to choose tech that best meets their needs, and how to implement it effectively into the business.

8th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to support the development of a greener economy in Worcestershire.

Within the decade, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister is determined for the UK to be at the forefront of the green industrial revolution as we accelerate our progress towards net zero emissions by 2050. We have set out billions in support for our low-carbon economy including over £3 billion to transform energy efficiency in homes and public buildings.

The Government is determined to ensure that the benefits of the net zero transition are shared fairly in every region. BEIS has also funded a local energy hub in the Midlands, covering Worcestershire, to help local authorities and communities design and develop renewable energy projects. In the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership area, the hub is currently supporting 7 projects valued at over £15m.

21st Sep 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the wedding industry sector on responding to the challenge of the covid-19 outbreak.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy publishes details of ministers’ meetings with external organisations on a quarterly basis, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings.

Data for April-June will be published in due course.

11th Sep 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to support the continued expansion of the Local Energy Programme.

The Local Energy Programme was launched as part of the Clean Growth Strategy in 2017, with £4.7 million funding. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has provided further funding in subsequent years, bringing the total funding for the Local Energy Programme to almost £20 million to date. This funding has been used to support Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), local authorities and communities in England to play a leading role in decarbonisation and clean growth. The programme has funded the development of an energy strategy for every LEP in England and established five Local Energy Hubs across England, which provide LEPs and local authorities with access to expertise to help develop and secure investment in low carbon projects. It also includes the £10 million Rural Community Energy Fund, delivered through the Hubs, which offers grants to community organisations in rural areas to support the initial stages of development for renewable energy projects. BEIS continues to work with the Local Energy Hubs, LEPs and local authorities, to enable a joined-up approach to decarbonisation and clean growth.

28th Aug 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of businesses and industry bodies representing nightclubs.

Departments publish quarterly details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations on GOV.UK. Details for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings.

The latest published data covers January to March 2020. Data for April to June 2020 will be published in due course.

1st Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2020 to Question 53392 on Hospitality Industry: Coronavirus, what discussions he has had with representatives from (a) business and (b) consumer advocacy organisations to assess the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on businesses that provide support for weddings.

My Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister has announced that wedding ceremonies of up to 30 people can resume from 4 July. The Government is continuing to engage with representatives from the industry to explore how wedding celebrations may be resumed in a Covid-secure way, once it is safe to do so.

2nd Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with representatives from (a) business and (b) consumer advocacy organisations to assess the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on businesses that provide support for weddings.

This matter sits with the DCMS ministerial Taskforce. BEIS Ministers and BEIS officials regularly meet consumer organisations and businesses to discuss the effects of the covid-19 outbreak.

1st Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to support supply chains in the construction industry during the covid-19 outbreak.

The construction sector will be a key part of our economic recovery. The Government continues to work closely with the sector to ensure that we can support its bounce back.

My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced a host of measures to help businesses, including construction firms and businesses in the supply chain, to access finance. Measures include £330 billion worth of Government-backed and guaranteed loans, as well as:.

  • A Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, which enables small businesses with a turnover of up to £45 million to access vital financial support.

  • A Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme, providing finance to mid-sized and larger UK businesses with a group turnover of more than £45 million.

  • A Bounce Back Loans Scheme, which provides loans of up to £50,000 to benefit small businesses with a 100% Government-backed guarantee for lenders.

The Government has also worked with construction firms to develop guidance on safer working on construction sites, to enable them to reopen safely as soon as possible. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19.

In addition, the construction industry has developed Site and Branch Operating Procedures for firms and merchants, as well as guidance for small firms and mineral products suppliers, regarding how construction firms can apply the Government’s guidance on safer working.

27th May 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the review into the Football Index Gambling Product is taking to engage with former customers who may be able to support its work.

The Secretary of State has appointed Malcolm Sheehan QC to lead the independent review of the Football Index gambling product and we have published its scope and terms of reference on gov.uk. As I said in my Written Ministerial Statement of 7 June, many former customers of Football Index have already contacted the Department to provide information and they can continue to do so via gamblingactreview@dcms.gov.uk. The statement can be found at: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-06-07/hcws63

11th May 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to implement an age verification process for access to legal online pornography.

Protecting children is at the heart of our online harms agenda and wider government priorities. The strongest protections in the online safety legislation will be for children.

Under our now-published draft Online Safety legislation, we expect companies to use age verification technologies to prevent children from accessing services which pose the highest risk of harm to children, such as online pornography.

The online safety regime will capture both the most visited pornography sites and pornography on social media, therefore covering the vast majority of sites where children are most likely to be exposed to pornography. Social media platforms will need to put appropriate systems and processes in place to prevent children viewing pornography on their services.

The draft Online Safety legislation will be subject to pre-legislative scrutiny in this session. We are also working closely with Ofcom to ensure that the implementation period, that will be necessary following passage of the legislation, is as short as possible.

26th Apr 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what Government support is available for (a) the provision of facilities for and (b) to encourage participation in grassroots football.

Sports and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health, and are a vital weapon against coronavirus.

Many football clubs have benefited from the multi-billion pound package of cross-sector business support from the Government that has enabled many sports clubs and leisure businesses to survive, including the furlough scheme and business interruption loan scheme. Sports have accessed many hundreds of millions of pounds of support through this.

As part of this, Sport England has provided £220 million directly to support community sport clubs and exercise centres through this pandemic, via a range of funds including their £35 million Community Emergency Fund. This support is available to both men’s and women’s clubs with the latest figures showing £10.5m has already been awarded to over 1,500 football clubs. This sector support was recently boosted by an extra £50 million to help grassroots sports clubs and organisations as part of Sport England’s new strategy Uniting the Movement.

The Government continues to invest in community sport facilities as well, via the Football Foundation, alongside The Football Association and the Premier League, with government investing £18 million per annum. This three-way partnership sees £70 million of investment into community sport facilities every year.

16th Apr 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to increase the level of tourism to (a) Worcestershire and (b) Bromsgrove District once covid-19 restrictions are eased.

My Department is taking a number of steps to encourage tourism once restrictions are eased, including in Worcestershire.

The Global Travel Taskforce last year committed the Government to publish a Tourism Recovery Plan in support of the sector. The Government intends to set out proposals in the Spring, including plans for a marketing campaign to welcome visitors back to the UK as soon as it is safe to do so.

We are working with VisitBritain, VisitEngland and local partners to champion the UK’s diverse tourism offer through the Escape the Everyday campaign.

We will continue to work with industry to provide assurance regarding when people can safely visit attractions - as demonstrated through the We’re Good to Go industry standard, which has been used by over 45,000 businesses.

The March Budget included £700m of extra funding to support our world-leading arts, culture and sporting institutions - protecting the venues which make the UK an attractive destination to visit.

Across all rounds and competitions of the Culture Recovery Fund, the West Midlands region received around £110m in funding, through awards to over 450 organisations/sites. As examples of funding in Mid-Worcestershire, Hartlebury Castle Preservation Trust received £290,000 across both rounds of funding, and The Mono Box received £107,318 across both rounds of funding.

As some examples of funding in Bromsgrove, Avoncroft Museum received £275,943 across both rounds of funding, and Blackwell Adventure received £55,000 in Round 2.

In total, over £25bn has been provided to the tourism, leisure and hospitality sectors in the form of grants, loans and tax breaks.

19th Feb 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure leisure services operated by district councils are supported during the covid-19 pandemic.

Sports and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health, and are a vital weapon against coronavirus.

The National Leisure Recovery Fund seeks to support eligible public sector leisure centres to reopen to the public, giving the sport and physical activity sector the best chance of recovery to a position of sustainable operation over the medium term.

A total of £100 million is available as a biddable fund to eligible local authorities in England, which will be allocated in a single funding round covering the period 1 December 2020 to 31 March 2021. Eligible local authorities include: those in England who hold responsibility for the provision of leisure services, those who have outsourced their leisure provision to an external body to and those whose outsourced leisure arrangements have ended since 20 March 2020 and services are now delivered as an in-house function. This is in addition to the wider financial support provided to councils throughout the pandemic.

Government has worked closely with the Local Government Association (LGA), ukactive, the District Councils' Network, Community Leisure UK, Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association and others to make sure the application and funding process is as fast and simple as possible.

In addition, the Local Government Income Compensation Scheme looks to compensate authorities for eligible losses income from sales, fees and charges.

11th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the rate of transmission of covid-19 of the public health requirement that (a) golf courses and (b) tennis clubs must temporarily close during the November 2020 covid-19 lockdown in England.

Sports and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health, and are a vital weapon against coronavirus. That’s why we made sure that people could exercise at least once a day even during the height of the first period of enhanced national restrictions and why we opened up grassroots sport and leisure facilities as soon as it was safe to do so.

Nobody wanted to be in the position of having to introduce further National Restrictions. However as the Prime Minister said, with the virus spreading faster than expected we cannot allow our health system to be overwhelmed. The National Restrictions are designed to get the R rate under control through limiting social contact and reducing transmissions. We have not introduced further exemptions because when you unpick at one activity the effectiveness of the whole package is compromised.

However, as the Prime Minister said on 23 November national restrictions will end on Wednesday 2 December and gyms and the wider leisure sector including golf courses and tennis clubs can reopen across all tiers.

8th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on business opportunities for businesses in Bromsgrove District.

The Government, along with Birmingham City Council and its partners, is investing £778 million to deliver the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The Games will be about far more than 11 days of sport and Government’s significant investment will provide legacy opportunities such as job creation, community and sports facilities and a timely boost to businesses for the whole of the West Midlands, including Bromsgrove District. The additional investment of £24 million from the Government and the West Midlands Combined Authority to create a Trade, Tourism, and Investment Programme for the Games will also ensure the West Midlands can fully maximise the national and international economic opportunities of hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

21st Sep 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of above Step 5 (a) football clubs and (b) governing bodies of English football on supporting a safe return to (i) playing and (ii) spectating as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

The safety and security of players and spectators is of paramount importance.

On Tuesday 22 September it was announced that all sports pilot events currently ongoing would be paused with immediate effect. The Government has taken the decision to pause test events due to the sharp upward trajectory of Covid-19 cases. A?s set out in our Roadmap, sports events pilots, and the full return of fans to stadia would only ever take place when it was safe to do so.

The Government remains in regular dialogue with all the football authorities to understand their current circumstances and is keen to see the safe return of spectators to live sports events. The Government fully understands that fans want to be back watching live sports and we are continuing to work with the sector on solutions and innovations.

I was delighted that we were able to see the safe return of competitive grassroots football from 18 July.

28th Aug 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to support the roll-out of superfast broadband to rural communities in (a) Worcestershire and (b) Bromsgrove District.

Good progress has been made in Worcestershire, with over 96% of premises able to access superfast broadband - up from 25% in November 2010. In Bromsgrove District, over 96% of premises have access to superfast broadband, up from 24% in October 2010. Gigabit-capable coverage in the District stands at 49% which is almost double the UK figure of 26%.

For those premises that are still struggling from slow speeds, DCMS runs a voucher scheme that can be used by rural communities across the UK to reduce the cost of installing gigabit-capable connectivity. This provides a voucher worth up to £3,500 for eligible small businesses and vouchers worth up to £1,500 for residents. The department is also in discussion with Worcestershire County Council about a ‘top-up’ scheme which could potentially increase these voucher values.

Furthermore the government has pledged £5 billion to invest in the hardest to reach areas of the UK. Supplier engagement has taken place over the summer, and their feedback will be used to refine and finalise the delivery vehicle of the programme.

Bromsgrove was included in recent Openreach announcements of towns that they have included in the first wave of their national fibre rollout programme which they call “Fibre First”. The full list, including Bromsgrove, is here: https://www.openreach.com/content/dam/openreach/openreach-dam-files/images/fibre-broadband/fibre-first/DCMS%20Transparency%20Data%20Capture%2029%20Jul%202020.pdf

15th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to work with (a) football clubs and (b) the governing bodies of English football beyond Step 5 on a safe return to playing football as covid-19 restrictions are eased.

On 18th July the Football Association published their guidance for the safe return of grassroots football, approved by the government. The government will continue to work closely with all the football authorities as guidance for sport, at all levels, is developed -including the return of spectators to stadia.

15th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on what date his Department plans to open applications for grants and loans as part of the Government's £1.57 billion support package for arts, cultural and heritage institutions.

On 5 July, the government announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of sectors, including performing arts and theatres, museums and galleries, heritage sites, live music venues and independent cinema.

Further detailed guidance, including eligibility and application processes, will be published as soon as possible in July.

1st Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what financial support is (a) his Department, (b) Arts Council England and (c) other public bodies making available for independent museums during the covid-19 outbreak.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis officials and ministers have been in even more regular contact to understand the impact of the pandemic and the measures the Government has taken to fight it. And to understand what support museums and heritage organisations need and how best to get it to them.

DCMS arms’ length bodies have created sector specific support. Arts Council England launched a £160 million Emergency Funding Package, the National Lottery Heritage Fund launched the £50 million Heritage Emergency Fund, and Historic England launched a £2 million Emergency Fund. That is over £200 million of emergency support especially for culture and heritage. This emergency short-term funding will help address pressures over the next 3-6 months for those organisations most in immediate need.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister has just announced a £1.57 billion investment to protect Britain’s world-class cultural, arts and heritage institutions. The money, which represents the biggest ever one-off investment in UK culture, will provide a lifeline to vital cultural and heritage organisations across the country hit hard by the pandemic. It will help them stay afloat while their doors are closed.

The Government has also announced unprecedented support for business and workers, to protect them against the current economic emergency. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and VAT payment deferrals. We know that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, in particular, has been a lifeline for these sectors. The Chancellor announced further extensions to this scheme, taking it through to October

The Government continues to monitor the impact of these and other measures.

2nd Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to support sports clubs in Worcestershire.

I have been holding regular discussions with sector and industry bodies to understand the impact of COVID-19 on sport and how we can provide support. This includes chairing a fortnightly meeting with over 25 sporting organisations.

The Chancellor has announced a host of measures to help businesses, with £330 billion worth of government backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses across the UK. In addition, Sport England, has also announced £210 million of funding to help sport and physical activity organisations deal with the short and long term effects of the pandemic. Further information on the support available can be found on the Sport England website

15th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will publish guidance for charities on preparations of a future TNLCF application process.

Government announced a £750m civil society support package on 8 April. In addition to the £360m funding being distributed by central Government Departments, part of this package will include an open fund for charities and social enterprises working with vulnerable people affected by the crisis in England. This will be provided through the National Lottery Community Fund.

DCMS is working at pace with NLCF to finalise the details for this fund and we expect the application system for this fund to be operational shortly. Supporting information such as guidance will be provided for the application process. We want the funding to be distributed as quickly as possible while ensuring that it goes to those charities which are best equipped to use it to contribute to the Covid-19 response. An announcement will follow shortly.

12th Apr 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to increase awareness of the National Tutoring Programme among (a) schools and (b) parents in (i) Bromsgrove District and (b) England.

The Department is committed to ensuring that there continues to be a good take-up and engagement with the programme. We are undertaking a range of communications and engagement activities to ensure that schools are aware of the support offered by the National Tutoring Programme (NTP).

We are working directly with multi-academy trusts and local authorities to target schools in particular need of support and increasing our engagement with local and regional school networks. The NTP is also providing regular newsletters and blogs direct to schools, alongside targeted social media activity. Since the programme’s launch in November 2020, the Department has continued to share case studies and good practice to show how tuition can support pupils effectively, including guidance on making the most of tutoring during the recent lockdown period.

We will continue to monitor how many schools in different regions are accessing the NTP so we can bolster our efforts in areas where schools would benefit from the programme.

Over 4,000 schools are now participating in the programme. It is estimated over 250,000 pupils will benefit from tuition provided by Tuition Partners this academic year. This is in addition to the 1,000 Academic Mentors have been placed in our most disadvantaged schools this academic year.

We are continuing to focus on regions with the most disadvantaged pupils who have yet to take advantage of NTP, including the Bromsgrove District. We are engaging directly with head teachers, local networks of schools and national stakeholders to ensure that NTP support reaches as many disadvantaged pupils in these areas as possible. We have also attended local network meetings, including the Handforth Heads Forum in the West Midlands, and have delivered a number of webinars to schools in the regional Midland areas with high levels of disadvantage to highlight the benefits and the support being offered through the programme.

1st Feb 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to promote apprenticeships and the organisations that support them during National Apprenticeship Week 2021.

The annual National Apprenticeship Week is taking place between 8 and 14 February 2021 and is a celebration of apprenticeships. The theme "Build the Future" will shine a light on the amazing work being done by employers and apprentices across the country. The week will also recognise how employers of all sizes have stepped up to the challenge during this unprecedented time.

National Apprenticeship Week brings together apprenticeship ambassadors, MPs, training providers, apprentices, parents and employers to highlight the work being done across the whole apprenticeship community and to promote apprenticeships and their impact.

Throughout the week, I will be taking part in a series of virtual events, including career fairs, interviews, conferences, and roundtables. I will be meeting with apprentices and employers from a range of industries such as hospitality and financial services, and taking part in several awards ceremonies which recognise and celebrate the achievements of apprentices.

We are encouraging employers and stakeholders to promote the great work of their apprentices through virtual events and social media, whilst highlighting the many benefits apprenticeships bring to their business. These include building the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career and showcasing how apprentices of all ages and backgrounds are helping to transform businesses across the country.

We are sharing the message about how to get involved in National Apprenticeship Week with all employers and education providers on the apprenticeship service through regular emails and webinars. We also share information via our networks of ambassadors, account management teams and through intermediary organisations which has a potential reach of over 6 million employers.

Furthermore, we have been promoting the National Apprenticeship Week 2021 toolkit since December 2020 to support the apprenticeship community with planning their activity for the week. Further information on National Apprenticeship Week and our developed toolkit can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/955827/National_Apprenticeship_Week_2021_toolkit.pdf.

22nd Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional financial support his Department is allocating to schools to help with exceptional costs incurred as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

The Department has provided additional funding to schools, on top of existing budgets, to cover unavoidable costs incurred between March and July 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak that could not be met from their budgets. We have paid schools £102 million for all claims in the first claims window that were within the published scope of the fund, and we will shortly process claims made in the second window in December 2020.

Last term, the Department announced a COVID-19 Workforce Fund for schools and colleges, to help those with high staff absences and facing significant financial pressures to stay open. It funded the costs of teacher absences over a threshold from 1 November 2020 until the end of the autumn term. We expect the schools claims form to be launched in Spring 2021.

The Department will also fund school and colleges, which have remained open, for costs relating to COVID-19 testing. We have published a workforce planning tool which illustrates the levels of funding available. Funding will be paid to schools who have conducted testing in respect of workforce costs and other incidental costs relating to testing such as waste disposal.

The Government is delivering catch-up funding worth £1 billion, including a ‘Catch-Up Premium’ worth a total of £650 million to support schools to make up for lost teaching time. Alongside this, we have also announced a new £350 million National Tutoring Programme for disadvantaged pupils, including the National Tuition Fund for students age 16-19.

Finally, schools have continued to receive their core funding throughout the outbreak, regardless of any periods of full or partial closure, with this year marking the first year of a three-year increase to core funding - the biggest in a decade. This will ensure schools can continue to pay their staff and meet other regular financial commitments

30th Sep 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of apprenticeships in (a) the West Midlands and (b) Worcestershire.

The government’s Plan for Jobs will help to kickstart the nation’s economic recovery. We believe that apprenticeships will be more important than ever in helping businesses to recruit the right people and develop the skills they need to recover and grow - both now and in the long term.

To help businesses offer new apprenticeships, we are providing £1,500 for every apprentice they hire as a new employee from 1 August 2020 to 31 January 2020. This will rise to £2,000 if they hire a new apprentice under the age of 25 - in recognition of the particular impacts of COVID-19 on the employment prospects of this group.

The new payment will encourage employers to offer new apprenticeship opportunities and take advantage of existing flexibilities to train their apprentices in a way that suits their needs. We will ensure that there is sufficient funding this year to support small businesses wanting to take on an apprentice.

We also introduced a number of flexibilities to ensure that apprenticeships can continue where possible, helping employers to retain their existing apprentices. We are working with key partners such as the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, the West Midlands Combined Authority, local business to business organisations, sector and trade bodies to raise the awareness of the incentives and the benefits of apprenticeships.

We have increased the amount that levy payers can transfer from 10% to 25% and are seeing numbers of transfers rise steadily. We are also working closely with the West Midlands Combined Authority to promote levy transfers from large employers, to date these include HSBC and Lloyds, BT, BBC, RAC, University of Birmingham and University of Warwickshire. These levy funds are being used to support local small and medium-sized enterprises in the automotive, digital and construction sectors across the West Midlands Region. Hereford and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce are actively promoting levy transfers. They are also now producing marketing materials to promote levy transfers to employers across a broad range of sectors.

We have produced guidance to help employers looking to transfer levy funds. This is supported by online tutorials, but we know we need to make the process even more simple. The guidance is avaliable here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/transferring-apprenticeship-service-funds.

We are committed to working with large employers to improve the transfer process, making it easier for them to find smaller employers to transfer surplus levy funds to, thus helping them maximise the amount of funding they will be able to transfer. In doing so we will build on successful regional pilot schemes, such as that in West Midlands Combined Authority.

30th Sep 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students in (a) the Bromsgrove constituency and (b) Worcestershire enrolled on to a T-Level course in the academic year 2020-2021.

There are now 44 schools, colleges and other training providers teaching the first 3 T levels. Five of these 44 are in the West Midlands region. The confirmed enrolment figures for T levels (at a national level) will be available once the September recruitment has been formally reported in summer 2021. We have been monitoring the situation closely and are confident that recruitment has progressed well and a viable cohort of young people will benefit from taking these new, high quality qualifications, leaving them in a great position to move into skilled employment or further training.

1st Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to support schools with smaller premises in the phased wider opening of educational settings as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

It is our intention for all pupils, in all year groups, to return to school full-time from the beginning of the autumn term. It is the best place for them to learn, and important for their wellbeing to have social interactions with their teachers and friends

On 2 July we published guidance to help schools plan for a full return of all children in September. The measures set out in this guidance provide a framework for school leaders to put in place proportionate protective measures for children and staff, which also ensure that all pupils receive a high quality education that enables them to thrive and progress. All schools must ensure that they adhere to the measures outlined in our guidance, but the way different schools implement some of the requirements will differ based on their individual circumstances.

We do not consider it necessary for schools to make significant adaptations to their site to enable them to welcome all children back to school. We also do not think schools will need to deliver any of their education on other sites such as community centres or village halls because class sizes can return to normal and spaces used by more than one class or group can be cleaned between use.

Following a risk assessment, some schools may determine that small adaptations to their site are required, such as additional wash basins. This will be at the discretion of individual schools, based on their particular circumstances.

Guidance for schools on full opening for the autumn term is available at the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

18th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he is putting in place for three-tier school systems in Bromsgrove district as part of the phased wider opening of educational and childcare settings.

From the week commencing 1 June, at the earliest, the Department will be asking primary schools to welcome back children in nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6, alongside priority groups. We will only do this provided that the five key tests set by the Government justify the changes at the time.

We want to get all children and young people back into education as soon as the scientific advice allows because it is the best place for them to learn. We know how important it is for their mental wellbeing to have social interactions with their peers, carers and teachers. The safety of children and staff is our utmost priority.

The Department’s guidance for schools and childcare settings to prepare for wider opening from 1 June 2020 is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-educational-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020/actions-for-education-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020.

The three year groups within mainstream primary have been prioritised because they are key transition years. Year 6 children are finishing Key Stage 2 and preparing for the transition to secondary school and, in many cases, the secondary curriculum and will benefit immensely from time with their friends and teachers to ensure they are ready. The Department expects all mainstream schools to follow the same approach and are asking middle schools to do the same and welcome back children in Year 6 to ensure a consistent approach across England.

11th May 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to work with rural communities to tackle fly-tipping.

Fly-tipping is a crime which affects all of society, including rural communities and private landowners, and we are committed to tacking this unacceptable behaviour

We appreciate the difficulty and cost that fly-tipping poses to landowners and we work with a wide range of interested parties through the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group (NFTPG), such as the National Farmers Union, Campaign to Protect Rural England, Countryside Alliance and the Countryside Landowners Association, to promote and disseminate good practice, including advice on how to prevent fly-tipping on private land which can be found at: NFTPGAdviceforLandowners.pdf (tacklingflytipping.com)

We are also working with the NFTPG to develop a fly-tipping toolkit to help local authorities, landowners and others work in partnership to tackle this crime.

We expect local authorities to investigate all incidents of fly-tipping, including those on private land; prosecuting fly-tippers when there is sufficient evidence and recovering investigation, enforcement and clearance costs where possible

Budget 2020 allocated up to £2 million to support innovative solutions to tackle fly-tipping. In April 2021 we commissioned a research project considering the drivers, deterrents and impacts of fly-tipping tipping, which will include consideration of rural areas. This research project is due to be completed before the end of this year and will support informed policy making. We are exploring additional funding opportunities and priorities, including considering the role of digital solutions.

We are taking forward the commitment in the Resources and Waste Strategy to develop proposals for the reform of the waste carrier, broker, and dealer regime. We are currently working with industry and the regulator and we intend to consult later this year. We also intend to consult on the introduction of mandatory electronic waste tracking. Digital records of waste movements will allow regulators to detect when waste does not reach the next stage, which may help to identify illegal activity including fly-tipping.

The Environment Bill will help us to use our resources more efficiently and reduce the amount of waste we produce. It will enable us to fundamentally change the way we use resources, including increasing rates of recycling and making the products we use every day more durable and easier to recycle.

5th Mar 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to tackle fly tipping in (a) Bromsgrove District and (b) other semi-rural communities.

Fly-tipping is a crime which blights local communities and the environment, and we are committed to tackling this unacceptable behaviour. The role of central Government is to enable and support local action by providing a clear legal framework of rights, responsibilities and powers and setting national standards. We continue to work with partners to tackle this crime. In recent years we have bolstered local authorities’ powers to tackle fly-tipping, such as by introducing the power to issue fixed penalty notices and to stop and seize vehicles of suspected fly-tippers.

Our 2018 Resources and Waste Strategy set out our strategic approach to prevent, detect and deter waste crime. We committed to strengthen sentences for fly-tipping and to develop a fly-tipping toolkit to help local authorities and others work in partnership to tackle this crime. We also committed to increasing penalties for fly-tipping in our manifesto.

Budget 2020 allocated up to £2million to support innovative solutions to tackle fly-tipping. We are exploring funding opportunities and priorities at this stage, including considering the role of digital solutions and supporting research into the drivers, deterrents, and impacts of fly-tipping in urban, suburban and rural areas.

We are also preparing a number of legislative reforms to tackle waste crime, which will help to tackle fly-tipping. We are taking forward the commitment in the Resources and Waste Strategy to develop proposals for the reform of the waste carrier, broker, and dealer regime. We are working with industry and the regulator and we intend to consult later this year. We also intend to consult on the introduction of mandatory electronic waste tracking. This will help to ensure that waste is dealt with appropriately and to reduce the incidence of waste crime and fly-tipping.

The Environment Bill also includes several measures to help tackle waste crime. The Bill will ensure agencies and authorities can work more effectively to combat waste crime through better access to evidence and improved powers of entry. These new powers will help ensure waste criminals, such as illegitimate waste operators reliant on fly-tipping for income, are held accountable for their actions.

21st Sep 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support farmers in (a) Worcestershire and (b) the UK.

Defra is taking steps to support farmers throughout the UK, including Worcestershire, by introducing schemes using powers in the Agriculture Bill. This Bill will allow us to introduce ambitious new schemes in England, based on the principle of "public money for public goods", so that we can reward farmers and land managers who protect our environment, improve animal welfare and produce high quality food in a more sustainable way.

The Bill helps farmers to stay competitive with measures to increase productivity and invest in new technology. We will also improve transparency in the supply chain to help food producers strengthen their position at the farm gate and seek a fairer return from the marketplace. The Bill also provides the legislative framework necessary to ensure a smooth transition to the new system. Farmers and land managers will be supported over a seven-year agricultural transition period, giving them time to plan and adapt to the new approach.

The Government appreciates that the food and farming sectors are currently facing unprecedented challenges as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and is grateful for the hard work farmers have done to maintain food supplies. In response to the pandemic, we introduced a range of measures to support the agriculture sector, including farmers and agricultural businesses in Worcestershire. These included: easements to competition law to help producers get food where it was needed; a dairy support scheme; support for various AHDB promotional campaigns and the opening of intervention and storage aid schemes for various products. Employees in the food sector were also designated as key workers and there has been a temporary relaxing of the normal rules on drivers' hours, enabling the sector to keep supply chains running, including deliveries from farm gate to processors. Farmers have also, where eligible, been able to apply for public support through the various Covid-19 related Government schemes including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, business rates relief, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme. On 24 September, the Government announced an extension to its access to finance schemes to 30 November 2020 for new applicants and introduced ‘Pay as you Grow’ options for Bounce Back Loan borrowers, who will be offered more time and greater flexibility for their repayments.

In June we announced a package of trade support for food and drink exporters. This joint Defra and Department for International Trade package of short-term practical measures will support businesses to get their products back in front of international buyers and grow their exports. More information can be found on the GOV.UK website: www.gov.uk/government/news/bounce-back-plan-for-agriculture-food-and-drink-industry-launched.

7th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many direct-to-doorstep food parcel deliveries have been completed for people on the NHS Shielded Patient List in Worcestershire due to the covid-19 outbreak.

As of 17 May 2020, 9,977 food parcels have been delivered to clinically vulnerable people who have requested food support in Worcestershire.

For information, this covers delivery outcome codes 1 and 2. These codes refer to a box successfully delivered to the individual, or delivered and left on the doorstep.

21st Sep 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps businesses in Bromsgrove District can take to utilise support from her Department to help increase (a) international exports (b) international exports to Japan.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) delivers a range of export services across the West Midlands. These include: providing support in accessing international opportunities; participation in trade missions; providing export credit and insurance through UK Export Finance (UKEF); access to DIT’s international network; and face-to-face support provided by experienced International Trade Advisers. There is a dedicated local DIT team of five International Trade Advisers based in Worcester who cover Hereford and Worcestershire including the Bromsgrove constituency. DIT Midlands are working closely with the Hereford & Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership team, providing additional International Trade Adviser support to help grow business exporting opportunities.

Goods exports from the West Midlands were £473M in 2019. The UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement was agreed in principle on Friday 11 September. The deal secures additional benefits beyond the EU-Japan free trade agreement deal and will give UK companies exporting to Japan a competitive advantage in a number of areas.

15th May 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department is taking to support exporters in (a) Worcestershire (b) Bromsgrove constituency.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) delivers a range of export services across the West Midlands. The steps include support for accessing international exporting opportunities and participation in trade missions; providing export credit and insurance through UK Export Finance (UKEF); access to DIT’s international network and face to face support provided by experienced international trade advisers. There is a dedicated local DIT team of five international trade advisers based in Worcester, which covers Hereford and Worcestershire including the Bromsgrove constituency.

UKEF also has its own network of Export Finance managers who act as local points of contact for exporters and businesses with export potential. Further information is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/find-an-export-finance-manager.

11th May 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that driving test appointments can take place (a) quickly and (b) safely to reduce any backlogs resulting from the covid-19 outbreak.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has put in place a number of measures to increase practical driving tests. These include offering overtime and annual leave buy back to examiners, asking all those qualified to conduct tests, but who do not do so as part of their current day job, to return to conducting tests, and conducting out of hours testing (such as on public holidays). The DVSA is also running a recruitment campaign to increase the overall number of examiners.

The DVSA’s aim is to increase testing capacity and reduce the backlog as quickly as possible, whilst maintaining a COVID-secure service for customers and examiners. Standard Operating Procedures are in place at all test centres to ensure measures are in place to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

26th Apr 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to promote the use of (a) the electric shuttle bus scheme in Bromsgrove District and (b) other electric powered public transport.

The Government is committed to tackling climate change, which is why in Spring this year we will be publishing a bold and ambitious Transport Decarbonisation Plan which will set out how to achieve net zero emissions across all modes of transport. Tackling emissions at a local level will make an important contribution to the decarbonisation of transport. Developing solutions that consider the needs of different locations is one of our six strategic priorities for transport decarbonisation and recognises that different decarbonisation solutions will be required and will work best in different places across the UK.

On 30 March, the Department launched the £120 million Zero Emission Buses Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme. The scheme will be open to local transport authorities, including Worcestershire County Council, who can bid for funding introduce single and double decker zero emission buses for local bus services buses and the infrastructure needed to support them.

5th Mar 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to support green investment in public transport.

A decarbonised transport system is at the heart of the Government’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, which will mobilise £12 billion of government investment to unlock three times as much private sector investment by 2030. Our upcoming Transport Decarbonisation Plan will set out more clearly the steps we will take to deliver transport’s contribution to net zero, stimulating development and private sector investment.

22nd Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to work with the (a) armed forces, (b) national voluntary groups and (c) regional voluntary groups to ensure as many veterans as possible in (i) Bromsgrove District and (ii) the UK benefit from the Veterans' Railcard.

The new Veterans’ Railcard will benefit approximately 830,000 HM Armed Forces Veterans who are not eligible for existing railcards. Officials are working closely with the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, Veterans UK and charities such as Help for Heroes and the Royal British Legion to raise awareness and ensure as many veterans as possible benefit from the railcard, with more than 4,000 sold during its first week on sale.

At launch we worked with high-profile veterans on a campaign targeting television, radio, print and digital media with the story featured by more than 100 regional radio stations across the UK. We will continue to work with stakeholders to raise awareness over the coming months.

15th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the proposed timeline is of the roll-out of the electric bus town scheme.

We have received 19 expressions of interest in becoming Britain’s first All-Electric Bus Town, and each sets out a proposed timeline for roll-out. We expect to announce the phase one winner, who will proceed to develop a business case, over the summer. Further details, including confirmation of timings, will therefore be available in due course.