Stella Creasy

In order to be eligible for finance under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), a small or medium sized enterprise (SME) must have the core of its business operations based in the UK. An SME which is foreign-owned is in principle eligible to apply for CBILS, provided it is trading in the UK (not just selling into the UK) and uses the CBILS facility to support its business activity in the UK. The same is true for an SME which has UK ownership but is registered abroad.

For firms to be eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), they must have a UK bank account and UK payroll. However, HMRC will continue to monitor claim data, compare against records and review reports of any fraudulent or misleading claims. HMRC will not hesitate to take action against those found to be abusing or misleading the scheme.

The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs) make it a criminal offence for traders to give consumers misleading information. Under the CPRs, traders must provide consumers with the information necessary to make informed decisions and not omit or hide material information which the average consumer needs.

Last year, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced new rules to address harms in the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) market, saving consumers around £40-60 million a year.

The new rules aim to reduce the overall cost of credit for consumers by banning firms from charging backdated interest on repaid sums and requiring firms to provide better information to consumers about BNPL offers, including associated risks. Firms must also give prompts to consumers, to remind them when the offer period is about to end, so that consumers are more likely to repay the credit before they incur interest.

The Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Scheme (CLBILS) guidance makes it clear that the British Business Bank is not responsible for monitoring or verifying the use of any money advanced by accredited lenders to borrowers.

It is the lenders responsibility to ensure that CLBILS facilities comply with the CLBILS eligibility criteria, which include (amongst others):

• That the relevant Applicant or Applicant’s Group is or will be engaged in Trading Activity in the United Kingdom at the Initial Drawdown Date
• That the Proposed Scheme Facility will be used for an Eligible Purpose (which may include the refinancing of an existing Borrowing Facility used for an Eligible Purpose) and to support trading in the United Kingdom.

If the facility was not eligible at the offer date then the lender would not be able to claim against the guarantee. The British Business Bank retains the rights to request information from accredited lenders in order to verify whether a facility was eligible on the offer date.

Lenders undergo a review to test a sample of CLBILS facilities to ensure that processes are being followed in accordance with the agreement.

The Government made clear that vulnerable people who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) need to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures. Members of staff who are vulnerable or extremely vulnerable, as well as individuals whom they live with, should be supported by their employers as they follow the required social distancing and shielding measures.

It is critical that employers offer safe workplaces. The Government has published guidance to help ensure workplaces are as safe as possible during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. These guides cover a range of working environments and are available at www.gov.uk/workingsafely.

This guidance does not replace health and safety or equalities legislation, it provides information to employers on how best to meet these responsibilities in the context of COVID-19.

Employees have a legal duty to make sure the workplace is safe for their employees; this includes reasonable adjustments for employees with disabilities and those who are clinically vulnerable.

The safer workplaces guidance provides some suggestions to help employers make their workplaces COVID-19 secure for their employees, visitors and customers.

The guidance on working safely during COVID-19 is aimed at working environments, not whether a specific business can reopen.

The guidance is designed to help employers, workers and the self-employed understand how to work safely, including what employers need to think about to adapt a workplace to manage risk in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.

We know that every organisation is different. Whether hand or automatic car washes, employers can use the guidance to create specific plans for their business in consultation with those who are affected by their operations, including workers and contractors. Plans will depend on the nature of your business, such as the sector, and the details of your workforce and operations.

Whether a business must remain closed varies according to which part of the UK you are operating in. For England the rules are set out on the gov.uk website. The website also includes links to information for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

All the legislative protections against discrimination provided by the Equality Act 2010, including those relating to sex and to pregnancy and maternity as protected characteristics, continue to apply during the covid-19 outbreak period, and the scope of the Act remains unchanged.

The Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS), the helpline for anyone who believes that they have been discriminated against in the provision of goods, services and public functions, remains open and can provide free bespoke advice and in-depth support, as can Acas (0800 464 0979) in relation to employment discrimination issues.

The EASS can be contacted via its website - www.equalityadvisoryservice.com, by telephone on 0808 800 0082, or by text phone on 0808 800 0084. The EASS may contact a service provider on a customer’s behalf to discuss the scope for meeting the customer’s concern; it also liaises with the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which has powers to enforce the provisions of the Act.

Between 23 March and 18 May 2020, the Department received 3,261 pieces of COVID-19 related correspondence from MPs on behalf of constituents. Of these 3,261, we have responded to 1,827, closed 125 for which a response was not required, and transferred an additional 244 to other Government Departments.

The Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) has been introduced to help small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2000 and £50,000.

As of 10 May, over 268,000 loans have been issued with a total value of over £8.3 billion.

The Government recognises that many women face barriers to returning to work due to caring responsibilities. We have delivered, and continue to deliver, return to work programmes which provide training, support and employment opportunities across a variety of levels, sectors, and regions.

For example, we have awarded around £1.5 million to sixteen organisations supporting returners in the private sector. This fund provides parents and carers with a training and skills package to enable them to return to the labour market.

We have also launched returner programmes that target key workforces in the public sector, including social workers, health professionals and police investigators. The Return to Practice programme has supported over 300 health professionals to update their skills and knowledge and gain professional registration, so that they can secure employment. The Return to Social Work programme is recruiting up to 200 previously certified social workers into critical roles within local councils to support the Covid-19 pandemic response, providing them with training and placements.

The Government also recognises the importance of childcare to working parents. The closure of schools, nurseries, childminders and other childcare settings were from Friday 20 March, except for children who are vulnerable, and children whose parents are critical to the COVID-19 response was an important step to reducing the number of social interactions and thus flatten the upward curve of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Government does not routinely monitor redundancy statistics by protected characteristics. However, when employers select employees for redundancy, they must comply with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and ensure that they do not unlawfully discriminate. There are also additional considerations that employers must take into account when redundancies affect women who are pregnant or on maternity leave.

The Government continues to gather data, including through interactions with stakeholders, to understand the impacts of COVID-19 on all citizens, including groups with protected characteristics.

The Government is committed to cracking down on employers who fail to pay the NMW. HMRC follows up on every worker complaint it receives, even those which are anonymous. The Government publishes a regional breakdown of National Minimum Wage enforcement activity, including arrears and penalties, as part of the annual Enforcement and Compliance Report. The most recent report can be found here.

Caution is required when analysing Minimum Wage enforcement by geography. Enforcement data is reported based on employers’ details, not workers’. This means HMRC may identify arrears for workers who live outside of the immediate area where their employer is based. Similarly, for large employers, arrears and penalties may be attributed to a specific head office location.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone entitled to the National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) receives it. This is why we have more than doubled the compliance and enforcement budget for the NMW and NLW to £27.4 million for 2019/20, up from £13.2 million in 2015/16.

In 2018/19, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) identified a record £24.4 million in minimum wage arrears for over 220,000 workers and issued over £17 million in penalties to non-compliant employers.

The Naming Scheme is the appropriate mechanism to state which employers have underpaid National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage. The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is reviewing the Naming Scheme; the outcome of that review will be published in due course.

The Department has allocated and delivered devices to schools, academy trusts and local authorities through our £400 million Get Help with Technology programme. On delivery, devices become the property of the organisation that receives them. Academy trusts and local authorities often have schools in several constituencies and will have passed on devices according to their own assessment of the need of their schools. For this reason, it is not possible to provide the requested data.

As of Monday 1 February 2021, we have delivered over 920,000 laptops to schools, academy trusts and local authorities. We are publishing aggregate data on a weekly basis which shows deliveries at local authority and academy trust level, which can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/laptops-and-tablets-data/2021-week-5.

The Government is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care services, by securing 1.3 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people. As of Monday 18 January, over 800,000 laptops and tablets had been delivered to schools, academy trusts and local authorities.

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.

The number of devices available to each school, academy trust and local authority is determined by the number of children eligible for free school meals. All schools, academy trusts and local authorities have now been given the opportunity to order their full current allocation of devices.

Figures on the number of devices delivered is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/laptops-and-tablets-data/2021-week-3.

These figures are broken down by local authority and academy trust. Figures on delivery by constituency are not available.

Data related to the number of pupils claiming free school meals is collected in the termly school census. We routinely publish the statistics from the spring (January) school census in the schools, pupils and their characteristics statistical release. The most recent published figures, from the January 2020 school census, are available at the following link, including data for each school and the constituency they are in:

https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, a summer census did not take place in the 2019/20 academic year. The Department plans to publish the information relating to October 2020 in due course.

There has been no recent assessment made on the equity of charging interest on Plan 1 student loans during maternity leave.

Student loans have much more favourable terms than commercial loans. Repayments are linked to income, not to interest, or the amount borrowed. Borrowers earning less than the annual repayment threshold of £19,390 for Plan 1 loans repay nothing at all. The interest rate on Plan 1 (pre-2012) income-contingent repayment student loans is the Retail Price Index (currently 2.6%), or the Bank Base Rate +1%, whichever is lower. The current interest rate of 1.1% will remain in place until such time as the Bank Base Rate changes.

The current system protects borrowers, including people on maternity and other forms of parental leave, if they see a reduction in their income. Repayments are made based on a borrower’s monthly or weekly income, not the interest rate or amount borrowed, and no repayments are made for earnings below the repayment thresholds.

Loans are written off after a specified time, with no detriment to the borrower. There are no commercial loans that offer this level of borrower protection. Student loans are subsidised by the taxpayer; the government does not make a profit from the loan scheme.

The system for setting interest rates on student loans is set out in The Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations (2009), as amended. The interest rate on Plan 1 (pre-2012) income-contingent repayment student loans is the Retail Price Index (currently 2.6%), or the Bank of England base rate + 1%, whichever is lower. The current interest rate of 1.1% will remain in place until such time as the Bank of England base rate changes.

The current system protects borrowers, including people on maternity leave and other forms of parental leave, if they see a reduction in their income. Repayments are made based on a borrower’s monthly or weekly income, not the interest rate or amount borrowed, and no repayments are made for earnings below the repayment thresholds. Repayments are calculated as a fixed percentage of earnings above the relevant repayment threshold. The annual repayment threshold for Plan 1 borrowers is currently £19,390, rising to £19,895 from 6 April 2021. Any outstanding debt is written off at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower.

If, at the end of the year, the borrower’s total income is below the annual threshold, they may reclaim any repayments from the Student Loans Company made during that year.

The Department remains committed to supporting all schools in their preparations to deliver the content of Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) subjects.

It is for schools to decide which resources they choose to support the teaching of RSHE. The Department’s ‘Plan your relationships, sex and health curriculum’ implementation guidance, building on the content of the statutory RSHE guidance, includes clear advice on choosing resources: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.

The implementation guidance also advises schools to exercise caution when working with external agencies, including ensuring they have full confidence in any agency’s approach and the resources it uses. The Department has stated that schools should not work with agencies that take extreme positions, and this should also be reflected in the school’s choice of resources.

The Department is committed to supporting all schools to deliver the content of the new subjects of Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE). When teaching the new RSHE subjects, schools should take into account the age of pupils and their religious background.

Our support package, published on 24 September, is aimed at helping all schools increase their confidence and quality of their teaching practice. This package includes teacher training modules, non-statutory implementation guidance and training led by Teaching Schools.

The Department has made clear that it is important that schools take full responsibility for ensuring lessons and materials they intend to use are age appropriate, suitable and politically impartial, particularly when using materials produced by external organisations. We are aware that there are many resources in circulation to support schools to deliver these subjects.

The Department’s ‘Plan your relationships, sex and health curriculum’ implementation guidance includes advice on working with external agencies. It builds on the content of the statutory RSHE guidance and it includes clear advice on choosing resources. It states that schools should assess each resource that they propose to use to ensure it is appropriate for the age and maturity of their pupils and sensitive to their needs, where relevant. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-your-relationships-sex-and-health-curriculum.

The repayment of student loans is governed by the Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations (2009) (as amended).

The current system protects borrowers, including people on maternity and other forms of parental leave, if they see a reduction in their income. Repayments are made based on a borrower’s monthly or weekly income, not the interest rate or amount borrowed, and no repayments are made for earnings below the repayment threshold. Repayments are calculated as a fixed percentage of earnings above the relevant repayment threshold – if income drops, so do the repayments made. Any outstanding debt is written off at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower.

If at the end of the year, the borrower’s total income is below the relevant annual threshold, they may reclaim any repayments from the Student Loans Company made during that year.

The Government has committed over £100 million to support vulnerable and disadvantaged children in England to access remote education and social care services, including by providing laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers.

We are providing laptops and tablets to disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in Year 10, receiving support from a social worker or are a care leaver. Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and children in Year 10 do not have internet connections, we are providing 4G wireless routers.

The Department has ordered over 200,000 laptops and tablets and allocated devices to local authorities and academy trusts based on its estimates of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a device. Local authorities and academy trusts are best place to identify and prioritise children and young people who need devices. The Department is working to provide these devices in the shortest possible timeframe; deliveries to schools and local authorities began in May and have continued throughout June.

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 14 June, which can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/laptops-tablets-and-4g-wireless-routers-progress-data.

This includes 785 devices to Waltham Forest for children with a social worker and care leavers.

On 20 January 2020, the department launched a new scheme which makes free period products available for state-funded primary schools, secondary schools and colleges in England.

This is an important step to ensure that menstruation does not present a barrier to learning and that no-one is held back from reaching their potential.

We are continuing to monitor schools’ engagement with the scheme during the COVID-19 outbreak. All schools and colleges continue to be able to order period products and distribute them to learners according to their own local arrangements.

Through the period product scheme, state-maintained schools and 16 to 19 education organisations in England can access free period products. This includes state-maintained primary and secondary schools, including academies and free schools, state-maintained middle and all through schools, general hospital schools, special schools, academies and free schools, alternative provision organisations, including pupil referral units, and university technical colleges and studio schools. The scheme launched in January 2020 and we continue to monitor uptake closely. We will publish further information in due course.

NHS facilities and other public spaces do not fall within the department’s remit. NHS England announced in March 2019 that it will offer period products to every hospital patient who needs them, including long-term in-patients.

As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by Covid-19.

There is comprehensive support available for supply teachers during the Covid-19 outbreak, and the Department has provided detailed guidance to help schools, agencies and staff identify the right support available for each individual, available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-school-closures/guidance-for-schools-about-temporarily-closing#what-should-schools-do-if-they-have-already-ended-contracts-with-contingent-workers-that-they-directly-employ. This will depend on supply teachers’ individual circumstances and, for some, may include access to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme#agency-workers-including-those-employed-by-umbrella-companies.

On 12 May, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme would continue until the end of October. This means that any supply teachers who have been furloughed by their employment agency will continue to receive 80% of their salary.

Schools will continue to receive their budgets, which ensures that they are able to continue to pay for staff that they employ directly and meet their other regular financial commitments, including paying their suppliers, such as employment agencies, as per Cabinet Office guidance, available at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-policy-note-0220-supplier-relief-due-to-covid-19.

These are rapidly developing circumstances. We will continue to keep the situation under review and to keep Parliament updated accordingly.

As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.

The duration of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme#agency-workers-including-those-employed-by-umbrella-companies - has been extended this week by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, providing financial reassurance to many people in these unprecedented times.

The scheme is not sector-specific and its terms and conditions must be met by all employers, including umbrella companies.

Employers can claim for any regular payments they are obliged to pay their employees. This includes wages, past overtime, fees and compulsory commission payments. However, discretionary bonus (including tips) and commission payments and non-cash payments should be excluded.

Full guidance on how to calculate 80% of employee’s wages can be found at: www.gov.uk/guidance/work-out-80-of-your-employees-wages-to-claim-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme.

The Department does not collect data on the employment practices of private businesses. All businesses, including employment businesses, should make assessments of the work available for their employees before making decisions on using the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Businesses supplying services and/or labour to the public sector should also take into consideration the service continuity payments they are receiving and should not furlough staff where payments continue, as per the Cabinet Office Procurement Policy Note 02/20.

Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-policy-note-0220-supplier-relief-due-to-covid-19.

Further information for schools on supply teachers is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-school-closures/guidance-for-schools-about-temporarily-closing#supply-teachers-and-other-contingent-workers.

The Department has published detailed guidance on the support available for supply teachers and other contingent workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Schools, agencies, and staff should refer to section 11 of this guidance which sets out the approach we expect schools and agencies to take in paying contingent staff. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-school-closures/guidance-for-schools-about-temporarily-closing#supply-teachers-and-other-contingent-workers.

Schools report their overall financial spending on an annual basis. We are considering how and when such data should next be collected in the context of COVID-19.

As confirmed in our guidance on financial support for schools, schools will continue to receive their core funding allocations for the coming year, as usual, regardless of any periods of partial or complete closure. This will ensure that they are able to continue to pay their staff, and meet their other regular financial commitments, as we move through these extraordinary times.

The Department does not collect data specifically on the number of supply teachers or teachers employed by agencies.

The Department has published guidance for schools and the school workforce which sets out that schools should continue to pay staff that they directly hire. Where schools had contracts with directly hired staff that have been terminated earlier than the original terms set out due to COVID-19, these contracts should be reinstated on the terms previously agreed.

Guidance is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-school-closures/guidance-for-schools-about-temporarily-closing#supply-teachers-and-other-contingent-workers.

During this period, we are asking schools to support children who are eligible for and claiming benefits related free school meals, by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children, and we encourage this approach where it is possible. However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education. As of 28 April our supplier, Edenred, reported that over 16,500 schools had placed orders for the scheme and as of Monday 4 May, Edenred has reported that over £47 million worth of voucher codes has been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme.

Through the national voucher scheme, schools and families could initially access eGift cards for Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Waitrose and M&S. On Monday 27 April Aldi was added to this list and on Wednesday 29 April McColl’s were also added. We recognise that it may not be convenient or possible for some families to visit one of these supermarkets and we are continuing to work to see if additional supermarkets can be added to this list.

If the national voucher scheme is not suitable for families in their local area, schools can provide alternative vouchers for a local shop or supermarket and can be reimbursed for associated costs.

We are providing additional funding to schools to cover unavoidable additional costs incurred due to the COVID-19 outbreak that cannot be met from their existing resources. This includes free school meal costs which are not covered by the national voucher system in situations where there is no access to appropriate local supermarkets

During this period, we are asking schools to support children who are eligible for and claiming benefits related free school meals, by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children, and we encourage this approach where it is possible. However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education. As of 28 April our supplier, Edenred, reported that over 16,500 schools had placed orders for the scheme and as of Monday 4 May, Edenred has reported that over £47 million worth of voucher codes has been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme.

Through the national voucher scheme, schools and families could initially access eGift cards for Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Waitrose and M&S. On Monday 27 April Aldi was added to this list and on Wednesday 29 April McColl’s were also added. We recognise that it may not be convenient or possible for some families to visit one of these supermarkets and we are continuing to work to see if additional supermarkets can be added to this list.

If the national voucher scheme is not suitable for families in their local area, schools can provide alternative vouchers for a local shop or supermarket and can be reimbursed for associated costs.

We are providing additional funding to schools to cover unavoidable additional costs incurred due to the COVID-19 outbreak that cannot be met from their existing resources. This includes free school meal costs which are not covered by the national voucher system in situations where there is no access to appropriate local supermarkets

Fee loans are being paid directly to universities as planned at the start of the third term.

We are working with universities to make sure all reasonable efforts are being made to enable students to continue their studies to the best of their abilities. There are some fantastic and innovative examples of high-quality online learning being delivered by institutions across the UK, and the sector is already working hard to prepare learning materials for the summer and autumn terms.

Students ordinarily should not expect any fee refund if they are receiving adequate online learning and support. However, the government has made it clear that if universities are unable to deliver adequate online teaching then it would be unacceptable for students to be charged for any additional terms of study, which would effectively mean that they were being charged twice.

Whether or not an individual student is entitled to a refund of their fees will depend on specific contractual arrangements between the student and their university.

In the first instance, students should speak to their university. We expect student complaints and appeals processes to be operated flexibly, accessibly and sympathetically by institutions to resolve any concerns. Students who are not satisfied with their institution’s final response can ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education to consider their complaint if their institution is based in England or Wales.

As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.

Our latest school workforce guidance on COVID-19, including supply teachers, is set out below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-school-closures/guidance-for-schools-about-temporarily-closing#supply-teachers-and-other-contingent-workers.

Further guidance on financial support for all education institutions is set out below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care.

These are rapidly developing circumstances. We continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

There are no plans to suspend the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.

DWP is continuing to process Mandatory Reconsiderations during the current Covid-19 pandemic and is aiming to avoid delay where possible.

In relation to the number of Universal Credit Mandatory Reconsiderations that have been delayed during the covid-19 pandemic, the information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The Department publishes Management Information each week on the numbers of declarations to Universal Credit since the 1 March. This information is available here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-declarations-claims-and-advances-management-information.

Data at Constituency Level is not available.

Those unable to access DWP income-related benefits, such as Universal Credit, may be eligible to access DWP contributions-based benefits such as New style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), providing they meet eligibility criteria.

The Chancellor has announced the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help firms continue to keep people in employment. Employers can put workers on temporary leave and the government will pay them cash grants of 80% of their wages up to a cap of £2,500, providing they keep the worker employed.

The Chancellor has also confirmed that, depending on their status, workers on zero hour contracts may be eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and we would urge people to explore this avenue too.

We are carefully considering next steps in response to the European Court of Human Rights decision.

In the meantime, for people in particular circumstances who may require more support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available.

Since 2011 we have provided over £1billion in DHP funding, enabling local authorities to protect the most vulnerable claimants and supporting households to adapt to housing support reforms, including the Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy policy. In addition, we recently announced an extra £40 million in DHPs for 2020/21.

We recognise that we currently have incompatible legislation on the statute books relating to Widowed Parent's Allowance. My department is currently working on possible options to remedy this. As previously stated there are complex issues we have needed to actively consider which takes time. We will report back to Parliament as soon as we have agreed approach.

We recently announced an extra £40 million in Discretionary Housing Payments for 2020/21, helping to tackle the most acute affordability pressures in the private rented sector.

Since 2011 we have provided over £1billion in Discretionary Housing Payment funding, enabling local authorities to protect the most vulnerable claimants.

Where a person makes a new claim for New Style Employment and Support Allowance (NS ESA) and satisfies the contribution conditions, they receive a basic rate of benefit at £73.10 a week (for a single person over 25) during the 13-week assessment phase while capability for work is established.

Where Universal Credit (UC) is claimed on health grounds, there is a 3-month relevant period which mirrors the 13-week assessment phase in ESA. Entitlement to UC is calculated on various factors including housing, childcare and the child element; however, the standard allowance per assessment period is £317.82 (for a single person over 25).

The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The Universal Credit childcare policy aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare. Claimants can utilise both the free childcare entitlement and Universal Credit childcare costs in conjunction with each other. This offer means that reasonable childcare costs should not form a barrier to work, even during school holidays. The Government is committed to supporting working parents and, as part of this, Universal Credit pays up to 85% of childcare costs, compared to 70% in legacy benefits.

Universal Credit claimants are able to upload digital copies of their childcare cost receipts or invoices through their online Universal Credit account. In October 2019, the Department introduced changes to give parents longer to report their childcare costs. Childcare costs can be claimed in the same assessment period they were paid, or by the end of the following assessment period.

Beyond the Universal Credit childcare element, claimants can be considered for two additional methods of funding childcare costs: the Flexible Support Fund (FSF) and Budgeting Advances.

The FSF can pay up to 100% of the upfront childcare costs (subject to payment limits) that the claimant incurs before starting work and receiving their first wage. Through FSF, Work Coaches can support claimants with barriers that may prevent them from moving into employment, such as childcare or travel costs. Each case is considered carefully on its own merits with financial help available in advance to eligible claimants.

A budgeting advance is available for one-off urgent financial events for eligible UC claimants, such as upfront childcare, and is repayable over a period of up to 12 monthly instalments.

Childcare costs should not be a barrier to getting into work; this Government is committed to helping parents into work. Universal Credit pays up to 85% of childcare costs, compared to 70% in legacy benefits and can be claimed up to a month before starting a job. In cases where people need to pay for childcare upfront, prior to starting work, Work Coaches can use the Flexible Support Fund to meet these costs until their first wage is received.

For all Universal Credit monthly payments made in 2019, around 520,000 included a childcare element:

a. For childcare costs claimed for one child in childcare, 5% of the time, childcare claims exceeded the maximum award of £646.35 (28,000 times).

b. For childcare costs claimed for two or more children in childcare, 1% of the time, childcare claims exceeded the maximum award of £1108.04 (6,000 times).

Notes:

• (a) and (b) are exclusive categories and (b) is not a subset of (a)
• Payment figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
• Percentages rounded to the nearest percent.
• Households are counted each time they have received a childcare element in 2019.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost to the Department.

From April 2020 Local Housing Allowance rates will be uprated by inflation – an increase of 1.7% in line with wider benefit uprating. This means around 900,000 people across the UK could see their Housing support payments rise from April.

The Universal Credit childcare policy aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare. Claimants can utilise both the free childcare entitlement and Universal Credit childcare costs in conjunction with each other. This offer means that reasonable childcare costs should not form a barrier to work. The Government is committed to supporting parents with moving into work and, as part of this, Universal Credit pays up to 85% of childcare costs, compared to 70% in legacy benefits.

The Flexible Support Fund (FSF) can pay up to 100% of the upfront childcare costs (subject to payment limits) that the claimant incurs before starting work and receiving their first wage. Through FSF, work coaches can support claimants with barriers that may prevent them from moving into employment, such as childcare or travel costs. Each case is considered carefully on its own merits with financial help available in advance to eligible claimants.

Universal Credit claimants are able to upload digital copies of their childcare cost receipts or invoices through their online Universal Credit account. In October 2019, the Department introduced changes to give parents longer to report their childcare costs. Childcare costs can be claimed in the same assessment period they were paid, or by the end of the following assessment period.

We will submit our response to the Work and Pensions Select Committee report on Bereavement Support Payment once the committee is fully up and running. Any decision on publication will be for the Committee to make.

No comparative assessment has been made. The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement keep the COVID-19 vaccine programme under review to ensure there is sufficient capacity to support the offer.

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

We are unable to provide the information requested due to the National Audit Office’s ongoing audit process.

We are unable to provide the information requested due to the National Audit Office’s ongoing audit process.

We are unable to provide the information requested due to the National Audit Office’s ongoing audit process.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question 44335.

An individual identified as a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case is exempt from self-isolation if they have received both doses of a Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency-approved vaccine administered in the United Kingdom. The current system for validating the vaccination status of close contacts relies on checking against records in the National Immunisation Management System, which does not record vaccinations administered overseas. We are exploring options to extend the existing exemption to contacts who have completed an approved vaccination programme overseas.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question 44335.

No specific estimate has been made. However, over 22 million people in the United Kingdom have now received a COVID-19 booster vaccination or third dose. We have confirmed all eligible adults in England aged 18 years old and over will be offered a booster vaccination by the end of January.

The number of people in the UK who have received a COVID-19 booster vaccination or third dose is available at the following link:

https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/

Individuals become eligible for a COVID-19 booster vaccination 6 six months after their second jab, and therefore the number of people eligible changes on a daily basis.

More than 13 million invites have already been sent to eligible people in England so far asking them to book their booster online through the National Booking Service which can be found at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/book-or-manage-a-booster-dose-of-the-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine/.

NHS England will be inviting another 3 million people who will become eligible for their booster from week commencing 15 November 2021.

If an individual has not been contacted by the NHS within a week of reaching six months since their second jab they can call 119 or use the online National Booking Service to book a COVID-19 vaccination booster, or go to various walk-in sites across the country.

Data on the number of COVID-19 boosters issued by local authorities on a weekly basis is not available. But data on the number of boosters administered broken down by NHS Region of Residence is published on a daily basis. Please note that these figures also include some third primary doses. This data is available at the following link:

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

More than 13 million invites have already been sent to eligible people in England so far asking them to book their COVID-19 booster vaccination online through the National Booking Service. NHS England will be inviting another 3 three million people who will become eligible for their booster from week commencing 15 November 2021. Individuals become eligible for a booster 6 six months after their second jab.

If an individual has not been contacted by the NHS within a week of reaching six months since their second jab they can call 119 or use the online National Booking Service to book a COVID-19 vaccination booster, or go to various walk-in sites across the country.

As at 8 November 2021, a cumulative total of 8,838,609 COVID-19 booster vaccines and third doses have been administered in England. This information is available at the following link: https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations.

As at 8 November 2021, a cumulative total of 10,580,122 booster vaccines and third doses have been administered in the UK. This information is available at the following link: https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations.

Currently, United Kingdom residents vaccinated in the United States of America, the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Australia and Canada with the Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Janssen vaccines can be certified using the NHS COVID Pass. A National Immunisation Management Service record is required, which can be obtained by calling 119 and will include attending a regional vaccination centre.

The service currently has seven sites capable of reviewing vaccination evidence with further expansion of the service planned in due course.

We have invested £325 million in National Health Service diagnostic equipment to improve clinical outcomes, while £1 billion is dedicated to tackling wider elective backlogs across the NHS.

Additional diagnostic capacity is also being delivered through the creation of new community diagnostic hubs, which allow for the separation of urgent and elective diagnostic tests. These hubs provide screening and testing more quickly and effectively, supporting healthcare professionals to diagnose diseases and conditions such as Crohn’s disease, colitis and other inflammatory bowel conditions.

The funding and provision of health services, including mental health services, are the responsibility of local clinical commissioning groups as they have the flexibility to allocate funding according to local need. We do not currently have any plans to ringfence funding for mental health services targeted at care leavers.

The NHS Long Term Plan commits to the development of a comprehensive mental health offer for children and young people, including care leavers. We are working to ensure that by 2023-24 an extra 345,000 children and young people will be able to access support via National Health Service-funded mental health services and school or college based mental health support teams.

We are currently working with local authorities and National Health Service trusts to develop and modernise arrangements for care leavers including signposting to appropriate mental health provisions.

In March 2021, we published the Mental Health Recovery Action Plan to ensure approximately 22,500 more children and young people can access community health services.

From 15 January to 23 April, Public Health England (PHE) facilitated access for Directors of Public Health to local level data provided by NHS England and NHS Improvement via its secure platform. Since 23 April 2021, these data have been provided directly by PHE.

PHE provides daily COVID-19 vaccine data to Directors of Public Health in England, including for Waltham Forest. These data include breakdowns to lower super output area (LSOA) level by age, sex and ethnicity. LSOA data can be aggregated to ward level.

Data on vaccinations and population eligibility, including by ethnicity, is not held at ward level. NHS England and Improvement publish weekly vaccination data by ethnicity and region which is available at the following link:

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

The data published by NHS England is regularly reviewed.

The information requested is not held.

Data on vaccinations and population eligibility, including by ethnicity, is not centrally held at ward level.

NHS England publish weekly data for vaccinations in England, including vaccinations by ethnicity, at constituency and national level. This data can be found at the following link:

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

We do not currently have plans to issue updated guidance for pregnant employees. Advice for pregnant employees was published by the Government, in partnership with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Royal College of Midwives and the Health and Safety Executive on 23 December 2020.

The guidance sets out that if a woman is pregnant and has let their employer know in writing, the employer should carry out a risk assessment. Pregnant women of any gestation should not be required to continue working if this is not supported by the risk assessment.

The information requested is not held.

All written answers provided to the hon. Member in the past twelve months were written by civil servants. Answers are approved by the Minister responding.

Health Education England is finalising operational policy requirements. This includes the most appropriate arrangements for making payments to eligible students and the most effective way to communicate the process to students and other stakeholders. Further information will be announced as soon as possible.

The data requested is not available. The collection of data on cancelled operations has been paused due the need to release capacity across the National Health Service to support the COVID-19 response.

The contract, containing the service descriptions, is available at the following link:

https://atamis-1928.cloudforce.com/sfc/p/0O000000rwim/a/4J000000kIGD/m4SEJjmpk3ft_PstlpwG73t_meFmGr0xrGic0e6s7VU

These include increasing our capacity to deliver the programme, supporting the national testing, meeting our end to end supply needs and determining our logistics.

Overall performance is monitored via a robust fortnightly cycle of contract management and performance reporting against agreed milestones. This includes review and approvals for each workstream, with additional governance aligned to Government standards and best practice.

Public Health England (PHE) does not routinely collect data for COVID-19 transmission rates in education settings between school-aged children and/or adults.

PHE does report on COVID-19 infection rates, by educational aged cohorts in the national flu and COVID-19 surveillance graphs that accompany the National flu and COVID-19 weekly surveillance report. This includes reception, nursery and pre-school aged cohorts. The most recent report is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports

It should be noted that this data includes all cases regardless of whether or not they attended an educational setting or if the educational setting was open during the reporting period.

We are working closely with all 314 lower tier and unitary local authorities to collate information on how the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme is progressing, and will release information on the number of applications, number of successful applications and amounts paid out in due course.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) reviewed evidence, including from OpenSAFELY, QCOVID, and mathematical modelling from the University of Warwick, when determining the priority groups for COVID-19 vaccine. Current evidence indicates that the single greatest risk for mortality from COVID-19 is increasing age and that the risk increases rapidly with age. The modelling work by Warwick University is available at the following link:

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.22.20194183v2

Many of those who are clinically extremely vulnerable are in the oldest age groups and will be among the first to receive the vaccine. The JCVI recognises that individuals considered extremely clinically vulnerable have been shielding for much of the pandemic and this meant that available data are likely to underestimate the risk in this group. Considering data from the first wave of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom, the overall risk of mortality for clinically extremely vulnerable younger adults was estimated to be roughly the same as the risk to persons aged 70–74 years old. The prioritisation is based on the absolute risk of mortality, which evidence indicates is higher in those over 75 years of age, than in those considered clinically extremely vulnerable.

The capacity of clinically extremely vulnerable patients to shield and the effect on the families of clinically extremely vulnerable patients were not included in the mathematical modelling considered by the JCVI. This was however considered in the decision to prioritise clinically extremely vulnerable individuals alongside those aged 70-74 years of age. Clinically extremely vulnerable individuals are in the third priority group for vaccination, as advised by the JCVI.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) reviewed evidence, including from OpenSAFELY, QCOVID, and mathematical modelling from the University of Warwick, when determining the priority groups for COVID-19 vaccine. Current evidence indicates that the single greatest risk for mortality from COVID-19 is increasing age and that the risk increases rapidly with age. The modelling work by Warwick University is available at the following link: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.22.20194183v2 Many of those who are clinically extremely vulnerable are in the oldest age groups and will be among the first to receive the vaccine. The JCVI recognises that individuals considered extremely clinically vulnerable have been shielding for much of the pandemic and this meant that available data are likely to underestimate the risk in this group. Considering data from the first wave of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom, the overall risk of mortality for clinically extremely vulnerable younger adults was estimated to be roughly the same as the risk to persons aged 70–74 years old. The prioritisation is based on the absolute risk of mortality, which evidence indicates is higher in those over 75 years of age, than in those considered clinically extremely vulnerable. The capacity of clinically extremely vulnerable patients to shield and the effect on the families of clinically extremely vulnerable patients were not included in the mathematical modelling considered by the JCVI. This was however considered in the decision to prioritise clinically extremely vulnerable individuals alongside those aged 70-74 years of age. Clinically extremely vulnerable individuals are in the third priority group for vaccination, as advised by the JCVI.

We take parliamentary scrutiny incredibly seriously and it is fundamentally important that hon. Members are provided with accurate and timely information to enable them to hold Government to account. We are working rapidly to provide all Members with accurate answers to their questions, as well as supporting the Government’s response to the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The hon. Member’s questions will be answered as soon as possible.

The Health and Safety Executive provides specific advice for new and expectant mothers and have recently updated their guidance to protect vulnerable workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their guidance was updated on 5 November.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers to Questions 100997, 100996, 100995 and 100994.

We do not publish data in the format requested.

A Contract Award Notice in respect of each of the 26 individual contracts entered into by NHS England with independent sector hospital providers has been published on 16 October 2020 by the Official Journal of the European Union. The Notice can be viewed at the following link:

https://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:492193-2020:TEXT:EN:HTML

Under the agreement, latest figures show that from 30 March until 30 August 2020 over 967,000 National Health Service patient appointments have taken place within independent facilities. We cannot provide a breakdown of the amounts paid to each independent sector Provider, however, the total for this period is estimated at £1 billion.

As part of preparing for winter, the Government has provided an additional £3 billion to the NHS. This includes additional funding to the NHS to allow them to continue to use additional hospital capacity from the independent sector, and to maintain the Nightingale hospitals, in their current state, until the end of March 2021.

A Contract Award Notice in respect of each of the 26 individual contracts entered into by NHS England with independent sector hospital providers has been published on 16 October 2020 by the Official Journal of the European Union. The Notice can be viewed at the following link:

https://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:492193-2020:TEXT:EN:HTML

Under the agreement, latest figures show that from 30 March until 30 August 2020 over 967,000 National Health Service patient appointments have taken place within independent facilities. We cannot provide a breakdown of the amounts paid to each independent sector Provider, however, the total for this period is estimated at £1 billion.

As part of preparing for winter, the Government has provided an additional £3 billion to the NHS. This includes additional funding to the NHS to allow them to continue to use additional hospital capacity from the independent sector, and to maintain the Nightingale hospitals, in their current state, until the end of March 2021.

National Health Service patients are benefitting from an unprecedented partnership with private hospitals as we battle the COVID-19 outbreak. The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement have worked with the independent sector to secure all appropriate inpatient capacity and other resource across England.

Information on the number of NHS patients treated by each private hospital under the arrangements announced on 21 March 2020 for the provision of healthcare services and facilities to support the COVID-19 response is not available. However, latest collected information shows that over 215,000 patient contacts nationally had taken place under the contract

Recoverable costs payable to each independent sector hospital provider are paid on account, with reconciliation adjustments made on a monthly basis to reflect actual recoverable costs incurred by the provider as verified by KPMG on NHS England’s behalf on an open book basis and in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards accounting principles.

National Health Service patients are benefitting from an unprecedented partnership with private hospitals as we battle the COVID-19 outbreak. The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement have worked with the independent sector to secure all appropriate inpatient capacity and other resource across England.

Information on the number of NHS patients treated by each private hospital under the arrangements announced on 21 March 2020 for the provision of healthcare services and facilities to support the COVID-19 response is not available. However, latest collected information shows that over 215,000 patient contacts nationally had taken place under the contract

Recoverable costs payable to each independent sector hospital provider are paid on account, with reconciliation adjustments made on a monthly basis to reflect actual recoverable costs incurred by the provider as verified by KPMG on NHS England’s behalf on an open book basis and in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards accounting principles.

No issues have been identified with regard to Serco’s performance as per their contractual standards and therefore no remedial plans have been agreed.

To date there have been no issues with regard to Deloitte’s performance as per their contractual standards and therefore no remedial plans have been agreed.

Randox is operating in accordance with its contract. Performance is constantly monitored against set criteria to ensure that the supplier is meeting expectations. Due to the commercially sensitive nature of these agreements the Department cannot provide specific details in accordance with the key performance indicators within their contract.

Lighthouse Labs are operating in accordance with their contracts. Performance is constantly monitored against set criteria to ensure that the supplier is meeting expectations. Due to the commercially sensitive nature of these agreements the Department cannot provide specific details.

Performance and quality assurance standards and processes are included in the Government contracts with Serco. These are commercially sensitive. The contracts have break clauses in them, meaning if the company does not meet required service levels, the contract may be cancelled and money reclaimed.

All arrangements for Deloitte’s support to Test and Trace are subject to Crown Commercial Services terms. Each workstream has a comprehensive service description and is subject to regular performance monitoring and management to ensure they are delivering in line with the programme’s objectives.

All our contracts with Lighthouse Laboratories are constantly monitored against set criteria to ensure that the supplier is meeting expectations. We are unable to provide specific details of these contracts as they are commercially sensitive.

Performance and quality assurance standards and processes are included in the Government contracts with Randox. These are constantly monitored against to ensure that the supplier is meeting expectations. Due to the commercially sensitive nature of these agreements, the Department cannot provide specific details.

On 5 June 2020, NHS England and NHS Improvement revised their guidance on how National Health Service organisations may choose to facilitate visiting across healthcare inpatient settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. The national suspension on visiting imposed under previous guidance was lifted with immediate effect.

Visiting is now subject to local discretion by trusts and other NHS bodies, and will take into account local prevalence. The number of visitors at the bedside is limited to one close family contact or somebody important to the patient. However, where it is possible to maintain social distancing throughout the visit, a second additional visitor can be permitted in certain circumstances including those individuals receiving end-of-life care.

The maternity visiting guidance has been published by NHS England and NHS Improvement. It has been designed to assist NHS trusts to reintroduce access for partners, visitors and other supporters of pregnant women in English maternity services. It applies to inpatient and outpatient settings.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/09/par001599-framework-for-the-reintroduction-of-visitors-throughout-maternity-services-sep-2020.pdf

Risk assessments on the safety of maternity services which would include an assessment of visiting restrictions as part of COVID-19 infection control, are conducted locally by trusts. NHS England and NHS Improvement therefore do not hold this data.

On 8 September, NHS England and NHS Improvement published a Framework to assist all National Health Service trusts to reintroduce access for partners, visitors and other supporters of pregnant women in maternity services in England, developed in partnership with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Midwives and the Society and College of Radiographers.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/09/par001599-framework-for-the-reintroduction-of-visitors-throughout-maternity-services-sep-2020.pdf

NHS England and NHS Improvement expect trusts to use this Framework and consider how access for partners, visitors and other supporters of pregnant women can be safely reintroduced to maternity services as a priority. The Framework recommends a stepwise approach for NHS trusts to take, following a meaningful and documented risk assessment, so any necessary changes can be made before relaxing current stringent approaches.

The Department expects trusts to use the Framework to assist National Health Service trusts to reintroduce access for partners, visitors and other supporters of pregnant women in English maternity services and consider as a priority how access for partners, visitors and other supporters of pregnant women can be reintroduced as soon as possible whilst maintaining the safety of all service users, staff and visitors. This is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/09/par001599-framework-for-the-reintroduction-of-visitors-throughout-maternity-services-sep-2020.pdf

The Chief Midwifery Officer, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer (England), and the National Clinical Director for Maternity and Women's Health wrote to all NHS Directors of Nursing and Heads of Midwifery in England on 19 September to thank the majority of services that have quickly implemented this guidance and relaxed visiting restrictions and to inform those that are still working through the guidance that this must happen now so that partners are able to attend maternity units for appointments and births. The letter is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/09/letter-to-directors-of-nursing-and-heads-of-midwifery-19-september-2020.pdf

The cap for the number of tests available at drive through sites is set on a daily basis and therefore the number of tests available on any given day does vary.

We are expanding capacity continually, having already surpassed our testing capacity target of 500,000 tests a day by the end of October.

Serco is contracted to operate a proportion of the test locations. It is not responsible for the scheduling of access to COVID-19 tests.

Contractual penalties are generally unenforceable under English law and are therefore not included in this contract.

The contract with Deloitte does not include managing access to COVID-19 testing.

The contract with Randox relates to the performance of laboratory testing following receipt of test samples. It does not relate to the public being able to secure a test.

Contractual penalties are generally unenforceable under English law and are therefore not included in this contract.

The contract with the Lighthouse Labs relates to the performance of laboratory testing following receipt of test samples. It does not relate to the public being able to secure a test.

Contractual penalties are generally unenforceable under English law and are therefore not included in this contract.

The Government does not publish data in the format requested.

The Government’s advice is to wear a face covering in enclosed spaces where social distancing may be difficult and where people come into contact with people they do not normally meet. On 15 June the Government announced that members of the public should wear a face covering when visiting the hospital.

Each of these healthcare settings will have different risks and mitigations in place, and patients should follow the advice provided by health professionals appropriate to each setting. In addition, the Government is running a major proactive communications campaign on face coverings to alert the public where they are now required to wear face coverings and educate the public on how to correctly wear one.

COVID-19 is a notifiable disease. As such, under the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010, all laboratories are legally required to notify positive incidences to Public Health England.

We do not currently hold data in the requested format. However, information on Deloitte's contract with the Department will be published in due course at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder

The National Health Service is making arrangements to ensure that women are supported and cared for safely through pregnancy, birth and the period afterwards during this pandemic.

Decisions on partners attending scans and appointments is subject to local discretion by trusts and other NHS bodies. Local maternity teams will be able to advise women on their policy on partners attending antenatal appointments including scans.

Guidance produced by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is clear that women should be encouraged to have one birth partner, who has no symptoms of COVID-19, present with them during any type of labour and birth, unless the birth occurs under general anaesthetic.

The data requested are not collected centrally.

This information is not currently held in the format requested.

Only clinically extremely vulnerable people have been advised to shield. For this cohort, the information requested is not available as the data does not include the date when a person was added to the shielded patient list.

Guidance detailing the support arrangements in place for those who are shielding is set out at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

We have set out an unprecedented package of financial support to help the country through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the clinically extremely vulnerable are able to access these where eligible.

Only clinically extremely vulnerable people have been advised to shield. For this cohort, the information requested is not available as the data does not include the date when a person was added to the shielded patient list.

Guidance detailing the support arrangements in place for those who are shielding is set out at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

We have set out an unprecedented package of financial support to help the country through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the clinically extremely vulnerable are able to access these where eligible.

The shielded patent list for England is a national database managed by NHS Digital. No deductions from the list have been made nationally.

The decision to remove an individual patient from the list is normally made by that patient’s general practitioner or hospital doctor based on their clinical judgement and the criteria set out in the advice to clinically extremely vulnerable people at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

Government advice is clear that the patient’s general practictioner or hospital doctor should discuss with the patient the decision to remove them from the list before they are removed.

Deloitte is contracted to provide professional services support to the Department and the National Testing Programme. Deloitte’s role has included setting up testing facilities; coordinating the set-up of home and satellite delivery channels; and designing the digital platform that enables people to book a test and register their kit. Deloitte makes this digital information available to the National Pathology Exchange.

Once results are generated in the labs, the results information also flows to the National Pathology Exchange where the result is matched to the individual’s demographic information. These results are passed to Public Health England every 30 minutes through a data flow. As such, Deloitte does not have a role in the generation of results or the handling of positive case data.

The process of contract negotiation is not a process that routinely involves the Secretary of State or his office directly. Officials working on his behalf will act on his authority to negotiate a contract that best meets the needs of the service being proposed.

A summary of Deloitte's contract with the Department will be published in due course.

Anyone with suspected COVID-19 symptoms can access testing by using the self-referral portal. More information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

While we have recommended that care homes limit non-essential visits, we are clear that visits at the end of life are important both for the individual and their loved ones and should continue with appropriate infection control precautions.

We are aware that limiting visits in care homes is difficult for many families and residents who want to see their loved ones.

We are reviewing our policy on visitors and are looking to update our guidance shortly and continuing to explore how we support the sector.

The Department is not aware of any assessment of the level of need for period product provision in National Health Service facilities having been undertaken.

However, NHS England announced in March 2019 that providers of NHS-funded inpatient hospital services will offer period products to every hospital in-patient who needs them (including for long-term inpatients)

This is under the terms of the NHS Standard Contract.

The level of National Health Service provider debt from Departmental loans will fall to £3 billion after the announced debt write-off. The remaining debt are loans which were taken out at the option of the providers, were subject to affordability assessment and are being repaid. The loan write-off will be transacted in 2020-21 through converting the loans to equity (Public Dividend Capital).

This figure does not include debt taken from sources external to the Departmental group such as commercial debt and private finance initiatives.

Data on total debt is currently not held by NHS England and NHS Improvement in the requested format.

Department of Health and Social Care and Home Office officials are working to implement the Prime Minister’s announcement of 21 May and further details will be published shortly.

General practitioners and hospital specialists have been asked to review their shielded patient lists based on clinical judgement and an assessment of everyone’s needs. They have also been provided with guidance to support these decisions, which should be made following discussion with the patient and taking into account their individual clinical circumstances.

Information on the number of patients removed from shielded patient lists is not held centrally.

The Department, Public Health England, the Care Quality Commission and the National Health Service have published guidance on the care of residents in care homes. This includes guidance on visiting.

While we have recommended that family and friends should be advised not to visit care homes, we are clear that there may be exceptional situations where visits are appropriate. During these visits, appropriate infection control precautions should be followed.

We know how difficult it is for residents and their families to have their visits restricted and we will continue to review our guidance in line with the latest scientific advice and engage with stakeholders to ensure we address the majority of?their concerns.

As an existing professional services provider to the public sector, Deloitte’s expertise is being used to supplement in-house resource to deliver significant programmes of work, which currently includes the national response to COVID-19. The contract with Deloitte does not require the company to report positive cases to Public Health England and local authorities.

The information is not held in the format requested and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost.

As the level of infection in the United Kingdom reduces, it will be important to manage the risk of transmissions being reintroduced from abroad. As set out in the COVID-19 recovery strategy, we will introduce a series of measures and restrictions at the UK border, including requiring international arrivals to provide contact information and self-isolate. Further details and guidance for self-isolation measures for incoming travelers will be set out shortly, including the list of exemptions. More information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-plan-to-rebuild-the-uk-governments-covid-19-recovery-strategy/our-plan-to-rebuild-the-uk-governments-covid-19-recovery-strategy#our-roadmap-to-lift-restrictions-step-by-step

Splenectomy patients are considered clinically extremely vulnerable and have been included on the shielded patient list. Guidance for patients on shielding can be found at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

British nationals and UK residents who are overseas and wish to return to the UK, but cannot afford travel costs and have no other options for getting funds to return home, may apply for an emergency loan from the government as a last resort. Only basic costs can be included in a loan, usually the cheapest one-way ticket to the UK. The FCO usually issues around 250 emergency repatriation loans per year. As of 22 April we estimate that over 750 loans have been issued this year. Some loans are still being processed. Since 7 April 2020, the FCO has been working with Corporate Travel Management (CTM), which is authorised to administer such loans on behalf of the FCO, to extend the FCO's capacity to consider loan requests from British nationals.

The welfare of British nationals remains our top priority, and we remain committed to ensuring that British travellers around the globe are able to return home.

HM Treasury does not hold information on the number of people accessing financial products through Buy-Now-Pay-Later firms, the number of people referred to debt collection agencies by Buy-Now-Pay-Later firms, or the total level of debt owed to Buy-Now-Pay-Later firms.

On 2 February, the Government announced its intention to regulate Buy-Now-Pay-Later products. On 17 March, the Government tabled an amendment to the Financial Services Bill (now Act) to allow the Government to bring Buy-Now-Pay-Later products into the scope of FCA regulation in a proportionate way. Treasury and FCA are now working closely to publish a consultation document soon.

HM Treasury does not hold information on the number of people accessing financial products through Buy-Now-Pay-Later firms, the number of people referred to debt collection agencies by Buy-Now-Pay-Later firms, or the total level of debt owed to Buy-Now-Pay-Later firms.

On 2 February, the Government announced its intention to regulate Buy-Now-Pay-Later products. On 17 March, the Government tabled an amendment to the Financial Services Bill (now Act) to allow the Government to bring Buy-Now-Pay-Later products into the scope of FCA regulation in a proportionate way. Treasury and FCA are now working closely to publish a consultation document soon.

HM Treasury does not hold information on the number of people accessing financial products through Buy-Now-Pay-Later firms, the number of people referred to debt collection agencies by Buy-Now-Pay-Later firms, or the total level of debt owed to Buy-Now-Pay-Later firms.

On 2 February, the Government announced its intention to regulate Buy-Now-Pay-Later products. On 17 March, the Government tabled an amendment to the Financial Services Bill (now Act) to allow the Government to bring Buy-Now-Pay-Later products into the scope of FCA regulation in a proportionate way. Treasury and FCA are now working closely to publish a consultation document soon.

Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: HMT ministers' meetings, hospitality, gifts and overseas travel - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer that I gave on 20 May to the Hon Member for South Holland and The Deepings to PQs UIN: 2183, 2184 and 2185.

Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-giftsand-overseas-travel

The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Where a buy now pay later lender is offering a regulated credit agreement, it must be authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Where an authorised firm breaches FCA rules and guidance, the FCA is able to take action against them.

Where a firm breaks the UK Advertising Codes, the Advertising Standards Authority is able to ban those advertisements.

The scheme rules make it clear that employers must pass on 100 per cent of the grant to their furloughed employees and employees must receive at least 80 per cent of their reference pay. HMRC have powers to check and recover any amounts claimed where the employee has not been paid accordingly. If workers are concerned they are not receiving their entitlement, they should report their employer to HMRC via the online fraud reporting tool, or call HMRC’s fraud hotline. The Government will retain the right to retrospectively audit all aspects of the scheme with scope to claw back fraudulent or erroneous claims.

This question has been passed on to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA will reply to directly to the honourable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

The department regularly meets a range of stakeholders, which includes discussion of the impacts of COVID-19 on businesses, including the childcare sector.

Since 1 June, early years settings have been able to welcome back children of all ages. All providers of wraparound childcare, and other out-of-school settings, are able to operate for both indoor and outdoor provision, provided they have safety measures in place.

The Government has announced unprecedented support for businesses, including the early years sector, to protect against the current economic emergency. For childcare providers, this includes business rates relief for nurseries, a range of loans and grants, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and continued early years entitlement funding.

On 12 November 2019, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) introduced new rules for the buy now pay later market following its high-cost credit review. The rules prevent firms from charging backdated interest on the amount repaid by the customer during the offer period, requires that promotions contain balanced and appropriate information, and means that firms must give customers prompts to remind them when offers are due to end.

The FCA continues to monitor the buy now pay later market to identify areas that may cause consumers harm and will issue further guidance whenever it deems it necessary.

The Government has published aggregate application and approval figures on the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) since 10 May but does not hold specific information relating to individual companies who have accessed these schemes. HMRC publishes weekly management information on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and monthly management information on VAT deferrals. On 11 June HMRC published the Official Statistics for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme which included a breakdown of recipients by sector, but not individual organisations or companies. The Bank of England is responsible for publishing data on the Covid-19 Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF), including a list of organisations or companies who have made applications.

The Government does not collect data on how many companies incorporated outside of the UK have received assistance through CJRS, VAT deferral, CLBILS or CCFF. However, as laid out in the guarantee agreement, all firms borrowing through CLBILS must be engaged in trading activity in the UK at the Initial Drawdown Date and the finance facility must be used to support their trading activity in the UK. Compensation from the CJRS goes directly to the pockets of UK based workers and any VAT deferred must be repaid to HMRC by the end of the financial year.

All firms applying to the CCFF must meet a test applied by the Bank of England to show that they make a material contribution to the UK economy, including when incorporated overseas. Since 4 June the Bank of England have been publishing the names of companies with commercial paper currently outstanding through the CCFF. This is a unique level of transparency, equivalent schemes in the Eurozone and United States do not publish the names of scheme users.

Government support is aimed at businesses in genuine need. Our current measures are well-targeted at such businesses, bearing in mind the need to act very quickly to deliver this unprecedented package. We expect everyone to act responsibly and in the spirit of the package, and only claim and use support as intended.

The Government has published aggregate application and approval figures on the loan schemes, including the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS), and on VAT deferral, since 12 May, but does not hold specific information relating to applications of individual organisations or companies which have been rejected as a result of the applicants having been found not to meet the criteria for being based in the UK. These can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-coronavirus-covid-19-statistics#history. The Government is actively considering what further data can be made available in the future.

The Bank of England is responsible for publishing data on the Covid-19 Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF), including a list of organisations or companies who have made applications. This can be accessed here: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/markets/bank-of-england-market-operations-guide/results-and-usage-data.

HMRC published Official Statistics for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) on 11 June, including a breakdown of sectoral recipients but not applications of individual organisations or companies which have been rejected as a result of the applicants having been found not to meet the criteria for being based in the UK. These can be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/891249/Coronavirus_Job_Retention_Scheme_Statistics_June_2020.pdf

Our current support measures are well-targeted at the businesses and individuals who most need support, bearing in mind the need to act quickly to deliver this unprecedented package. The schemes are designed to support jobs in Britain. Sometimes this will involve foreign companies who employ people in the UK. We shouldn’t deny support to British workers, or to businesses that make a valuable contribution to the UK.

The Government has published aggregate application and approval figures on the loan schemes, including the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS), and on VAT deferral, since 12 May, but does not hold specific information relating to individual organisations or companies which have accessed these schemes. These can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-coronavirus-covid-19-statistics#history. The Government is actively considering what further data can be made available in the future.

The Bank of England is responsible for publishing data on the Covid-19 Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF), including a list of organisations or companies who have made applications. This can be accessed here: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/markets/bank-of-england-market-operations-guide/results-and-usage-data.

Finally, HMRC published Official Statistics for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) on 11 June, including a breakdown of sectoral recipients but not individual organisations or companies. These can be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/891249/Coronavirus_Job_Retention_Scheme_Statistics_June_2020.pdf

The Government support package is targeted at the businesses and individuals who most need support, while ensuring measures are accessible, certain and introduced in a timely manner to protect livelihoods.

HMRC administer the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme (CSSPRS) and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). The eligibility criteria vary between the schemes.

To claim under CJRS, the employer must have created and started a PAYE payroll scheme on or before 19 March 2020, be enrolled for PAYE online and have a UK bank account. They can only claim for furloughed employees where a Real Time Information (RTI) submission notifying payment in respect of that employee to HMRC was made on or before 19 March 2020. From 1 July, they can only claim for employees that have been furloughed for at least three consecutive weeks any time between 1 March and 30 June.

To claim under the CSSPRS the employer must have fewer than 250 employees before February 2020, be enrolled in a PAYE payroll scheme, and have an employee that was off work due to coronavirus, self-isolating, or shielding.

Self-employed individuals, including members of partnerships, are eligible for the SEISS if they have submitted their Income Tax Self-Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19, continued to trade, and have been adversely affected by COVID-19. To qualify, their self-employed trading profits must be no more than £50,000 and at least equal to their non-trading income.

HMRC are also responsible for VAT and Income Tax Self Assessment, for which certain payments have been deferred. These are general measures which apply to all taxpayers liable to pay the taxes in question.

The schemes are designed to support both British businesses and workers in Britain who pay their taxes and would otherwise lose their jobs.

Employees who are unable to work because they are shielding in line with public health guidance can be furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). However, such an employee can only continue to be furloughed from 1 July if they have previously been furloughed, for any reason, for at least 3 consecutive weeks taking place any time between 1 March and 30 June.

The Government has set out an unprecedented package of financial support to help the country through the coronavirus pandemic. Closing the scheme to new entrants is necessary for a gradual closure of the scheme. The focus is now on bringing those currently furloughed back into productive employment. CJRS is only one part of the support offered to shielded people, which also includes help with accessing food, medicines and care, alongside financial support through Statutory Sick Pay and the welfare system. Further details about the future of shielding are due to be announced the week commencing 15 June.

Under the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund, businesses can receive:

· A £10,000 cash grant per property, for each property used for retail, hospitality or leisure purposes with a rateable value of £15,000 or below which is not in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rates Relief;

· A £25,000 cash grant per property, for each property used for retail, hospitality or leisure purposes with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000.

The Government is aware that some small businesses have found themselves excluded from the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund and the Small Business Grant Fund because of the way they interact with the business rates system. That is why the Government has allocated up to an additional £617 million to Local Authorities to enable them to give discretionary grants to businesses in this situation. The Government’s intention is for Local Authorities to prioritise the following types of business when making discretionary grants:

• Small businesses in shared offices or other flexible work spaces for example, industrial parks, science parks, incubators etc, which do not have their own business rates assessment;
• Regular market traders who do not have their own business rates assessment;
• B&Bs which pay Council Tax instead of business rates; and
• Charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief

Local Authorities may choose to focus payments on those priority groups which are most relevant to their local areas. Local Authorities may also choose to pay grants to businesses outside of these priority groups, according to local economic need, so long as the business was trading on 11^th March, and has not received any other cash grant funded by central Government. Grants should also primarily and predominantly be aimed at businesses which occupy property with a rateable value below £51,000.

Small businesses which are not eligible for business grants should still be able to benefit from other elements of the Government’s unprecedented package of support for business, including:

• An option to defer VAT payments by up to twelve months;
• The Bounce Back Loan Scheme, which will ensure that small and micro businesses can quickly access loans of up to £50,000 which are 100 per cent guaranteed by the Government;
• The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, now extended to cover all businesses including those which would be able to access commercial credit;
• The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to support businesses with their wage bills; and
• The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, to provide support to the self-employed.

The information is not routinely collected by HM Treasury.

The Treasury has received unprecedented amounts of correspondence since the start of the coronavirus outbreak in the UK.

All Member’s correspondence is currently receiving attention and will be responded to as soon as possible.

The current grants schemes administered by local authorities have been designed to ensure that payments are made quickly and efficiently to small businesses facing particularly high fixed-property costs. Businesses which are not eligible for these grants – such as those run from home offices – may benefit from other measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of support for business, including:

• The Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS)
• The Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBL) for small and micro enterprises, which provides loans from £2,000 to £50,000, for which lenders receive a 100 per cent government guarantee, and which the borrower does not have to repay for the first 12 months
• The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) for larger loans
• VAT deferral for up to 12 months
• The Time To Pay scheme, through which businesses and self-employed individuals in financial distress, and with outstanding tax liabilities, can receive support with their tax affairs
• A 3-month mortgage holiday

The Business Support website provides further information about how businesses can access the support that has been made available, who is eligible, when the schemes open and how to apply - https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support. And details of the range of support for individuals affected by COVID-19 is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19.

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme went live on 13 May 2020.

By midnight on 14 May, about 1.1 million claims representing £3.1 billion had been made in total

This 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 make the timescales for publication and the types of data available in due course.

HM Treasury pays due regard to the equality impacts of policy decisions relating to the COVID-19 outbreak, in line with legal requirements and the Government’s commitment to promoting equality. There are internal procedural requirements and support in place to ensure that such considerations inform decisions taken by ministers.

The Treasury’s decision on when and how to close down the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will be based on all available evidence, including any equalities impacts.

The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund has been designed to support small businesses in some of the sectors hit hardest by the measures taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19. In order to ensure that payments can be made quickly and efficiently to businesses which are facing particularly high fixed costs, the scheme is tied to the business rates system. Under the business rates system, small businesses are defined as those with a rateable value below £51,000. The Government continues to review the economic situation and consider what support businesses need. However, there are currently no plans to extend the grants scheme above the £51,000 limit.

The Government recognises that this is a very challenging time for businesses in a wide variety of sectors. Small businesses occupying properties for retail, hospitality or leisure purposes are likely to be particularly affected by Covid-19 due to their reliance on customer footfall, and the fact that they are less likely than larger businesses to have sufficient cash reserves to meet their high fixed property-related costs. The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund is intended to help small businesses in this situation.

On Friday 1 May, the Government announced that it would be making up to £617m of additional funding available to Local Authorities to enable them to make payments of up to £25,000 to businesses which have been excluded from the existing grants schemes because of the way they interact with the business rates system. Local Authorities can choose to make discretionary grants to businesses in the supply chains of these sectors if they feel there is a particular local economic need. However, the priority of all the grants schemes continues to be to help the smallest businesses, and small businesses which are facing significant property-related costs and operate in sectors which have been particularly hard hit by the steep decline in customer footfall.

Businesses which are not eligible for the grants schemes should still be able to benefit from other measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of support for business, including:

• A twelve-month business rates holiday for all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses, regardless of rateable value;
• An option to defer VAT payments by up to twelve months;
• The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, now extended to cover all businesses including those which would be able to access commercial credit;
• The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to support businesses with their wage bills;
• The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, to provide support to the self-employed.

In March, the Government announced the unprecedented Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help firms keep millions of people in employment. The scheme is open to any individual who was on an employer’s PAYE payroll on or before 19 March 2020 and for whom HMRC received an RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that employee on or before the 19 March 2020. Full guidance for employers and employees can be found at www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme and www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as the regulator responsible for the consumer credit market, has taken a range of steps to protect consumers in this market. These include the introduction of new rules in February 2018 to help customers in persistent credit card debt. The rules require firms to better identify struggling customers, carry out greater interventions, and exercise forbearance for those struggling most. In its Policy Statement PS18/4, the FCA commits to reviewing the new rules in 2022 or 2023, once they have been fully implemented by firms and in operation long enough to assess consumer outcomes.

On 3 February 2020, the FCA wrote to credit card firms to reiterate their expectations for handling customers in persistent debt. This letter outlined that firms should encourage customers to open a dialogue about potential repayment arrangements, and, where customers cannot afford the options proposed, firms should consider reducing, waiving, or cancelling any interest or charges.

Treasury ministers and officials meet regularly with the FCA, and the Government will continue to work closely with the FCA to ensure consumers of financial services are treated fairly.

Treasury ministers and officials meet regularly with a range of interest groups to discuss consumer issues in financial services, including persistent debt.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is responsible for regulating and supervising the financial services industry and has strong powers to protect consumers. Although the Treasury sets the legal framework, the FCA is an independent regulator and Treasury ministers have no general power of direction over the FCA.

The FCA has committed in its Policy Statement PS18/4 to review the persistent credit card debt rules once they have been fully implemented by firms and in operation long enough to assess consumer outcomes. The FCA expect this to be in 2022 or 2023. The Government will continue to work closely with the FCA to ensure consumers of financial services are treated fairly.

For under 18s, the most recent available data published by the Investigatory Powers Commissioner reported that 17 juvenile covert human intelligence source authorisations were approved across 11 public authorities during the four-year period between January 2015 to the end of 2018. Data for the period beyond the end of 2018 has yet been published. Information is not collated on vulnerable adults.

The Extradition (Provisional Arrest) Act 2020 (‘The Act’) provides UK law enforcement agencies with the power of arrest on an international arrest alert (typically in the form of an Interpol Notice) which has been certified by the National Crime Agency. The Act was amended at Third Reading in the House of Commons on 8 September to add EU Member States to the Schedule of countries within scope of this power.

The Act will be commenced at the end of the Transition Period and its provisions were drafted to allow commencement for the EU Member States only should it prove to be necessary and not if there is an agreement which provides for the continuation of a warrant-based system after 31 December.

UK Visas and Immigration work to a target of responding to 95% of Ministerial correspondence within 20 working days.

Performance has been impacted by an increase in the volume of correspondence received, alongside the need for Ministers and officials to instigate a remote process for drafting and signing correspondence during the period of COVID-19 restrictions. An action plan is currently in place to clear backlogs and drive up performance.

The latest published data on UKVI performance against the service standard is held at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/customer-service-operations-data-august-2020 and this includes data from quarter 2 - 2017 up to and including the end of quarter 2-2020/21. We are proposing the release of data for quarter 3, in due course.

We do not publish average response times for correspondence nor do we record correspondence data by region.

Protecting vulnerable children is a key priority for the Government. In 2019, the UK received more asylum applications from unaccompanied children than any country in the EU and accounted for approximately 20% of all reported UASC claims made in the UK and the 27 EU Member States.

We have had significant numbers of children crossing the Channel on small boats and this is in addition to many other unaccompanied children who are currently being cared for in the UK. The latest Department for Education statistics confirm that there are over 5,000 UASC in English local authorities alone – a 146% increase from 2014. This has placed significant pressure on local authorities and it is important that we focus on ensuring that we can care of those who are already here before we agree to taking more children.

In July the Government announced it had successfully completed the transfer of 480 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children from Greece, France and Italy under Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 – known as the ‘Dubs’ scheme. Parliament was clear this was a one-off scheme which is now complete.

There are various powers to fingerprint illegal migrants, but Border Force collect prints under Section 141 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

This legislation is extended to Coquelles within the Channel Tunnel (International Arrangements) Order 1993 (SI 1993/1813).

The legislation is extended to Calais/Dunkerque within the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (Juxtaposed Controls) Order 2003.

Fingerprinting is only undertaken within the specified UK control zones at juxtaposed ports.

Border Force does not hold the data requested in an accessible format.

Following the recommendations of the Joint Committee on the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill in June 2019, the Government committed to review our overall response on migrant victims.

We are aiming to publish the conclusions of our review on the definition of domestic abuse ahead of Commons Report stage of the Domestic Abuse Bill on 6 July.

Draft statutory guidance was published today, 1 July, and covers the impact of domestic abuse on migrant victims and highlights the barriers they face in seeking support.

We have also announced that we will be pledging a further £1.5 million towards a pilot later this year to cover the cost of support in a refuge or other safe accommodation for migrant victims who are unable to access public funds. We will use the pilot to assess the level of need for migrant victims of domestic abuse and the pilot will be specifically used to inform future decisions on immediate support provision for migrant victims.

Border Force re-started collecting fingerprints of illegal migrants detected at juxtaposed controls on the 15^th of May 2020.

All operational staff have always had the relevant Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) available to them, along with detailed guidance on how to safely deal with individuals who display coronavirus symptoms or where social distancing measures cannot be adhered to.

PPE has been used in line with advice from Public Health England and the Department of Health and Social Care.

The Home Office continues to monitor and evaluate its approach to border policy and keeps this under review. As part of this we consult with a wide range of partners on their implementation of border controls.

The Government committed to review its overall response to migrant victims of domestic abuse in response to the recommendations of the Joint Committee on the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill in June 2019.

The evidence gathering phase of the review has been completed and detailed findings will be published by Commons Report stage.

This will provide further information on the rationale behind conducting a pilot project to assess the needs of migrant victims with no recourse to public funds and the basis upon which the decision to carry out the pilot was made.

The Home Office continues to keep the policy equality statement under review in line with its public sector equality duty.

European Arrest Warrants issued during the Transition Period are valid for the whole of that period.

The Withdrawal Agreement provides that at the end of the Transition Period, in the absence of any other arrangements, procedures under the European Arrest Warrant Framework Decision will continue to conclusion in circumstances where an arrest has already been made. This is implemented in the UK by the Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, which provide for extradition proceedings which have begun before 31 December 2020 to continue to conclusion.

The Withdrawal Agreement provides that at the end of the Transition Period, in the absence of any other arrangements, procedures under the European Arrest Warrant Framework Decision will continue to conclusion in circumstances where an arrest has already been made.

European Arrest Warrants issued during the Transition Period are valid during the Transition Period.

The Withdrawal Agreement provides that at the end of the Transition Period, in the absence of any other arrangements, procedures under the European Arrest Warrant Framework Decision will continue to conclusion in circumstances where an arrest has already been made.

The Home Office has put in place measures to ensure the EU Settlement Scheme is accessible to all vulnerable applicants, including those who are homeless.

A user group of external stakeholders who represent the needs of potentially vulnerable individuals, including those who are homeless, has been established to work with the Home Office to ensure the right support and arrangements are in place.

There is provision in policy to allow for a wide range of evidence to be provided by applicants in order to prove their residence including confirmation from a charity or support group. There is also provision for applicants to apply without the standard evidence of identity and nationality where they cannot provide it due to compelling practical or compassionate reasons or circumstances beyond their control which may include being homeless or destitute.

The Home Office has introduced a range of support including up to £9 million grant funding for 57 voluntary and community organisations to ensure those that require the most support to apply to the scheme can access it. This includes funding allocated to charities that support the homeless.

The independent Migration Advisory Committee has been clear immigration is not the solution to addressing staffing levels in the social care sector. Senior care workers who meet the criteria will be able to come to the UK through the points-based system.

We are working alongside employers to ensure the workforce has the right number of people to meet increasing demands and have recently launched a national recruitment campaign.

We are also providing councils with access to an additional £1.5 billion for adults and children’s social care in 2020-21.

The Government, in delivering on its manifesto commitments, has considered relevant views, evidence, and analysis in finalising this policy, in particular the report of the Migration Advisory Committee, which was published in January. A programme of engagement will begin in March to raise awareness of the new system.

We have considered equalities impacts of the points-based immigration system in line with our public sector equality duties and, as now, we will keep all immigration routes under review.

The Government, in delivering on its manifesto commitments, has considered relevant views, evidence, and analysis in finalising this policy, in particular the report of the Migration Advisory Committee, which was published in January. A programme of engagement will begin in March to raise awareness of the new system.

We have considered equalities impacts of the points-based immigration system in line with our public sector equality duties and, as now, we will keep all immigration routes under review.

The Government, in delivering on its manifesto commitments, has considered relevant views, evidence, and analysis in finalising this policy, in particular the report of the Migration Advisory Committee, which was published in January. A programme of engagement will begin in March to raise awareness of the new system.

We have considered equalities impacts of the points-based immigration system in line with our public sector equality duties and, as now, we will keep all immigration routes under review.

The latest published data on naturalisation applications can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/in-country-migration-data-august-2019

Naturalisation is not an automatic process and the Home Office has to conduct a number of checks before it can reach a decision on whether to grant citizenship.

The extent and length of time taken to complete the checks on the more complex cases varies according to the particular circumstance of each case.

The progress of these checks is closely monitored and decisions are made when the checks are completed.

The Withdrawal Agreement provides for a transition period during which we continue to use all the EU security and justice tools we used prior to exit. European Arrest Warrants remain valid.

The Withdrawal Agreement further provides that the European Arrest Warrant Framework Decision shall continue to apply in respect of European Arrest Warrants where the requested person was arrested before the end of the transition period.

The Withdrawal Agreement provides for an implementation period during which we will continue to use all the EU security and justice tools we use now, and European Arrest Warrants will continue to be valid.

We are determined to drive the fundamental change necessary to keep victims of domestic abuse and their children safe. The Domestic Abuse Bill is the culmination of significant policy work and consultation on how we improve our response to this crime, which we are committed to keeping under review. Most recently, on 25 June 2020, we published our comprehensive report into the family courts system: ‘Assessing risk of harm to children and parents in private law children cases’.

We are taking immediate action to implement the panel’s recommendations, and will be undertaking further work to address the long-standing, systemic issues identified in the report particularly where there are allegations of domestic abuse. This work will include a review into the presumption of ‘parental involvement’ and whether the right balance is being struck between the risk of harm to children and victims, and the right of the child to have a relationship with both parents.

The Law Commission continues to make good progress on the Hate Crime Consultation Paper, although some delay is inevitable given the impact of Covid-19.

The Law Commissioners are considering when to publish consultations on a case-by-case basis, based on whether they will be able to undertake sufficiently open and transparent consultation during the current circumstances. That is an essential aspect of the way they work. It is particularly important in relation to the Hate Crime project.

The Commissioners are keeping the situation under review and they will announce their decision on publication as soon as they can.

All declarations of incompatibility made under the Human Rights Act 1998 and the actions taken to address them are set out in the Government’s annual report to the Joint Committee on Human Rights. The latest report was laid before Parliament on 30 October 2019 and we have not been notified of any further declarations of incompatibility since then.

There have been no meetings between current Ministers in the Ministry of Justice and the Law Commission on the review of hate crime legislation.

The Law Commission were invited to independently review the law relating to hate crime and to make recommendations to the Government for its reform. That review began in March 2019.

The Law Commission are considering the current range of offences and aggravating factors in sentencing, and will make recommendations to the Government on the most appropriate models to ensure that the criminal law provides consistent and effective protection from conduct motivated by hatred towards protected groups or characteristics. The review will also take account of the existing range of protected characteristics, identifying any gaps in the scope of protection currently offered under the law and making recommendations to promote a consistent approach.

The Law Commission plan to issue a consultation on this matter in early 2020. Further information on the review can be found on the Law Commission webpage at: https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/hate-crime/

The Ministry of Justice publishes information on out of court disposals, including cautions, in England and Wales, up to December 2018. This does not identify whether the offence was committed on retail premises.

However, statistics are available for cautions classified by police as “theft from shops” as the principle offence.

This information can be found using the Out of Court Disposals data tool: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/802305/out-of-court-disposal-tool-2018.xlsx