Stephen Farry

Freight is currently flowing effectively into and across the UK, and the measures we have announced will support this to continue. Starting from 11 May, sixteen routes have been designated as Public Service Obligation routes for a period of up to nine weeks.

Three of those routes – Cairnryan-Larne, Cairnryan-Belfast and Heysham-Warrenpoint – are between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. These routes will receive an estimated £5.5 million. The Northern Ireland Executive will contribute 40% of the funding on these routes.

On 24 April we announced a package of funding to support the movement of critical goods on freight routes between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Up to £17m of funding will be available to support up to 5 routes over the next 2 months, with the Northern Ireland Executive contributing 40%.

Furthermore, the Governments of Ireland, France and the United Kingdom have committed to supporting the continued movement of freight. Both the Irish and French governments have introduced measures to support freight movements, as we have.

These measures are in addition to the unprecedented support provided to UK companies in all sectors worth £350 billion.

Her Majesty’s Government recognises that airports are vital for local economies, providing domestic and global connectivity, employment opportunities, and a hub for local transport. We have been working closely with airports and airlines to encourage them to act quickly to fill routes which are vital for local communities and businesses, including those in Belfast.

A review of Regional Air Connectivity was recently announced to ensure all nations and regions of the UK have the domestic transport connections local communities rely on. Her Majesty’s Government plays no part in, and through regulations is legally prevented from intervening in, the airport slot allocation process. Whilst there is no role for Government to play in this matter, it is in the interest of UK consumers that all airport slots are used efficiently.

The government is committed to upgrading our infrastructure, and we are looking at a range of options to level up the country and support growth and productivity in every region. We will set out more details on our plans to increase investment in infrastructure later this year.

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) provides a minimum level of income for employees when they are sick or incapable of work. SSP is payable from the first day of absence from work, rather than the fourth, where an individual is unable to work due to COVID19. It is paid by employers at £95.85 per week for up to 28 weeks in any one period of entitlement. Some employers may also decide to pay more, and for longer, through Occupational Sick Pay.

SSP is just one part of our welfare safety net and our wider government offer to support people in times of need, and we have taken steps to strengthen that safety net. Where an individual’s income is reduced while off work sick and they require further financial support, for example where they are not eligible for SSP, they may be able to claim Universal Credit and new style Employment and Support Allowance, depending on their personal circumstances. The Government introduced a package of temporary welfare measures worth around £9.3 billion this year to help with the financial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. This included the £20 weekly increase to the Universal Credit Standard Allowance rates as a temporary measure for the 20/21 tax year. We are continuing to work with the Treasury on the best ways to support those receiving benefits.

To help support people in Northern Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic the Department for Communities has put in place additional support. Financial support may be available for short-term living expenses for those who have a positive Covid-19 diagnosis or are in self-isolation. A non-repayable Discretionary Support Self Isolation Grant may be available for those who are on a low income and are experiencing financial difficulties as a result of being told to self-isolate.

Background

To help support people during the COVID-19 pandemic the Department for Communities has put in place additional support. This includes:

• a non-repayable Discretionary Support self-isolation grant payment to assist with short term living expenses where a person, or any member of their immediate family, is diagnosed with COVID-19 or is advised to self-isolate in accordance with guidance published by the Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being and
• extending Discretionary Support to full-time students suffering financial hardship as a direct result of COVID-19

The suspension of the Minimum Income Floor for Universal Credit that was due to expire on 12 November 2020 will be extended to the end of April 2021.

No such assessment has been made of reforming the Welfare system.

Universal Credit has stood up to the challenge of the COVID-19, whereas the previous legacy benefit system would have buckled under the pressure. Millions more are able to access welfare which is fairer and more generous than the legacy benefit system. It is a modern, flexible, personalised benefit responding effectively to economic conditions. It replaces six outdated and complex benefits with one – helping to simplify the benefits system, providing support in times of need and making work pay.

For those who are made redundant and make a claim to Universal Credit (UC), their redundancy payments, with limited tax liability under the Income Tax (earnings and Pensions) Act 2003, are treated as capital. A claimant’s capital is taken into account to determine their entitlement to UC and in the calculation of their UC award.

If capital exceeds £16,000 (after having deducted allowable disregards, such as, personal injury compensation payments) there will be no entitlement to UC.

Redundancy payments treated as capital are therefore not taken into account as earnings, nor would the surplus earnings rules apply to them.

There are no current plans to increase the amount of Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income Support due to COVID19. These benefits were increased by 1.7% from 6 April, following the Government announcement to end the benefits freeze in November 2019.

DWP and HMRC are experiencing significant increased demand and the Government has to prioritise the safety and stability of the benefits system overall, announcing measures that can be quickly and effectively operationalised.

Taken together, DWP’s measures represent an injection of over £6.5 billion into the welfare system and, along with the other job and business support programmes announced by the Chancellor, represent one of the most comprehensive packages of support introduced by an advanced economy in response to COVID19.

The UK is a fully committed party to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which we ratified in 2009. The UK as a general principle does not incorporate international treaties into domestic law. However, the rights of disabled people under this Convention are largely reflected and given effect in existing domestic policies and legislation.

The Equality Act 2010 provides, in domestic legislation, protections for people in Great Britain against discrimination, harassment or victimisation because of any of the nine protected characteristics set out in the Act – which include disability – as well as the public sector equality duty to promote equality of opportunity for all. Equivalent provisions for Northern Ireland are set out in a range of devolved legislation.

In 2019 we launched a new cross-government approach to disability and we will publish a ‘National Strategy for Disabled People’ in 2020.

The European Charter of Fundamental Rights was not the source of fundamental rights in EU law and did not create any new rights, freedoms or principles. Rather, it reaffirms fundamental rights which already existed in EU law. The Charter will cease to have effect in UK domestic law at the end of the implementation period. Domestic law which implemented the rights and principles which underpin the Charter will be retained through the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

All the protections covered in our domestic legislation including the Equality Act 2010 and equivalent legislation in Northern Ireland, will continue to apply after the end of the implementation period.

In addition, the protections which derive from the European Convention on Human Rights, which have been given further domestic effect by the Human Rights Act 1998, are unaffected by EU exit.

The Government is committed to helping ensure there is no disruption to the supply of medical devices into Northern Ireland. The Department of Health and Social Care, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Department of Health in Northern Ireland have been working closely with industry to support them in their preparations to comply with the European Union Medical Device Regulation (MDR), which will come into effect in Northern Ireland from 26 May this year.

The Government is not seeking any mitigations from the European Commission regarding the MDR. Following feedback from industry stakeholders and in recognition that guidance from the EU is pending, on 5 March 2021 the MHRA published guidance on importation requirements to assist with compliance in moving medical devices from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. On 10 May 2021, the MHRA wrote to industry to provide further support and clarification on the implementation of the MDR in Northern Ireland.

The Government is committed to helping ensure there is no disruption to the supply of medical devices into Northern Ireland. The Department of Health and Social Care, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Department of Health in Northern Ireland have been working closely with industry to support them in their preparations to comply with the European Union Medical Device Regulation (MDR), which will come into effect in Northern Ireland from 26 May this year.

The Government is not seeking any mitigations from the European Commission regarding the MDR. Following feedback from industry stakeholders and in recognition that guidance from the EU is pending, on 5 March 2021 the MHRA published guidance on importation requirements to assist with compliance in moving medical devices from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. On 10 May 2021, the MHRA wrote to industry to provide further support and clarification on the implementation of the MDR in Northern Ireland.

People should be staying at home unless they have a valid reason to travel. All of these measures will be kept under constant review, including the impact on individuals with family ties in other countries.

Countries around the world are charging for quarantine costs, including, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Canada and Singapore. People should stay at home unless they have a valid reason to travel. For those facing significant financial hardship as a result of the managed quarantine charge, there will be an opportunity to apply for a deferred repayment plan when booking. This is available for individuals who already receive income-related benefits and they will be required to pay back the charge in 12 monthly instalments.

People should be staying at home unless they have a valid reason to travel. We keep all our measures under constant review and they will remain in place as long as is required in order to protect public health, reduce transmission of the virus and to reduce the risk posed by new variants. The managed quarantine and testing measures have been introduced in Regulations that have a sunset date of 8 June 2021.

The United Kingdom remains committed to ensuring equitable access to effective vaccines as demonstrated by our £548 million contribution to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment - the international initiative to support global equitable access to vaccines. Through match funding, the commitment was leveraged to encourage other donors to commit $1 billion in 2020. The COVAX facility will aim to begin delivery by the end of February 2021 and we are working with international partners to support its rollout.

It is too early to determine how many doses of the vaccines that the UK has ordered will not be needed for domestic use. We are working through multilateral institutions, such as the United Nations and G20, as well as the World Health Organization and other international partners like the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Gavi the Vaccine Alliance to support vaccine development, manufacturing scale-up and distribution to meet domestic and international needs both now and in the future.

Racial disparities in the health of the nation are unacceptable. Following the publication of Public Health England (PHE)’s report, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities (Kemi Badenoch MP) has been asked to urgently review the findings and better understand the drivers behind them. As part of this, we will look very closely at the health inequalities aspects of PHE’s report and further action needed to address them.

We remain committed to levelling up and spreading opportunity around this country, which will be an essential part of the economic and social recovery from this crisis.

From March 2017, the Department ran a public consultation into the potential parameters of a ‘Rapid Resolution and Redress’ (RRR) scheme for severe avoidable birth injuries. The three main objectives of which were to reduce the number of severe avoidable birth injuries by promoting a ‘no-blame’ learning culture; to ensure a better experience for children who have been injured, their families and affected clinicians; and to address the high and increasing cost of such cases on the National Health Service budget when fully litigated.

Following consultation, we decided not to introduce the RRR scheme but instead to pursue the above objectives as part of broader, cross-system work to improve the safety culture in maternity services and to provide rapid information and care to families who have experienced an avoidable fatality or injury of their baby during birth. The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch is now investigating all cases in which a term baby was considered to be alive and healthy at the onset of labour, but the birth outcome was severe brain damage, stillbirth, or neonatal death, as well as maternal deaths, to identify common themes and influence systemic change. NHS Resolution’s Early Notification scheme is providing a more rapid, caring response to families in cases of severe harm, supporting a learning culture, and providing support for staff involved in traumatic births.

I called on Israel to stop demolitions on 5 February 2021. I also raised our concern about demolitions with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK on 29 October 2020, and issued a statement outlining the UK's concern about the demolitions of structures in Humsa Al-Baqai'a on 6 November 2020. Officials from the British Consulate General Jerusalem visited Humsa Al-Baqai'a on 6 November 2020 to reiterate UK support for the community. The UK provides funding to the West Bank Protection Consortium, which is coordinating with the Palestinian Red Cross and the United Nations to provide emergency shelter to the community of Humsa Al-Baqai'a, and determine the community's long-term needs. UK senior officials raised demolitions with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK on 10 November 2020. The UK also urged the Government of Israel to end demolitions of property in the West Bank at the UN Security council on 21 December 2020.

We are focused on preventing demolitions from happening in the first place through our legal aid programme, which supports Bedouin communities and Palestinians facing demolition or home eviction in both the West Bank and East Jerusalem. We continue to urge the Government of Israel to develop improved mechanisms for zoning, planning and permitting in Area C for the benefit of the Palestinian population, including by facilitating local Palestinian participation in such processes.

The frontier worker permit scheme has been established under Article 26 of the Withdrawal Agreement (and equivalent provisions in the agreements with the EEA EFTA States and Switzerland) to provide EU citizens with a right to be issued with a document certifying their rights as frontier workers in the UK under those agreements. British citizens and dual national British citizens who live outside the UK but who work in the UK are not within the personal scope of the Agreements and therefore are not eligible to apply to the frontier worker permit scheme. British citizens already have right of abode in the UK and do not need permission to work in the UK as that right stems from their British citizenship.

UK nationals who were lawfully resident in Ireland before the transition period ended are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and do not need to apply for a new residence status in Ireland as their rights are conferred automatically by operation of the law. Under Article 30(d), UK nationals resident in Ireland and subject to the legislation of the UK continue to be covered by the EU social security regulations in full. This means that if the UK is competent, then the UK Government will be responsible for their social security cover in Ireland, including reciprocal healthcare.

Access to these rights will be determined by caseworkers upon application and guidance on evidence requirements has been published on gov.uk. The Withdrawal Agreement is without prejudice to Common Travel Area arrangements between the UK and Ireland and the rights of British and Irish citizens in each other's state. This includes rights under the social security agreement between the two countries.

We are concerned by the ongoing violence in the Tigray region as well as by Amnesty International's report of killings of civilians on 9 November: we call for transparency and accountability to be delivered for such incidents. We have called on all involved to ensure the protection of civilians, and to restore and maintain humanitarian access to allow the delivery of humanitarian assistance and essential services. The Foreign Secretary called Prime Minister Abiy of Ethiopia on 10 November to raise these concerns and stress the urgent need to de-escalate the situation. On 18 November, I reinforced this message with the Ethiopian Ambassador to the UK. The British Ambassador to Ethiopia and other officials also continue to reinforce these messages at the highest levels and we continue to engage regional and wider international partners to push for swift de-escalation of the situation. We are in close contact with UK funded humanitarian agencies working in Tigray to understand humanitarian needs and programme adaptations.

The UK Government is deeply concerned by violence during protests in Lagos and other major cities in Nigeria, including reports of casualties. We offer our condolences to the families of those affected. The Foreign Secretary issued a statement on 21 October calling for an end to the violence and for the Nigerian Government to urgently investigate reports of brutality by its security forces and hold those responsible to account. I reiterated these messages when I spoke to Foreign Minister Onyeama on 23 October. The British High Commissioner in Abuja continues to raise the protests with representatives of the Nigerian Government.

The UK Government has made clear to the Nigerian authorities at the highest levels the importance of protecting human rights for all. We encourage all parties to work together to enable the people of Nigeria to exercise their rights safely, peacefully and in line with the rule of law. On 6 July, the UK Government established the Global Human Rights sanctions regime by laying regulations in Parliament under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018. This sanctions regime gives the UK a powerful new tool to target individuals involved in serious human rights violations or abuses. It is longstanding practice not to speculate on future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce the impact of the designations. We will keep all evidence and potential listings under close review.

The UK Government's Conflict, Stability and Security Fund's (CSSF) Countering Organised Crime and Corruption programme, which supports capacity building of Anti-Kidnap Coordination Units in Nigeria, has not provided any support or training to Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) units or officers.

Through our CSSF-funded Nigeria Policing Programme, which ended in March 2020, FSARS officers participated in training on amended Nigerian police guidance designed to improve human rights, training on public finance, and community policing workshops. The Nigeria Policing Programme was part of our Security and Justice Reform Programme, which is working to help deliver a criminal justice system that better protects the human rights of all Nigerians. Through our support to the CSSF-funded North East Public Safety and Security Programme (part of which is delivered jointly with USAID) three radios issued to Borno Police Command police units working to improve local security and to counter violent extremist organisations were distributed to the local FSARS Unit. These were returned after FSARS was disbanded. The North East Public Safety and Security Programme is part of our North East Nigeria Security, Conflict and Stabilisation Programme, working to help stabilise one of Nigeria's poorest and most fragile regions.

The UK Government will continue to support police reform in Nigeria, working with the Nigerian Government and international and civil society partners to improve the accountability and responsiveness of the Nigerian Police Force in line with its human rights obligations. The Nigerian authorities must uphold human rights and the rule of law, investigate any incidents of police brutality and hold those responsible to account. We will continue to monitor the response to the recent protests closely.

Our support for Bahrain fully complies with our international human rights obligations as it is dependent on a robust assessment under the Overseas Security and Justice Assistance process, which requires that recognised human rights and other risks must be considered prior to providing assistance, including an assessment of the potential impact of any proposed assistance, and the identification of mitigation measures against the risk that assistance might directly or significantly contribute to a violation. Furthermore, our assistance is regularly monitored and evaluated to ensure it continues to deliver against these standards, and is often delivered in cooperation with respected international partners such as the United Nations Development Programme.

At the start of the Integrated Review, the Prime Minister said that the Review will set out how the United Kingdom will be a problem-solving and burden-sharing nation. He also highlighted the importance of our values. This includes standing up for democracy and human rights.

The Call for Evidence invites the public to submit evidence to inform the Integrated Review. Its aim is to invite a broad range of submissions without prejudging which themes or issues should receive particular consideration at this stage.

Her Majesty's Government is committed to an open and inclusive review that utilises a wide range of expertise and challenges traditional Whitehall assumptions and thinking.

The UK accords a high priority to promoting gender equality and women's rights across the world. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials regularly raise gender issues, including domestic violence, in multilateral fora such as the UN and the Council of Europe. The UK signed the Istanbul Convention in 2012, signalling its strong commitment to tackling violence against women and girls; this Government remains committed to ratifying it. We encourage the Polish Government, too, to maintain its commitment to the Convention. The British Embassy in Warsaw is active on this agenda and supports NGOs working on women's rights. Later this month, the Embassy will be hosting a public webinar with British and Polish experts on lessons learned in dealing with domestic violence during the Covid-19 pandemic and will follow this with smaller group workshops with NGOs from the UK and Poland at which they will share experiences.

The Government has been clear in condemning the violent suppression and detention of peaceful protesters, following the recent fraudulent Presidential elections in Belarus. We have been clear that we do not accept the election results. The UK is calling for an independent investigation through the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) into the conduct of the authorities leading up to, during and after the Presidential elections and the subsequent violent crackdown by authorities. We have raised these concerns directly with Belarusian Foreign Minister Makei.

We continue to believe that Bahrain is taking steps in the right direction to improve its human rights record, in line with the Government's Plan which built on the reform recommendations set out in the 2012 Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry Report. Whilst we and the Government of Bahrain acknowledge this is a work in progress, our support for this Bahrain-led reform is helping to build effective and accountable institutions, strengthen the rule of law and deliver justice reform. All our support is in line with international standards, and aims to share the UK's expertise and experience.

The UK Government strongly supports the UN International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024) and remains committed to combating racism, both domestically and internationally. There are no guidelines setting out how countries should mark the Decade. The UK has chosen to combat racism throughout the lifetime of the Decade by continuing to work to eradicate discrimination and intolerance in our country. The Government is committed to doing this in this decade, and beyond.

At home, our focus is on creating a fair society where all people, regardless of ethnic origin or background, are valued and able to participate fully and realise their own potential. Internationally, we believe that one of the most effective ways to tackle injustices and advocate respect among different ethnic groups is to encourage countries to uphold their human rights obligations, particularly through international institutions such as the United Nations. The UK has participated in and joined consensus on the key 21st century UN events and instruments on racism, and is committed to speaking out against racism and intolerance bilaterally and in multilateral fora. During the 43rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, we delivered two statements on the urgency of dealing with racism, one in the item 9 debate and one in the urgent debate. The Minister of State responsible for Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon also discussed the importance of combatting racism during the UK's closing statement which was delivered on 26 June.

The UK is committed to the principle of non-discrimination on all grounds, including on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity. We are concerned by the amendment to Hungary's Registry Act that was passed through by the Hungarian Parliament on 19 May, and the impact this will have on the rights of transgender people.

I raised these concerns with the Hungarian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Levente Magyar, on 30 April. Officials in our Embassy in Budapest have also discussed the amendment with senior Hungarian officials, as well as with civil society. We will continue to maintain a dialogue with Hungary, both bilaterally and in multilateral fora, on promoting tolerance and non-discrimination towards LGBT people.

The UK Government considered the EU's request in February and again in March, to establish a Belfast office of the EU Delegation to the UK and responded on both occasions that we cannot agree to a permanent EU presence in Belfast. While Article 12 gives EU officials the right to be present during the activities of UK authorities related to the implementation and application of the Protocol, we do not accept that that necessarily requires an EU Delegation office in Belfast, or indeed any other permanent EU presence in Northern Ireland.

We are committed to working with our international partners, including Hungary, to overcome the global health and economic challenges resulting from the coronavirus pandemic and to set the stage for a strong recovery of sustainable economic growth and prosperity. We remain in close contact with the Hungarian authorities as we coordinate our response.

The UK places great importance on, and has a proud history of respecting, the rule of law and democratic values. We are clear that measures to address the coronavirus pandemic should be targeted, time-limited and subject to regular review. We are closely monitoring the Hungarian government's use of the emergency legislation.

The Foreign Secretary's current priority is to support global efforts to combat the outbreak of COVID-19; he recognises the scale of the threat posed by COVID-19 in Syria and in Syrian refugee camps. The International Development Secretary spoke with Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, on 18 March, and agreed to work together to minimise the impact of this crisis on refugees. DFID is leading the humanitarian support for the UK's global efforts to combat the outbreak of COVID-19, including for those in refugee camps. This includes a contribution of £10 million to the World Health Organisation to help prevent the spread of this outbreak. We will continue to monitor the situation in Syria and in Syrian refugee camps very closely.

Under the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, the People of Northern Ireland have the right to identify as British, Irish or both; and the right to hold both British and Irish citizenship. Thus, and in line with UK and Irish citizenship laws, the People of Northern Ireland may be solely British citizens, solely Irish citizens, or dual British-Irish citizens. Those people of Northern Ireland who are exercising their free movement rights, as Irish (including dual British-Irish) citizens, to reside in a European Union Member State will continue to be subject to the same rules as other EU citizens residing in that Member State, including with regard to voting rights. People of Northern Ireland, regardless of their citizenship, may also be exercising their free movement rights as family members of EU citizens in a European Union Member State and accordingly will continue to be subject to relevant rules with regard to voting rights. Those who are solely British citizens, and who are not exercising free movement rights as family members of EU citizens, will be subject to the rules applicable to other British citizens in that Member State, including with regard to voting rights.

The right of British citizens to vote and stand in local elections depends on the electoral rules of the Member State in which they live. The UK pushed hard in Withdrawal Agreement negotiations to include the right to vote and stand in local elections, but the EU Commission argued that voting rights were a Member State competence. UK Ministers wrote to all EU Member States in December 2018 to propose bilateral agreements on local voting rights, and we have now signed agreements with Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg. Some Member States have constitutional provisions that prevent third-country nationals from voting in local elections.

The conditions for authorisation for the UK Trader Scheme (UKTS) are set out in the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee’s decision on ‘not at risk’ goods. The Government has already provided an easement to allow GB traders who do not have a fixed place of business in Northern Ireland time to prepare, allowing them to be authorised for the UKTS until 1 November 2021 providing they meet other UKTS eligibility requirements. As part of current discussions to address outstanding issues with the Protocol and ensure it operates in the pragmatic and proportionate way intended, the Government would want to consider flexibilities that could support the streamlined flow of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) releases an annual review each year, which provides information about the number of licences issued. From April 2017 to March 2020, OFSI issued a total of 66 new licences under the Libya regime.

OFSI does not publish details of individual licences granted.

In November 2020, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) extended its guidance on mortgage and consumer credit payment holidays. This allows borrowers to apply for up to six months of payment holidays until 31 March 2021, with all payment holidays under this guidance ending by 31 July 2021. These measures have provided consumers with a much-needed respite period, giving time to smooth out finances that may have taken a hit by the pandemic.

The Government and FCA have been clear from the start that this guidance should only be a temporary solution for those borrowers facing short-term financial difficulties as a result of COVID-19. For borrowers needing ongoing support beyond six months, the FCA’s business-as-usual rules require that lenders provide tailored forbearance for the specific needs of the borrower. The tools available to lenders under these rules include suspending, reducing or waiving interest, fees or charges as well as offering further payment holidays if agreed between the borrower and lender.

Ready2Invest was an unauthorised firm that went into liquidation in 2013.

The FCA is an independent non-governmental body responsible for regulating and supervising the financial services industry. Matters of fraud are the responsibility of the police, not the FCA. However, it is the responsibility of the FCA, as an independent regulator to investigate and decide upon the appropriate course of action when it identifies potential cases of investment fraud. I understand that this matter has been referred to the relevant law enforcement agencies and it would be inappropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation.

Although the Treasury sets the legal framework for the regulation of financial services, it has strictly limited powers. In particular, the Treasury cannot intervene in individual cases and does not monitor individual financial services firms.

Budget 2021 announced that private pleasure craft users in Northern Ireland will no longer be able to use red diesel to propel their craft. The change will take effect later this year, with the specific date to be confirmed in due course. Red diesel will continue to be used by private pleasure craft in the rest of the UK.

This change will achieve consistency with a 2018 judgment by the  Court of Justice of the European Union, and ensure the UK meets its international obligations under the Northern Ireland  Protocol. It will also align the rules with those governing fuel used by private pleasure craft in the Republic of Ireland, which should make it simpler for craft  users to get the fuel they need if they travel between  Northern Ireland and Ireland.

The Government is engaging with representative groups covering private pleasure craft as well as fuel suppliers over any implementation issues. Further details will be announced in due course, including in relation to craft travelling from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.

The UK's economic response to COVID-19 is one of the most generous and comprehensive in the world. The Government is monitoring closely the impact of measures, having regard to the need to support public services, businesses, and individuals, and will keep all policies under review.

The Government recognises that this academic year has been extremely difficult for students and that, as a result of these exceptional circumstances, some students are facing financial hardship. To this end, the Department for Education has announced a further £50 million to support students in England with financial pressures from the pandemic, in addition to the £20 million announced in December.

The Trader Support Service (TSS) has been established to help traders affected by changes due to the Northern Ireland Protocol. For example, the service can submit import and safety and security declarations on behalf of traders moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland without them needing to engage directly with new digital customs systems.

The Government recognises the need to work closely with the Irish authorities regarding customs requirements and the TSS is engaging with these authorities accordingly. As part of the TSS’s educational offering, the service can indicate to traders and hauliers when they will need to interact with Irish systems.

HMRC are working closely with the Fujitsu-led consortium appointed to deliver services offered by the Trader Support Service (TSS). The consortium has expertise across the range of services needed to make the TSS effective, including an existing provider of customs education and an established customs intermediary. It has over 700 contact centre staff on hand to manage trader queries, answering 98% of calls in under 30 seconds.

The Government takes matters of fraud extremely seriously. We continue to work closely with industry to close down the vulnerabilities that fraudsters exploit and ensure members of the public have the information they need to spot a scam and stand up to fraudsters.

The FCA hold a public record that shows details of firms, individuals and other bodies that are, or have been, regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and/or the FCA. Consumers who are considering an investment opportunity are encouraged to use the register to check the regulatory status of the firm in question ahead of transferring any funds. The register can be found here https://register.fca.org.uk/.

Individuals who invest in unregulated products should be aware that they are unlikely to be eligible for FSCS compensation (unless a regulated activity (i.e. financial advice) has been undertaken). Whether an activity is regulated is set out in legislation, and is rightly a matter for government and Parliament. The costs and benefits of bringing activities into the regulatory perimeter can be finely balanced which is why Government is committed to regulating only where there is a clear case for doing so.

Where a member of the public suspects that they have been a victim of a scam they should report the case to Action Fraud, the national reporting point for fraud and cyber crime.

Under the extension from November, employer contributions for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) have returned to the level they were in August, which is lower than the previous level in September and October. Employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and pension contributions are the only required contributions under the extension to the CJRS. For an average claim, this accounts for just 5 per cent of total employment costs or £70 per employee per month. Many small employers can benefit from the Employment Allowance for support with their NICs bill, allowing eligible employers to reduce their annual National Insurance liability by up to £4,000.

The CJRS is only one element of a comprehensive package of support for businesses. This includes access to affordable, Government backed finance through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBLS) for large firms, along with the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBL) for small and micro enterprises. As of 13 December, these schemes have already provided over £68bn in guaranteed loans and provide vital support across all sectors of the UK economy for businesses who have been impacted by coronavirus.

We have guaranteed the devolved administrations an additional £16.8 billion of resource funding this year to help them respond to coronavirus. This means at least £3bn of additional funding for the Northern Ireland Executive.

The UK Government has been clear throughout the pandemic that businesses should use support appropriately, and welcomes any decision to repay support where it is no longer needed. Any funds returned will support the continuing efforts to protect people’s jobs and incomes.

The UK Government is working with the devolved administrations and will set out details for business on making repayments shortly.

The temporary SDLT relief was designed to stimulate immediate momentum in a property market where property transactions fell by as much as fifty per cent during the COVID-19 lockdown in March. This momentum in the property market will also support the jobs of people whose employment relies on custom from the property industry, such as retailers and tradespeople.

The Government will continue to monitor the market. However, as the relief was designed to provide an immediate stimulus to the property market, the Government does not plan to extend this relief.

The new infrastructure bank for the UK will be headquartered in the north of England. Further details on the bank, including location, will be set out at the Spring Budget.

The bank will help to support infrastructure projects across the whole of the UK in order to unleash the power of the Union and promote economic growth.

As part of our response to coronavirus we have provided the Northern Ireland Executive with upfront certainty that they will receive at least £2.8bn in additional funding this year on top of their Spring Budget funding. This has allowed the Executive to plan and deliver their response to coronavirus.

As set out in the Statement of Funding Policy, the Executive are able to carry forward a certain percentage of their budgets from one year to the next through Budget Exchange. This means the Executive will be able to carry forward a proportion of their overall budget for 2020/21 which includes the £2.8bn additional funding due to coronavirus. As with UK government departments, any excess underspends will be forfeited unless exceptionally agreed otherwise with HM Treasury.

The Northern Ireland Protocol frames the approach to VAT on goods, including the second-hand margin scheme, in Northern Ireland. As is the case for tax policy generally, the Government is keeping this under review.

In reaction to the resurgence of COVID-19 and following the extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), the Government has increased the level of support available to the self-employed through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS).

The overall level of the third SEISS grant has been increased to 80 per cent of average trading profits, meaning that the maximum grant available has now increased to £7,500. This provides equivalent support to the self-employed as is being provided to employees through the Government contribution in the CJRS.

The Government will also be paying out the grant more quickly by bringing forward the SEISS 3 claims window from 14 December to 30 November.

This will provide an estimated £7.3bn of support to the self-employed through November to January alone, with a further grant to follow covering February to April. This places the SEISS among the most generous schemes for the self-employed in the world.

The SEISS continues to be just one element of a comprehensive package of support for individuals and businesses. This package includes Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support,?increased levels of Universal Credit, mortgage holidays, and other business support grants.

On 31 October 2020 the Prime Minister announced that the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been extended, with employees receiving 80% of their current salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500. This will ensure that there is no gap in support. If employees were employed as of 23 September 2020 and were made redundant or stopped working for their employer prior to 30 October 2020, they can qualify for the scheme if their employer re-employs them.

This scheme is just one element of a comprehensive package of support. Where firms make the decision that they cannot retain all of their staff, the Government is ensuring that those looking for work are supported through a package of measures in the Plan for Jobs. This will help people find work by significantly increasing the help offered through Jobcentres and providing individualised advice through the National Careers Service. The Government has also launched the Kickstart Scheme, a £2bn fund to create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people. The temporary welfare measures announced in March also remain available and will benefit new and existing claimants.

The UK’s Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (MLRs), set out the high-level requirements on banks to combat money laundering. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the Anti-Money Laundering/Counter-Terrorist Financing (AML/CTF) supervisor for over 20,000 financial services firms in the UK and is committed to ensuring the MLRs are fully adhered to and will not hesitate to take action where they are not.

The FCA actively investigates AML breaches in the financial sector and in recent years this has resulted in fining Commerzbank in 2020, Standard Chartered Bank £102.2 million in April 2019, Barclays over £72m in 2015 and Deutsche Bank £163m in 2017 for AML failings. The Deutsche Bank fine is the largest fine for an AML breach ever imposed by the FCA or the Financial Services Authority. The FCA also makes full use of other powers available to it under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

The UK is internationally recognised as having some of the strongest controls worldwide for tackling money laundering and terrorist financing. The allegations contained within the leak of documents are largely historic, and in recent years, the Government has taken a number of actions to strengthen the UK’s response to financial crime.

In 2019, the government published the landmark Economic Crime Plan, which brought together the government, law enforcement and the private sector in closer cooperation than ever before to deliver a whole system response to economic crime.

This year, the government has also completed the transposition of the Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive into domestic law. This helps to ensure the UK’s AML/CTF regime remains comprehensive, responsive to emerging threats, and in line with evolving international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force.

However, we recognise that there is more to be done and are committed to continuing to build on the progress made so far, as we lead the global fight against illicit financial flows.

Through the Chancellor’s Winter Economy Plan, the Government continues to protect jobs and struggling businesses across the most impacted areas of the UK. As part of this plan, the Chancellor announced that we have started work on a new, successor loan scheme, set to begin in January.

The Chancellor also announced an extension to the application deadlines for the Coronavirus Business Interruption Scheme (CBILS), the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Scheme (CLBILS), the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) and the Future Fund to a single date, 30 November. This provides additional time for businesses who need support to apply for government-backed finance.

The Government recognises that the necessary restrictions introduced through the Tier system have been disruptive for businesses. That is why we have set out an expanded package of support for businesses who are legally required to close, as well as for those who are not forced to close, but who face reduced demand due to additional restrictions on socialising.

The Job Support Scheme will now guarantee that most workers working a minimum of 20% of hours receive at least 73% of their usual wages, while workers whose employers have been closed by health restrictions will be guaranteed two thirds of their wages.

Hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses in Tier 2 and Tier 3 areas will now also be eligible to receive a grant of up to £2,100 and £3,000, respectively, according to the value of their premises. Sufficient funding will be allocated to Local Authorities to distribute.

Employers can use the furlough scheme until 31 October to help them through this difficult period and can then get support through the new Job Support Scheme from 1 November to ensure there is no gap in support, including in areas where COVID-19 restrictions have been increased and businesses closed. The scale of support that the Job Support Scheme provides has also been increased to reflect the evolving situation. This is just one part of a wider package of support for livelihoods across the UK including rental support, mortgage holidays, and extra funding for the welfare safety net to help those without access to other forms of support.

The CJRS employer contributions are small in comparison to employee costs; if an average claim lasted 8 months, the total cost of employer contributions would represent about 5% of the total gross employment costs an employer would have incurred had the employee not been furloughed.

For employers who may need more support, there is a range of continuing support including the Bounce Back Loan Scheme. For employees who may need more support, the Government has introduced temporary welfare measures including a £1,000 a year increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element.

As measures to control the virus change, government support has evolved.

The government continues to take a flexible approach and recognises the evolving situation with the pandemic and health restrictions, and the impact this is having on areas. Which is why on 22 October, the Chancellor announced a package specifically for those businesses which are not forced to close, but face reduced demand due to additional social distancing restrictions:

o Two changes to the Job Support Scheme (JSS): there will be a significant reduction in the employer contribution to employee wages. And there will be also a reduction in time required for an employee to be in work. Both changes will benefit employers, provide greater flexibility and help protect more jobs.

o An increase in the generosity of the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme to mirror the new generosity of the JSS for employed workers.

o Additional funding to allow Local Authorities in Tier 2 areas to make cash grants to businesses that can remain open. These grants are primarily aimed at hospitality, leisure and accommodation business premises and are worth 70% of the value of the grants provided to closed businesses in Tier 3.

Moreover, in July we announced an unprecedented guarantee that the devolved administrations would receive at least £12.7 billion in additional resource funding this year to help them respond to Covid-19. As of 9 October, we have now uplifted that by £1.3 billion, to at least £14 billion. This means a total increase this year of at least £2.4 billion for the Northern Ireland Executive, on top of their Spring Budget 20 funding. This is in addition to the UK-wide measures that have directly supported the people and businesses in Northern Ireland. We continue to work with devolved administrations to support them contain the spread of Covid-19.

We continue to review our policies to ensure we are providing the right support to local areas under increased restrictions.

As measures to control the virus change, government support has evolved.

The government continues to take a flexible approach and recognises the evolving situation with the pandemic and health restrictions, and the impact this is having on areas. Which is why on 22 October, the Chancellor announced a package specifically for those businesses which are not forced to close, but face reduced demand due to additional social distancing restrictions:

o Two changes to the Job Support Scheme (JSS): there will be a significant reduction in the employer contribution to employee wages. And there will be also a reduction in time required for an employee to be in work. Both changes will benefit employers, provide greater flexibility and help protect more jobs.

o An increase in the generosity of the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme to mirror the new generosity of the JSS for employed workers.

o Additional funding to allow Local Authorities in Tier 2 areas to make cash grants to businesses that can remain open. These grants are primarily aimed at hospitality, leisure and accommodation business premises and are worth 70% of the value of the grants provided to closed businesses in Tier 3.

Moreover, in July we announced an unprecedented guarantee that the devolved administrations would receive at least £12.7 billion in additional resource funding this year to help them respond to Covid-19. As of 9 October, we have now uplifted that by £1.3 billion, to at least £14 billion. This means a total increase this year of at least £2.4 billion for the Northern Ireland Executive, on top of their Spring Budget 20 funding. This is in addition to the UK-wide measures that have directly supported the people and businesses in Northern Ireland. We continue to work with devolved administrations to support them contain the spread of Covid-19.

We continue to review our policies to ensure we are providing the right support to local areas under increased restrictions.

The Government recognises the impact that the changing path of the virus has had on the self-employed, including those in peripatetic professions, and has taken action to increase the level of support available.

The support given to the self-employed via the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme Grant Extension (SEISS GE) will now be doubled, increasing the amount of profits covered from 20 per cent to 40 per cent. This means the maximum grant available has increased from £1,875 to £3,750. This will provide a further £3.1 billion of support to the self-employed through November to January alone, with a further grant to follow covering February to April. The Government is now providing broadly the same level of support for the self-employed as is being provided to employees through the Job Support Scheme (Open).

For those requiring further assistance, the SEISS continues to be just one element of a comprehensive package of financial support for the self-employed. The Government has temporarily increased the Universal Credit standard allowance for 2020-21 and relaxed the Minimum Income Floor for the duration of the pandemic meaning that where self-employed claimants' earnings have significantly fallen, their Universal Credit award will have increased to reflect their lower earnings. In addition to this, the self-employed also have access to other elements of the package, including Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support, mortgage holidays, and other business support grants.

In responding to the Covid-19 outbreak the government has announced unprecedented support for families, businesses, and self-employed people. The immediate focus for the government’s economic and fiscal strategy continues to be on supporting workers and businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government is conducting a one-year Spending Review, which will set departmental resource and capital budgets for 2021-22 and Devolved Administrations block grants for the same period. Alongside providing enhanced support for public services and certainty for departments to tackle Covid-19 and deliver our Plan for Jobs to support employment, the SR will invest in infrastructure to keep up the momentum of our ambitious plans to unite and level up, drive our economic recovery and build back better. Multi-year NHS and schools resource settlements will be fully funded, as will priority infrastructure projects. The Spending Review will conclude in late November.

The Job Support Scheme (JSS) is designed to protect jobs in businesses which are facing lower demand over the winter months due to COVID-19, and to support jobs where businesses are legally required to close as a result of coronavirus restrictions. This comprehensive package of support will ensure that as many jobs as possible are protected and help keep employees attached to the workforce.

Further incentivising employers to retain employees is the Job Retention Bonus (JRB), which can be claimed alongside the JSS. This is worth £1,000 per employee and is paid to the employer. JSS grants can be used by employers to play an employee’s wages and help meet the JRB Minimum Income Threshold.

Any additional funding provided to DWP for Kickstart will result in Barnett consequentials for the Northern Ireland Executive.

As is the normal process, changes to departmental and devolved administrations’ funding will be confirmed at Supplementary Estimates.

Therefore, to give the Northern Ireland Executive the certainty to plan and deliver their coronavirus response, we have guaranteed they will receive at least £2.4bn in additional funding this year on top of their Spring Budget funding.

The Government has been clear that there should be no tariffs on internal UK trade because, as the NI Protocol acknowledges, the UK is a single customs territory.

In addition, processes on goods moving from GB to NI will be kept to an absolute minimum so that the integrity and smooth functioning of the UK internal market are protected. Nothing in the NI Protocol prevents NI businesses from enjoying unfettered access to the rest of the UK internal market. As set out in New Decade, New Approach, the Government will legislate to guarantee unfettered access for NI’s businesses to the whole of the UK internal market, and ensure that this legislation is in force for 1 January 2021.

Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status will be available in both GB and NI at the end of the transition period, but, to ensure minimal disruption to businesses, the Government has established a new and unprecedented Trader Support Service for businesses moving goods between GB and NI. This will provide an end-to-end service which will guide traders through all import processes, including handling digital import and safety and security declarations on their behalf, at no additional cost.

In responding to Covid-19 outbreak the government has announced unprecedented support for families, businesses, and self-employed people. The actions taken have been necessary to help limit any long-term economic scarring and to ensure the economy can recover quickly once the pandemic is over.

The government is committed to delivering support within the existing macroeconomic framework, which is essential for ensuring the UK’s economic credibility. The government’s immediate response to COVID-19 will continue to be funded by additional borrowing, through the government’s normal debt management operations.

The combination of the Job Retention Bonus (JRB) and the Job Support Scheme (JSS) will help to protect jobs. The JRB helps with employers' costs: for the average claim, the JRB will subsidise about 20% of the employment costs from November to January. For employees at the lower earnings limit, it will subsidise about 60% of employment costs.

The Government recognises that many families will have to rely on the safety net of the welfare system as a result of this crisis. That is why we have introduced significant temporary measures to boost its generosity, including a £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance, and an increase to the Universal Credit housing element so it covers the lowest third of local rents. The OBR estimates our welfare measures will increase spending by over £9 billion this year.

We are also focussing on getting people back into work. We announced unprecedented support in the Plan for Jobs, including £1.2 billion to significantly expand and enhance work search support, including by doubling the number of work coaches, additional investment into the Flexible Support Fund, and making use of external providers to expand support even further. The Government also launched a new £2 billion Kickstart Scheme, creating hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people at risk of long-term unemployment, as well as a guaranteed foundation of support for young people on Universal Credit.

The Plan for Jobs also invested £8.6 billion in infrastructure, decarbonisation and maintenance projects to create jobs.

Individuals with underlying health conditions have access to the unprecedented package of support for individuals that the Government has introduced. This includes the introduction of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Job Support Scheme, and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.

For those on low incomes or unable to work, the Government has injected a further £9.3 billion into the welfare system and has made several changes to support the most vulnerable. These changes include: a £20 per week increase to the UC standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element, and a relaxation of the UC minimum income floor for all self-employed claimants. In addition, those with a health condition which prevents them from working or preparing for work may be entitled to an extra amount of Universal Credit.

Since 1 August, the Government has relaxed national advice for workers who are clinically extremely vulnerable. The advice is the same as for the clinically vulnerable; to work from home where possible. However, if they are unable to work from home, they will be able to return, provided their workplace is COVID-safe.

On 24th July we made an unprecedented upfront guarantee to the devolved administrations. We guaranteed that they will receive at least £12.7bn in additional funding this year on top of their Spring Budget Funding, including £2.2bn for the Northern Ireland Executive.

This gives the Northern Ireland Executive the certainty to plan and deliver their coronavirus response this year. The guaranteed funding will ensure people, businesses and public services in all three nations get the support they need throughout the pandemic.

The devolved administrations receive a share of funding from UK Government borrowing through the Barnett formula. This demonstrates the significant benefit derived from pooling and sharing resources across our Union.

The UK Government has guaranteed that the devolved administrations will receive a minimum of £12.7bn of additional resource funding in 2020/21. This is an unprecedented guarantee of additional in-year funding.

The devolved administrations can also augment this funding through their own borrowing powers and Reserves, ensuring they have the tools to deliver their response to COVID-19 this year.

Although the Treasury sets the legal framework for the regulation of financial services, it does not have investigative powers of its own.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is responsible for the regulation and monitoring of regulated mortgage and consumer lending. The FCA assesses every regulated firm’s fitness to trade as part of the authorisation process, including banks, and it has put in place binding standards on firms. It proactively monitors the market, focusing on the areas most likely to cause consumer harm, and it has various methods to punish breaches of its rules – there is no limit on the fines it can levy and, crucially, it can force firms to compensate consumers. In addition to following FCA rules, banks undertaking regulated consumer credit lending must also comply with relevant parts the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

On business lending, the Government continues to monitor the market and work closely with banks and other finance providers to ensure SMEs can access the finance they need, including through the government-backed loan guarantee schemes.

If, as a result of a bank’s lending practices, an individual or an SME feels they have been treated unfairly they can refer complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The FOS provides a free, independent dispute resolution service for bank customers.

The Government has put in place significant measures to help people with their living costs, including housing, by paying up to 80% of their wages, increasing the amount available to welfare claimants and raising the Local Housing Allowance rate to the 30th percentile, supporting tenants who may be struggling with their rent. Also, 1.9 million mortgage payment holidays have been granted, equivalent to 1 in every 6 UK mortgages, and the current stay on lender repossessions of homes will be in place to 31 October 2020.

Furthermore, the Government has committed an additional £9.5 billion for the Affordable Homes Programme at the Budget. This takes funding from 21/22 to £12.2 billion. The £12.2 billion will be spent over five years and this will deliver up to 180,000 new affordable homes

We also introduced a stay on possession proceedings for renters in England and Wales to ensure no one needed to be concerned about the threat of eviction over the summer. From 21 September courts will start to hear possession hearings again and these will be subject to new court processes and procedures, developed by the Judiciary, including prioritisation of the most serious cases.

The Government has changed the law to increase notice periods to six months in all but the most egregious cases. This means that renters now served notice can stay in their homes over winter, with more time to find alternative support or accommodation.

We are also taking steps to ensure that no enforcement of evictions will take place in areas where local lockdown measures are in force which restrict access to premises. There will also be a ‘winter truce’ on the enforcement of evictions, with no evictions permitted in England and Wales in the run up to and over Christmas except in the most serious circumstances, such as cases involving anti-social behaviour or domestic abuse.

The UK’s fiscal response to COVID-19 has been one of the most generous and comprehensive around the world. It has been the right thing to do to support jobs, livelihoods and the economy, and will ensure stronger public finances over the longer term.

The immediate focus for the Government’s economic and fiscal strategy is now on ensuring that it continues to support workers and businesses as the UK recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Treasury reviews a range of reports from institutions including the OECD in the course of advising ministers. The Government will set out further details on its plans for fiscal policy at the next Budget, as the economic and fiscal outlook becomes clearer.

The Barnett consequentials that have been allocated to the Northern Ireland Executive since 1 April 2020 have been set out in the 2020-21 Main Supply Estimates publication and the latest Block Grant Transparency publication.

On 24 July we made an unprecedented upfront guarantee to the Northern Ireland Executive. We guaranteed that they will receive at least £2.2bn in additional Resource DEL funding for this year. This certainty will ensure they can plan a coronavirus response in the months ahead.

As set out in the Statement of Funding Policy, the Northern Ireland Executive can carry forward up to 0.6% of Resource DEL underspends and 1.5% of Capital DEL underspends in any year.

Admissions to shows, theatres, circuses, fairs, amusement parks, concerts, museums, zoos, cinemas and exhibitions and similar cultural events and facilities will be covered by the new reduced rate of VAT for attractions. This is set out in guidance on VAT on admission charges to attractions published on GOV.UK.

Further detail about the application of the new reduced rate can be found in Revenue and Customs guidance on the temporary reduced rate of VAT for hospitality, holiday accommodation and attractions, also published on GOV.UK.

The apprenticeship levy is an important part of our aim to raise apprenticeship quality, supporting employers to make a long-term, sustainable investment in training. Only the very largest businesses pay the Levy, which requires only those employers with an annual pay bill of £3 million or more to pay 0.5% on the part of their pay bill exceeding this threshold.

For employers operating in England, levy funds are available for them to invest in the training of their apprentices for 24 months. Given that Education and Skills Policy is devolved, the arrangements for apprenticeship funding elsewhere in the UK are the responsibility of the devolved administrations.

Where apprentices are furloughed, they can continue to train for their apprenticeship as long as it does not provide services to or generate revenue for their employer.

There are no plans to change the Stamp Duty Land Tax threshold. However, the Government continues to keep all taxes under constant review as part of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The new Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will help those adversely affected by COVID-19. Some 95% of people who are mainly self-employed could benefit from this scheme, based on 2017-18 data.

The design of the SEISS, including the £50,000 threshold, means it is targeted at those who need it the most, and who are most reliant on their self-employment income. Those who had more than £50,000 from self-employment profits in 2017-18 had an average total income of more than £200,000.

Those with average trading profits above £50,000 could still benefit from other support. Individuals may have access to a range of grants and loans depending on their circumstances, including the Bounce Back Loans Scheme for small businesses, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and the deferral of tax payments.

Those who pay themselves a salary through their own company may be eligible to claim for 80% of usual monthly wages, up to £2,500 a month, through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). The CJRS is available to employers, including personal service companies, and individuals paying themselves a salary through a PAYE scheme are eligible.

The Government’s priority has been to support as many people as it possibly can, and as quickly as possible. Under current reporting mechanisms it is not possible for HM Revenue and Customs to distinguish between dividends derived from an individual’s own company and dividends from other sources, and between dividends in lieu of employment income and as returns from other corporate activity. Expanding the scope would require HMRC to collect and verify new information and any such proposal would need to be considered against the other schemes which the Government is committed to delivering as quickly as possible.

Those who are not eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme may be able to access other support Government is providing, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Bounce Back Loans Scheme for small businesses, and the deferral of tax payments. More information about the full range of business support measures is available at?www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/

It has not been possible to include those who began trading after the 2018-19 tax year in the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme. This was a very difficult decision and it was taken for practical reasons. It is correct that individuals can now submit Income Tax Self Assessment returns for 2019-20, but there would be significant risks for the public purse if the Government relied on these returns for the scheme. HMRC would not be able to distinguish genuine self-employed individuals who started trading in 2019-20 from fake applications by fraudulent operators and organised criminal gangs seeking to exploit the SEISS. The Government cannot expose the tax system to these risks.

However, those who entered self-employment after April 2019 will still be eligible for other support. For example, the self-employed can benefit from the Government’s relaxation of the earnings rules (known as the Minimum Income Floor) in Universal Credit. The SEISS supplements the significant support already announced for UK businesses, including the Bounce Back Loans Scheme for small businesses, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the deferral of tax payments. More information about the full range of business support measures is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for-businesses-during-coronavirus-covid-19

The Government is focusing on measures that can be implemented as quickly as possible. The Government also believes that using existing frameworks for those who need additional support is the quickest and most effective way to do so during the Covid-19 outbreak.

The Government announced at Budget and in recent days, a wide-ranging package of measures to support individuals, families and employees affected by Covid-19. These include:

• making Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) available for individuals diagnosed with Covid-19 or those unable to work because they are self-isolating in line with government guidance. This is in addition to the change announced by the Prime Minister that SSP will be payable from day one instead of day four for affected individuals.
• announcing a 3-month “mortgage holiday” for borrowers that are struggling financially with their repayments. This will allow affected borrowers to defer their repayments for up to three months while they get back on their feet.
• introducing the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help firms continue to keep people in employment. Businesses can put workers on temporary leave and the Government will pay them cash grants to cover 80% of their wages up to a cap of £2,500 per month, providing they keep the worker employed.
• ensuring that those who are not eligible for SSP can now more easily make a claim for Universal Credit or Contributory Employment and Support Allowance.
• increasing the standard allowance in Universal Credit and the basic element of Working Tax Credit by up to £20 per week.
• a further temporary relaxation of earnings rules for self-employed Universal Credit claimants.
• increasing the Local Housing Allowance for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants to the 30^th percentile of market rents.

HM Treasury’s Supplementary Estimates 2019-20 document sets out all the changes in the Northern Ireland Executive’s funding since the Main Estimates 2019-20. The Supplementary Estimates 2019-20 publication can be found on the gov.uk website.

Following the Supplementary Estimates 2019-20, the Northern Ireland Executive funding from the UK government has increased by over £380m compared to Main Estimates 2019-20.

The Government introduced the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) from January 2013 to ensure that support is targeted at those who need it most. The latest published figures on the operation of HICBC can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-income-child-benefit-charge-data/high-income-child-benefit-charge.

The Government introduced the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) from January 2013 to ensure that support is targeted at those who need it most. The latest published figures on the operation of HICBC can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-income-child-benefit-charge-data/high-income-child-benefit-charge.

The government is committed to upgrading our infrastructure, and we are looking at a range of options to level up the country and support growth and productivity in every region. We will set out more details on our plans to increase investment in infrastructure at the Budget.

From 1 July, right to work checks will change, and EEA citizens will be required to demonstrate eligibility through evidence of their immigration status, rather than their nationality.

EEA citizens who make a late application to the EU Settlement Scheme and do not have any other form of immigration leave will not be permitted to take up new employment until they have been granted status under the Scheme.

However, a person granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme on the basis of a late application will have the same rights from the date they are granted status, as a person who applied by the deadline. This includes the right to work.

Our aim is to process all applications to the EU Settlement Scheme as expeditiously as possible. Complete applications are usually processed in around five working days.

More information about processing times for applications under the scheme is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-settlement-scheme-application-processing-times/eu-settlement-scheme-pilot-current-expected-processing-times-for-applications

Any EUSS application is likely to take longer to process if:

• we need to request more information from an applicant

• the applicant is applying as a minor and their application is not linked to an adult

• the applicant submits a paper based application

• the applicant may potentially have a relevant criminal record

• the applicant is applying to the scheme on the basis of a relationship which has not relied upon before in any previous application to the Home Office

In these instances, processing times will vary on a case-by-case basis, based upon how quickly an applicant can provide the requested information, and the circumstances and/or individual needs of each applicant

Our aim is to process all applications to the EU Settlement Scheme as expeditiously as possible. Complete applications are usually processed in around five working days.

More information about processing times for applications under the scheme is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-settlement-scheme-application-processing-times/eu-settlement-scheme-pilot-current-expected-processing-times-for-applications

Any EUSS application is likely to take longer to process if:

• we need to request more information from an applicant

• the applicant is applying as a minor and their application is not linked to an adult

• the applicant submits a paper based application

• the applicant may potentially have a relevant criminal record

• the applicant is applying to the scheme on the basis of a relationship which has not relied upon before in any previous application to the Home Office

In these instances, processing times will vary on a case-by-case basis, based upon how quickly an applicant can provide the requested information, and the circumstances and/or individual needs of each applicant

Our aim is to process all applications to the EU Settlement Scheme as expeditiously as possible. Complete applications are usually processed in around five working days.

More information about processing times for applications under the scheme is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-settlement-scheme-application-processing-times/eu-settlement-scheme-pilot-current-expected-processing-times-for-applications

Any EUSS application is likely to take longer to process if:

• we need to request more information from an applicant

• the applicant is applying as a minor and their application is not linked to an adult

• the applicant submits a paper based application

• the applicant may potentially have a relevant criminal record

• the applicant is applying to the scheme on the basis of a relationship that has not relied upon before in any previous application to the Home Office

In these instances, processing times will vary on a case-by-case basis, based upon how quickly an applicant can provide the requested information, and the circumstances and/or individual needs of each applicant.

Decisions on EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) applications where the applicant is subject to pending criminal proceedings are deferred where those proceedings could lead to a conviction and subsequent refusal on suitability grounds; and where the application does not otherwise meet the criteria for referral to Immigration Enforcement in respect of any other conviction.

We have recently revised the EUSS suitability guidance to allow an EUSS application which has been paused for at least six months, to be progressed where all of the following conditions are met:

• there is only one pending prosecution;
• the maximum potential sentence upon conviction is less than 12 months, according to the maximum category 1 sentence in line with the Sentencing Council guidelines for the alleged offence; and
• there are no previous convictions.

Where an EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) applicant’s criminality is a relevant consideration, their conduct will be assessed against the threshold relevant to the period in which the conduct was committed.

Conduct committed before the end of the transition period (11pm on 31 December 2020) will be assessed against the EU law public policy, public security or public health test.

Conduct committed after the end of the transition period will be assessed against the UK’s criminality threshold.

This is irrespective of the date on which the application was submitted to the EUSS.

From 1 July, right to work and right to rent checks will change and EEA citizens will be required to demonstrate eligibility through evidence of their immigration status, rather than their nationality.

EEA citizens who make a successful application to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) are provided with digital evidence of their immigration status, which they can access and share online.

EEA citizens who have submitted a valid EUSS application by 30 June will be issued with a Certificate of Application. Pending the outcome of their application, they will be able to rely on their Certificate of Application as proof of eligibility to access their right to work or rent when this is verified by the Home Office employer and landlord checking services. The Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue & Customs will also be able to determine an individual’s status with the Home Office using existing services.

Consistent with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, the Citizens’ Rights (Application Deadline and Temporary Protection) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 protect the EU law rights held at the end of the transition period of a person who has made an application to the EUSS by the 30 June deadline, pending the outcome of the application (and of any appeal against the decision).

The Home Office has received more than 5.6 million applications to the EU Settlement Scheme and issued more than 5 million grants of status, to 31 May 2021. Our focus remains on encouraging those EU citizens and their family members eligible for the scheme who have yet to apply to do so before the 30 June 2021 deadline for those resident in the UK by the end of the transition period.

In line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, we have made clear where a person eligible for status under the scheme has reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline, they will be given a further opportunity to apply. The guidance on reasonable grounds for submitting a late application we published on 1 April 2021 includes where there are compelling practical or compassionate reasons why a person may have been unaware of the requirement to apply to the scheme by the deadline or may have failed to do so.

The guidance is non-exhaustive and will underpin a flexible and pragmatic approach to considering late applications in light of the circumstances of each case. This will include where the applicant acquired a right of permanent residence under EU law, but did not obtain a document certifying this.

The Home Office has received more than 5.6 million applications to the EU Settlement Scheme and issued more than 5 million grants of status, to 31 May 2021. Our focus remains on encouraging those EU citizens and their family members eligible for the scheme who have yet to apply to do so before the 30 June 2021 deadline for those resident in the UK by the end of the transition period.

In line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, we have made clear where a person eligible for status under the scheme has reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline, they will be given a further opportunity to apply. The guidance on reasonable grounds for submitting a late application we published on 1 April 2021 includes where there are compelling practical or compassionate reasons why a person may have been unaware of the requirement to apply to the scheme by the deadline or may have failed to do so.

The guidance is non-exhaustive and will underpin a flexible and pragmatic approach to considering late applications in light of the circumstances of each case. This will include where the applicant acquired a right of permanent residence under EU law, but did not obtain a document certifying this.

The latest published Immigration Statistics detail inadmissibility decisions made as well as the number of returns. These can be found online at:

How many people do we grant asylum or protection to? - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Home Office does not publish a breakdown of these statistics which disaggregates by area of the UK. These figures are not available in a reportable format and to provide the information could only be done at disproportionate cost.

The latest published Immigration Statistics detail inadmissibility decisions made as well as the number of returns. These can be found online at:

How many people do we grant asylum or protection to? - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Home Office does not publish a breakdown of these statistics which disaggregates by area of the UK. These figures are not available in a reportable format and to provide the information could only be done at disproportionate cost.

The latest published Immigration Statistics detail inadmissibility decisions made as well as the number of returns. These can be found online at:

How many people do we grant asylum or protection to? - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Home Office does not publish a breakdown of these statistics which disaggregates by area of the UK. These figures are not available in a reportable format and to provide the information could only be done at disproportionate cost.

The latest published Immigration Statistics detail inadmissibility decisions made as well as the number of returns. These can be found online at:

How many people do we grant asylum or protection to? - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Home Office does not publish a breakdown of these statistics which disaggregates by area of the UK. These figures are not available in a reportable format and to provide the information could only be done at disproportionate cost.

The Home Office are unable to state how many asylum claims lodged in Northern Ireland have been allocated for substantive considerations since 1 January 2021 as this information is not published.

However, the Home Office does publish data on the number asylum applications awaiting an initial decision by duration, for main applicants only. This data can be found at Asy_04 of the published Immigration Statistics:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-year-ending-march-2021/list-of-tables#asylum-and-resettlementist of tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Home Office are committed to ensuring asylum claims are considered without unnecessary delay, individuals who need protection are granted asylum as soon as possible and can start to integrate and rebuild their lives, including those granted at appeal.

We are committed to making sure everybody eligible for the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) can apply, including those who are vulnerable or need extra support.

Since April 2019 we have awarded £17 million in grant funding to a network of 72 organisations, who provide a wide range of invaluable support across the UK, ensuring those most at-risk continue to get the help they need.

We have committed a further £4.5 million of grant funding for the period 1 April to 30 September this year to fund the current network of 72 organisations to continue to provide a range of support across the UK well beyond the 30 June deadline.

We are working closely with the Grant-funded Network (GFN), collating feedback and data, to help establish the needs for and scale of support beyond September 2021

Our aim is to process all applications to the Scheme as quickly as possible. The majority of applications are concluded within 5 working days, but cases may take longer dependent on the circumstances of the case, for example if the applicant is facing an impending prosecution or has a criminal record.

The following link lists the expected processing times for EU Settlement Scheme applications, based upon current performance:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-settlement-scheme-application-processing-times/eu-settlement-scheme-pilot-current-expected-processing-times-for-applications

Our primary focus is on ensuring all eligible for status under the EU Settlement Scheme make an application before the 30 June 2021 deadline for the status they deserve under UK law. Those who apply before the deadline, but whose application is not decided until after it, will have their rights protected pending the outcome of their application and of any appeal.

In line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, the UK Government has made clear where a person eligible for status under the EU Settlement Scheme has reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline for applications by those resident in the UK by the end of the transition period, they will be given a further opportunity to apply.

Where a person with reasonable grounds for missing the deadline applies to the EU Settlement Scheme after it, including where they do so after being given a 28-day notice, and is granted status under the scheme, they will, consistent with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, enjoy the same rights from the time they are granted status as someone who applied before the deadline.

Where a person does not have reasonable grounds for applying to the EU Settlement Scheme after the deadline or fails to make an application within the 28-day period, any immigration enforcement taken will be based on consideration of the circumstances of their case.

Immigration Enforcement will continue to keep its operational priorities under constant review in the light of the latest intelligence and deploy resources accordingly.

Our primary focus is on ensuring all eligible for status under the EU Settlement Scheme make an application before the 30 June 2021 deadline for the status they deserve under UK law. Those who apply before the deadline, but whose application is not decided until after it, will have their rights protected pending the outcome of their application and of any appeal.

In line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, the UK Government has made clear where a person eligible for status under the EU Settlement Scheme has reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline for applications by those resident in the UK by the end of the transition period, they will be given a further opportunity to apply.

Where a person with reasonable grounds for missing the deadline applies to the EU Settlement Scheme after it, including where they do so after being given a 28-day notice, and is granted status under the scheme, they will, consistent with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, enjoy the same rights from the time they are granted status as someone who applied before the deadline.

Where a person does not have reasonable grounds for applying to the EU Settlement Scheme after the deadline or fails to make an application within the 28-day period, any immigration enforcement taken will be based on consideration of the circumstances of their case.

Immigration Enforcement will continue to keep its operational priorities under constant review in the light of the latest intelligence and deploy resources accordingly.

Our primary focus is on ensuring all eligible for status under the EU Settlement Scheme make an application before the 30 June 2021 deadline for the status they deserve under UK law. Those who apply before the deadline, but whose application is not decided until after it, will have their rights protected pending the outcome of their application and of any appeal.

In line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, the UK Government has made clear where a person eligible for status under the EU Settlement Scheme has reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline for applications by those resident in the UK by the end of the transition period, they will be given a further opportunity to apply.

Where a person with reasonable grounds for missing the deadline applies to the EU Settlement Scheme after it, including where they do so after being given a 28-day notice, and is granted status under the scheme, they will, consistent with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, enjoy the same rights from the time they are granted status as someone who applied before the deadline.

Where a person does not have reasonable grounds for applying to the EU Settlement Scheme after the deadline or fails to make an application within the 28-day period, any immigration enforcement taken will be based on consideration of the circumstances of their case.

Immigration Enforcement will continue to keep its operational priorities under constant review in the light of the latest intelligence and deploy resources accordingly.

The purpose of the minimum income requirement, implemented in July 2012 along with other reforms of the family Immigration Rules, is to ensure family migrants are supported at a reasonable level so they do not become a burden on the taxpayer.

The UK Government is committed to promoting social cohesion, good relations and a sense of belonging for all members of society. The ability to participate in activities and organisations outside the home plays a part in this. The minimum income requirement is not the only factor which promotes the ability to participate, but the level at which it is set can mean one particular barrier is reduced.

The Supreme Court has endorsed our approach in setting an income requirement for family migration which prevents burdens on the taxpayer and promotes integration into our communities. In particular, it strikes a balance between the interests of those wishing to sponsor a partner form overseas and the community in general by ensuring migration to the UK is not based on access to services funded by UK taxpayers.

The Home Office publishes data on Frontier Worker Permits in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’.

Data on applications for Frontier Worker Permits are published in table Vis_D01 of the entry clearance visas applications and outcomes dataset. Data on the number of Frontier Worker Permits issued are included in table Vis_D02. These data may be selected using the ‘Frontier worker’ visa type subgroup.

Data on Frontier Worker Permits issued by nationality can be found in table Vis_D02.

Information on how to use the entry clearance visas applications and outcomes dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relates to year ending December 2020.

The Home Office does not publish data on Frontier Worker Permits by country of residence, and so data is not available on Frontier Worker Permits issued to persons normally resident in the Republic of Ireland.

The Home Office publishes data on Frontier Worker Permits in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’.

Data on applications for Frontier Worker Permits are published in table Vis_D01 of the entry clearance visas applications and outcomes dataset. Data on the number of Frontier Worker Permits issued are included in table Vis_D02. These data may be selected using the ‘Frontier worker’ visa type subgroup.

Data on Frontier Worker Permits issued by nationality can be found in table Vis_D02.

Information on how to use the entry clearance visas applications and outcomes dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relates to year ending December 2020.

The Home Office does not publish data on Frontier Worker Permits by country of residence, and so data is not available on Frontier Worker Permits issued to persons normally resident in the Republic of Ireland.

The Home Office publishes data on Frontier Worker Permits in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’.

Data on applications for Frontier Worker Permits are published in table Vis_D01 of the entry clearance visas applications and outcomes dataset. Data on the number of Frontier Worker Permits issued are included in table Vis_D02. These data may be selected using the ‘Frontier worker’ visa type subgroup.

Data on Frontier Worker Permits issued by nationality can be found in table Vis_D02.

Information on how to use the entry clearance visas applications and outcomes dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relates to year ending December 2020.

The Home Office does not publish data on Frontier Worker Permits by country of residence, and so data is not available on Frontier Worker Permits issued to persons normally resident in the Republic of Ireland.

The Home Office has been working closely with the Department for Justice, Northern Ireland and the Attorney General’s Office to commence the outstanding provisions of the Criminal Finances Act 2017 in Northern Ireland. These provisions include, but are not limited to, unexplained wealth orders.

The first four of the nine statutory instruments required to commence these provisions will be laid in the House on Monday 22^nd March.

Should Parliamentary timetables allow, we expect the outstanding provisions in the Criminal Finances Act 2017 to be commenced in Northern Ireland later this year.

The minimum income requirement was set, following advice from the independent Migration Advisory Committee, at £18,600 for sponsoring a partner, rising to £22,400 for also sponsoring a non-qualifying child and an additional £2,400 for each further such child. This reflects the level of income at which a British family or a family settled in the UK generally ceases to be able to access income-related benefits.

The income requirement and the qualifying period over which the requirement must be met ensure family migrants are supported at a reasonable level without reliance on public funds.

The number of partner applications granted permission to come to the UK has reduced since the introduction of the minimum income requirement in 2012, from 36,290 in 2011 to 30,669 in 2019/20, which means a reduction in demand for public services and welfare systems and savings for the taxpayer.

We continue to keep the family Immigration Rules under review and make adjustments should they prove to be necessary. Our overall assessment is the Rules, including the minimum income requirement, are having the right impact by helping to ensure public confidence migration to the UK is not based on access to public services paid for by UK taxpayers.

.

In February 2017 the Supreme Court upheld the lawfulness of the minimum income requirement, which prevents burdens on the taxpayer and promotes integration, ruling it strikes a fair balance between the interests of those wishing to sponsor a partner to settle in the UK and of the community in general.

We continue to keep the family Immigration Rules under review, including taking into account recommendations made by the Migration Advisory Committee, and will make adjustments should these prove necessary. However, our overall assessment is the Rules, including the minimum income requirement, are having the right impact and building public confidence in the immigration system, by ensuring migration to the UK is not based on access to public services and welfare systems paid for by UK taxpayers.

On 31 January 2021 the UK Government launched a new immigration route for British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) status holders, providing the opportunity for them and their eligible family members to live, work and study in the UK.

Having a valid TB test certificate is an essential requirement for the BN(O) route. All those who have been in the UK for less than six months and who have previously travelled from a country with a high incidence of TB will need a certificate confirming they are free of the disease. This is a matter of public health.

There are already eight approved TB test clinics across the UK and we are working hard to get more clinics accredited. In particular, the Home Office is working closely with clinics across Northern Ireland to ensure a clinic can be accredited soon and available for appointments.

TB test clinics are open across the UK. We understand restrictions as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic may impact on an applicant’s ability to travel and we would urge applicants to assess the risk and only travel to a TB test appointment where necessary. Where an applicant’s leave is about to expire and they cannot travel to an approved clinic, we will consider these applications on a case-by-case basis.

Non-UK residents’ eligibility for education, healthcare and other services in Northern Ireland is a matter for the relevant UK Government Department in relation to reserved matters and the Northern Ireland Executive where responsibility is devolved.

We have made several relevant adjustments to the Minimum Income Requirement to support those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, including self-employed British citizens who are sponsoring their spouse or partner under the family Immigration Rules.

A temporary loss of annual income due to COVID-19 between 1 March 2020 and 31 May 2021 will generally be disregarded when assessing self-employment income, along with the impact on income from the same period for any future applications. Income received via the Coronavirus Self-Employment Income Support Scheme will also be taken into account.

These adjustments are among a range of measures put in place by the Home Office to support those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. These are set out for customers on GOV.UK and are available here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-temporary-uk-residents.

Tweets are drafted by the Communications Team and signed off by a manager at grade 7 or above.

Tweets containing new or updated messaging or content are then cleared by ministerial private offices and/or special advisers prior to publication.

The Home Office makes no apology for deporting Foreign National Offenders; it is right that we do so.

This tweet referred to two different groups.

The first group were foreign national offenders who broke our laws and abused our values, who we successfully returned to Lithuania. We are grateful for the ongoing close cooperation of our Lithuanian partners in tackling crime, and for their specific cooperation in this instance which was essential for the removal of the foreign national offenders mentioned in the tweet.

The second group was made up of migrants from outside the European Economic Area who had already claimed asylum in Italy, and who we planned to return under the Dublin Regulation. The Italy leg of the flight did not take place and our efforts to return those who arrived on small boats via illegally-facilitated routes were frustrated by legal claims.

The relevant non-EEA national family members of a relevant person of Northern Ireland can apply for an EU Settlement Scheme Family Permit to accompany that person to, or join them in, the UK, where the relevant person of Northern Ireland holds status under the EU Settlement Scheme or (were they not a British citizen, where they are one) would be granted this status if they applied.

The potential eligibility for status under the scheme of the relevant person of Northern Ireland will require they have the requisite continuity of residence in the UK, which generally means they will not have been absent from the UK for more than six months.

An error occurred when uploading the grouped answer to PQs 83978, 83979, 83980 and 83981; this has now been corrected and the correct text is now showing.

I would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.

The Universal Permission to Travel requirement will require everyone wishing to travel to the UK (except British and Irish citizens) to seek permission in advance of travel. We will introduce Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) for visitors and passengers transiting through the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays or who do not already have an immigration status prior to travelling, which will act as their permission.

As now, the UK will not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from within the Common Travel Area, with no immigration controls whatsoever on the Republic of Ireland-Northern Ireland land border. However, individuals arriving in the UK must continue to enter in line with the UK’s immigration framework including the Universal Permission to Travel requirement.

The CTA has never required the UK and Ireland to have entirely harmonised immigration arrangements for non-British or non-Irish citizens. Key to this is the high level of cooperation on border security to ensure that legitimate travel is facilitated while those who intend to abuse the arrangements are prevented from entering.

The Universal Permission to Travel requirement will require everyone wishing to travel to the UK (except British and Irish citizens) to seek permission in advance of travel. We will introduce Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) for visitors and passengers transiting through the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays or who do not already have an immigration status prior to travelling, which will act as their permission.As now, the UK will not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from within the Common Travel Area, with no immigration controls whatsoever on the Republic of Ireland-Northern Ireland land border. However, individuals arriving in the UK must continue to enter in line with the UK’s immigration framework including the Universal Permission to Travel requirement.The CTA has never required the UK and Ireland to have entirely harmonised immigration arrangements for non-British or non-Irish citizens. Key to this is the high level of cooperation on border security to ensure that legitimate travel is facilitated while those who intend to abuse the arrangements are prevented from entering.

The Universal Permission to Travel requirement will require everyone wishing to travel to the UK (except British and Irish citizens) to seek permission in advance of travel. We will introduce Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) for visitors and passengers transiting through the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays or who do not already have an immigration status prior to travelling, which will act as their permission.

As now, the UK will not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from within the Common Travel Area, with no immigration controls whatsoever on the Republic of Ireland-Northern Ireland land border. However, individuals arriving in the UK must continue to enter in line with the UK’s immigration framework including the Universal Permission to Travel requirement.

The CTA has never required the UK and Ireland to have entirely harmonised immigration arrangements for non-British or non-Irish citizens. Key to this is the high level of cooperation on border security to ensure that legitimate travel is facilitated while those who intend to abuse the arrangements are prevented from entering.

The Universal Permission to Travel requirement will require everyone wishing to travel to the UK (except British and Irish citizens) to seek permission in advance of travel. We will introduce Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) for visitors and passengers transiting through the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays or who do not already have an immigration status prior to travelling, which will act as their permission.

As now, the UK will not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from within the Common Travel Area, with no immigration controls whatsoever on the Republic of Ireland-Northern Ireland land border. However, individuals arriving in the UK must continue to enter in line with the UK’s immigration framework including the Universal Permission to Travel requirement.

The CTA has never required the UK and Ireland to have entirely harmonised immigration arrangements for non-British or non-Irish citizens. Key to this is the high level of cooperation on border security to ensure that legitimate travel is facilitated while those who intend to abuse the arrangements are prevented from entering.

The Government highly values the service of all members of HM Forces, including Commonwealth nationals.

We are committed to upholding our obligations under the Armed Forces Covenant, to ensure that no one who is serving, or who has served, or their family members are disadvantaged as a result of their service.

The Ministry of Defence make clear to foreign and Commonwealth recruits into the Forces the process by which they and their families can attain settlement in the UK, and the costs involved.

The latest published figures show that the total number of applications received up to 31 January 2020 was more than 3.1 million (3,107,900), of which 50,500 were from Northern Ireland.

Published information on EUSS applications and concluded applications by the applicants location in the United Kingdom (up to 31 December 2019), can be found in the Home Office’s ‘EU Settlement Scheme quarterly statistics’, statistics tables, tables EUSS_01 and EUSS_03_NIR respectively, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/eu-settlement-scheme-quarterly-statistics-december-2019.

As at 31 December 2019 a total of 2.8 million (2,756,130) applications had been received and 2.5 million (2,450,220) applications had been concluded, of which 44,860 were from Northern Ireland.

Of the 44,860 applications from Northern Ireland, 38,630 had been concluded, within which 25,830 (67%) were granted settled status and 12,620 (33%) were granted pre-settled status, 130 were withdrawn or void and 50 found to be invalid.

The Government stands ready to discuss an agreement with the EU on law enforcement and judicial cooperation in criminal matters.

As set out in our approach to negotiations, the agreement should provide for fast-track extradition arrangements with appropriate further safeguards beyond those provided for in the European Arrest Warrant.

Such an agreement should equip operational partners on both sides with the capabilities that help protect citizens and bring criminals to justice, including in relation to North-South security and criminal justice cooperation.

Article 1 (vi) of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement sets out the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British as they may so choose, and confirms their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship. In line with this commitment, the people of Northern Ireland are legally able to hold British or Irish citizenship, or both.

The reciprocal Common Travel Area arrangements between the UK and Ireland ensure the people of Northern Ireland are not required to choose and assert an identity, or to align their citizenship with their choice of identity, in order to access public services and other entitlements in the UK.

As set out in the New Decade, New Approach document published in January 2020, the Home Office intends to change the UK’s Immigration Rules so family members of the people of Northern Ireland can apply for immigration status on broadly the same terms as family members of Irish citizens and will open this route as soon as delivery allows. We aim to do this before the end of the year.

The Rules change will enable the people of Northern Ireland to bring their family members to the UK on broadly the same basis as family members of Irish citizens who have entry and residence rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement.

Where family members of Irish citizens are not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement (for example, because the Irish citizen moved to the UK after the end of the transition period) they will, as now, be able to apply for immigration status under the UK’s family Immigration Rules. Family members of the people of Northern Ireland in an analogous position will also be subject to those Rules.

Article 1 (vi) of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement sets out the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British as they may so choose, and confirms their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship. In line with this commitment, the people of Northern Ireland are legally able to hold British or Irish citizenship, or both.

The reciprocal Common Travel Area arrangements between the UK and Ireland ensure the people of Northern Ireland are not required to choose and assert an identity, or to align their citizenship with their choice of identity, in order to access public services and other entitlements in the UK.

As set out in the New Decade, New Approach document published in January 2020, the Home Office intends to change the UK’s Immigration Rules so family members of the people of Northern Ireland can apply for immigration status on broadly the same terms as family members of Irish citizens and will open this route as soon as delivery allows. We aim to do this before the end of the year.

The Rules change will enable the people of Northern Ireland to bring their family members to the UK on broadly the same basis as family members of Irish citizens who have entry and residence rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement.

Where family members of Irish citizens are not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement (for example, because the Irish citizen moved to the UK after the end of the transition period) they will, as now, be able to apply for immigration status under the UK’s family Immigration Rules. Family members of the people of Northern Ireland in an analogous position will also be subject to those Rules.

Article 1 (vi) of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement sets out the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British as they may so choose, and confirms their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship. In line with this commitment, the people of Northern Ireland are legally able to hold British or Irish citizenship, or both.

The reciprocal Common Travel Area arrangements between the UK and Ireland ensure the people of Northern Ireland are not required to choose and assert an identity, or to align their citizenship with their choice of identity, in order to access public services and other entitlements in the UK.

As set out in the New Decade, New Approach document published in January 2020, the Home Office intends to change the UK’s Immigration Rules so family members of the people of Northern Ireland can apply for immigration status on broadly the same terms as family members of Irish citizens and will open this route as soon as delivery allows. We aim to do this before the end of the year.

The Rules change will enable the people of Northern Ireland to bring their family members to the UK on broadly the same basis as family members of Irish citizens who have entry and residence rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement.

Where family members of Irish citizens are not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement (for example, because the Irish citizen moved to the UK after the end of the transition period) they will, as now, be able to apply for immigration status under the UK’s family Immigration Rules. Family members of the people of Northern Ireland in an analogous position will also be subject to those Rules.

The Government is firmly committed to upholding the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, which recognises the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and to be accepted as Irish, British, or both, as they may so choose, and also confirms their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship.

The Home Office and the Northern Ireland Office have reviewed the consistency of the UK’s family migration arrangements, taking into account the letter and spirit of the Belfast Agreement and recognising that the policy should not create incentives for renunciation of British citizenship by those citizens who may wish to retain it.

As a result of this review, the Government will change the rules governing how the people of Northern Ireland bring their family members to the UK. This change will mean that eligible family members of the people of Northern Ireland will be able to apply for UK immigration status on broadly the same terms as the family members of Irish citizens in the UK.

This immigration status will be available to the family members of all the people of Northern Ireland, no matter whether they hold British or Irish citizenship or both, and no matter how they identify.

Under UK nationality law, most people of Northern Ireland are automatically British from birth. This is consistent with the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, as confirmed by the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) in its decision of 14 October 2019 in the case of Jake De Souza. As such, there are no plans to amend the British Nationality Act 1981 in this respect.

Until the family migration rules change is implemented, Irish citizens from Northern Ireland who do not hold a British passport or identify as British can sponsor family members under the UK’s domestic route, set out in Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules. These apply to family members of a person who is a British citizen (including where they are a dual British/EU citizen), or is settled in the UK, or is in the UK with limited leave as a refugee or person granted humanitarian protection. Irish citizens are considered to be settled from the day they arrive in the UK which means their family members can use this route.

As Appendix FM applies equally to family members of British citizens, Irish citizens, and dual British/Irish citizens, family members of the people of Northern Ireland can use this route regardless of the person of Northern Ireland’s legal citizenship or choice of identity. This means that a person of Northern Ireland who identifies solely as Irish does not need to provide evidence of British citizenship or to identify as British to facilitate their family member’s application: they need only provide evidence of Irish citizenship.

Where Irish citizens born in Northern Ireland have EU law rights to family reunification, their family member can apply for a document confirming those rights, which are implemented in UK law through the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016. In addition, the EU Settlement Scheme has been established for resident EEA nationals and their family members to implement the UK’s commitments under the EU Withdrawal Agreement.

The Government is firmly committed to upholding the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, which recognises the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and to be accepted as Irish, British, or both, as they may so choose, and also confirms their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship.

The Home Office and the Northern Ireland Office have reviewed the consistency of the UK’s family migration arrangements, taking into account the letter and spirit of the Belfast Agreement and recognising that the policy should not create incentives for renunciation of British citizenship by those citizens who may wish to retain it.

As a result of this review, the Government will change the rules governing how the people of Northern Ireland bring their family members to the UK. This change will mean that eligible family members of the people of Northern Ireland will be able to apply for UK immigration status on broadly the same terms as the family members of Irish citizens in the UK.

This immigration status will be available to the family members of all the people of Northern Ireland, no matter whether they hold British or Irish citizenship or both, and no matter how they identify.

Under UK nationality law, most people of Northern Ireland are automatically British from birth. This is consistent with the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, as confirmed by the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) in its decision of 14 October 2019 in the case of Jake De Souza. As such, there are no plans to amend the British Nationality Act 1981 in this respect.

Until the family migration rules change is implemented, Irish citizens from Northern Ireland who do not hold a British passport or identify as British can sponsor family members under the UK’s domestic route, set out in Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules. These apply to family members of a person who is a British citizen (including where they are a dual British/EU citizen), or is settled in the UK, or is in the UK with limited leave as a refugee or person granted humanitarian protection. Irish citizens are considered to be settled from the day they arrive in the UK which means their family members can use this route.

As Appendix FM applies equally to family members of British citizens, Irish citizens, and dual British/Irish citizens, family members of the people of Northern Ireland can use this route regardless of the person of Northern Ireland’s legal citizenship or choice of identity. This means that a person of Northern Ireland who identifies solely as Irish does not need to provide evidence of British citizenship or to identify as British to facilitate their family member’s application: they need only provide evidence of Irish citizenship.

Where Irish citizens born in Northern Ireland have EU law rights to family reunification, their family member can apply for a document confirming those rights, which are implemented in UK law through the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016. In addition, the EU Settlement Scheme has been established for resident EEA nationals and their family members to implement the UK’s commitments under the EU Withdrawal Agreement.

The Government is firmly committed to upholding the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, which recognises the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and to be accepted as Irish, British, or both, as they may so choose, and also confirms their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship.

The Home Office and the Northern Ireland Office have reviewed the consistency of the UK’s family migration arrangements, taking into account the letter and spirit of the Belfast Agreement and recognising that the policy should not create incentives for renunciation of British citizenship by those citizens who may wish to retain it.

As a result of this review, the Government will change the rules governing how the people of Northern Ireland bring their family members to the UK. This change will mean that eligible family members of the people of Northern Ireland will be able to apply for UK immigration status on broadly the same terms as the family members of Irish citizens in the UK.

This immigration status will be available to the family members of all the people of Northern Ireland, no matter whether they hold British or Irish citizenship or both, and no matter how they identify.

Under UK nationality law, most people of Northern Ireland are automatically British from birth. This is consistent with the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, as confirmed by the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) in its decision of 14 October 2019 in the case of Jake De Souza. As such, there are no plans to amend the British Nationality Act 1981 in this respect.

Until the family migration rules change is implemented, Irish citizens from Northern Ireland who do not hold a British passport or identify as British can sponsor family members under the UK’s domestic route, set out in Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules. These apply to family members of a person who is a British citizen (including where they are a dual British/EU citizen), or is settled in the UK, or is in the UK with limited leave as a refugee or person granted humanitarian protection. Irish citizens are considered to be settled from the day they arrive in the UK which means their family members can use this route.

As Appendix FM applies equally to family members of British citizens, Irish citizens, and dual British/Irish citizens, family members of the people of Northern Ireland can use this route regardless of the person of Northern Ireland’s legal citizenship or choice of identity. This means that a person of Northern Ireland who identifies solely as Irish does not need to provide evidence of British citizenship or to identify as British to facilitate their family member’s application: they need only provide evidence of Irish citizenship.

Where Irish citizens born in Northern Ireland have EU law rights to family reunification, their family member can apply for a document confirming those rights, which are implemented in UK law through the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016. In addition, the EU Settlement Scheme has been established for resident EEA nationals and their family members to implement the UK’s commitments under the EU Withdrawal Agreement.

The Government is firmly committed to upholding the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, which recognises the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and to be accepted as Irish, British, or both, as they may so choose, and also confirms their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship.

The Home Office and the Northern Ireland Office have reviewed the consistency of the UK’s family migration arrangements, taking into account the letter and spirit of the Belfast Agreement and recognising that the policy should not create incentives for renunciation of British citizenship by those citizens who may wish to retain it.

As a result of this review, the Government will change the rules governing how the people of Northern Ireland bring their family members to the UK. This change will mean that eligible family members of the people of Northern Ireland will be able to apply for UK immigration status on broadly the same terms as the family members of Irish citizens in the UK.

This immigration status will be available to the family members of all the people of Northern Ireland, no matter whether they hold British or Irish citizenship or both, and no matter how they identify.

Under UK nationality law, most people of Northern Ireland are automatically British from birth. This is consistent with the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, as confirmed by the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) in its decision of 14 October 2019 in the case of Jake De Souza. As such, there are no plans to amend the British Nationality Act 1981 in this respect.

Until the family migration rules change is implemented, Irish citizens from Northern Ireland who do not hold a British passport or identify as British can sponsor family members under the UK’s domestic route, set out in Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules. These apply to family members of a person who is a British citizen (including where they are a dual British/EU citizen), or is settled in the UK, or is in the UK with limited leave as a refugee or person granted humanitarian protection. Irish citizens are considered to be settled from the day they arrive in the UK which means their family members can use this route.

As Appendix FM applies equally to family members of British citizens, Irish citizens, and dual British/Irish citizens, family members of the people of Northern Ireland can use this route regardless of the person of Northern Ireland’s legal citizenship or choice of identity. This means that a person of Northern Ireland who identifies solely as Irish does not need to provide evidence of British citizenship or to identify as British to facilitate their family member’s application: they need only provide evidence of Irish citizenship.

Where Irish citizens born in Northern Ireland have EU law rights to family reunification, their family member can apply for a document confirming those rights, which are implemented in UK law through the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016. In addition, the EU Settlement Scheme has been established for resident EEA nationals and their family members to implement the UK’s commitments under the EU Withdrawal Agreement.

The Government is firmly committed to upholding the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, which recognises the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and to be accepted as Irish, British, or both, as they may so choose, and also confirms their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship.

The Home Office and the Northern Ireland Office have reviewed the consistency of the UK’s family migration arrangements, taking into account the letter and spirit of the Belfast Agreement and recognising that the policy should not create incentives for renunciation of British citizenship by those citizens who may wish to retain it.

As a result of this review, the Government will change the rules governing how the people of Northern Ireland bring their family members to the UK. This change will mean that eligible family members of the people of Northern Ireland will be able to apply for UK immigration status on broadly the same terms as the family members of Irish citizens in the UK.

This immigration status will be available to the family members of all the people of Northern Ireland, no matter whether they hold British or Irish citizenship or both, and no matter how they identify.

Under UK nationality law, most people of Northern Ireland are automatically British from birth. This is consistent with the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, as confirmed by the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) in its decision of 14 October 2019 in the case of Jake De Souza. As such, there are no plans to amend the British Nationality Act 1981 in this respect.

Until the family migration rules change is implemented, Irish citizens from Northern Ireland who do not hold a British passport or identify as British can sponsor family members under the UK’s domestic route, set out in Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules. These apply to family members of a person who is a British citizen (including where they are a dual British/EU citizen), or is settled in the UK, or is in the UK with limited leave as a refugee or person granted humanitarian protection. Irish citizens are considered to be settled from the day they arrive in the UK which means their family members can use this route.

As Appendix FM applies equally to family members of British citizens, Irish citizens, and dual British/Irish citizens, family members of the people of Northern Ireland can use this route regardless of the person of Northern Ireland’s legal citizenship or choice of identity. This means that a person of Northern Ireland who identifies solely as Irish does not need to provide evidence of British citizenship or to identify as British to facilitate their family member’s application: they need only provide evidence of Irish citizenship.

Where Irish citizens born in Northern Ireland have EU law rights to family reunification, their family member can apply for a document confirming those rights, which are implemented in UK law through the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016. In addition, the EU Settlement Scheme has been established for resident EEA nationals and their family members to implement the UK’s commitments under the EU Withdrawal Agreement.

The UK Community Renewal Fund is a UK-wide fund which aims to support people and communities most in need across the UK to pilot programmes and new approaches and will invest in skills, community and place, local business, and supporting people into employment. The UK Government is taking a different approach to delivering the UK Community Renewal Fund in Northern Ireland compared to Great Britain, to take account of the different local government landscape in Northern Ireland. Project applicants in Northern Ireland will submit bids directly to the UK Government for assessment and approval. The UK Community Renewal Fund will help inform the design of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund through funding of one year pilots, but the Funds are distinct in regard to design, eligibility and duration.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government maintains a list of those benefiting from the Fund at www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-structural-and-investment-funds-useful-resources . This list includes information on the beneficiary, the type of investment and where the beneficiary is located.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will help to level up and create opportunity across the UK in places most in need, such as ex-industrial areas, deprived towns and rural and coastal communities, and for people who face labour market barriers. Officials have held 25 engagement events across the UK, attended by over five hundred representatives from a breadth of sectors including businesses, public bodies, higher education institutions, voluntary and charity sector and rural partnership groups including many in Northern Ireland.

The UK Government will run a national competition against a fixed national allocation in Northern Ireland, equating to £11 million of funding. Project applicants in Northern Ireland will submit bids directly to the UK Government for assessment and approval. We are taking a different approach to delivering the UK Community Renewal Fund in Northern Ireland, to take account of the different local government landscape in Northern Ireland compared to Great Britain. Treating Northern Ireland as one eligible geographical area will also ensure that all communities across Northern Ireland have equal access in being able to apply for these funds.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will help to level up and create opportunity across the UK in places most in need, such as ex-industrial areas, deprived towns and rural and coastal communities, and for people who face labour market barriers.

The November 2020 Spending Review set out the main strategic elements of the UKSPF in the Heads of Terms.  The Government will publish a UK-wide investment framework in 2021 and confirm multiyear funding profiles at the next Spending Review.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will help to level up and create opportunity across the UK in places most in need, such as ex-industrial areas, deprived towns and rural and coastal communities, and for people who face labour market barriers.

Funding for the UKSPF will ramp up so that total domestic UK-wide funding will?at least match receipts from EU structural funds, on average reaching around £1.5 billion per?year. The Government will publish a UK-wide investment framework in 2021 and will confirm its funding profiles at the next Spending Review.

To help local areas prepare over 2021-22 for the introduction of the UKSPF, the Government will provide?£220 million?additional funding to support our communities to pilot programmes and new approaches. This funding will be delivered UK-wide. Further details will be published in the new year.

I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to PQ UIN 126180 on 15 December 2020.

The Government understands the importance of local growth funding to places and people and is committed to creating the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to succeed European structural funds, providing vital investment in local economies, cutting out bureaucracy and levelling up those parts of the UK whose economies are furthest behind.

Furthermore, the 2019 Conservative Manifesto committed to targeting the UK Shared Prosperity Fund at the UK’s specific needs, at a minimum matching the size of European structural funds in each nation and ensuring that £500 million of the Fund is used to give disadvantaged people the skills they need to make a success of life.

The Government has engaged with key stakeholders on the design and priorities of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, including holding a series of engagement events across the UK. As we approach the transition from European Social Fund to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, we will continue to engage with partners in order to aid policy development.

Final decisions on the design of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will need to be made through a cross-Government Spending Review, and we will set out further plans for the fund in due course.

The Government will set out further plans for the Fund in due course, including at the CSR. The Spending review will create a multi-year, UK-wide Shared Prosperity Fund which will support local economic recovery by driving economic growth and tackling deprivation.

Government?officials have held engagement events with external stakeholders from a variety?of?sectors across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to discuss lessons learnt from past funding?programmes?and potential investment priorities for the?UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Government?officials have also held talks with their counterparts in the devolved administrations to ensure the fund works for places across the UK.

The Government is firmly committed to strengthening the Union, Northern Ireland’s place within it and driving forward economic growth and prosperity into the future.

The £400m New Deal package of funding announced in December 2020, will boost economic growth as well as increasing Northern Ireland’s competitiveness and investment in infrastructure. This builds on the commitment articulated in the Government’s 10 May 2020 Command Paper, The UK’s approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The New Deal funding is additional to Northern Ireland’s Barnett share, demonstrating the Government’s firm commitment to Northern Ireland’s economy, and recognising the unique position of Northern Ireland following the UK’s exit from the European Union and the implementation of the Protocol on the ground in Northern Ireland.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland announced on 8 March 2020 that nearly half of the £400m New Deal funding had now been allocated. This includes £23m having been made available to the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy to invest £15m over three years in skills, and £8m over two years to promote trade and investment in Northern Ireland from overseas markets.

The other allocations made so far will develop systems that will support the movement of agrifood products between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, to be delivered by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; and to build resilience in medicine supply chains, with the Department of Health and Social Care in the lead to deliver on this priority work.

We will continue to work closely with the Northern Ireland Executive to maximise opportunities this funding offers and further decisions will be made in due course on how the remainder of this fund will be allocated.

Both the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I have had and will continue to have regular engagement with a range of individuals, businesses and groups in civic society across Northern Ireland, including those in border regions, to discuss the impact and opportunities of the UK’s exit from the European Union. We have engaged recently with a number of civic society representatives, which includes representatives from rural and border community organisations, to discuss their views and concerns around the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The names of the participants that attended this meeting from the Loyalist Communities Council is in the public domain.

The Northern Ireland Office will continue to engage widely to ensure that the UK Government is able to meet its objectives in Northern Ireland.

The names of the participants that attended this meeting from the Loyalist Communities Council is in the public domain.

The Northern Ireland Office will continue to engage widely to ensure that the UK Government is able to meet its objectives in Northern Ireland.

Since the New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) deal was reached in January 2020, the UK Government has made good progress on implementing its commitments. For example, regulations to bring Union flag flying days into line with guidance in the rest of the UK came into force in December 2020. We are committed to delivering on other important language, culture and identity commitments in the coming months.

The Government plans to bring forward legislation to address outstanding NDNA commitments when Parliamentary time allows. This will include legislative changes on reforming the Petition of Concern, altering the Codes governing Ministerial accountability and conduct, and establishing certain other provisions to increase the sustainability of the institutions.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Defence is leading on UK-wide legislation to further incorporate the Armed Forces Covenant into law. This legislation is being developed in close consultation with the Northern Ireland Office, other UK Government departments and the devolved administrations.

In addition, in 2020 the UK Government legislated to establish a Victims Payments Scheme, which will provide acknowledgement payments to those permanently injured in Troubles-related incidents through no fault of their own. The UK Government is also committed to bringing forward legislation to address the legacy of the Troubles in a way that focuses on reconciliation, delivers for victims, and ends the cycle of investigations.

Since the Stormont House and Fresh Start Agreements in 2014 and 2015 respectively, much good work has been achieved and multiple legislative commitments have been fulfilled.

The main outstanding legislative commitments in the Stormont House and Fresh Start Agreements concern parading and legacy. The UK Government has been consistently clear that responsibility for parades and related protests should, in principle, be devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly, and that should alternative, workable, locally agreed arrangements be forthcoming, it would look to bring forward legislation to devolve this matter.

The Government has been clear that it will bring forward legislation to address the legacy of the Troubles in a way that focuses on reconciliation, delivers for victims, and ends the cycle of investigations. We are committed to making progress on this as quickly as possible.

The Northern Ireland Executive is leading Northern Ireland’s Covid-19 response, in line with devolution arrangements.

To ensure a joined-up approach in our response, the UK Government, the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government are communicating at all levels. There have been regular discussions between Ministers and officials from the UK and Irish governments and from the Northern Ireland Executive throughout the pandemic and most recently about arrangements over the festive period. The Secretary of State met the Irish Foreign Minister on 23 November to discuss a range of issues, including covid-19 restrictions.

In 2015, the UK Government provided £60m over five years in support of the Executive’s delivery of confidence and relationship building measures within and between communities, contributing to the conditions that will allow the removal of peace walls and the creation of a shared future.

The UK Government has released £12m in each financial year since 2016-17, with the final £12m being provided to the Executive in 2020-21. The Northern Ireland Budget for the 2020-21 financial year confirmed £12 million of non ring-fenced resource funding for Shared Future projects. The Northern Ireland Executive is responsible for allocating this non ring-fenced spending and has not yet published its decisions for the 2020-21 period.

Safeguarding the free flow of goods within the UK internal market is a priority for this Government. The application of the Northern Ireland Protocol will involve some changes for goods movements into Northern Ireland.

Our unfettered access policy will ensure that businesses and individuals will be able to move goods from Northern Ireland into the rest of the UK on the same basis as now.

The end of the transition period will, however, mean some new arrangements for goods movements into Northern Ireland from Great Britain. Changes will be kept to an absolute minimum - with a new Trader Support Service, available to all traders at no cost, to be established to provide wraparound support, alongside guidance on the processes for food and agricultural products designed to uphold the longstanding status of the island of Ireland as a single epidemiological unit.

The UK Government has committed to delivering unfettered access for Northern Ireland businesses in legislation, including through the UK Internal Market Bill and the Qualifying Northern Ireland Goods Regulations.

The UK Internal Market Bill will prohibit new checks and controls on qualifying Northern Ireland goods, and through the mutual recognition principle will enable qualifying Northern Ireland goods to be placed on the market in Great Britain without additional approvals. This will ensure direct trade from Northern Ireland to Great Britain will continue as it does now.

The non-discrimination principle contained in the bill will also apply fully to qualifying Northern Ireland goods. This principle will apply to certain types of regulatory requirements not captured by mutual recognition, for example on transportation and manner of sale, and will prevent requirements that discriminate against qualifying Northern Ireland goods by putting them at a disadvantage when sold in Great Britain.

Furthermore, through the UK Common frameworks programme we will work with the devolved administrations to ensure that coherent approaches are maintained across the UK in frameworks policy areas from the end of the transition period.

The UK Government has committed to delivering unfettered access for Northern Ireland businesses in legislation, including through the UK Internal Market Bill and the Qualifying Northern Ireland Goods Regulations.

The UK Internal Market Bill will prohibit new checks and controls on qualifying Northern Ireland goods, and through the mutual recognition principle will enable qualifying Northern Ireland goods to be placed on the market in Great Britain without additional approvals. This will ensure direct trade from Northern Ireland to Great Britain will continue as it does now.

The non-discrimination principle contained in the bill will also apply fully to qualifying Northern Ireland goods. This principle will apply to certain types of regulatory requirements not captured by mutual recognition, for example on transportation and manner of sale, and will prevent requirements that discriminate against qualifying Northern Ireland goods by putting them at a disadvantage when sold in Great Britain.

Furthermore, through the UK Common frameworks programme we will work with the devolved administrations to ensure that coherent approaches are maintained across the UK in frameworks policy areas from the end of the transition period.

The Government has noted the decision of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers and remains committed to introducing legislation to address the legacy of Northern Ireland’s past as soon as possible.

The Government remains committed to introducing legislation to address the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland.

The Department has held discussions with a number of key stakeholders, including victims groups, the Commissioner for Victims and Survivors, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, and a range of individuals from across civic society and academia.

The UK Government, through the Fresh Start and Stormont House Agreements, provided a contribution of up to £500m over 10 years of new capital funding to support shared and integrated education.

The Government remains committed to providing all of this funding for the purposes for which it was originally intended. We will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Executive and HM Treasury to ensure this can be profiled in the most effective way.

This support will help overcome divisions in Northern Ireland and benefit thousands of children through new and better facilities.

The Government is pleased to note that the restored Executive has made progress on delivering this important initiative, with 27 major capital projects being progressed under the Fresh Start programme in the current financial year.

On 13 January 2020, the Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 came into force in Northern Ireland, extending eligibility to same-sex couples to form civil marriages and allowing opposite-sex couples to enter into a civil partnership.

We are committed to delivering on two remaining areas - same-sex religious marriage and conversion entitlements. A consultation on these two issues closed on 23 February 2020, and we are considering all of the submissions received before bringing forward the necessary legislation as soon as possible before the end of 2020.

The Northern Ireland Act 1998 provides that the next scheduled Northern Ireland Assembly election is due to take place on 5 May 2022.

The Government is committed to the European Convention of Human Rights and to protecting human rights and championing them at home and abroad. The Government is also firmly committed to the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, its successor agreements, the constitutional principles it upholds, the institutions it established, and the rights it protects; leaving the EU does not change this position.

The Government has always been clear that the Stormont House Agreement will be implemented in a way that provides certainty for veterans and justice for victims. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will be working closely with others on the way forward.

The Government has been clear that the system for investigating incidents that took place during the Troubles must be balanced, proportionate and fair. We are committed to addressing the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland to provide justice for victims and greater certainty for military veterans.

Neither my officials nor I have met representatives of Border Communities Against Brexit.

In 2014, the NI parties agreed further work would be undertaken to seek an acceptable way forward on the proposal for a pension for severely injured victims in Northern Ireland.

The Executive Formation Act required the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to lay regulations for a Victims Payment Scheme, which he did on Friday 31 January. The Northern Ireland Civil Service is continuing to work to explore the full costs of the scheme.

The Government is committed to reforming the current legacy system in Northern Ireland in a way which provides reconciliation for victims and greater certainty for veterans. The Government will be working to develop proposals in the coming weeks.

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland will play key roles in the dedicated mechanism that we are establishing, under the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill, to implement our commitment to no diminution of certain rights, safeguards and equality of opportunity set out in the chapter of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement of the same name.

These new roles will require further resources to cover, inter alia, new policy and research functions and communications and education activities.

Additional resourcing will be confirmed in due course, subject to formal budgetary processes.

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland will play key roles in the dedicated mechanism that we are establishing, under the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill, to implement our commitment to no diminution of certain rights, safeguards and equality of opportunity set out in the chapter of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement of the same name.

These new roles will require further resources to cover, inter alia, new policy and research functions and communications and education activities.

Additional resourcing will be confirmed in due course, subject to formal budgetary processes.