Siobhain McDonagh

In the 2017 Civil Service Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Strategy we committed to increasing transparency around our workforce composition by creating a D&I dashboard on GOV.UK, through which we publish quarterly updates on gender in the Civil Service.

The dashboard shows that overall, 53.9% of the Civil Service were women in 2019. This varies by grade from 45.0% in the Senior Civil Service (SCS), to 45.3% at G6, 47.5% at G7, 50% at HEO/SEO, 56.1% at EO and 57.2% at AA/AO level. The overall percentage of female civil servants has remained fairly stable since 2010 but for the SCS, the percentage of women has increased each year.

We currently publish individual department’s gender data on the D&I dashboard but this does not currently include a breakdown by Civil Service grade.

Our data shows that we continue to make steady and positive progress on representation of women across the grades, therefore we have not set Civil Service-wide targets on gender.

In the 2017 Civil Service Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Strategy we committed to increasing transparency around our workforce composition by creating a D&I dashboard on GOV.UK, through which we publish quarterly updates on gender in the Civil Service.

The dashboard shows that overall, 53.9% of the Civil Service were women in 2019. This varies by grade from 45.0% in the Senior Civil Service (SCS), to 45.3% at G6, 47.5% at G7, 50% at HEO/SEO, 56.1% at EO and 57.2% at AA/AO level. The overall percentage of female civil servants has remained fairly stable since 2010 but for the SCS, the percentage of women has increased each year.

We currently publish individual department’s gender data on the D&I dashboard but this does not currently include a breakdown by Civil Service grade.

Our data shows that we continue to make steady and positive progress on representation of women across the grades, therefore we have not set Civil Service-wide targets on gender.

In the 2017 Civil Service Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Strategy we committed to increasing transparency around our workforce composition by creating a D&I dashboard on GOV.UK, through which we publish quarterly updates on gender in the Civil Service.

The dashboard shows that overall, 53.9% of the Civil Service were women in 2019. This varies by grade from 45.0% in the Senior Civil Service (SCS), to 45.3% at G6, 47.5% at G7, 50% at HEO/SEO, 56.1% at EO and 57.2% at AA/AO level. The overall percentage of female civil servants has remained fairly stable since 2010 but for the SCS, the percentage of women has increased each year.

We currently publish individual department’s gender data on the D&I dashboard but this does not currently include a breakdown by Civil Service grade.

Our data shows that we continue to make steady and positive progress on representation of women across the grades, therefore we have not set Civil Service-wide targets on gender.

For the initial programme tender, the Department concluded that a direct award offered the best chance of securing devices quickly in a global market of high demand and limited supply. A contract was awarded to Computacenter (UK) Limited through an existing Crown Commercial Service framework for technology products and associated services under PPN 01/20. The Department also sought assurance about the ability of Computacenter to deliver against the contract from Information and Communications Technology industry representatives.

All subsequent procurements for devices and 4G routers were awarded following competitive tendering on Crown Commercial Service Frameworks. 38 approved Crown Commercial Service suppliers were given the opportunity to bid for the laptop and tablet contracts. Providing options in device brand and model also contributed to achieving value for money driving optimum competition within the market.

We believe that this approach struck the best balance between achieving value for money while ensuring that devices were available for children to use as quickly as possible.

All Department contracts awarded to suppliers of £10,000 or more are published on Contracts Finder: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.

As of Monday 8 March, over 1.2 million laptops and tablets have been delivered to schools, academy trusts, local authorities, and further education colleges. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/laptops-and-tablets-progress-data-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

The Department publishes this data every week during term time, the next publication will be Tuesday 16 March.

The Department has partnered with the UK’s leading mobile operators to provide free data to help over 30,000 disadvantaged children get online. We are not able to provide a breakdown of the numbers of requests received for each provider as this information is commercially sensitive for providers.

We are grateful to EE, Lycamobile, O2, Sky Mobile, Smarty, Tesco Mobile, Three, Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile, Vodafone, iD Mobile and giffgaff for supporting the mobile data offer. The Department is currently engaged with additional mobile network operators and continues to invite a range of mobile network providers to support the offer.

As of Monday 8 March, over 1.2 million laptops and tablets have been delivered to schools, academy trusts, local authorities, and further education colleges. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/laptops-and-tablets-progress-data-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

The Department publishes this data every week during term time, the next publication will be Tuesday 16 March.

The Department has partnered with the UK’s leading mobile operators to provide free data to help over 30,000 disadvantaged children get online. We are not able to provide a breakdown of the numbers of requests received for each provider as this information is commercially sensitive for providers.

We are grateful to EE, Lycamobile, O2, Sky Mobile, Smarty, Tesco Mobile, Three, Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile, Vodafone, iD Mobile and giffgaff for supporting the mobile data offer. The Department is currently engaged with additional mobile network operators and continues to invite a range of mobile network providers to support the offer.

The Department is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care. We are making available 1.3 million laptops and tablets to schools, colleges, academy trusts and local authorities, supporting disadvantaged children and young people who would not otherwise have access to a digital device.

As of Monday 15 March, over 1.2 million laptops and tablets have been delivered. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/laptops-and-tablets-progress-data-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

The Department has been publishing this data every week during term time. The next publication will be due on Tuesday 23 March.

Once received, the laptops and tablets are owned by schools, academy trusts, local authorities or further education colleges who can lend these to children and young people who need them the most. These laptops and tablets are intended to give schools the flexibility to provide remote education support and can continue to be used in the longer term either in the classroom or from home.

The Department does not collect any data on how devices are used once they are received by the school.

We know that a range of other local and community initiatives have also provided technology for remote education, and that some schools have also invested in technology at this time. We do not hold comprehensive data on device provision outside of the Get Help with Technology Programme during this period.

Over 5,000 schools are now accessing a digital platform for remote education via the department’s grant funded Digital Platforms Programme

The Department plans to examine the broader impact of these interventions over the coming year.

From the 8 March, attendance is mandatory for all pupils of compulsory school age. Schools affected by the remote education temporary continuity direction are still required to provide remote education for pupils where their attendance would be contrary to government guidance or legislation around COVID-19. This includes, for example, where such guidance means that a class, group, or small number of pupils need to self-isolate, or that clinically extremely vulnerable children need to shield.

Where it is needed, schools are expected to offer pupils 3-5 hours of remote education. This includes either recorded or live direct teaching alongside time for pupils to work independently to complete assignments that have been set.

We have recently updated our guidance and resources for schools around safeguarding and delivery of remote education, which can be accessed here: https://get-help-with-remote-education.education.gov.uk/safeguarding.

The Department is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care. We are making available 1.3 million laptops and tablets to schools, colleges, academy trusts and local authorities, supporting disadvantaged children and young people who would not otherwise have access to a digital device.

As of Monday 15 March, over 1.2 million laptops and tablets have been delivered. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/laptops-and-tablets-progress-data-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

The Department has been publishing this data every week during term time. The next publication will be due on Tuesday 23 March.

Once received, the laptops and tablets are owned by schools, academy trusts, local authorities or further education colleges who can lend these to children and young people who need them the most. These laptops and tablets are intended to give schools the flexibility to provide remote education support and can continue to be used in the longer term either in the classroom or from home.

The Department does not collect any data on how devices are used once they are received by the school.

We know that a range of other local and community initiatives have also provided technology for remote education, and that some schools have also invested in technology at this time. We do not hold comprehensive data on device provision outside of the Get Help with Technology Programme during this period.

Over 5,000 schools are now accessing a digital platform for remote education via the department’s grant funded Digital Platforms Programme

The Department plans to examine the broader impact of these interventions over the coming year.

From the 8 March, attendance is mandatory for all pupils of compulsory school age. Schools affected by the remote education temporary continuity direction are still required to provide remote education for pupils where their attendance would be contrary to government guidance or legislation around COVID-19. This includes, for example, where such guidance means that a class, group, or small number of pupils need to self-isolate, or that clinically extremely vulnerable children need to shield.

Where it is needed, schools are expected to offer pupils 3-5 hours of remote education. This includes either recorded or live direct teaching alongside time for pupils to work independently to complete assignments that have been set.

We have recently updated our guidance and resources for schools around safeguarding and delivery of remote education, which can be accessed here: https://get-help-with-remote-education.education.gov.uk/safeguarding.

The Department is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care. We are making available 1.3 million laptops and tablets to schools, colleges, academy trusts and local authorities, supporting disadvantaged children and young people who would not otherwise have access to a digital device.

As of Monday 15 March, over 1.2 million laptops and tablets have been delivered. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/laptops-and-tablets-progress-data-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

The Department has been publishing this data every week during term time. The next publication will be due on Tuesday 23 March.

Once received, the laptops and tablets are owned by schools, academy trusts, local authorities or further education colleges who can lend these to children and young people who need them the most. These laptops and tablets are intended to give schools the flexibility to provide remote education support and can continue to be used in the longer term either in the classroom or from home.

The Department does not collect any data on how devices are used once they are received by the school.

We know that a range of other local and community initiatives have also provided technology for remote education, and that some schools have also invested in technology at this time. We do not hold comprehensive data on device provision outside of the Get Help with Technology Programme during this period.

Over 5,000 schools are now accessing a digital platform for remote education via the department’s grant funded Digital Platforms Programme

The Department plans to examine the broader impact of these interventions over the coming year.

From the 8 March, attendance is mandatory for all pupils of compulsory school age. Schools affected by the remote education temporary continuity direction are still required to provide remote education for pupils where their attendance would be contrary to government guidance or legislation around COVID-19. This includes, for example, where such guidance means that a class, group, or small number of pupils need to self-isolate, or that clinically extremely vulnerable children need to shield.

Where it is needed, schools are expected to offer pupils 3-5 hours of remote education. This includes either recorded or live direct teaching alongside time for pupils to work independently to complete assignments that have been set.

We have recently updated our guidance and resources for schools around safeguarding and delivery of remote education, which can be accessed here: https://get-help-with-remote-education.education.gov.uk/safeguarding.

The Department is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care. We are making available 1.3 million laptops and tablets to schools, colleges, academy trusts and local authorities, supporting disadvantaged children and young people who would not otherwise have access to a digital device.

As of Monday 15 March, over 1.2 million laptops and tablets have been delivered. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/laptops-and-tablets-progress-data-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

The Department has been publishing this data every week during term time. The next publication will be due on Tuesday 23 March.

Once received, the laptops and tablets are owned by schools, academy trusts, local authorities or further education colleges who can lend these to children and young people who need them the most. These laptops and tablets are intended to give schools the flexibility to provide remote education support and can continue to be used in the longer term either in the classroom or from home.

The Department does not collect any data on how devices are used once they are received by the school.

We know that a range of other local and community initiatives have also provided technology for remote education, and that some schools have also invested in technology at this time. We do not hold comprehensive data on device provision outside of the Get Help with Technology Programme during this period.

Over 5,000 schools are now accessing a digital platform for remote education via the department’s grant funded Digital Platforms Programme

The Department plans to examine the broader impact of these interventions over the coming year.

From the 8 March, attendance is mandatory for all pupils of compulsory school age. Schools affected by the remote education temporary continuity direction are still required to provide remote education for pupils where their attendance would be contrary to government guidance or legislation around COVID-19. This includes, for example, where such guidance means that a class, group, or small number of pupils need to self-isolate, or that clinically extremely vulnerable children need to shield.

Where it is needed, schools are expected to offer pupils 3-5 hours of remote education. This includes either recorded or live direct teaching alongside time for pupils to work independently to complete assignments that have been set.

We have recently updated our guidance and resources for schools around safeguarding and delivery of remote education, which can be accessed here: https://get-help-with-remote-education.education.gov.uk/safeguarding.

The government recognises the important role that extra-curricular activities and other out-of-school settings play in providing enriching activities which support children’s physical and mental health, as well as the development of skills and attitudes which promote their wellbeing. That is why we ensured that all before and after-school clubs, holiday clubs, and other out-of-school settings were able continue to stay open for those children that need or rely on these settings most, for the duration of the national lockdown, and why we have extended eligibility of attendance when children returned to school on 8 March 2021.

At present, providers can offer face-to-face provision for all children, where that provision supports certain essential purposes; with vulnerable children and young people able to continue accessing provision under any circumstance. We have updated our protective measures guidance for the sector, which outlines eligibility and aims to support providers to allow them to open for as many children as safely as possible. This guidance can be found here:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

Where children are not eligible to attend face-to-face provision, we have suggested in our guidance that providers move to remote provision where possible. The department does not hold a central register of out-of-school activities providers and is therefore unable to make an assessment of the effect of digital learning on participation in such activities. We do, however, recognise that a lack of digital access may make participating in remote activities challenging, in particular for disadvantaged children and young people. The government is therefore investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care, including securing 1.3 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people. We have also partnered with the UK’s leading mobile operators to provide free data to help 30,000 disadvantaged children and young people in schools, sixth forms and further education institutions to get online as well as delivering over 70,000 4G wireless routers for students without connection at home.

As of Monday 15 February 2021, over one million laptops and tablets have been delivered to schools, trusts, local authorities and further education providers. More information can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/laptops-and-tablets-data/2021-week-7.

We publish this data every week during term time and the next publication will be Tuesday 2 March 2021.

We have partnered with the UK’s leading mobile operators to provide free data to help disadvantaged children get online. We will provide official statistics on the number of requests received for uplifts in mobile data in early March 2021. We will not be able to provide a breakdown of the numbers of requests received for each provider as this information is commercially sensitive for providers.

We are grateful to EE, Lycamobile, O2, Sky Mobile, Smarty, Tesco Mobile, Three, Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile, Vodafone, iD Mobile and giffgaff for supporting the mobile data offer. We are currently engaged with additional mobile network operators to provide further support through this offer.

Additionally, we are grateful to BT and EE, who have made access to BBC Bitesize resources free from the end of January 2021.

As of Monday 15 February 2021, over one million laptops and tablets have been delivered to schools, trusts, local authorities and further education providers. More information can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/laptops-and-tablets-data/2021-week-7.

We publish this data every week during term time and the next publication will be Tuesday 2 March 2021.

We have partnered with the UK’s leading mobile operators to provide free data to help disadvantaged children get online. We will provide official statistics on the number of requests received for uplifts in mobile data in early March 2021. We will not be able to provide a breakdown of the numbers of requests received for each provider as this information is commercially sensitive for providers.

We are grateful to EE, Lycamobile, O2, Sky Mobile, Smarty, Tesco Mobile, Three, Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile, Vodafone, iD Mobile and giffgaff for supporting the mobile data offer. We are currently engaged with additional mobile network operators to provide further support through this offer.

Additionally, we are grateful to BT and EE, who have made access to BBC Bitesize resources free from the end of January 2021.

As of Monday 15 February 2021, over one million laptops and tablets have been delivered to schools, academy trusts, local authorities and further education providers. More information can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/laptops-and-tablets-data. This data is published every week during term time.

The Department has partnered with the UK’s leading mobile operators to provide free data to help disadvantaged children get online. We will provide official statistics on the number of requests received for uplifts in mobile data in early March 2021. We will not be able to provide a breakdown of the numbers of requests received for each provider as this information is commercially sensitive for providers.

We are grateful to EE, Lycamobile, O2, Sky Mobile, Smarty, Tesco Mobile, Three, Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile, Vodafone, iD Mobile and giffgaff for supporting the mobile data offer. We are currently engaged with additional mobile network operators to provide further support through this offer.

As of Monday 15 February 2021, over one million laptops and tablets have been delivered to schools, academy trusts, local authorities and further education providers. More information can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/laptops-and-tablets-data. This data is published every week during term time.

The Department has partnered with the UK’s leading mobile operators to provide free data to help disadvantaged children get online. We will provide official statistics on the number of requests received for uplifts in mobile data in early March 2021. We will not be able to provide a breakdown of the numbers of requests received for each provider as this information is commercially sensitive for providers.

We are grateful to EE, Lycamobile, O2, Sky Mobile, Smarty, Tesco Mobile, Three, Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile, Vodafone, iD Mobile and giffgaff for supporting the mobile data offer. We are currently engaged with additional mobile network operators to provide further support through this offer.

To date, all secondary and college pupils are eligible to take part in the Mass Asymptomatic Testing Programme. Regarding consent, schools and colleges are the individual data controllers responsible for processing any personal data, including obtaining and maintaining records of consent, for testing carried out on their sites. As part of testing, schools and colleges share data on tests carried out with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), at which point DHSC becomes the data controller. Therefore, the Department for Education does not hold the requested information.

The Government is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care services, including securing 1.3 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people.

As of Monday 8 February 2021, over 986,000 laptops and tablets have been delivered to schools, academy trusts, local authorities, and further education providers.

Laptops and tablets are owned by schools, academy trusts or local authorities who can lend these to the children and young people who need them most, during the current COVID-19 restrictions.

The Government is providing this significant injection of devices on top of an estimated 2.9 million laptops and tablets already owned by schools before the start of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Figures on the number of devices already delivered is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/laptops-and-tablets-data/2021-week-6. These figures are broken down by local authority and academy trust.

The Department has already provided over 63,000 4G wireless routers, with free data for the academic year, and continues to provide 4G wireless routers where children need to access remote education. Data regarding the number of routers delivered is also published at the site above.

To support access to the internet, the Department has partnered with the UK’s leading mobile operators to provide free data to help disadvantaged children get online as well as delivering 4G wireless routers for pupils without connection at home.

The Department is grateful to EE, O2, Sky Mobile, Smarty, Tesco Mobile, Three, Virgin Mobile, Vodafone, BT Mobile and Lycamobile for supporting this offer. We are continuing to invite a range of mobile network providers to support the offer. Data regarding the number of pupils receiving free mobile data will be published shortly.

The Government is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care services, including securing 1.3 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people.

As of Monday 8 February 2021, over 986,000 laptops and tablets have been delivered to schools, academy trusts, local authorities, and further education providers.

Laptops and tablets are owned by schools, academy trusts or local authorities who can lend these to the children and young people who need them most, during the current COVID-19 restrictions.

The Government is providing this significant injection of devices on top of an estimated 2.9 million laptops and tablets already owned by schools before the start of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Figures on the number of devices already delivered is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/laptops-and-tablets-data/2021-week-6. These figures are broken down by local authority and academy trust.

The Department has already provided over 63,000 4G wireless routers, with free data for the academic year, and continues to provide 4G wireless routers where children need to access remote education. Data regarding the number of routers delivered is also published at the site above.

To support access to the internet, the Department has partnered with the UK’s leading mobile operators to provide free data to help disadvantaged children get online as well as delivering 4G wireless routers for pupils without connection at home.

The Department is grateful to EE, O2, Sky Mobile, Smarty, Tesco Mobile, Three, Virgin Mobile, Vodafone, BT Mobile and Lycamobile for supporting this offer. We are continuing to invite a range of mobile network providers to support the offer. Data regarding the number of pupils receiving free mobile data will be published shortly.

The Department is currently working with Google and Microsoft providers to deliver the Digital Education Platforms programme. The programme provides Government funded support for schools and colleges to get set up on one of two free to use digital platforms, which includes G Suite for Education (Google Classroom), and Office 365 Education (Microsoft Teams).

The funding covers the technical set up of the platform including all staff, pupil and student accounts.

Support is available to state funded:

• primary schools
• secondary schools
• special schools
• pupil referral units
• further education colleges
• sixth-form colleges

The funded support is for schools and colleges that:

• do not have a digital education platform
• have access to Office 365 Education or G Suite for Education, but are not yet set up to assign work and communicate with pupils and students

The Microsoft and Google platforms were chosen as they are free to use to the education sector and had the unified technology and support to set up and deliver effective remote education provision.

Google and Microsoft also offer several features and functionalities that are suitable for school needs.

As of 1 February 2021, £4.8 million has been spent out of a programme budget of £14.23 million, leaving £9.43 million of remaining funding.

The numbers of schools applying to the programme by RSC region is as follows:

• South East England and South London: 968
• North West London and South Central: 937
• Lancashire and West Yorkshire: 851
• East Midlands and the Humber: 579
• West Midlands: 525
• South West England: 519
• East of England and North East:481
• North of England: 273

The Department wants to ensure all schools are set up with a remote learning platform and are keeping this under constant review.

The Department is currently working with Google and Microsoft providers to deliver the Digital Education Platforms programme. The programme provides Government funded support for schools and colleges to get set up on one of two free to use digital platforms, which includes G Suite for Education (Google Classroom), and Office 365 Education (Microsoft Teams).

The funding covers the technical set up of the platform including all staff, pupil and student accounts.

Support is available to state funded:

• primary schools
• secondary schools
• special schools
• pupil referral units
• further education colleges
• sixth-form colleges

The funded support is for schools and colleges that:

• do not have a digital education platform
• have access to Office 365 Education or G Suite for Education, but are not yet set up to assign work and communicate with pupils and students

The Microsoft and Google platforms were chosen as they are free to use to the education sector and had the unified technology and support to set up and deliver effective remote education provision.

Google and Microsoft also offer several features and functionalities that are suitable for school needs.

As of 1 February 2021, £4.8 million has been spent out of a programme budget of £14.23 million, leaving £9.43 million of remaining funding.

The numbers of schools applying to the programme by RSC region is as follows:

• South East England and South London: 968
• North West London and South Central: 937
• Lancashire and West Yorkshire: 851
• East Midlands and the Humber: 579
• West Midlands: 525
• South West England: 519
• East of England and North East:481
• North of England: 273

The Department wants to ensure all schools are set up with a remote learning platform and are keeping this under constant review.

The Department is currently working with Google and Microsoft providers to deliver the Digital Education Platforms programme. The programme provides Government funded support for schools and colleges to get set up on one of two free to use digital platforms, which includes G Suite for Education (Google Classroom), and Office 365 Education (Microsoft Teams).

The funding covers the technical set up of the platform including all staff, pupil and student accounts.

Support is available to state funded:

• primary schools
• secondary schools
• special schools
• pupil referral units
• further education colleges
• sixth-form colleges

The funded support is for schools and colleges that:

• do not have a digital education platform
• have access to Office 365 Education or G Suite for Education, but are not yet set up to assign work and communicate with pupils and students

The Microsoft and Google platforms were chosen as they are free to use to the education sector and had the unified technology and support to set up and deliver effective remote education provision.

Google and Microsoft also offer several features and functionalities that are suitable for school needs.

As of 1 February 2021, £4.8 million has been spent out of a programme budget of £14.23 million, leaving £9.43 million of remaining funding.

The numbers of schools applying to the programme by RSC region is as follows:

• South East England and South London: 968
• North West London and South Central: 937
• Lancashire and West Yorkshire: 851
• East Midlands and the Humber: 579
• West Midlands: 525
• South West England: 519
• East of England and North East:481
• North of England: 273

The Department wants to ensure all schools are set up with a remote learning platform and are keeping this under constant review.

The Department is currently working with Google and Microsoft providers to deliver the Digital Education Platforms programme. The programme provides Government funded support for schools and colleges to get set up on one of two free to use digital platforms, which includes G Suite for Education (Google Classroom), and Office 365 Education (Microsoft Teams).

The funding covers the technical set up of the platform including all staff, pupil and student accounts.

Support is available to state funded:

• primary schools
• secondary schools
• special schools
• pupil referral units
• further education colleges
• sixth-form colleges

The funded support is for schools and colleges that:

• do not have a digital education platform
• have access to Office 365 Education or G Suite for Education, but are not yet set up to assign work and communicate with pupils and students

The Microsoft and Google platforms were chosen as they are free to use to the education sector and had the unified technology and support to set up and deliver effective remote education provision.

Google and Microsoft also offer several features and functionalities that are suitable for school needs.

As of 1 February 2021, £4.8 million has been spent out of a programme budget of £14.23 million, leaving £9.43 million of remaining funding.

The numbers of schools applying to the programme by RSC region is as follows:

• South East England and South London: 968
• North West London and South Central: 937
• Lancashire and West Yorkshire: 851
• East Midlands and the Humber: 579
• West Midlands: 525
• South West England: 519
• East of England and North East:481
• North of England: 273

The Department wants to ensure all schools are set up with a remote learning platform and are keeping this under constant review.

The Department is currently working with Google and Microsoft providers to deliver the Digital Education Platforms programme. The programme provides Government funded support for schools and colleges to get set up on one of two free to use digital platforms, which includes G Suite for Education (Google Classroom), and Office 365 Education (Microsoft Teams).

The funding covers the technical set up of the platform including all staff, pupil and student accounts.

Support is available to state funded:

• primary schools
• secondary schools
• special schools
• pupil referral units
• further education colleges
• sixth-form colleges

The funded support is for schools and colleges that:

• do not have a digital education platform
• have access to Office 365 Education or G Suite for Education, but are not yet set up to assign work and communicate with pupils and students

The Microsoft and Google platforms were chosen as they are free to use to the education sector and had the unified technology and support to set up and deliver effective remote education provision.

Google and Microsoft also offer several features and functionalities that are suitable for school needs.

As of 1 February 2021, £4.8 million has been spent out of a programme budget of £14.23 million, leaving £9.43 million of remaining funding.

The numbers of schools applying to the programme by RSC region is as follows:

• South East England and South London: 968
• North West London and South Central: 937
• Lancashire and West Yorkshire: 851
• East Midlands and the Humber: 579
• West Midlands: 525
• South West England: 519
• East of England and North East:481
• North of England: 273

The Department wants to ensure all schools are set up with a remote learning platform and are keeping this under constant review.

The Department is currently working with Google and Microsoft providers to deliver the Digital Education Platforms programme. The programme provides Government funded support for schools and colleges to get set up on one of two free to use digital platforms, which includes G Suite for Education (Google Classroom), and Office 365 Education (Microsoft Teams).

The funding covers the technical set up of the platform including all staff, pupil and student accounts.

Support is available to state funded:

• primary schools
• secondary schools
• special schools
• pupil referral units
• further education colleges
• sixth-form colleges

The funded support is for schools and colleges that:

• do not have a digital education platform
• have access to Office 365 Education or G Suite for Education, but are not yet set up to assign work and communicate with pupils and students

The Microsoft and Google platforms were chosen as they are free to use to the education sector and had the unified technology and support to set up and deliver effective remote education provision.

Google and Microsoft also offer several features and functionalities that are suitable for school needs.

As of 1 February 2021, £4.8 million has been spent out of a programme budget of £14.23 million, leaving £9.43 million of remaining funding.

The numbers of schools applying to the programme by RSC region is as follows:

• South East England and South London: 968
• North West London and South Central: 937
• Lancashire and West Yorkshire: 851
• East Midlands and the Humber: 579
• West Midlands: 525
• South West England: 519
• East of England and North East:481
• North of England: 273

The Department wants to ensure all schools are set up with a remote learning platform and are keeping this under constant review.

The Department is currently working with Google and Microsoft providers to deliver the Digital Education Platforms programme. The programme provides Government funded support for schools and colleges to get set up on one of two free to use digital platforms, which includes G Suite for Education (Google Classroom), and Office 365 Education (Microsoft Teams).

The funding covers the technical set up of the platform including all staff, pupil and student accounts.

Support is available to state funded:

• primary schools
• secondary schools
• special schools
• pupil referral units
• further education colleges
• sixth-form colleges

The funded support is for schools and colleges that:

• do not have a digital education platform
• have access to Office 365 Education or G Suite for Education, but are not yet set up to assign work and communicate with pupils and students

The Microsoft and Google platforms were chosen as they are free to use to the education sector and had the unified technology and support to set up and deliver effective remote education provision.

Google and Microsoft also offer several features and functionalities that are suitable for school needs.

As of 1 February 2021, £4.8 million has been spent out of a programme budget of £14.23 million, leaving £9.43 million of remaining funding.

The numbers of schools applying to the programme by RSC region is as follows:

• South East England and South London: 968
• North West London and South Central: 937
• Lancashire and West Yorkshire: 851
• East Midlands and the Humber: 579
• West Midlands: 525
• South West England: 519
• East of England and North East:481
• North of England: 273

The Department wants to ensure all schools are set up with a remote learning platform and are keeping this under constant review.

The Department does not collect information on whether pupils have siblings attending the same school.

The Government is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care services, including securing 1.3 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people.

As of 8 February 2021, over 986,000 laptops and tablets have been delivered to schools, trusts, local authorities, and further education providers.

Laptops and tablets are owned by schools, trusts or local authorities who can lend these to children and young people who need them most, during the current COVID-19 restrictions.

The Government is providing this significant injection of devices on top of an estimated 2.9 million laptops and tablets already owned by schools before the start of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Figures on the number of devices already delivered is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/laptops-and-tablets-data/2021-week-6. These figures are broken down by local authority and academy trust.

The Department have already provided over 63,000 4G wireless routers, with free data for the academic year, and continue to provide 4G wireless routers where children need to access remote education. Data regarding the number of routers delivered is also published at the site above.

To support access to the internet, the Department have partnered with the UK’s leading mobile operators to provide free data to help disadvantaged children get online as well as delivering 4G wireless routers for pupils without connection at home.

The Department are grateful to EE, O2, Sky Mobile, Smarty, Tesco Mobile, Three, Virgin Mobile, Vodafone, BT Mobile and Lycamobile for supporting this offer. We are continuing to invite a range of mobile network providers to support the offer. Data regarding the number of pupils receiving free mobile data will be published shortly.

The Government is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care services, including securing 1.3 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people.

As of 8 February 2021, over 986,000 laptops and tablets have been delivered to schools, trusts, local authorities, and further education providers.

Laptops and tablets are owned by schools, trusts or local authorities who can lend these to children and young people who need them most, during the current COVID-19 restrictions.

The Government is providing this significant injection of devices on top of an estimated 2.9 million laptops and tablets already owned by schools before the start of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Figures on the number of devices already delivered is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/laptops-and-tablets-data/2021-week-6. These figures are broken down by local authority and academy trust.

The Department have already provided over 63,000 4G wireless routers, with free data for the academic year, and continue to provide 4G wireless routers where children need to access remote education. Data regarding the number of routers delivered is also published at the site above.

To support access to the internet, the Department have partnered with the UK’s leading mobile operators to provide free data to help disadvantaged children get online as well as delivering 4G wireless routers for pupils without connection at home.

The Department are grateful to EE, O2, Sky Mobile, Smarty, Tesco Mobile, Three, Virgin Mobile, Vodafone, BT Mobile and Lycamobile for supporting this offer. We are continuing to invite a range of mobile network providers to support the offer. Data regarding the number of pupils receiving free mobile data will be published shortly.

The Government is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care services, including securing 1.3 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people. As of Monday 25 January, we have delivered over 870,000 laptops and tablets to schools, trusts and local authorities. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/laptops-and-tablets-progress-data-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

Data on delivery of 4G wireless routers will be published in due course.

Laptops and tablets are owned by schools, trusts or local authorities who can lend these to children and young people who need them most, during the current COVID-19 restrictions.

The Government is providing this significant injection of devices on top of an estimated 2.9 million laptops and tablets already owned by schools before the start of the outbreak.

We have partnered with the UK’s leading mobile operators to provide free data to help disadvantaged children get online, as well as delivering 4G wireless routers for pupils without connection at home.

We are grateful to EE, O2, Sky Mobile, Smarty, Tesco Mobile, Three, Virgin Mobile, and Vodafone for their collaboration. We continue to invite a range of mobile network providers to support the offer.

All four major mobile network operators - Vodafone, O2, Three and EE - have also committed to working together to make access to Oak National Academy free for school children. Additionally, the Department is grateful to BT and EE, who are making access to BBC Bitesize resources free from the end of January 2021.

The Department has already provided over 51,000 4G wireless routers, with free data for the rest of the academic year. We continue to provide 4G wireless routers, with free data, where schools face disruption and children need to access remote education.

Local authorities, academy trusts and schools are responsible for distributing the 4G wireless routers and are best placed to know which children and young people need access to the internet.

In partnership with mobile network operators, we are providing access to free additional mobile data for the academic year, offering families flexibility to access the resources that they need the most.

The mobile data uplifts will be in place until the end of the academic year. Schools will be able to request free mobile data uplifts for disadvantaged children up to Year 11 via the Get Help with Technology service, when they experience disruption to face-to-face education or for clinically extremely vulnerable children.

The Department has already provided over 51,000 4G wireless routers, with free data for the rest of the academic year. We continue to provide 4G wireless routers, with free data, where schools face disruption and children need to access remote education.

Local authorities, academy trusts and schools are responsible for distributing the 4G wireless routers and are best placed to know which children and young people need access to the internet.

In partnership with mobile network operators, we are providing access to free additional mobile data for the academic year, offering families flexibility to access the resources that they need the most.

The mobile data uplifts will be in place until the end of the academic year. Schools will be able to request free mobile data uplifts for disadvantaged children up to Year 11 via the Get Help with Technology service, when they experience disruption to face-to-face education or for clinically extremely vulnerable children.

The Department has already provided over 51,000 4G wireless routers, with free data for the rest of the academic year. We continue to provide 4G wireless routers, with free data, where schools face disruption and children need to access remote education.

Local authorities, academy trusts and schools are responsible for distributing the 4G wireless routers and are best placed to know which children and young people need access to the internet.

In partnership with mobile network operators, we are providing access to free additional mobile data for the academic year, offering families flexibility to access the resources that they need the most.

The mobile data uplifts will be in place until the end of the academic year. Schools will be able to request free mobile data uplifts for disadvantaged children up to Year 11 via the Get Help with Technology service, when they experience disruption to face-to-face education or for clinically extremely vulnerable children.

As part of over £195 million invested to support access to remote education and social care, the Department has already provided over 51,000 4G wireless routers, with free data for the academic year, to support disadvantaged children. The Department continues to provide 4G wireless routers, with free data, where schools experience disruption to face to face education and pupils need to access remote education.

To date, the Department has invested over £6 million in connectivity, including hardware (4G wireless routers) and data (SIM cards and data roaming). The current contract is held by Computacenter.

In partnership with mobile network operators, the Department is also providing access to free additional mobile data for the academic year. Schools can request free mobile data uplifts, via the Get Help with Technology service, when they experience disruption to face to face education or for clinically extremely vulnerable children.

As part of over £195 million invested to support access to remote education and social care, the Department has already provided over 51,000 4G wireless routers, with free data for the academic year, to support disadvantaged children. The Department continues to provide 4G wireless routers, with free data, where schools experience disruption to face to face education and pupils need to access remote education.

To date, the Department has invested over £6 million in connectivity, including hardware (4G wireless routers) and data (SIM cards and data roaming). The current contract is held by Computacenter.

In partnership with mobile network operators, the Department is also providing access to free additional mobile data for the academic year. Schools can request free mobile data uplifts, via the Get Help with Technology service, when they experience disruption to face to face education or for clinically extremely vulnerable children.

As part of over £195 million invested to support remote education and access to online social care, over 340,000 laptops and tablets are being made available this term to support disadvantaged children in year 3 to 11 whose face-to-face education may be disrupted. This supplements over 220,000 laptops and tablets and over 51,000 4G wireless routers, which have already been delivered during the summer term.

Laptops and tablets are owned by schools, trusts or local authorities who can lend these to the children and young people who need them most and who may experience disruption to face-to-face education due to COVID-19.

Information on the devices provided this term to schools, local authorities and academy trusts as of 23 October 2020 is published here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/929064/Ad-hoc_stats_note_shipped_data_231020_FINAL.pdf

Devices provided as of 27 August 2020 is published here, which includes 547 devices delivered to Merton Council: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/912888/Devices_and_4G_wireless_routers_progress_data_as_of_27_August_2020.pdf

Allocations were originally equivalent to a school’s potential need if it fully closed. Attendance data suggests most schools are not closing fully, but instead are supporting small groups of children that are not able to attend school because they are self-isolating. The Department has changed the number of devices allocated to each school to reflect this. In the context of significant global demand for laptops and tablets, this ensures that as many children as possible can benefit from a device at the point at which their face-to-face education is disrupted. If schools are experiencing disruption to face-to-face education and believe they have a need for additional devices, they should contact the Department’s service team to request additional laptops or tablets.

As part of over £195 million invested to support remote education and access to online social care, over 340,000 laptops and tablets are being made available this term to support disadvantaged children in Years 3 to 11 whose face-to-face education may be disrupted.

This supplements over 220,000 laptops and tablets, which have already been delivered during the summer term. This represents an injection of over half a million laptops and tablets by the end of the year.

Each school has a number of devices allocated to them by the Department, based on the number of pupils eligible for free school meals and estimates of school-owned devices and privately-owned devices.

Allocations were originally equivalent to a school’s potential need if it fully closed. Attendance data suggests most schools are not closing fully, but instead are supporting small groups of children that are not able to attend school because they are self-isolating. The Department has changed the number of devices allocated to each school to reflect this. In the context of significant global demand for laptops and tablets, this ensures that as many children as possible can benefit from a device at the point at which their face-to-face education is disrupted.

Where a school has a disruption that impacts a greater number of children without access to a device, they can contact the Department to request additional devices. This means the number of devices delivered to a school can be greater than their initial allocation. If a school is fully closing, their Regional Schools Commissioner will work with them to ensure they receive enough devices to meet the needs of all disadvantaged children in Years 3 to 11 who do not already have one.

Information on the devices provided this term to schools, local authorities and academy trusts as of 23 October 2020 is published here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/929064/Ad-hoc_stats_note_shipped_data_231020_FINAL.pdf.

Devices provided as of 27 August 2020 is published here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/912888/Devices_and_4G_wireless_routers_progress_data_as_of_27_August_2020.pdf.

The Department has invested over £195 million to support remote education and access to online social care, delivering over 220,000 laptops and tablets during the summer term for disadvantaged children who would not otherwise have had access to a digital device.

The Department is adding to this support by making over 340,000 additional laptops and tablets available to support disadvantaged children that might face disruption to their education. Since September, over 100,000 of these have been delivered to schools. On 20 October 2020, schools who had reported disruption to face-to-face education and been invited to order devices were able to order their full number of allocated devices.

In the context of significant global demand, the Department has updated the number of devices allocated to each school to more accurately align orders with the number of students schools typically have self-isolating, ensuring as many children as possible benefit from receiving a device this term. Original allocations were based on a school’s total need, should they fully close.

On 23 October 2020, the Department paused ordering over half-term when children were not reliant on remote education. On Monday 2 November 2020, ordering reopened and schools who had reported disruption to face-to-face education and been invited to order devices were able to order against their revised allocation.

The Department recognises that levels of self-isolation may be higher in different areas of the country and that face-to-face education is being prioritised in all eventualities. Where schools believe they have a strong need for additional devices, they should contact covid.technology@education.gov.uk.

As part of over £195 million invested to support remote education and access to online social care, over 340,000 laptops and tablets are being made available this term to support disadvantaged children in Years 3 to 11 whose face-to-face education may be disrupted.

This supplements over 220,000 laptops and tablets, which have already been delivered during the summer term. This represents an injection of over half a million laptops and tablets by the end of the year.

Each school has a number of devices allocated to them by the Department, based on the number of pupils eligible for free school meals and estimates of school-owned devices and privately-owned devices.

Allocations were originally equivalent to a school’s potential need if it fully closed. Attendance data suggests most schools are not closing fully, but instead are supporting small groups of children that are not able to attend school because they are self-isolating. The Department has changed the number of devices allocated to each school to reflect this. In the context of significant global demand for laptops and tablets, this ensures that as many children as possible can benefit from a device at the point at which their face-to-face education is disrupted.

Where a school has a disruption that impacts a greater number of children without access to a device, they can contact the Department to request additional devices. This means the number of devices delivered to a school can be greater than their initial allocation. If a school is fully closing, their Regional Schools Commissioner will work with them to ensure they receive enough devices to meet the needs of all disadvantaged children in Years 3 to 11 who do not already have one.

Information on the devices provided this term to schools, local authorities and academy trusts as of 23 October 2020 is published here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/929064/Ad-hoc_stats_note_shipped_data_231020_FINAL.pdf.

Devices provided as of 27 August 2020 is published here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/912888/Devices_and_4G_wireless_routers_progress_data_as_of_27_August_2020.pdf.

As part of over £195 million invested to support remote education and access to online social care, over 340,000 laptops and tablets are being made available this term to support disadvantaged children in Years 3 to 11 whose face-to-face education may be disrupted.

This supplements over 220,000 laptops and tablets, which have already been delivered during the summer term. This represents an injection of over half a million laptops and tablets by the end of the year.

Each school has a number of devices allocated to them by the Department, based on the number of pupils eligible for free school meals and estimates of school-owned devices and privately-owned devices.

Allocations were originally equivalent to a school’s potential need if it fully closed. Attendance data suggests most schools are not closing fully, but instead are supporting small groups of children that are not able to attend school because they are self-isolating. The Department has changed the number of devices allocated to each school to reflect this. In the context of significant global demand for laptops and tablets, this ensures that as many children as possible can benefit from a device at the point at which their face-to-face education is disrupted.

Where a school has a disruption that impacts a greater number of children without access to a device, they can contact the Department to request additional devices. This means the number of devices delivered to a school can be greater than their initial allocation. If a school is fully closing, their Regional Schools Commissioner will work with them to ensure they receive enough devices to meet the needs of all disadvantaged children in Years 3 to 11 who do not already have one.

Information on the devices provided this term to schools, local authorities and academy trusts as of 23 October 2020 is published here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/929064/Ad-hoc_stats_note_shipped_data_231020_FINAL.pdf.

Devices provided as of 27 August 2020 is published here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/912888/Devices_and_4G_wireless_routers_progress_data_as_of_27_August_2020.pdf.

As part of over £195 million invested to support remote education and access to online social care, over 340,000 laptops and tablets are being made available this term to support disadvantaged children in Years 3 to 11 whose face-to-face education may be disrupted.

This supplements over 220,000 laptops and tablets, which have already been delivered during the summer term. This represents an injection of over half a million laptops and tablets by the end of the year.

Each school has a number of devices allocated to them by the Department, based on the number of pupils eligible for free school meals and estimates of school-owned devices and privately-owned devices.

Allocations were originally equivalent to a school’s potential need if it fully closed. Attendance data suggests most schools are not closing fully, but instead are supporting small groups of children that are not able to attend school because they are self-isolating. The Department has changed the number of devices allocated to each school to reflect this. In the context of significant global demand for laptops and tablets, this ensures that as many children as possible can benefit from a device at the point at which their face-to-face education is disrupted.

Where a school has a disruption that impacts a greater number of children without access to a device, they can contact the Department to request additional devices. This means the number of devices delivered to a school can be greater than their initial allocation. If a school is fully closing, their Regional Schools Commissioner will work with them to ensure they receive enough devices to meet the needs of all disadvantaged children in Years 3 to 11 who do not already have one.

Information on the devices provided this term to schools, local authorities and academy trusts as of 23 October 2020 is published here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/929064/Ad-hoc_stats_note_shipped_data_231020_FINAL.pdf.

Devices provided as of 27 August 2020 is published here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/912888/Devices_and_4G_wireless_routers_progress_data_as_of_27_August_2020.pdf.

The Department has considered the impact on students with particular protected characteristics, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, of a delay to the GCSE, AS and A level exam series in the summer. The additional teaching time released next year will benefit all students. There may be a particularly positive impact on those who are likely to be most affected by the disruption to education caused by COVID-19 (disadvantaged students, amongst whom students with special educational needs and disabilities are over-represented). As part of its consultation on changes to GCSE, AS and A level exams and assessments in 2021, Ofqual carried out an equalities impact assessment and did not identify specific negative impacts relating to a delay to exams next year.

Ofqual consulted on its proposed measures for academic year 2020/21 assessments of vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) – which includes BTECs. These measures could include awarding organisations delivering VTQs considering the timing of assessments. As part of its consultation, Ofqual conducted an Equalities Impact Assessment on the impact of its proposals on students and did not identify specific negative impacts relating to timing of assessments.

Decisions about the timing of qualifications, other than GCSE, AS and A levels, are for individual awarding organisations – in the case of BTECs, Pearson is the awarding organisation. Pearson is currently consulting with its customers on the timetable for its BTEC examinations and will publish the timetable in due course.

Awarding organisations must also comply with the Equality Act 2010, and so are subject to their duties under the legislation when deciding on adaptations to their qualifications.

The Department has considered the impact on students with particular protected characteristics, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, of a delay to the GCSE, AS and A level exam series in the summer. The additional teaching time released next year will benefit all students. There may be a particularly positive impact on those who are likely to be most affected by the disruption to education caused by COVID-19 (disadvantaged students, amongst whom students with special educational needs and disabilities are over-represented). As part of its consultation on changes to GCSE, AS and A level exams and assessments in 2021, Ofqual carried out an equalities impact assessment and did not identify specific negative impacts relating to a delay to exams next year.

Ofqual consulted on its proposed measures for academic year 2020/21 assessments of vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) – which includes BTECs. These measures could include awarding organisations delivering VTQs considering the timing of assessments. As part of its consultation, Ofqual conducted an Equalities Impact Assessment on the impact of its proposals on students and did not identify specific negative impacts relating to timing of assessments.

Decisions about the timing of qualifications, other than GCSE, AS and A levels, are for individual awarding organisations – in the case of BTECs, Pearson is the awarding organisation. Pearson is currently consulting with its customers on the timetable for its BTEC examinations and will publish the timetable in due course.

Awarding organisations must also comply with the Equality Act 2010, and so are subject to their duties under the legislation when deciding on adaptations to their qualifications.

The Department has considered the impact on students with particular protected characteristics, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, of a delay to the GCSE, AS and A level exam series in the summer. The additional teaching time released next year will benefit all students. There may be a particularly positive impact on those who are likely to be most affected by the disruption to education caused by COVID-19 (disadvantaged students, amongst whom students with special educational needs and disabilities are over-represented). As part of its consultation on changes to GCSE, AS and A level exams and assessments in 2021, Ofqual carried out an equalities impact assessment and did not identify specific negative impacts relating to a delay to exams next year.

Ofqual consulted on its proposed measures for academic year 2020/21 assessments of vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) – which includes BTECs. These measures could include awarding organisations delivering VTQs considering the timing of assessments. As part of its consultation, Ofqual conducted an Equalities Impact Assessment on the impact of its proposals on students and did not identify specific negative impacts relating to timing of assessments.

Decisions about the timing of qualifications, other than GCSE, AS and A levels, are for individual awarding organisations – in the case of BTECs, Pearson is the awarding organisation. Pearson is currently consulting with its customers on the timetable for its BTEC examinations and will publish the timetable in due course.

Awarding organisations must also comply with the Equality Act 2010, and so are subject to their duties under the legislation when deciding on adaptations to their qualifications.

The Department has already delivered over 220,000 laptops and tablets and over 50,000 4G wireless routers to children and young people who would not otherwise have online access, as part of over £100 million invested to support remote education and access to online social care. This included devices for children aged 0 to 19 with a social worker, care leavers and disadvantaged pupils in year 10.

The Department is now supplementing this support by making available additional devices – initially 150,000 – in the event that face to face schooling is disrupted as a result of local COVID-19 restrictions and children become reliant on remote education. This scheme is intended to enable schools to support disadvantaged children in year 3 to year 11 who cannot afford their own devices. Schools will also be able to order devices for disadvantaged children across all year groups who are shielding as a result of official or medical advice, all year groups who attend hospital schools and those completing their Key Stage 4 at a further education college.

In addition to providing laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers, the Department is piloting two methods to provide internet connectivity to families with children and young people up to 16 years old. In partnership with BT, we are piloting a service to provide children and young people free access to BT Wi-Fi hotspots. Through the pilot, up to 10,000 families are able to access a BT Wi-Fi connection. We are also working with the major telecommunications companies to pilot an approach where mobile network operators are providing temporary access to free additional data, offering families more flexibility to access the resources that they need the most.

The Department has allocated a number of digital devices to each school in the case that they experience disruption to face-to-face education because of COVID-19 related restrictions.

To arrive at this allocated number, the Department used data on the number of pupils eligible for free school meals in each school, alongside an assumption that pupils’ device needs will be met to some extent by the device endowments of schools and colleges. To construct this assumption, the Department used the British Educational Suppliers Association ICT 2019 survey data on the average number of laptops and tablets in primary and secondary schools and assumed that these are distributed between teachers and pupils. The Department also referred to the Teacher Tapp survey from March 2020, which shows the proportion of teachers provided with a device by their school.

Schools can access their allocated number of devices from the 150,000 devices available when they experience disruption to face-to-face education and become reliant on remote education. They are able to request additional devices if their original allocation by the Department does not meet their needs.

The devices are an injection of support, alongside local initiatives, and are in addition to the 220,000 laptops and tablets the Department has already delivered to local authorities, academy trusts and schools between May to July.

The Department has allocated a number of digital devices to each school in the case that they experience disruption to face-to-face education because of COVID-19 related restrictions.

To arrive at this allocated number, the Department used data on the number of pupils eligible for free school meals in each school, alongside an assumption that pupils’ device needs will be met to some extent by the device endowments of schools and colleges. To construct this assumption, the Department used the British Educational Suppliers Association ICT 2019 survey data on the average number of laptops and tablets in primary and secondary schools and assumed that these are distributed between teachers and pupils. The Department also referred to the Teacher Tapp survey from March 2020, which shows the proportion of teachers provided with a device by their school.

Schools can access their allocated number of devices from the 150,000 devices available when they experience disruption to face-to-face education and become reliant on remote education. They are able to request additional devices if their original allocation by the Department does not meet their needs.

The devices are an injection of support, alongside local initiatives, and are in addition to the 220,000 laptops and tablets the Department has already delivered to local authorities, academy trusts and schools between May to July.

16 to 19 Bursary funding is designed to help students overcome the individual financial barriers to participation that they face, and institutions must ensure the funds go to those who genuinely need them. It has 2 elements, the discretionary bursary, and the bursary for defined vulnerable groups.

Education providers draw down the funding for the bursary for defined vulnerable groups when they have identified an eligible student. Information on this element of the bursary fund is below (latest full year data is not yet available).

The discretionary bursary funding element is allocated to individual education institutions for them to administer to students. Because this is devolved to individual providers, the Department for Education does not hold information about the number of discretionary bursaries awarded or the total overall number of bursaries.

The Department has delivered over 220,000 laptops and tablets and over 50,000 4G wireless routers to children who would not otherwise have access, as part of over £100 million invested to support remote education and access to online social care.

The devices were an injection of support to help local authorities (LAs) and academy trusts (trusts) to provide access to education and social care during the COVID-19 lockdown period. LAs and trusts were responsible for distributing the devices as they are best placed to know which children and young people need access to a device.

On 27 August the Department published information on which LAs and trusts had received devices through the programme. This information can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/laptops-tablets-and-4g-wireless-routers-progress-data

We are now supplementing this support by making an initial 150,000 additional devices available in the event face-to-face schooling is disrupted as a result of local Covid-19 restrictions this academic year, resulting in children become reliant on remote education.

This scheme will enable schools to support disadvantaged children in years 3 to 11 who cannot afford their own devices. Schools will also be able to order devices for disadvantaged children across all year groups who are shielding as a result of official advice, all year groups who attend hospital schools and those completing their Key Stage 4 at a further education college.

The Digital Strategy addresses the increased importance of digital technology and the crucial role it must play to drive growth in the tech sector, especially as digital technology has been at the centre of support through the COVID-19 pandemic. We recognise the critical importance of digital skills both in everyday life and for the wider UK economy. Alongside other Government Departments, we are working with DCMS to support their vision for digital driven growth through the Digital Strategy.

We have already made significant investments in digital skills that supports the acquisition of digital skills from foundation level right through to those required for cutting edge digital industries. The new computing curriculum (introduced from September 2014) ensures pupils have the broad knowledge and skills they need to go on to specialise in innovative technologies and become active creators of digital technology. This new curriculum is supported by the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE), which has been set up with £84 million of government funding. The NCCE are delivering a comprehensive programme to improve the teaching of computing and drive up participation in computer science, particularly amongst girls.

We are investing an additional £500 million per year on the implementation of new T Levels. The first of three new Digital T Levels (Digital Production, Design and Development) will be introduced this September with a further two (Digital Support and Services and Digital Business Services) to follow in 2021.

The Government is also investing up to £290 million of capital funding to establish 20 Institutes of Technology. These institutes will be the pinnacle of technical training, with unique collaborations between further education colleges, universities and businesses offering higher technical education and training in key sectors such as digital; digital is a popular sectoral specialism with 30% of the provision of the first 12 IoTs aligned to the digital technical route.

Finally, the Government introduced a new digital skills entitlement based on the new national standards in August 2020. Adults with no or low digital skills will have full funding to undertake improved digital skills qualifications, based on new national standards for essential digital skills, up to Level 1. The Government is also providing £2.5 billion (£3 billion when including Barnett funding for devolved administrations) for a new National Skills Fund to help adults learn new skills and prepare for the economy of the future. We will be consulting on the National Skills Fund in due course when those with an interest are better able to actively engage with it.

We are working with departments, across government, to evaluate access to free school meals for families with no recourse to public funds. In the meantime, the extension of eligibility will continue with the current income threshold until a decision on long-term eligibility is made. As part of this process, we will consider whether it would be appropriate to complete a Children’s Rights Impact Assessment.

At this point data is not currently available regarding the current costs of providing free school meals to certain groups of children subject to the no recourse to public funds condition.

We are working with departments, across government, to evaluate access to free school meals for families with no recourse to public funds. In the meantime, the extension of eligibility will continue with the current income threshold until a decision on long-term eligibility is made. As part of this process, we will consider whether it would be appropriate to complete a Children’s Rights Impact Assessment.

At this point data is not currently available regarding the current costs of providing free school meals to certain groups of children subject to the no recourse to public funds condition.

The Department has made no recent estimate of the cost to the public purse of the charitable status of independent schools.

In May 2018, the Department for Education and the Independent Schools Council (ISC) agreed a joint understanding designed to expand the participation of independent schools across the system through cross-sector partnerships and initiatives such as targeted bursaries. The Government continues to work constructively with the independent schools’ sector, in line with the joint understanding, to maximise the social benefits that can be generated for their communities.

The Government wants to do everything it can to support schools and families to continue children’s education while they are at home.

We have committed over £100 million to support remote education. We are making laptops and tablets available to disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in year 10, and to those receiving support from a social worker, including pre-school children, and care leavers.

Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and disadvantaged children in Year 10 do not have internet connections, we will be providing 4G wireless routers to them so that they can learn at home.

In May, the Department invited local authorities to order devices for the most vulnerable children first - children with a social worker and care leavers. In June, the Department started inviting academy trusts and local authorities to order their devices for disadvantaged year 10 pupils. The Department has published information about how many laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers we have delivered or dispatched to local authorities and academy trusts as of 30 June, which can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/laptops-tablets-and-4g-wireless-routers-progress-data.

The Department is working with the major telecommunications companies to improve internet connectivity for disadvantaged and vulnerable families. For families who rely on a mobile internet connection, mobile network operators are working to provide access to free additional data while the COVID-19 outbreak requires children to learn from home and more social care services are online. In partnership with BT, the Department is also providing disadvantaged children and young people with free access to BT Wi-Fi hotspots.

The Government wants to do everything it can to support schools and families to continue children’s education while they are at home.

We have committed over £100 million to support remote education. We are making laptops and tablets available to disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in year 10, and to those receiving support from a social worker, including pre-school children, and care leavers.

Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and disadvantaged children in Year 10 do not have internet connections, we will be providing 4G wireless routers to them so that they can learn at home.

In May, the Department invited local authorities to order devices for the most vulnerable children first - children with a social worker and care leavers. In June, the Department started inviting academy trusts and local authorities to order their devices for disadvantaged year 10 pupils. The Department has published information about how many laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers we have delivered or dispatched to local authorities and academy trusts as of 30 June, which can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/laptops-tablets-and-4g-wireless-routers-progress-data.

The Department is working with the major telecommunications companies to improve internet connectivity for disadvantaged and vulnerable families. For families who rely on a mobile internet connection, mobile network operators are working to provide access to free additional data while the COVID-19 outbreak requires children to learn from home and more social care services are online. In partnership with BT, the Department is also providing disadvantaged children and young people with free access to BT Wi-Fi hotspots.

Where possible, schools are encouraged to work with their existing suppliers to provide meals or food parcels to free school meal-eligible children currently at home due to school closures. Where this is not possible, the national voucher scheme is available to support schools with this process.

The scheme allows schools to place orders for supermarket gift cards on behalf of parents and carers. These are worth £15 a week per child. Thousands of schools have already accessed the scheme, and many hundreds of thousands of families are already redeeming vouchers. Edenred has reported that over £70 million worth of voucher codes has been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme as of Tuesday 12 May.

The contract for the national free school meals voucher scheme was let against Crown Commercial Service framework RM6133. The successful provider is the sole provider on the framework and direct awards are permitted action. The department does not comment on the commercial arrangements of third parties but can confirm that we are only paying for the face value of goods delivered – in this case, vouchers.

The vouchers can currently be spent in a variety of supermarkets. Initially, the scheme includes supermarkets that already have e-gift card arrangements in place with Edenred, including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, M&S and Waitrose. On 21 April, we were pleased to confirm that Aldi will be added to the list of supermarkets from the week commencing 27 April. We are working to see if additional supermarkets can be added to this list as soon as possible. Where families are unable to access any of these supermarkets, schools are able to buy vouchers for other retailers and we have published guidance setting out how we will compensate schools who incur additional costs in providing free school meals or vouchers to pupils affected by COVID-19.

The contract for the national free school meals voucher scheme was let against Crown Commercial Service framework RM6133. The successful provider is the sole provider on the framework and direct awards are permitted action. The department does not comment on the commercial arrangements of third parties but can confirm that we are only paying for the face value of goods delivered – in this case, vouchers.

The vouchers can currently be spent in a variety of supermarkets. Initially, the scheme includes supermarkets that already have e-gift card arrangements in place with Edenred, including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, M&S and Waitrose. On 21 April, we were pleased to confirm that Aldi will be added to the list of supermarkets from the week commencing 27 April. We are working to see if additional supermarkets can be added to this list as soon as possible. Where families are unable to access any of these supermarkets, schools are able to buy vouchers for other retailers and we have published guidance setting out how we will compensate schools who incur additional costs in providing free school meals or vouchers to pupils affected by COVID-19.

The contract for the national free school meals voucher scheme was let against Crown Commercial Service framework RM6133. The successful provider is the sole provider on the framework and direct awards are permitted action. The department does not comment on the commercial arrangements of third parties but can confirm that we are only paying for the face value of goods delivered – in this case, vouchers.

The vouchers can currently be spent in a variety of supermarkets. Initially, the scheme includes supermarkets that already have e-gift card arrangements in place with Edenred, including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, M&S and Waitrose. On 21 April, we were pleased to confirm that Aldi will be added to the list of supermarkets from the week commencing 27 April. We are working to see if additional supermarkets can be added to this list as soon as possible. Where families are unable to access any of these supermarkets, schools are able to buy vouchers for other retailers and we have published guidance setting out how we will compensate schools who incur additional costs in providing free school meals or vouchers to pupils affected by COVID-19.

To provide free school meals for pupils not attending school we are encouraging schools to speak to their catering team or provider in the first instance to see if they can prepare meals or food parcels that could be delivered to, or collected by, families. Where this is not possible, we have developed a national voucher scheme to enable schools to provide supermarket vouchers.

We are providing extra funding to schools, on top of existing budgets, to cover unavoidable costs incurred due to the coronavirus outbreak that cannot be met from their existing resources. This includes local free school meal arrangements set up by schools to support eligible children, where our national voucher scheme is not appropriate or before it was introduced. The guidance on this additional funding is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-schools.

We do not hold information on general practitioner (GP) surgery websites. However, NHS England and NHSX have made guidance available to GP practices on website design. Some commissioners have also provided to support to practices to standardise and upgrade websites.

In March 2020 we worked with Vodafone, EE, O2 and Three to secure free online access to the following websites:

- NHS.UK;

- 111.nhs.uk;

- wales.nhs.uk;

- nhsinform.scot;

- nidirect.gov.uk; and

- publichealth.hscni.net.

We also agreed time-limited data provisions for Attend Anywhere, our main provider of video consultations. The provisions we made for access to the above websites and Attend Anywhere were temporary and concluded by the end of 2020.

In March 2020 we worked with Vodafone, EE, O2 and Three to secure free online access to the following websites:

- NHS.UK;

- 111.nhs.uk;

- wales.nhs.uk;

- nhsinform.scot;

- nidirect.gov.uk; and

- publichealth.hscni.net.

We also agreed time-limited data provisions for Attend Anywhere, our main provider of video consultations. The provisions we made for access to the above websites and Attend Anywhere were temporary and concluded by the end of 2020.

General practices are independent contractors and manage their websites. In March 2020 the Government worked with Vodafone, EE, O2 and Three to secure free online access to the following websites:

- NHS.UK;

- 111.nhs.uk;

- wales.nhs.uk;

- nhsinform.scot;

- nidirect.gov.uk; and

- publichealth.hscni.net.

These provisions were temporary and ceased at the end of 2020. There are currently no further plans to zero-rate these or general practice websites.

Patient preferences should be taken into account to determine the most appropriate consultation method and online tools must be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other channels. Patients unable to access video consultations for any reason should therefore be offered an alternative appointment mode.

We have not made a specific assessment. However, NHS England and NHS Improvement’s guidance states that online tools must always be provided in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, other channels for accessing general practice. All practice receptions should be open to patients, ensuring that those who do not have easy access to phones and other devices which require internet connections are not disadvantaged in their ability to access care.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have commissioned an independent evaluation to understand the impact for patients, staff and the wider health and care system on the use of digital tools in general practice to inform its long-term strategy.

NHS England and NHS Improvement and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have agreed principles to allow potential interim access to medicines licensed through Project Orbis, where there is a gap between licensing and publication of NICE’s guidance. NHS England and NHS Improvement are continuing discussions with Gilead, to urge the company to support interim access arrangements in line with the agreed principles. NICE expects to issue draft guidance on Trodelvy in spring 2022 with final guidance in June 2022.

No formal assessment has been made. The NHS Long Term Plan recognises the importance of preventing avoidable disease through targeted policies to address lifestyle factors affecting healthy life expectancy, such as alcohol consumption and obesity. As part of the NHS Long Term Plan, NHS England and NHS Improvement, with support from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, have invested £27 million in a four year programme to 2023/24 to establish or improve alcohol care teams to provide specialist alcohol interventions in hospitals where needed.

In view of the rapid approval of Project Orbis medicines, NHS England and NHS Improvement and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have developed an interim process to support patient access to medicines between Project Orbis licensing approval and publication of NICE’s guidance. It is anticipated that this will only be required in the short term. Consideration is given to:

- whether there is expected to be a gap of three months or longer between regulatory approval by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and publication by NICE of its final draft guidance;

- if there are any direct competitors expected to go through the NICE technology appraisal process within the next six months;

- if the treatment will make a fundamental, positive change to the existing treatment pathway; and

- whether the company will offer the medicine or treatment on a cost neutral basis.

Organisations have been asked to submit a range of options for their new hospital schemes, with individual allocations for schemes to be determined once the respective full business cases have been reviewed and agreed.

The information requested from Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust will provide an objective evidence base for decision making at the business case stage. The central programme team are working with all lead organisations involved to ensure that schemes realise value for money, sustainability and digitalisation.

The data requested is not held centrally.

NHS England and NHS Improvement are currently developing a Stand Operating Procedure for unpaid carers to receive a vaccination. We expect this to be published in the near future.

The UK Research and Innovation-National Institute for Health Research Rapid Response Rolling Call has funded a large post-hospitalisation study. The study, announced in July, will establish a national consortium and a research platform embedded within clinical care to understand and improve long-term outcomes for survivors following hospitalisation with COVID-19.

In recognition of the impact on charities, including brain injury charities, in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and a potential increase in demand for services, a number of measures have been put in place. Including a funding package of £750 million for the wider voluntary and charity sector. In addition, charities can access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and are able to benefit from the three-month VAT deferral scheme.

The Social Care Sector COVID-19 Support Taskforce will ensure the delivery of two packages of support that the Government has put in place for the care sector – the Social Care Action Plan and the Care Homes Support Plan. The Taskforce will be supported by several advisory groups including one on support for older people and people living with dementia.

We are monitoring the impact of the pandemic. We have commissioned research through the National Institute for Health Research on how to manage or mitigate the psychological, physical and social impact of COVID-19 on people with dementia living in the community, and their carers. Work has already started with phased outputs to August 2020. The project has produced a leaflet for people living with dementia, and a leaflet for carers of people living with dementia. These are available at the following link:

http://www.idealproject.org.uk/covid/

The Government has undertaken no specific assessment of this research.

The safety of residents and staff is our priority. If appropriate isolation or cohorted care is not available with a local care provider, the individual’s local authority will be asked to secure alternative appropriate accommodation and care for the remainder of the required isolation period, in line with the adult social care action plan.

Costs of providing this accommodation are covered by the £1.3 billion COVID-19 discharge funding via the National Health Service.

On 15 May we published our care homes support plan. This is the next phase of our response for care homes.

We have announced an additional £600 million Infection Control Fund for Adult Social Care to reduce transmission of COVID-19 in care homes as part of a wider support package.

Supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the care sector is fundamental for both the good care of individuals with suspected symptoms of COVID-19 and equally vital to protect the care workers in social care settings.

To address this, the Government has stepped up support, supply and distribution of PPE to the care sector. As of 8 May, we have released 60.9 million items of PPE to designated wholesalers for onward sale to social care providers. In addition, between 6 April and 12 May, we have delivered over 94 million items of PPE across 38 Local Resilience Forums to respond to spikes in need.

Working with care sector representative bodies, PHE published tailored guidance: ‘COVID-19 How to work safely in care homes’ on 17 April, as well as a specialised training video demonstrating the donning and doffing of PPE in care home settings. The PHE guidance also provides tables on when and which PPE to use.

This data is not held in the format requested.

The National Health Service England publishes deaths from COVID-19 reported in hospital settings on their website, which includes a breakdown by ethnicity. More information can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-daily-deaths/

The Office of National statistics publishes all information related to deaths by ethnic group in England and Wales and includes ethnic breakdowns of deaths by age and sex. Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures below are based on death registrations up to 17 April 2020 that occurred between 2 March and 10 April 2020 and will be updated regularly.

Public Health England (PHE) publishes weekly surveillance reports on GOV.UK with confirmed cases, hospitalisations and deaths broken down by ethnicity. PHE has also undertaken a rapid review to better understand how COVID-19 may be having an impact on different ethnic groups. The first results were published on 2 June.

Public Health England weekly surveillance reports can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-covid-19-surveillance-reports

All data released by the Department is robust and includes only cases officially confirmed by NHS England or the devolved administrations, following discussion with next of kin.

This data is not held in the format requested.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is funded through the Department to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research.

Sharing best practice is key to this mission, with applications judged against a number of factors including the ability of the funder to involve patients, carers and the public in order to improve the reach, quality and impact of research.

The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including dementia care.

Improving the lives of people living with dementia, including their families and carers, is a high priority, and the Government remains strongly committed to supporting research into dementia. We will be setting out our plans for supporting people with dementia in England for 2020-2025 later this year.

At the March Budget, the Government confirmed its intention to introduce a 2% SDLT surcharge on non-UK residents purchasing residential property in England and Northern Ireland from 1 April 2021.

After a public consultation, which took place between February and May 2019, the Government decided that an individual will be UK resident for the purposes of the surcharge where they are present in the UK for at least 183 days during any continuous 365-day period beginning 12 months before a transaction and ending 12 months after. A refund of the surcharge will be available only if individuals spend 183 days in the UK over the relevant period.

HMRC will publish guidance for taxpayers and agents in advance of the surcharge coming into effect. This guidance will include the information taxpayers and agents will be able to use to demonstrate their residence status.

At the March Budget, the Government confirmed its intention to introduce a 2% SDLT surcharge on non-UK residents purchasing residential property in England and Northern Ireland from 1 April 2021.

After a public consultation, which took place between February and May 2019, the Government decided that an individual will be UK resident for the purposes of the surcharge where they are present in the UK for at least 183 days during any continuous 365-day period beginning 12 months before a transaction and ending 12 months after. A refund of the surcharge will be available only if individuals spend 183 days in the UK over the relevant period.

HMRC will publish guidance for taxpayers and agents in advance of the surcharge coming into effect. This guidance will include the information taxpayers and agents will be able to use to demonstrate their residence status.

At the March Budget, the Government confirmed its intention to introduce a 2% SDLT surcharge on non-UK residents purchasing residential property in England and Northern Ireland from 1 April 2021.

After a public consultation, which took place between February and May 2019, the Government decided that an individual will be UK resident for the purposes of the surcharge where they are present in the UK for at least 183 days during any continuous 365-day period beginning 12 months before a transaction and ending 12 months after. A refund of the surcharge will be available only if individuals spend 183 days in the UK over the relevant period.

HMRC will publish guidance for taxpayers and agents in advance of the surcharge coming into effect. This guidance will include the information taxpayers and agents will be able to use to demonstrate their residence status.

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) helps those adversely affected by COVID-19. Individuals can at present claim a taxable grant under the SEISS worth 80 per cent of their average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering three months’ worth of profits, and capped at £7,500 in total.

The extension of the SEISS announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 29 May 2020 means that eligible individuals whose businesses are adversely affected by COVID-19 will be able to claim a second and final grant when the scheme reopens for applications in August. This will be a taxable grant worth 70 per cent of their average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering three months’ worth of profits, and capped at £6,570 in total.

The SEISS, including the £50,000 threshold for average trading profits, is designed to target those who most need it, and who are most reliant on their self-employment income. The self-employed are very diverse and have a wide mix of turnover and profits, with monthly and annual variations even in normal times, and in some cases with substantial alternative forms of income too: for example, those who had more than £50,000 from trading profits in 2017-18 had an average total income of more than £200,000. Some 95 per cent of those with more than half their income from self-employment in 2018-19 could be eligible for this scheme.

Those with average trading profits above £50,000 may still be eligible for other elements of the unprecedented financial support package made available by the Government. These measures include Bounce Back Loans, tax deferrals, rental support, increased levels of Universal Credit, mortgage holidays, and other business support grants.

The SEISS, including the eligibility requirement that an individual’s trading profits must be no more than £50,000 and at least equal to their non-trading income, is designed to target those who most need it, and who are most reliant on their self-employment income.

Those with average profits above £50,000 may still benefit from other support, and individuals may have access to a range of grants and loans depending on their circumstances. The SEISS supplements the significant support already announced for UK businesses, including the Bounce Back Loan Scheme for small businesses, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and the deferral of tax payments.

Applications for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) opened on 13 May. By midnight 31 May 2020, HMRC had received 2.5m claims representing a total of £7.2bn claimed.

SEISS is a new scheme and HMRC are currently working through the analysis they will be able to provide based on the data available. HMRC will update in due course on the types of data available and timescales for publication.

We laid regulations before Parliament on 11 November which will introduce a requirement that all homes delivered through permitted development rights meet, at a minimum, the nationally described space standards. This requirement will come into effect on 6 April 2021, and will apply to applications for prior approval submitted on or after that date.

All tenants benefit from our unprecedented support package and protection from eviction. This is supported by guidance, including to tenants who are shielded or in accommodation with shared facilities. Tenants are spending more time at home so we’re clear that inspections and repairs to remedy direct risks should take place in all rented properties, in line with social distancing requirements.

The Government will publish a Planning White Paper shortly. It will set out our ambitious agenda for planning reform over this Parliament to make the planning system clearer, more accessible and more certain for all users.