Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
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If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
These initiatives were driven by Selaine Saxby, 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.
Selaine Saxby has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Selaine Saxby has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
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As an island nation, the Government is committed to supporting coastal communities and levelling-up across the Union. We are working with local leaders to ensure every region including coastal areas, cities and towns will recover from COVID-19 and ultimately level-up.
I am pleased that Ilfracombe is benefitting from a share of the £35.4 million Getting Building Fund investment across the Heart of the South West to boost economic growth, and fuel local recovery and jobs. This includes one project in the North Devon constituency: Ilfracombe Water Sports Centre, which is set to receive £1.5 million for the construction of a water sports centre and associated infrastructure on a brownfield site within Ilfracombe Harbour. The project aims to regenerate the harbour, improve and increase tourism, provide up to 101 direct and indirect jobs and support up to 300 local businesses. The centre will also provide training and events facilities.
The Heart of the South West LEP was also allocated £197.8 million from the Local Growth Fund (LGF) between 2015 and 2021. Recent LGF projects in North Devon include the North Devon Innovation Centre in Roundswell and Connecting Devon and Somerset to extend superfast broadband provision.
Officials will shortly be in contact with North Devon Council to discuss their unsuccessful Levelling Up Fund bid for Ilfracombe and to offer feedback to support future bids.
We have continued to make significant progress in supporting coastal communities in a number of areas, demonstrated by the Coastal Communities Fund now having supported 359 projects, totalling over £229 million since 2012. North Devon Council received £1.5 million in 2019 for the new swimming pool at the North Devon Leisure Centre in Barnstaple.
Our coastal economies and communities add unique value to the country and offer significant growth potential. Our commitment to unlocking this growth was demonstrated at Budget 2021, where the Chancellor announced 8 Freeports from 8 regions of England, 7 of them in coastal areas. Freeports will be national hubs for international trade, innovation and commerce, regenerating communities across the UK; attracting new businesses, spreading jobs, investment and opportunity to towns and cities across the country including in coastal areas.
The Commissioners, in partnership with the Archbishops’ Council, provided £75m of immediate liquidity support and established a £35m Diocesan Sustainability Fund programme, plus a £20m Cathedral Sustainability Fund, following the decline in churches’ and cathedrals’ income from donations and visitors during Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns.
The Legislative Reform Committee of the General Synod and the Church Commissioners are consulting on simplifying legal and administrative burdens experienced by parishes. A review of the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 is currently underway, and a green paper has been published, which will be debated at the General Synod at its July meeting. The green paper forms the basis of a consultation with dioceses, parishes and other stakeholders. The consultation will remain open until 15 September 2021.
The Church Commissioners would welcome the views of all Members and their constituents on the questions set out in the paper, and I am placing a copy in the Library of the House of Commons for reference.
The Green Paper and supporting material are also available on the consultation website at: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/parish-reorganisation-and-church-property/review-mission-and-pastoral-measure-2011
The Government has made a substantial effort to ensure that public health communications on COVID-19 reach everyone in the UK. This includes messaging in well over 600 publications and using trusted community voices to share vital communications through community channels.
Important health guidance is also available in alternative formats, including Easy Read, British Sign Language and Audio. This can be accessed via the Public Health England Campaign Resource Centre for health bodies, local authorities and voluntary sector organisations to access, tailor, share and use.
In July, I also wrote to Ministerial colleagues urging them to make every effort to communicate public health messages to all local residents, through a diverse range of media and other channels.
The unduly lenient sentence scheme was extended to incorporate further serious offences, in November of last year.
The horrendous crime of stalking involving serious alarm or distress was one of the offences which was added.
I am pleased to tell the House that this extension meant I was able to refer a case recently to the Court of Appeal, one in which the sentence of the offender was more than doubled.
It is important we reach everyone with public health information in this pandemic.
All new guidance is amplified via our public information campaign, utilising multiple national and local channels including TV, radio, newspapers, out of home and social media to ensure government communications reaches the widest possible audience. In some cases we have used publicly held contact details to contact directly those who may need.
In addition, third parties and local support networks are able to deliver more detailed information in response to bespoke enquiries. We have supported them in doing so by specialist guidance being available on gov.uk and, in the case of Members of Parliament - daily calls with myself.
The Celtic Sea will play a vital role in the UK’s Green Industrial revolution, creating new industries and thousands of high-skilled jobs. Floating offshore wind will be a vital component of the UK’s energy mix as the UK moves towards net zero. The Government has committed to delivering at least 1GW of floating capacity by 2030 as a stepping-stone to larger scale deployment through the 2030s. In the draft budget notice for the fourth Contracts for Difference round, the Government announced ringfenced support for floating offshore wind.
The Celtic Sea is an area of significant potential for floating offshore wind. In addition to the test and demonstration floating projects already in early development, the Crown Estate has commenced work on a floating wind leasing round in the Celtic Sea which could bring forward up to 4GW of new projects. Government has set aside up to £160 million to support new floating wind ports and infrastructure; projects servicing the Celtic Sea will be eligible to access this support.
We are thoroughly investigating reports of forced labour in the global solar panel supply chain. In January, we announced a comprehensive package of measures to help ensure no UK organisations are complicit in the serious human rights violations being perpetrated against the Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang.
The Government put together a package of £100 million for research and innovation to tackle the issues that arise from plastic waste. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funds a variety of projects related to plastics including around understanding and improving supply chains and environmental and health impacts. For example, the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge, with £60m of funding from UKRI through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and matched by £149m from industry, is supporting academic-led research to address known problems and to support industry-led collaborative research and development of new technologies, establishing the UK as a leader in smart sustainable packaging and supporting a reduction in waste entering the environment. This builds on the success of the £20m Plastic Research and Innovation Fund, which established projects like the UK Circular Plastics Network which brings together the diverse users of plastic products and realise the best means for reducing plastic waste.
The Celtic Sea is an area with significant potential for floating offshore wind. Following engagement with the market, The Crown Estate is currently designing new seabed leasing for floating wind in the Celtic Sea, focusing on projects up to 300MW. The number, size and locations of potential projects will not be known until the process is completed.
The UK has achieved record clean growth - between 1990 and 2019, our economy grew by 78% while our emissions decreased by 44%, the fastest in the G7. The government has recently laid legislation for the UK’s sixth carbon budget, proposing a target which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels. This marks a decisive step towards net zero by 2050 and builds on the series of ambitious plans we have announced since committing to net zero emissions in law, including through my Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan and our new UN climate target to reduce emissions in 2030 by at least 68% compared to 1990 levels – the highest reduction target made by a major economy to date.
Through the Ten Point Plan, our Energy White Paper and Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy, we have set out concrete steps we will take to build back greener from the pandemic and reach net zero emissions by 2050. Ahead of COP26, we will bring forward further bold proposals, including a Net Zero Strategy, to cut emissions and create new jobs and industries across the whole country.
The Ten Point Plan announced our aim to quadruple the capacity of our offshore wind available to generate 40GW, including 1GW of floating offshore wind by 2030 - enough to power every home in the country. To do this we are investing £160 million for ports and infrastructure, which could support up to 60,000 jobs. The government is working with the offshore wind sector, through the Offshore Wind Sector Deal, to grow and strengthen a competitive UK based supply chain creating jobs around the UK.
As my Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister has said, we are determined to build back greener, and deliver millions of new green jobs. We are taking action to deliver on that commitment, including committing over £3 billion to reduce emissions from our buildings across the UK. There are an estimated 460,000 jobs in low carbon businesses and their supply chains across the country, and we want that to rise to 2 million by 2030.
The Government intends to launch a consultation on a Tourist Accommodation Registration Scheme later in 2022, but will begin the process by launching a call for evidence in the coming weeks.
The call for evidence will seek views on a range of issues that arise from the increase in short-term holiday letting, not just on housing supply but also on matters such as compliance with health and safety regulations and the impact on anti-social behaviour.
The Government is committed to delivering nationwide gigabit connectivity as soon as possible. Today, over 57% of premises in the South West - and 32% of premises in North Devon specifically - have access to a gigabit-capable network. By 2025 the government is targeting a minimum of 85% gigabit-capable coverage.
There is now a thriving market of over 80 providers rolling out gigabit-capable broadband all over the UK using a range of technologies, including full-fibre networks and fixed wireless solutions. This technology-neutral strategy means that not every premises in the South West - or specifically North Devon - will have coverage from every type of connection on the wholesale market when choosing a gigabit-capable service. In addition, State aid and Competition Law prevents the government from intervening directly in functioning markets such as telecoms. Whilst the government’s policy is to increase competition and investment in the telecoms market whilst lowering the barriers to entry, we cannot force providers to offer a service where it is not commercially-viable for them to do so.
In areas where network deployment is not commercially-viable and is supported directly by the government as part of Project Gigabit, contracts include requirements for the successful supplier to offer wholesale access over the subsidised network for up to 15 years after the network is built, and the procurement process differentiates suppliers on the choice of retail offerings they are able to bring. Further, DCMS is supporting various industry initiatives that are developing the wholesale market for smaller alternative network providers. Again, whilst the government can ensure winning bidders for its contracts offer wholesale access, it is a commercial decision for individual service providers themselves as to whether they wish to use these networks.
The Government intends to launch a consultation later in 2022, but will begin the process by launching a call for evidence in the coming weeks.
The call for evidence will seek views on a range of issues that arise from the increase in short-term holiday letting, not just on housing supply but also on matters such as compliance with health and safety regulations and the impact on anti-social behaviour.
I have already begun the process of informally consulting with stakeholders across the sector on this issue. For example, in late December I held several roundtables with attendees from the private sector, Local Authorities, tourism representative groups and others.
My Department has been working closely with stakeholders within the private and public sector since the 2017 reforms to the Electronic Communications Code (the Code) came into effect to support their implementation and to understand their impact on this important sector. Over the summer and autumn, I have held a number of roundtable meetings with a wide range of stakeholders to discuss these matters.
We intend to consult on whether further reforms to the Code are necessary to support investment in digital networks, and will provide further details regarding the timing of this as soon as possible.
Public sector landlords play a critical role in facilitating the delivery of greater mobile connectivity. We are keen to ensure that the public sector leads by example and that public property is readily available for digital infrastructure deployment.
My Department’s Barrier Busting Task Force regularly engages with local authorities across the country to advise on the deployment of mobile infrastructure. This includes the publication of guidance, for example on access to assets and valuation, and working directly with councils to encourage greater collaboration with the mobile sector and develop understanding of the Electronic Communications Code, which underpins rights to install digital communications apparatus. My officials engaged with Devon County Council in November and December of last year to advise on this issue.
In addition to our work with local authorities, both we and the Office of Government Property are continuing to engage with government departments and arm’s length bodies in order to provide them with training and guidance on access to public sector land.
The Government set out in its National Infrastructure Strategy that it is working with industry to target a minimum of 85% gigabit capable coverage by 2025, but will seek to accelerate roll-out further to get as close to 100% as possible. The Government will continue to implement an ambitious programme of work to remove barriers to broadband deployment and work with suppliers to accelerate build in the hardest to reach parts of the UK through its £5 billion UK Gigabit Programme.
The Spending Review 2020 provided further details on our planned year on year capital spend for 2021-22 to 2024-25, which totals £1.2 billion, as part of the £5 billion UK Gigabit Programme. DCMS is continuing to work closely with industry to develop this programme and accelerate our year on year rollout plans for these areas to bring forward additional spend, wherever possible.
The Government is committed to helping the tourism industry through this crisis and beyond. We will continue to engage with stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support the sector during the recovery period.
We have announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency. This includes employee support, business rates relief and grants for eligible hospitality and leisure businesses, plus £330bn worth of government backed and guaranteed loans. The Chancellor also announced a Bounce Back loan scheme to help small businesses access loans of up to £50,000, with a 100% government-backed guarantee for lenders.
Our immediate national priority is containing the spread of the virus. As soon as it is safe to do so, we will be encouraging people to book holidays and support tourism companies once again.
The Chancellor has set out unprecedented support for workers - including seasonal workers across the tourism industry - to protect them against the current economic emergency. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme.
After consultation with businesses, we have changed the cut-off date for employees to be employed and paid from 28 February to 19 March (the day before the Job Retention Scheme was announced). This means that over 200,000 more people will benefit.
This change expands the scheme to cover more workers, whilst keeping the fraud risks under control.
Understanding the effectiveness and success of the 2021 summer schools programme is important. We have designed a research study to help us to better understand the perceived impact of summer schools on children’s wellbeing, transition to secondary school, and academic recovery. The fieldwork for this research is currently under way. We have commissioned an independent research agency to carry out the analysis and reporting of this important research. The results from this study will be published on gov.uk.
Over 2800 secondary schools signed up to participate, which is equivalent to three quarters (74%) of those eligible and over 500,000 pupils were invited to take part in courses designed to offer a mix of academic and enrichment activities to aid lost learning.
From the 15 June, we are asking secondary schools to offer face-to-face support to supplement the remote education of year 10 and year 12 pupils, which should remain the predominant mode of education during this term for pupils in these year groups.
Our assessment, based on the latest scientific and medical advice, is that we need to continue to control the numbers attending school to reduce the risk of increasing transmission. Therefore, schools are able to have a quarter of the year 10 and year 12 cohort (for schools with sixth forms) in school at any one time, alongside full time provision for priority groups (vulnerable children and children of critical workers) in all year groups.
Year 10 and year 12 have been prioritised in mainstream secondary schools because they are preparing for key examinations next year (2021) and, of the secondary year groups, are most impacted by time out of school.
Guidance for secondary schools on wider opening is available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-secondary-schools.
The mathematics national curriculum was reformed in 2014. It was developed by the Department with advice from subject experts, to ensure that it provided the knowledge to progress in education and employment.
The national curriculum requires pupils in state-maintained schools to be taught a formal written method of multiplication and ‘Mathematics Appendix 1’ provides a set of examples for this.
There are no current plans to published revised guidance on this matter.
In line with the 25 Year Environment Plan, and our Resources and Waste Strategy, we are considering the best approach to minimise the environmental impact of a range of products, including nappies, taking on board the environmental and social impacts of the options available. Potential additional policy measures include standards, consumer information and encouraging voluntary action by business.
Through the Environment Bill, we are seeking powers that will enable us to, where appropriate and subject to consultation, introduce eco-design and consumer information requirements. This could include labelling schemes that provide accurate information to consumers, to drive the market towards more sustainable products. The Environment Bill will also enable us to put in place extended producer responsibility schemes as well as design and labelling requirements, that relate to the efficient use of resources, for a wide range of products, including potentially nappies.
We are aware of the UN Environment Programme's report which references a number of life cycle analyses on nappies from around the world, including the work carried out by the Environment Agency in the UK in 2005 and 2008. We are also funding our own environmental assessment of disposable and washable absorbent hygiene products, with the primary focus on nappies, to bring the research for the UK up to date. The work will be published later this year, following peer review, and the sources of the information used will be included in the final report. Any future action on nappies by Government and industry will take this and any other relevant information into account.
The Fisheries Act sets out clear objectives on sustainability with detailed policies published in the Joint Fisheries Statement. We will publish our Fisheries Management Plans to meet our commitment to fishing within sustainable limits. As an independent coastal state, we are committed to working with our international partners to manage our shared stocks sustainably.
There are many important interdependencies between our policies on trees, agriculture and biomass. Defra and BEIS are working closely in partnership to maximise the role of nature-based solutions to meet net zero and ensure that these strategies are mutually supportive.
We recognise the need to address the issues associated with the environmental impact of absorbent hygiene products (AHPs). In line with the Resources and Waste Strategy published in December 2018, we are considering the best approach for a range of products. There are a number of policy measures available to us, including standards and consumer information, and we believe the right approach for each product requires careful consideration taking account of various factors, for example, waste benefits versus energy usage. Therefore, we are carrying out new research into the impacts of reusable and disposable AHPs, which will help us decide on the best course of action. The tender for this project is currently live and more information is available here: www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/2d7f60a0-658a-460a-870d-839c5fb52305
We are also seeking new powers in our landmark Environment Bill to drive the market towards more sustainable products. These measures form a package of powers that will help incentivise and shift the market towards more reusable alternatives.
However, plastic has an important role to play in many products due to its strength and sterility. We must therefore think carefully about how we solve the problems arising from plastic waste in order to avoid unintended consequences.
It is the Government’s ambition to have zero avoidable waste going to landfill by 2050. The Resources and Waste Strategy sets out how we will eliminate avoidable plastic waste and move towards a more circular economy.
We have already made significant progress, by introducing one of the world’s toughest bans on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products and significantly reducing the use of single-use carrier bags in the main supermarkets by 95% with our 5p charge. We have announced our plans to increase the minimum charge to 10p and to extend the charge to all retailers from April 2021. We will also introduce a ban on the supply of single-use plastic straws, plastic drink stirrers, and plastic-stemmed cotton buds from October 2020. The Government also remains committed to introducing the Plastic Packaging Tax in April 2022, which will apply to plastic packaging manufactured in or imported into the UK containing less than 30% recycled plastic.
Our landmark Environment Bill will enable us to go even further. The Bill will include powers to create extended producer responsibility schemes; introduce deposit return schemes; establish greater consistency in the recycling system; better control the export of plastic waste; and allow us to set new charges for other single-use plastic items. Further information can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/news/stronger-protections-for-the-environment-move-closer-as-landmark-bill-takes-shape.
Our Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme is the cornerstone of our new agricultural policy. Founded on the principle of "public money for public goods", ELM is intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, while supporting our rural economy.
Farmers and other land managers may enter into agreements to be paid for delivering the following public goods:
Beauty, heritage and engagement with the environment is a public good identified in the 25 Year Environment Plan and an important objective of ELM. ELM could support this through providing funding for access to infrastructure or educational visits, for example.
We will engage with a range of stakeholders as we develop the scheme.
We recognise that zoos are undertaking very valuable work at this time to ensure that the health and welfare needs of the diverse range of animals they care for are well met. We are aware of the issues currently facing zoos and we have been engaging with the main industry association, the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), and with individual zoos about the best way forward.
The Government has provided a package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to support businesses, including zoos, through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19. Zoos are eligible to apply for a range of support schemes including the Job Retention Scheme, VAT deferral, Business Rates Relief, the Business Interruption Loan schemes, the option to reclaim the costs of Statutory Sick Pay and grant funding of up to £25,000.
In addition, specifically for zoos in severe financial distress, the Government is introducing a Zoos Support Fund for licensed zoos in England. Similar support will be provided by the Devolved Administrations. Where a zoo in England is in severe financial distress and has fully explored and exhausted all other reasonable avenues to generate income and reduce costs, including the existing COVID-19 business support schemes, then they should approach Defra as quickly as possible. Defra has already written to all licensed zoos in England to make them aware of the COVID-19 support schemes available as well as the new Zoo Support Fund.
E-cycle users, like any other road user, have a duty to behave in a safe and responsible manner and to comply with the Highway Code. Legal provisions applying to e-cycles are set out in The Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983 and The Pedal Cycles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1983, and subsequent amendments.
The Department does not have any plans to raise public awareness of these provisions beyond existing road safety messaging, such as THINK!
The second Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS 2) will be published after the Government has agreed its long-term spending plans for active travel at the Spending Review later this year. It will reflect and build on the vision and commitments outlined in the Prime Minister’s “Gear Change” Cycling and Walking Plan of July 2020, as well as setting out the financial resources available for cycling and walking and the other matters required by the Infrastructure Act 2015. The Department will consult with relevant stakeholders to develop objectives for both walking and cycling as required by the Act, and will ensure that these objectives are consistent with the Gear Change vision that half of all journeys in towns and cities should be walked or cycled by 2030.
We are developing a national programme of support to boost e-bike uptake to the levels seen in many other countries. Details will be announced in spring 2021, subject to the outcome of the Spending Review process. Ahead of this, the Department will consult key stakeholders on the programme, including those representing bicycle retailers and manufacturers. The Department is also planning to support a number of pilot e-bike support schemes in the current financial year to help build an evidence base on the type of approaches which are most effective in increasing take-up of e-bikes.
The Government is committed to tackling climate change and reducing emissions from transport. The Department for Transport and HM Treasury hold regular discussions to consider how forthcoming spending decisions align with ambitions to decarbonise the sector.
The Department will be undertaking a full evaluation of the Active Travel Fund in due course, which will inform decisions on subsequent capital investment programmes for cycling and walking. Local authorities who received funding under tranche 1 of the scheme were required to complete an evaluation survey which will be used to help measure the effectiveness of schemes in their areas. The Department plans to confirm tranche 2 allocations shortly, once it is satisfied that the funding will support schemes which are properly thought out and which will deliver benefits to all road users.
The Department for Transport is working closely with representatives from the bus and coach industries through the Confederation of Passenger Transport, and colleagues in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), and other Government Departments, to discuss the concerns of the coach and bus industries in England and review our approach to mitigating the effects of covid-19 on these industries.
The Department has published Safer Travel Guidance for Operators which helps transport organisations in England understand how to provide safer workplaces and services for themselves, their workers and passengers.
On 8 August, the Department announced funding at up to £27.3 million per week to support the bus sector, through the Covid-19 Bus Services Support Grant (CBSSG) Restart scheme, until a time when the funding is no longer needed. CBSSG Restart funding also covers costs for essential PPE such as hand sanitiser and protective screens for drivers’ cabs. This is in addition to the £397 million the Government announced on 3 April 2020 so that England’s buses will continue to serve those who rely on them, and the £254 million announced on 23 May to support services returning to 100% service levels.
On 31 July 2020, the Department announced that a further exemption from Public Service Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR) until 31 July 2021. Whilst many coach operators are PSVAR-compliant, we understand the COVID-19 outbreak may have constrained some operators’ ability to invest in PSVAR-compliant vehicles. This further exemption enables operators to redirect their revenue streams to those areas most needed for the immediate future.
The Department of Education (DfE) has announced over £70 million to local transport authorities to provide dedicated, additional capacity in our transport system, helping students journey to and from their schools and colleges whilst social distancing reduces the capacity of existing public transport. This has been provided in two tranches that were announced on 8 August date and 14 October and will provide additional capacity to the end of the autumn term.
Ministers and officials from the Department for Transport continue to engage with the Treasury and other government departments on assessing the impact of COVID-19 on the bus and coach industries.
The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided for the whole of North Devon at disproportionate cost as we do not record this information by Parliamentary constituency.
Of the three Jobcentres that serve the North Devon constituency, Barnstaple Jobcentre is the only office with its claimant base entirely within the North Devon constituency. For Barnstaple Jobcentre, Flexible Support Fund which is issued on top of benefits spend has been recorded in each of the following categories for the last 12 months, from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022:
The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
We do not hold information about the number of individual claimants who have received support from Flexible Support fund and information is not recorded by Parliamentary constituency.
The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
As of the 31st March 2022, around 160,000 Kickstart jobs have been started by young people. The last Kickstart jobs were started by young people on this date and we expect the number of starts to increase further as employers report commencement of employment.
We have previously published the number of jobs approved and advertised as of 31st January, here: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2022-01-31/114956. At that point, over 235,000 jobs had been advertised and over 305,000 had been approved. Kickstart has now closed to employer applications and as of March, all approved jobs proceeding to the advertisement stage, have been advertised. As such, these totals will not increase further.
Below are tables listing the number of Kickstart jobs which have been made available and started by young people to date by geographical area of Great Britain and work sector. The figures used are correct as of the 31st March 2022 and these figures have been rounded according to departmental standards.
Jobs made available (advertised) and job starts quoted here include some unfunded Kickstart jobs. Also included in the Great Britain total are a small number of jobs made available (less than 100 in total) that have an unrecorded job location.
The number of approved jobs is defined as the number of jobs associated with approved applications recorded on the Kickstart application system on the date above. This total excludes approved jobs that have been withdrawn from the Kickstart Scheme by agreement with employers and gateways. This is generally because, over time, some previously approved jobs were removed where the employer chose not to follow up the application.
Although care is taken when processing and analysing Kickstart applications, referrals and starts, the data collected might be subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system, which has been developed quickly.
The management information presented here has not been subjected to the usual standard of quality assurance associated with official statistics but is provided in the interests of transparency. Work is ongoing to improve the quality of information available for the programme.
Table 1: Number of Kickstart total available jobs and job starts, Great Britain, by nation and region (figures rounded to nearest 100*)
Region / Nation Split | Total jobs made available | Total jobs started |
| (DATA RETAINED FROM 31/01/22) | (DATA EFFECTIVE 31/03/22) |
|
|
|
Total, Great Britain | 235,000 | 159,800 |
|
|
|
England | 204,000 | 137,600 |
East Midlands | 14,000 | 10,200 |
East of England | 18,000 | 11,600 |
London | 51,000 | 32,100 |
North East | 11,000 | 7,900 |
North West | 30,000 | 20,300 |
South East | 26,000 | 17,100 |
South West | 14,000 | 9,700 |
West Midlands | 21,000 | 15,400 |
Yorkshire and The Humber | 19,000 | 13,400 |
Scotland | 19,000 | 14,000 |
Wales | 12,000 | 7,800 |
Table 2: Number of Kickstart total available jobs and job starts, Great Britain, by Sector (figures rounded to the nearest 10*)
Sector Split | Total jobs made available | Total jobs started |
| (DATA RETAINED FROM 31/01/22) | (DATA EFFECTIVE 31/03/22) |
Administration | 57,350 | 39,370 |
Animal Care | 1,610 | 1,300 |
Beauty & Wellbeing | 1,720 | 1,310 |
Business & Finance | 8,500 | 5,830 |
Computing Technology & Digital | 15,840 | 12,210 |
Construction & Trades | 7,230 | 5,100 |
Creative & Media | 20,990 | 16,480 |
Delivery & Storage | 6,380 | 4,370 |
Emergency & Uniform Services | 520 | 340 |
Engineering & Maintenance | 7,080 | 4,800 |
Environment & Land | 4,620 | 3,400 |
Government Services | 1,000 | 690 |
Healthcare | 6,140 | 3,350 |
Home Services | 1,560 | 890 |
Hospitality & Food | 26,380 | 13,780 |
Law & Legal | 650 | 510 |
Managerial | 960 | 650 |
Manufacturing | 6,430 | 4,360 |
Retail & Sales | 34,970 | 26,060 |
Science & Research | 990 | 770 |
Social Care | 4,740 | 2,580 |
Sports & Leisure | 5,920 | 4,030 |
Teaching & Education | 11,000 | 6,670 |
Transport | 900 | 460 |
Travel & Tourism | 1,110 | 570 |
* Due to rounding, sum of figures may not match declared total
We take any case of fraud and error extremely seriously and actively pursue fraudsters, using a wide range of powers to bring them to justice.
Last Autumn we announced a significant increase in our investment in Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt operations by 75%, up to £1.4bn over the next three years. We are using this to scale up our existing operations, enhance our approach to data and intelligence and set up a new targeted review of the Universal Credit (UC) caseload. This will generate billions of savings over the scorecard period.
We published figures in the DWP Annual Report and Accounts 2020-21 that showed the estimated rate of fraud and error in Universal Credit was 14.5%, up from 9.4% in 2019/20.
These estimates are based on in depth reviews of a random sample of around 3,000 Universal Credit cases (taken between February and November 2020) to establish the extent of Fraud and Error. The level of fraud and error found in this sample is then applied to the 2020-21 Universal Credit expenditure to give our overall estimate. During the early months of the pandemic we faced unprecedented levels of claims, with 2.4 million new UC claims between 1 March and 26 May 2020. We took a decision to implement easements to ensure we could prioritise payments to those who needed help during this difficult time. This meant that although the overall level of fraud and error in Universal Credit across the year was 14.5%, the subset of claims made after the pandemic started had a level of 25.6%. Claims prior to the pandemic remained at a level of 9.4%. This detailed analysis indicates that the total overpayment for fraud and error for claims from the start of the pandemic (in 2020/21) was £3.1 billion, of which £1.1billion being overpaid due to incorrect information about self-employed income.
It is regrettable that people may have sought to exploit the extraordinary circumstances of a global pandemic for gain by not reporting changes in circumstances or even making false claims. This is particularly true for bogus claims orchestrated by organised criminals.
During the pandemic, we were able to detect and shut down systematic attacks on the benefit system, including preventing £1.9bn from an attack from Organised Criminals in May 2020. We removed the easements as early as possible from June 2020 and introduced new processes, including a new Enhanced Checking Service created in April 2020, comprising a team of trained investigators who review claims and contact claimants in order to obtain further information or evidence where there is suspected fraud. In total we estimate that we have prevented nearly £3bn of additional fraud and error.
Our rigorous checks to prevent fraud are now back in place and the new targeted UC case reviews funded as part of the £1.4bn investment will be focused on relentlessly pursuing and finding incorrect claims and driving out the Fraud and Error. We are determined to combat all attempts at fraud and will not hesitate to pursue those who exploit the system when benefits are there to support those most in need.
Fraud and error in the benefit system: financial year 2020 to 2021 estimates - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The latest Pension Credit take-up statistics are due for publication on 24 February. These will cover the financial year 2019/20. Due to the sample size used to estimate Pension Credit take-up statistics, figures cannot be broken down to a constituency level.
Since then, the Department has undertaken a range of actions to raise awareness of Pension Credit, encourage pensioners to check their eligibility, and to make a claim. This has included a Pension Credit media day of action in June, working with stakeholders such as the BBC and Age UK.
Our initial internal management information suggests new claims for Pension Credit in the past twelve months to December 2021 were around 136,000, representing an increase of around 30% compared to the 12 months to December 2019 when they were around 105,000. It also suggests that we have been receiving consistently high volumes of claims over recent months, at around 3,300 per week.
This management information has not been subjected to the usual standard of quality assurance associated with official statistics but are provided here in the interests of transparency.
The impact of these claim volumes on numbers of successful awards and on Pension Credit take-up will take longer to establish given the usual cycle involved in producing those statistics.
As of the 22nd September, over 76,900 young people have started a Kickstart job. Over 196,300 roles have been made available for young people to apply to through the scheme and over 295,000 jobs have been approved for funding.
Below are tables listing the number of Kickstart jobs which have been made available and started by young people to date by geographical area of Great Britain and work sector. The figures used are correct as of the 22nd September and these figures have been rounded according to departmental standards.
From 26/08/21 to 22/09/21 an average of over 3,600 young people started on the scheme each week.
Although care is taken when processing and analysing Kickstart applications, referrals and starts, the data collected might be subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system, which has been developed quickly.
The management information presented here has not been subjected to the usual standard of quality assurance associated with official statistics, but is provided in the interests of transparency. Work is ongoing to improve the quality of information available for the programme.
Location | Jobs Made Available | Total Jobs Started |
East Midlands | 12,300 | 4,710 |
East of England | 15,500 | 5,430 |
London | 40,800 | 16,670 |
North East | 7,800 | 3,610 |
North West | 24,600 | 9,830 |
Scotland | 14,800 | 6,710 |
South East | 22,400 | 8,280 |
South West | 14,400 | 5,080 |
Wales | 10,900 | 3,740 |
West Midlands | 17,600 | 6,940 |
Yorkshire and The Humber | 15,200 | 5,970 |
*These numbers are rounded and so may not match provided totals. Jobs Made Available include 1,000 non-grant funded vacancies and Total Starts include around 900 starts to non-grant funded jobs |
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Sector | Jobs Made Available | Total Jobs Started |
Administration | 48,700 | 19,350 |
Animal Care | 1,000 | 610 |
Beauty & Wellbeing | 1,400 | 610 |
Business & Finance | 7,000 | 2,840 |
Computing Technology & Digital | 13,600 | 6,640 |
Construction & Trades | 6,000 | 2,420 |
Creative & Media | 15,400 | 7,710 |
Delivery & Storage | 5,600 | 2,190 |
Emergency & Uniform Services | 500 | 170 |
Engineering & Maintenance | 6,400 | 2,390 |
Environment & Land | 3,700 | 1,590 |
Government Services | 700 | 190 |
Healthcare | 5,400 | 1,640 |
Home Services | 1,500 | 400 |
Hospitality & Food | 21,900 | 6,060 |
Law & Legal | 400 | 240 |
Managerial | 1,100 | 390 |
Manufacturing | 5,100 | 2,080 |
Retail & Sales | 30,400 | 12,580 |
Science & Research | 800 | 370 |
Social Care | 4,800 | 1,220 |
Sports & Leisure | 4,600 | 1,910 |
Teaching & Education | 9,100 | 2,980 |
Transport | 600 | 160 |
Travel & Tourism | 600 | 230 |
*These numbers are rounded and so may not match provided totals. Jobs Made Available include 1,000 non-grant funded vacancies and Total Starts include around 900 starts to non-grant funded jobs |
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Paper based assessments of entitlement to Disability Living Allowance have always been offered in preference to other forms of assessment and will continue as normal. Paper based assessments have also always been a feature of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and are undertaken where there is sufficient evidence. Where possible and in line with usual processes, a paper-based assessment will be undertaken. In PIP we will continue to do telephone-based assessments where necessary.
Paper based reviews have also always been a feature of Work Capability Assessments for UC and ESA. Wherever possible, if there is sufficient evidence available, our Assessment Provider will make a recommendation based on a paper-based review. If this is not possible, our provider will currently look to offer a telephone assessment, where appropriate.
We remain fully committed to making continuous improvements to the support we provide to people with health conditions and disabilities, and are evaluating the changes to our assessment approach which were temporarily introduced. This will inform the approach taken to conducting assessments in the future. We are using a range of information to inform these decisions, including research with PIP and ESA/UC claimants about their experiences of telephone assessments.
We are considering the next steps for assessments when public health advice allows face to face assessments to be re-introduced. We are using a range of information to inform these decisions, including research with PIP and ESA/UC claimants about their experiences of telephone assessments, which will take place over the Summer. Further discussions with stakeholders will also be welcomed to ensure we take a range of views into consideration.
We made the decision to temporarily suspend the requirement for face-to-face Jobcentre Plus appointments for all claimants in Universal Credit, New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), old-style JSA and ESA, and Income Support.
Arrangements after the 30th June will be communicated in due course.
Data on waiting times for National Health Service dental appointments is not collected centrally. Appointments for NHS treatments, recruitment and resource planning are managed directly by dental practices.
NHS England and NHS Improvement and Health Education England (HEE) are developing proposals to reform the NHS dental contract. HEE is focusing on improving recruitment and retention and identify barriers to more efficient use of the whole dental team in NHS dentistry.
The £375 million investment will fund research projects into a range of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The NIHR and UKRI rely on researchers submitting high-quality applications to access funding, therefore details of allocations are not currently available. All applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.
The National Institute for Health Research is funding research on microplastic toxicity in humans through the Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Exposure, which is led by Imperial College London and Public Health England. This work will be reported in peer reviewed academic journals in due course.
No such assessment has been made. Dentists play an ad hoc role in detecting oral cancers as a by-product of dental check-ups. However, oral cancer is primarily detected through the medical system. Patients with concerns about changes in their mouth should seek advice from their general practitioner and not wait for their next dental appointment.
Dentists who meet the criteria can access the full range of HM Treasury support for their private earnings. Self-employed dentists who have met the criteria have been eligible for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme which will continue until September, with a fourth and fifth grant. Dentists who receive a salary through a Pay As You Earn scheme may be eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which has also been extended until September. In addition, a new United Kingdom-wide Recovery Loan Scheme will help businesses of all sizes through the next stage of recovery.
Public Health England have published the guidance ‘Delivering better oral health - an evidence-based toolkit for prevention’, for dental teams to support preventive advice and treatment for their patients. The toolkit includes evidence-based advice and treatment that dentists and their teams can use to support their patients to help prevent tooth decay, gum disease, mouth cancer and tooth wear. This toolkit is available at the following link:
The dental contract reform programme has been piloting new contract models to better incentivise preventative and restorative treatments. The Department will publish an evaluation of the programme this summer and based on the learning, NHS England and NHS Improvement will take forward the design of proposals to protect and improve oral health.
The £600 million Infection Control Fund was set up to reduce the rate of COVID-19 transmission in and between care homes and support wider workforce resilience. It provides funds in addition to the £3.7 billion of general funding provided to local authorities, which can be used to support adult social care. Public Health England advice is that one of the key mitigations against transmission was through restricting staff movements between care homes wherever feasible. Taking this advice and feedback from care providers regarding workforce costs into account, care home providers may use the fund to support the implementation of a new set of measures. These measures also include paying staff full pay to isolate, and other infection control matters as set out in the grant determination. Local authorities have greater discretion over the use of 25% of the funding, which may be used on other COVID-19 infection control measures.
On 15 May 2020 the Government published a care home support package, backed by a £600 million Infection Control Fund. The package sets out the steps that must now be taken to keep people in care homes safe, and the support that will be brought together across national and local government to help care providers put this into practice.
We are currently reviewing our care homes guidance and will be publishing new guidance shortly. As the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown begins, any assessment of a resident’s needs, and subsequent decisions made, must consider individual circumstances and ethical implications, ensuring that the resident is treated with respect so that their human rights, personal choices, safety and dignity is upheld.
We also recognise the vital importance of protecting those who receive care in their homes, as well as those who provide home care. We have published detailed guidance for home care providers to support them to deliver care safely and effectively during the pandemic.
We keep our policies under continuous review during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the emerging international and domestic evidence.
The Secretary of State has frequent conversations with relevant Cabinet colleagues and stakeholders. The Department of Transport recently announced a £2billion investment to boost a greener active transport. This includes a £250million emergency active travel fund to help encourage more people to choose cycling and walking as alternatives to public transport when they need to travel. Evidence suggests that regular physical activity can promote good physical health and help manage stress and anxiety.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 5 May 2020 to Question 902192.
Social care workers are at the frontline of our battle with COVID-19. We are grateful to all care workers, caring for our loved ones every day.
Care workers must follow the guidance on isolating if they or a household member have COVID-19 symptoms - which means that there are higher absence levels than normal – but there must also be enough staff to provide essential care.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has been monitoring staff absence rates to see where there are particular risks.The CQC is sharing this information with local authorities and the Government has provided them with guidance on supporting care providers. We are encouraging returning health and social care professionals to work in social care and we have launched a national recruitment campaign with the ambition to attract 20,000 people into adult social care.
A letter was issued to trusts on 29 April detailing the Second Phase of Response to COVID-19. This letter sets out that:
Local systems and Cancer Alliances must continue to identify ring-fenced diagnostic and surgical capacity for cancer, and providers must protect and deliver cancer surgery and cancer treatment by ensuring that cancer surgery hubs are fully operational. Full use should be made of the available contracted independent sector hospital and diagnostic capacity locally and regionally. Regional cancer Senior Responsible Officers must now provide assurance that these arrangements are in place everywhere.
Treatment, including radiotherapy, must be brought back to pre-pandemic levels at the earliest opportunity to minimise potential harm, and to reduce the scale of the post-pandemic surge in demand.
The Department, Public Health England, the Care Quality Commission and the National Health Service have published guidance on the care of residents in care homes, including those with dementia. It asks care homes to consider alternatives to in-person visiting, including use of telephones or video, or the use of plastic or glass barriers between residents and visitors. Care homes are responding with innovative solutions which are allowing residents to stay in touch with their family and friends.
We continue to review the need for further guidance including specific guidance on the care of people with dementia, informed by the views of stakeholders. We have also commissioned research on the best ways to mitigate the psychological and social impact of COVID-19 on people with dementia living in the community and their family.
The eligibility cut-off date for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme was pushed back from 28 February 2020 to 19 March 2020. This means that employees who were originally ineligible can now participate in the scheme. This change makes the scheme more generous while keeping the significant fraud risks under control.
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is open to any individual who was on an employer’s PAYE payroll on or before 19 March 2020 and for whom HMRC received an RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that employee on or before the 19 March 2020. Processing claims for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme where HMRC did not have RTI data by 19 March would significantly slow down the system while risking substantial levels of fraud. It would also require greater resource for HMRC when they are already under significant pressure to deliver the system designed.
Those not eligible for the scheme may be able to access other support that the Government is providing, including a package of temporary welfare measures and up to three months’ mortgage payment holidays for those struggling with their mortgage payments.
The Chancellor has set out a package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to support public services, people and businesses through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19.
All councils have their own local council tax support scheme which provides reductions in council tax for low income residents. In addition, the Government has provided councils with a £500m hardship fund to enable additional council tax relief.
This funding is in addition to support for businesses, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme. Those who are self-employed or a member of a partnership may be eligible for a grant through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.
We have now made £3.2 billion available to local authorities through an un-ringfenced grant so they can address pressures they are facing in response to the Covid-19 pandemic
The additional funding is un-ringfenced and can be used across all local services facing pressures, recognising local authorities are best placed to decide how to meet the major Covid-19 service pressures in their local area.
The Government has announced a package of support for businesses to help with their ongoing business costs in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19. In particular, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has been working across Government to provide £12.33 billion of grant funding to help small and rural businesses and businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors manage their cashflow through this period. This support will take the form of two grant funding schemes, the Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF).
Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF):
Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF):
Through Section 82 of the Coronavirus Act 2020, the Government has also made provision for a three-month moratorium on the ability of landlords of commercial properties to exercise any right of forfeiture that they may have due to the non-payment of rent by tenants. The provision delays the right to forfeiture; it does not otherwise impinge on a landlord’s right to claim forfeiture at the end of that period. The objective of the clause is to provide much-needed certainty to those businesses hit hard by the Coronavirus and worried about security of tenure during this difficult period. The moratorium is in effect until 30 June, a period that can be extended by Government if necessary.
The Government has announced a package of support for businesses to help with their ongoing business costs in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19. In particular, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has been working across Government to provide £12.33 billion of grant funding to help small and rural businesses and businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors manage their cashflow through this period. This support will take the form of two grant funding schemes, the Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF).
Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF):
Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF):
Through Section 82 of the Coronavirus Act 2020, the Government has also made provision for a three-month moratorium on the ability of landlords of commercial properties to exercise any right of forfeiture that they may have due to the non-payment of rent by tenants. The provision delays the right to forfeiture; it does not otherwise impinge on a landlord’s right to claim forfeiture at the end of that period. The objective of the clause is to provide much-needed certainty to those businesses hit hard by the Coronavirus and worried about security of tenure during this difficult period. The moratorium is in effect until 30 June, a period that can be extended by Government if necessary.
Progress against the HMCTS recovery plan published on 1 July is already well underway to reduce outstanding cases and to get our operating capacity as close as possible to pre-Covid levels.
We are investing record amounts, with £153m to improve court and tribunal buildings – the biggest single investment in court estate maintenance for more than 20 years. We’ve also opened 14 Nightingale Courts and over 240 jury courtrooms, while Magistrates’ Courts have been completing more cases than they are receiving.
We’ve piloted Covid Operating hours at the Crown Court in Liverpool and several other crown courts. I’m also pleased the number of hearings across the civil, family and tribunal jurisdictions is also increasing.
HMCTS will continue to facilitate video remand hearings using the Cloud Video Platform (CVP). Steps have been taken to increase the capacity of our existing systems to enable other participants to appear remotely. We continue to engage with Policing across England and Wales on the use of video in the criminal justice system.
The Government places great importance on the Union, and Northern Ireland’s integral place within it. We are using Northern Ireland’s centenary to promote Northern Ireland on the world stage and showcase the contribution of its people, places and products to our United Kingdom.
We have just signed Heads of Terms for the Derry-Londonderry City Deal, which includes a £105m UK Government investment, showing our commitment to levelling up across the UK.
In addition to the £2bn we have committed through New Decade New Approach, we have supported the Executive with £3.3bn to tackle Coronavirus. The £400m New Deal for Northern Ireland will boost economic growth, supporting businesses across Northern Ireland to invest.
We will continue working tirelessly for our family of nations, ensuring it is a Union of people that works for everyone.
This Government has always stressed the importance of the Union.
The recent spending review showed this Government’s commitment to investing in all parts of the UK, from city and growth deals, to driving the development of innovative technologies across Scotland.