Stephen Morgan

Guidance for small marriages and civil partnerships was published on 22 March and can be found here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-small-marriages-and-civil-partnerships/covid-19-guidance-for-small-marriages-and-civil-partnerships#wedding-and-civil-partnership-ceremony-venues

We recognise that any restrictions on wedding venues may be disappointing for those planning such events, but we have to take necessary steps to limit transmission of COVID-19. This includes the closure of some settings and restrictions on social contact, including wedding and civil partnership ceremonies. By their very nature, weddings and civil partnership ceremonies are events that bring families and friends together, making them particularly vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19. We appreciate the sacrifices people have had to make across the COVID-19 pandemic and we do not wish to keep any restrictions in place longer than we need to.

In the COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021, the Government has set out the gradual and cautious approach to reopening in England, guided by science and the data, including the staged return of weddings and civil partnerships, as well as sporting events.

In order to inform the pace and sequencing of the roadmap, the Government commissioned advice and modelling from SAGE and its sub-groups. Scientific evidence supporting the government response to coronavirus is regularly published here - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/scientific-evidence-supporting-the-government-response-to-coronavirus-covid-19.

The Government is committed to providing the necessary support for our Veterans. The vast majority of veterans currently access mental health services available to the general population. For veteran specific mental health services, in 2020-2021 NHS England provided £16.5m, which will be increased to £17.8m for 2021-2022, alongside the launch of the new High Intensity Service across England and Op Courage pathway for accessing all veterans’ mental health services within NHS England.

Service charities are supported by the Government through the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, which benefits from £10m annually, and in both years an additional £10m has been allocated to support veterans’ mental health needs. During 2020, the COVID-19 Impact Fund has provided nearly £6m in grants to over 100 Armed Forces charities across the United Kingdom. Of the charities awarded funding, 68% of grants sampled supported members of the Armed Forces and veterans’ community for mental health and crisis support, and 77% for easing isolation and loneliness.

Throughout the pandemic, we have consistently adapted our response as we have learnt more about the virus and how best to tackle it. Decisions on when to lift restrictions, and in which order, seek to strike a balance between the epidemiological evidence and advice, the impact lockdown is having on people’s health (including mental health and disproportionate impacts on certain groups), wellbeing, and the economy. Scientific evidence supporting the government response to coronavirus is regularly published here - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/scientific-evidence-supporting-the-government-response-to-coronavirus-covid-19.

On 22 February the Government published its 'COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021'

roadmap to recovery. The roadmap outlines four steps for cautiously easing restrictions across England. The first measures of Step 1 took place on the 8th March. Schools breaking up for the Easter holidays will provide an opportunity for further, limited relaxation particularly in outdoor settings where there is less risk. Therefore from 29 March, outdoor sports and leisure facilities will reopen and organised sport (for adults and children) will resume.

The design of the roadmap has been informed by the latest scientific evidence and seeks a balance between our key social and economic priorities, whilst preserving the health and safety of our country.

In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions within Government are not normally disclosed. Cabinet Office officials are in regular contact with ports across the UK as part of their regular engagement. This includes all ports which applied to the fund. This contact is ongoing. There were no discussions between Cabinet Office officials or ministers and the Rt Hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell regarding the Port Infrastructure Fund.

The Port Infrastructure Fund (PIF) team worked with an independent eligibility and assessment team, with specialist experience and technical expertise in rail, air and maritime port infrastructure design and build to assess the funding applications. The Fund Allocation Authority (FAA), which is made up of representatives from across the relevant government departments such as HMRC, Defra and Border Force, subsequently made decisions about allocations based on the recommendations of the PIF Team.

The Fund received 53 applications from a range of sea ports, rail facilities and airports. Of the 53 ports that applied to the fund, 41 were successful in their application and a total of £200M has been provisionally allocated. 12 ports were not considered eligible or were unsuccessful at assessment phase.

It is a commercial decision for ports as to whether to provide these facilities. In normal circumstances, ports would be expected to fund such facilities themselves. However - in recognition of the unique circumstances of EU Exit, and the tight timescales for putting infrastructure in place - Government has made £470m of funding available to support border readiness.

Ports will need to fund the remaining 34% themselves. As the maximum amount of funding available was £200 million, a 66% award was applied across all applications ensuring all successful bids received a fair and proportionate level of taxpayer funded support.

In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions within Government are not normally disclosed. Cabinet Office officials are in regular contact with ports across the UK as part of their regular engagement. This includes all ports which applied to the fund. This contact is ongoing. There were no discussions between Cabinet Office officials or ministers and the Rt Hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell regarding the Port Infrastructure Fund.

The Port Infrastructure Fund (PIF) team worked with an independent eligibility and assessment team, with specialist experience and technical expertise in rail, air and maritime port infrastructure design and build to assess the funding applications. The Fund Allocation Authority (FAA), which is made up of representatives from across the relevant government departments such as HMRC, Defra and Border Force, subsequently made decisions about allocations based on the recommendations of the PIF Team.

The Fund received 53 applications from a range of sea ports, rail facilities and airports. Of the 53 ports that applied to the fund, 41 were successful in their application and a total of £200M has been provisionally allocated. 12 ports were not considered eligible or were unsuccessful at assessment phase.

It is a commercial decision for ports as to whether to provide these facilities. In normal circumstances, ports would be expected to fund such facilities themselves. However - in recognition of the unique circumstances of EU Exit, and the tight timescales for putting infrastructure in place - Government has made £470m of funding available to support border readiness.

Ports will need to fund the remaining 34% themselves. As the maximum amount of funding available was £200 million, a 66% award was applied across all applications ensuring all successful bids received a fair and proportionate level of taxpayer funded support.

In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions within Government are not normally disclosed. Cabinet Office officials are in regular contact with ports across the UK as part of their regular engagement. This includes all ports which applied to the fund. This contact is ongoing. There were no discussions between Cabinet Office officials or ministers and the Rt Hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell regarding the Port Infrastructure Fund.

The Port Infrastructure Fund (PIF) team worked with an independent eligibility and assessment team, with specialist experience and technical expertise in rail, air and maritime port infrastructure design and build to assess the funding applications. The Fund Allocation Authority (FAA), which is made up of representatives from across the relevant government departments such as HMRC, Defra and Border Force, subsequently made decisions about allocations based on the recommendations of the PIF Team.

The Fund received 53 applications from a range of sea ports, rail facilities and airports. Of the 53 ports that applied to the fund, 41 were successful in their application and a total of £200M has been provisionally allocated. 12 ports were not considered eligible or were unsuccessful at assessment phase.

It is a commercial decision for ports as to whether to provide these facilities. In normal circumstances, ports would be expected to fund such facilities themselves. However - in recognition of the unique circumstances of EU Exit, and the tight timescales for putting infrastructure in place - Government has made £470m of funding available to support border readiness.

Ports will need to fund the remaining 34% themselves. As the maximum amount of funding available was £200 million, a 66% award was applied across all applications ensuring all successful bids received a fair and proportionate level of taxpayer funded support.

In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions within Government are not normally disclosed. Cabinet Office officials are in regular contact with ports across the UK as part of their regular engagement. This includes all ports which applied to the fund. This contact is ongoing. There were no discussions between Cabinet Office officials or ministers and the Rt Hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell regarding the Port Infrastructure Fund.

The Port Infrastructure Fund (PIF) team worked with an independent eligibility and assessment team, with specialist experience and technical expertise in rail, air and maritime port infrastructure design and build to assess the funding applications. The Fund Allocation Authority (FAA), which is made up of representatives from across the relevant government departments such as HMRC, Defra and Border Force, subsequently made decisions about allocations based on the recommendations of the PIF Team.

The Fund received 53 applications from a range of sea ports, rail facilities and airports. Of the 53 ports that applied to the fund, 41 were successful in their application and a total of £200M has been provisionally allocated. 12 ports were not considered eligible or were unsuccessful at assessment phase.

It is a commercial decision for ports as to whether to provide these facilities. In normal circumstances, ports would be expected to fund such facilities themselves. However - in recognition of the unique circumstances of EU Exit, and the tight timescales for putting infrastructure in place - Government has made £470m of funding available to support border readiness.

Ports will need to fund the remaining 34% themselves. As the maximum amount of funding available was £200 million, a 66% award was applied across all applications ensuring all successful bids received a fair and proportionate level of taxpayer funded support.

In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions within Government are not normally disclosed. Cabinet Office officials are in regular contact with ports across the UK as part of their regular engagement. This includes all ports which applied to the fund. This contact is ongoing. There were no discussions between Cabinet Office officials or ministers and the Rt Hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell regarding the Port Infrastructure Fund.

The Port Infrastructure Fund (PIF) team worked with an independent eligibility and assessment team, with specialist experience and technical expertise in rail, air and maritime port infrastructure design and build to assess the funding applications. The Fund Allocation Authority (FAA), which is made up of representatives from across the relevant government departments such as HMRC, Defra and Border Force, subsequently made decisions about allocations based on the recommendations of the PIF Team.

The Fund received 53 applications from a range of sea ports, rail facilities and airports. Of the 53 ports that applied to the fund, 41 were successful in their application and a total of £200M has been provisionally allocated. 12 ports were not considered eligible or were unsuccessful at assessment phase.

It is a commercial decision for ports as to whether to provide these facilities. In normal circumstances, ports would be expected to fund such facilities themselves. However - in recognition of the unique circumstances of EU Exit, and the tight timescales for putting infrastructure in place - Government has made £470m of funding available to support border readiness.

Ports will need to fund the remaining 34% themselves. As the maximum amount of funding available was £200 million, a 66% award was applied across all applications ensuring all successful bids received a fair and proportionate level of taxpayer funded support.

As we have set out previously, the Government's immediate focus is on protecting the lives and livelihoods of the nation, but there is nonetheless the need to mourn those who have died, and to mark and remember this period as one of immense struggle. We will set out the Government’s proposed approach to this important matter in due course.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ107708 on 03 November.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQs 106475 and 106474 on 28 October 2020.

Ministers have regular conversations with interdepartmental colleagues on a range of topics, including the Government’s ongoing commitment to make it as easy as possible to access the clinical and welfare support available to veterans and their families. The Chief Coroner has given coroners clearer guidance so that deaths, including suicide, are recorded more consistently.

The Government continues to invest in mental health support and training whilst individuals are serving in the Armed Forces, as well as significant research to understand and tackle the risks and causes of suicide amongst those who have served. This includes a study commissioned by the MOD to investigate causes of death, including suicide, amongst all those who served in the UK Armed Forces between 2001 and 2014, covering combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2019, we extended this study to include all those who served after 2014, now and into the future. This will be complemented by a new Manchester University study, funded jointly by the MOD and NHS (England), looking at risk factors in the year leading up to a veteran taking their own life. Combined, these studies will provide increasingly robust data, in order to better understand ‘at risk’ groups and support better targeted interventions.

I refer the hon. Member to the Urgent Question responded to by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 30 June 2020.

The position as outlined on gov.uk is that everyone who can work from home should do so.

When that is not possible, people should go into work provided they are not symptomatic, isolating or shielding. Relevant guidance including from Public Health England should be followed.

The Government has placed restrictions on the operations of certain businesses as part of the strategy of enhanced social distancing. Separate guidance has been published on this and is also available on gov.uk.

Independent retailers, including book shops, play a valuable role in our communities.

The Government continues to offer a comprehensive support package for small businesses which independent bookshops can access, including the extension to the Coronavirus Job retention Scheme to the end of April 2021, extension to the existing Loan Schemes to the end of March 2021, and cash grants of up to £3,000 per month for businesses which are closed.

Following the introduction of new national restrictions, independent book shops can continue to offer click and collect, and delivery services which will help businesses keep trading.

The UK Space Agency is working closely with organisations across the sector to understand their varied requirements for SQEP. We are undertaking a nationwide Space Skills Survey to map the current learning landscape and identify gaps in provision of support. A Space Skills Advisory Panel, including expertise from across government, academia and industry, will then prioritise new training opportunities to ensure we can deliver a skilled and enthusiastic workforce for the space sector.

The UKSA has worked with the Space Engineering Trailblazer group to develop a new apprenticeship standard at level 4, and continues to work with industry to finalise the standards for a level 6 apprenticeship in Space Systems Engineering. Work also continues with other Trailblazer Groups to address other space skills issues such as data applications.

The UKSA also continues to raise awareness in the student body of the career opportunities presented by the space sector. This is delivered through country-wide careers engagements as well as through the Space Placements in Industry (SPIN) scheme. This successful scheme provides small grants to enable SMEs in particular to employ university students for short placements within their business, providing both meaningful work experience and developing skills in the interns to improve their employability. This year we received a record number of applications for the programme which was able to proceed with many projects being offered remotely, a threefold increase over previous years.

We are committed to making the UK a world leader in space and other high-tech industries. The UK’s first comprehensive national space strategy is therefore being developed under the direction of the National Space Council.

We are committed to making the UK world leader in space, building on our excellence in science to deliver solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges. Our UK Space Strategy will help the UK lead the way in this fast-growing, high-technology sector, levelling up our economy, strengthening our global influence and keeping people safe, including through a dedicated space innovation programme.

We are committed to making the UK a world leader in space and will put in place the right structures and governance to ensure our strategy’s success, overseen by the new National Space Council.

The Government is committed to making the UK a global leader in space. As we develop the UK’s first comprehensive national space strategy, we are working closely with partners across the sector to realise our shared ambition for the UK’s world-class space industry.

For security reasons, the Government cannot divulge how the vaccine will travel across borders. A number of scenarios have been investigated and we have put in place robust contingency plans to ensure that vaccine freight will continue unimpeded.

The UK welcomes President-elect Biden’s commitment to re-join the Paris Agreement and to put the US on a path to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

As the incoming Presidency of the G7 and COP26, we look forward to working with the new US administration to address the urgent challenge of climate change and to encourage countries across the world to increase their climate ambition.

China’s commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 is welcome and significant as part of wider global efforts to limit climate change. We look forward to hearing more details on how the target will be translated into a long-term strategy and implemented in the short-term through China’s 14th Five Year Plan and NDC. We will continue to work with China on areas of mutual interest as we approach COP26 and CBD COP15, the UN biodiversity conference, which China is hosting next year.

Independent retailers,?including book shops, play a valuable role in our communities, acting as hubs for local people and having a positive impact on the communities they serve.

Book shops are able to benefit from additional financial measures announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, including the extension to the Coronavirus Job retention Scheme, extension to the existing Loan Schemes to January 2021 with the ability to top-up Bounce Back Loans, and cash grants of up to £3,000 per month for businesses which are closed.

All shops can continue to offer home delivery and click and collect services to customers during the November lockdown.

The Government have previously published COVID-Secure guidance for retailers and have published guidance on the New National Restrictions. All shops can continue to offer home delivery and click and collect services to customers during the national restrictions in place in November.

During the new national restrictions in place from 5 November, pubs and bars are permitted to sell alcohol through delivery or via click and collect where remote ordering has been utilised.

The Planning Inspectorate is responsible for the conduct of examinations into applications for development consent for nationally significant infrastructure projects. The examination of the application for the proposed Aquind Interconnector project is being carried out by The Planning Inspectorate in accordance with Government advice for dealing with such matters during the Covid-19 outbreak. The Planning Inspectorate is mindful of the need to ensure fairness and open access to all parties throughout the examination process.

The Planning Inspectorate’s report on the development consent application for the Aquind Interconnector will be carefully considered once it is submitted to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

The Planning Inspectorate is currently examining the application for development consent for the proposed Aquind Interconnector project. The application seeks authorisation for the compulsory acquisition of land and rights over land in connection with the project and those matters will be considered during the examination of the application.

The Planning Inspectorate’s report on the development consent application for the Aquind Interconnector, including any compulsory acquisition matters that have been raised, will be carefully considered once it is submitted to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

The application for development consent for the proposed Aquind Interconnector has been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate and is currently being examined by them. Neither my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State, who has recused himself from any part in the decision-making process, nor his Ministers have had any discussions with representatives of Aquind Limited, the developer of the Aquind Interconnector, about route options for the proposed Interconnector.

The Planning Inspectorate is currently examining the application for development consent for the proposed Aquind Interconnector. The Examining Authority will examine all relevant issues before submitting its report to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

As the decision to grant or refuse consent to an application for development consent is quasi-judicial, it would not be appropriate for my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State, who has recused himself from any part in the decision-making process, or his Ministers to comment further on any aspect of this live development consent application or to meet with any interested party to discuss it.

The Planning Inspectorate is currently examining the application for development consent for the proposed Aquind Interconnector. The Examining Authority will examine all relevant issues before submitting its report to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

As the decision to grant or refuse consent to an application for development consent is quasi-judicial, it would not be appropriate for my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State, who has recused himself from any part in the decision-making process, or his Ministers to comment further on any aspect of this live development consent application or to meet with any interested party to discuss it.

The Government has put forward a package of support for businesses in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19. As part of this, as at 21 June, local authorities in Hampshire had paid out over £225 million to over 18,000 business premises under the Small Business Grants Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund.

On 1 May, the Government announced the Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund to support businesses previously out of scope of the existing grant funding schemes. In Hampshire, a further £12 million has been made available to support local businesses through this additional fund.

The Government is working closely with all local authorities to ensure grant funding reaches businesses as quickly and efficiently as possible. As part of this, we have provided detailed guidance and FAQs, regular briefings, and one-to-one support from the Department, as well as a communications toolkit.

Once the schemes have closed, any unallocated funds will be subject to a reconciliation exercise with the Government. We will also provide additional funding to local authorities to meet the administrative costs of delivering this policy.

We are keeping in close contact with local authorities to understand how the schemes are rolling out.

During this difficult time, employers should act responsibly and only use the Job Retention Scheme to protect jobs. We would urge employers not to use the Job Retention Scheme to make someone redundant on less favourable terms than they would otherwise have received.

Terms and conditions of employment are for negotiation and agreement between employers and employees (or their representatives). Provided they do not discriminate unlawfully, for example on grounds of race, sex or disability, employers are free to offer the terms and conditions of employment which best suit their business needs.

Once agreed, however, they form a legally binding contract of employment. While it is always open to either party to seek to renegotiate the terms of the contract, if the employer changes any of the terms without the employee’s agreement, the employee may be entitled to seek legal redress.

Any redundancy process should be fair and reasonable, with appropriate equalities considerations. Employees can appeal to their employer if they feel they have been unfairly selected or they may be able to make a claim to an employment tribunal for unfair dismissal.

Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, almost all workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks annual leave, which should be paid as if workers were still at work and working. Annual leave continues to accrue as long as the worker maintains their employment relationship with their employer, which is the case whilst an employee is on a period of furlough through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Workers on furlough are able to take annual leave, and employers are able to require them to do so. This will prevent large build-ups that would need to be used at the end of the lockdown measures.

The Government has been clear that employment rights remain unchanged under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Therefore, as holiday rights are unaffected by the scheme, no assessment has been made.

The health and safety of construction workers is a priority for the Government. To help ensure that it is safe for construction workers to operate in their workplace, the Government has worked with Public Health England (PHE) to develop sector-specific guidance on social distancing, and has also worked with the Construction Leadership Council to develop Site Operating Procedures (SOP), which provide practical advice to those seeking to implement the guidance.

The Health and Safety Executive has the powers to take enforcement action if a site is not consistently implementing the measures set out by PHE.

Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, the Government has emphasised that people’s health is the top priority. We have been clear that construction work can continue in England if it is undertaken in a manner consistent with the guidelines issued by Public Health England. We have also published bespoke guidance to help those who work in outdoor environments, including construction workers, to understand how to work safely at this time.

The Health and Safety Executive has set out that dust from construction work does not usually pose a health risk to members of the public if the exposure is low and the duration is short. If high exposure and longer duration is likely, controls have been adopted to protect the workforce on a construction site; these are also likely to reduce the risk to members of the public. These controls include the use of low-dust products, as well as the use of water suppression or exhaust ventilation.

The Government is not aware of specific instances of brick dust affecting the respiratory functioning of people located near to construction sites during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, the Government has emphasised that people’s health is the top priority. We have been clear that construction work can continue in England if it is undertaken in a manner consistent with the guidelines issued by Public Health England. We have also published bespoke guidance to help those who work in outdoor environments, including construction workers, to understand how to work safely at this time.

The Health and Safety Executive has set out that dust from construction work does not usually pose a health risk to members of the public if the exposure is low and the duration is short. If high exposure and longer duration is likely, controls have been adopted to protect the workforce on a construction site; these are also likely to reduce the risk to members of the public. These controls include the use of low-dust products, as well as the use of water suppression or exhaust ventilation.

The Government is not aware of specific instances of brick dust affecting the respiratory functioning of people located near to construction sites during the Covid-19 outbreak.

We are in regular contact with a wide range of representatives of the retail sector.

I host a weekly call with non-food retailers and business representative organisations covering a range of subjects including operational challenges faced by the sector as we transition to a new normal.

The most recent call took place on 7^th May and the next one is scheduled for 14^th May.

Government is grateful to retailers and representative organisations who are engaging constructively with Government on how retailers can safely operate as restrictions begin to ease.

Ministers and officials have regular engagement with a large number of businesses, representative organisations and trade unions across all sectors including the British Retail Consortium, in advance of easing the lockdown.

As this work is complex and multifaceted, we are working with industry, business representative organisations, unions, Public Health England, and the Health and Safety Executive to consider what might be needed to adapt workplaces to further improve the safety of these places and thereby minimise the risk of transmission as much as possible.

I host a weekly call with non-food retailers and business representative organisations including the British Retail Consortium with the most recent call taking place on 30^th April. The next one is scheduled for 7^th May.

We welcome the publication of jointly agreed advice by the British Retail Consortium and the Union for Shop Distributive and Allied Workers on the recommended implementation of social distancing practices for non-food retail stores.

Ministers and officials have regular engagement with a large number of businesses, representative organisations and trade unions across all sectors including the British Retail Consortium, in advance of easing the lockdown.

As this work is complex and multifaceted, we are working with industry, business representative organisations, unions, Public Health England, and the Health and Safety Executive to consider what might be needed to adapt workplaces to further improve the safety of these places and thereby minimise the risk of transmission as much as possible.

I host a weekly call with non-food retailers and business representative organisations including the British Retail Consortium with the most recent call taking place on 30^th April. The next one is scheduled for 7^th May.

We welcome the publication of jointly agreed advice by the British Retail Consortium and the Union for Shop Distributive and Allied Workers on the recommended implementation of social distancing practices for non-food retail stores.

The scheme is designed to help employers who are unable to operate or have no work for an employee to do because of coronavirus and those who otherwise would have been made unemployed. There is flexibility in that staff can be rotated and rolled on and off furlough, so long as each period on furlough is for a minimum of 3 weeks.

This Government is working to minimise any social and economic disruption as a result of Covid-19.

We would urge employers to take socially responsible decisions and listen to the concerns of their workforce. Employers and employees should come to a pragmatic agreement about these arrangements.

While most employers act responsibly, a small number fail to respect their workers employment rights. Labour market enforcement bodies continue to respond to complaints from workers either received directly or through the online form on gov.uk.

Everyone must comply with the rules issued by Government in relation to Coronavirus, in order to protect both themselves and others.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 are the regulations in England that cover enforcement of violations of the Government’s rules on social distancing (Scotland and Wales have their own legislation).

In England, Environmental Health and Trading Standards officers will monitor compliance with these regulations, with police support provided if appropriate.

Government is clear that people should only leave the house for four reasons, which includes shopping for food and other essentials if they have to. Government have not published a list of goods it deems essential nor asked supermarkets to reduce the range of products they sell.

We have set out the general principles and measures for how social distancing can be implemented in the workplace, including staggering processes which would enable staff to continue to operate both effectively and where possible at a safe distance from one another.

We have also set out tailored advice for different scenarios as an example of how social distancing and other measures that might be implemented by employers in England to help protect their workforce and customers from coronavirus while still continuing to trade.

Everyone must comply with the rules issued by the?Government in relation to coronavirus, in order to protect both themselves and others. In England, Environmental Health and Trading Standards officers will monitor compliance with these regulations with police support if appropriate.

Government advice is clear. If at all possible, people should work at home and where they cannot, employers should ensure that the work environment is a safe one and follow all relevant public health guidance.

Businesses and employees can get advice on individual employment issues by visiting the Acas website at www.acas.org.uk. Businesses can also ring the BEIS Business Support Line, 0300 456 3565, for further advice on support for business.

Cases of pregnancy and maternity discrimination are recorded. When submitting an Employment Tribunal Claim Form (ET1), a claimant is required to specify the details of the case. This involves stating whether they have been discriminated against, including on the grounds of pregnancy and maternity.

There are a number of sources of support for pregnant women seeking to take a claim to an employment tribunal.

Acas (Advisory, Conciliation, and Arbitration Service) provides free and impartial information and advice to employees on all aspects of workplace relations and employment law. It produces advice and guidance on discrimination, bullying and harassment and has specific content covering pregnancy and maternity.

In addition, anyone who believes that they may have suffered from discrimination or had their human rights infringed can access the EASS helpline, which offers bespoke advice to clients to help them understand their rights and the resolution options that are open to them.

Legal aid is available for legal advice and representation for cases alleging unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation under the Equality Act 2010, or a previous discrimination enactment, which can arise in a variety of contexts – for example, consumer, education or employment matters. Legal aid for cases of this type must usually first be sought through the Civil Legal Advice (CLA) telephone gateway, before being referred onwards for face-to-face advice.

The Government is determined to do more to promote workplace equality. That is why we committed to introduce measures in an Employment Bill to extend redundancy protections to better prevent pregnancy and maternity discrimination.

The work that the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is conducting to develop an evidence base is ongoing. It is continuing to assess new and emerging data and will report in due course.

The Government recognises the importance of tackling pregnancy and maternity discrimination.

The Government’s manifesto committed to reform the law so that women returning from maternity leave receive additional protection from redundancy.

We will extend the redundancy protection period for six months once a new mother has returned to work and provide similar protections for those parents taking adoption leave and shared parental leave. This will be part of an Employment Rights Bill to deliver the greatest reform of workers’ rights in over 20 years.

The UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory publishes an annual assessment of greenhouse gas emissions by source and removals. Fireworks are listed under the Waste Incineration sector (5C) according to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Common Reporting Format sector classifications.

Greenhouse gas emissions from fireworks used in public displays are not included in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory as they have been judged not to be a significant source of greenhouse gases in the UK. It is estimated that 10-20 thousand tonnes of fireworks are typically used in the UK each year. Even assuming the fireworks are entirely made of carbon and entirely oxidised, the greenhouse gas emissions from this level of activity would be less than 100kt CO₂e (carbon dioxide equivalents). This is below the threshold of significance for including a source of greenhouse gas emissions in the inventory. The threshold was set by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change as being both less than 500kt CO₂e and 0.05% of the total national greenhouse gas emissions (which is 236kt CO₂e for the UK).

The Government understands concerns about the potential impact caused by fireworks on individuals, animals and the environment. This is why the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is developing a fact-based evidence base on the key issues that have been raised around fireworks. This includes looking at data on noise and disturbance, anti-social behaviour, non-compliance, environmental impact, and the impact on humans and animals. This will build a full picture of the data around fireworks in order to identify whether further action is appropriate.

The Government understands concerns about the potential impact caused by fireworks on individuals, animals and the environment. This is why the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is developing a fact-based evidence base on the key issues that have been raised around fireworks. This includes looking at data on noise and disturbance, anti-social behaviour, non-compliance, environmental impact, and the impact on humans and animals. This will build a full picture of the data around fireworks in order to identify whether further action is appropriate.

We understand concerns about the potential impact caused by fireworks on individuals, animals and the environment. We also receive representations from a wide range of stakeholders, including members of the public, organisations and charities, with diverse views on what the issues are and what action they would like to see. This is why the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is developing a fact-based evidence base on the key issues that have been raised around fireworks. Officials in OPSS have also been in contact with Government Departments including Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Devolved Administrations as part of this work. Therefore, the review includes looking at data on noise and disturbance, anti-social behaviour, non-compliance, environmental impact, and the impact on humans and animals. This will build a full picture of the data around fireworks in order to identify whether further action is appropriate.

We understand concerns about the potential impact caused by fireworks on individuals, animals and the environment. We also receive representations from a wide range of stakeholders, including members of the public, organisations and charities, with diverse views on what the issues are and what action they would like to see. This is why the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is developing a fact-based evidence base on the key issues that have been raised around fireworks. Officials in OPSS have also been in contact with Government Departments including Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Devolved Administrations as part of this work. Therefore, the review includes looking at data on noise and disturbance, anti-social behaviour, non-compliance, environmental impact, and the impact on humans and animals. This will build a full picture of the data around fireworks in order to identify whether further action is appropriate.

Indoor and outdoor performance events with a socially distanced audience are permitted from Step 3 of the Government’s Roadmap (not before 17 May). Busking is permitted from Step 3.

Busking may involve attendees converging on and congregating in a site for a specific performance or activity, and may risk audiences gathering in an uncontrolled environment.

We will continue to work with stakeholders on reopening the live music sector, in line with the timetable set out in the Roadmap.

The Government’s Film & TV Production Restart Scheme was launched on 16 October 2020 to provide support for production companies across the UK who would otherwise have been unable to film due to the lack of insurance covering covid-related risks.

There are now over 200 production companies registered to receive support from the scheme in the event of delay or disruption due to coronavirus. This means that the scheme is protecting over 22,000 jobs and over £780 million of production spend in the UK.

So far, over 50 claims have been made and these are being assessed. The scheme has now paid out on the initial claims.

On 27th January 2021, the government confirmed that Steps 3-6 of the National League System will receive up to £10 million of grant support from the Sports Winter Survival Package. This is designed to protect the immediate future of approximately 850 clubs over the winter period. This support is being distributed at pace by the Football Foundation and is available with immediate effect.

Football clubs at all levels make a significant contribution to their local communities. National League clubs have demonstrated this more than ever throughout the pandemic, from delivering care packages for the vulnerable through to raising money for front-line charities, they are at the heart of their communities.

The Government therefore confirmed that Steps 3-6 of the National League System will receive up to £10 million of grant support from the Sports Winter Survival Package. This is being distributed at pace by the Football Foundation. This funding is designed to protect the immediate future of approximately 850 clubs over the winter period.

We also understand the importance of spectators to these clubs and have shown our commitment to getting fans back into stadia when infection rates are reduced. The Prime Minister is due to set out a roadmap to recovery in the week commencing 22 February.

Football clubs at all levels make a significant contribution to their local communities. National League clubs have demonstrated this more than ever throughout the pandemic, from delivering care packages for the vulnerable through to raising money for front-line charities, they are at the heart of their communities.

The Government therefore confirmed that Steps 3-6 of the National League System will receive up to £10 million of grant support from the Sports Winter Survival Package. This is being distributed at pace by the Football Foundation. This funding is designed to protect the immediate future of approximately 850 clubs over the winter period.

We also understand the importance of spectators to these clubs and have shown our commitment to getting fans back into stadia when infection rates are reduced. The Prime Minister is due to set out a roadmap to recovery in the week commencing 22 February.

As set out in the Full Government Response to the Online Harms White Paper Consultation, the Government is developing an Online Media Literacy Strategy which will be published in Spring 2021. The Strategy will explore the existing media literacy landscape and ensure a coordinated and strategic approach to media literacy education for children, young people, and adults.

We have engaged with a broad range of stakeholders throughout the policy development process for the new online safety legislation, including with industry, civil society, academia and parliamentarians. This will continue to inform the scope of the regulatory framework, including categorisation of companies and harms they must address. We will continue to engage with a broad range of stakeholders as we develop online safety legislation.

We have engaged with a broad range of stakeholders throughout the policy development process for the new online safety legislation, including with industry, civil society, academia and parliamentarians. This will continue to inform the scope of the regulatory framework, including categorisation of companies and harms they must address. We will continue to engage with a broad range of stakeholders as we develop online safety legislation.

Local planning authorities are required to publicise certain types of planning applications in local newspapers as set out in Article 15 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015.

We are mindful of the potential impact that any changes to the requirements might have on transparency and local democracy, as well as the potential effect on local newspaper revenue. Indeed the independent Cairncross Review into the future of journalism found that statutory notices, including planning notices, provide an important strand of revenue for many local publishers and that their withdrawal would do serious damage to parts of the sector.

Proposals to reform publicity requirements are being considered through the “Planning for the Future” White Paper which aims to make it simpler, quicker and more accessible for local people to engage with the planning system using digital tools. We recognise the importance of local newspapers to communities and the continued need to reach out to people who cannot digitally access information. MHCLG is considering consultation responses and will publish a response in due course, and the impact on transparency and local democracy, as well as on local newspaper revenue will be considered before any decisions are taken.

The Government recognises the editorial and operational independence of broadcasters but believes the broadcasting sector should reflect and represent all parts of society.

Ofcom, as the UK’s independent TV and radio regulator, sets rules in its Broadcasting Code to ensure broadcasters provide adequate protection to members of the public from the inclusion of harmful and offensive material in programmes. Ofcom can investigate and determine whether a breach of the Code has occurred, for example if the broadcast of negative stereotypes of people with Down’s syndrome is so severe that there is the potential for harm to be caused to viewers.

Racism or any form of discrimination has no place in football or society.

The Government welcomed the launch of the Football Association’s ‘Football Leadership Diversity Code’ to ensure English football better represents our modern and diverse society.

There is still more to do, however, and the Government continues to liaise closely with the football authorities to tackle this issue.

Sports and physical activity providers and facilities are at the heart of our communities, and play a crucial role in supporting adults and children to be active.

Government has provided unprecedented support to businesses through tax reliefs, cash grants and employee wage support, which many sport clubs have benefited from. On 22 October, the Government announced a £100m support fund for local authority leisure centres. In addition, Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund has also provided £210 million directly to support community sport clubs and exercise centres through this pandemic.

We are continuing to work with organisations to understand what they need and how we may be able to support them.

We appreciate the important role that the events and music industries play in the UK’s economy, and that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to these sectors.

We have not made any assessments around the development of a specific job support scheme for the live events supply chain. As you are aware, the Chancellor has announced the Winter Economy Plan to protect jobs and support businesses over the coming months, once the existing Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme come to end. From November, the Jobs Support Scheme will provide further support to returning workers, while the extended Self-Employed Income Support Scheme will aid the self-employed who are currently actively trading but are facing reduced demand.

We are also offering businesses who face a drop in demand for their services and possible cash flow issues generous terms for the repayment of deferred taxes and government-backed loans. We will give all businesses that borrowed under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme the option to repay their loan over a period of up to ten years. This will reduce their average monthly repayments on the loan by almost half. We also intend to allow CBILS lenders to extend the term of a loan up to ten years, providing additional flexibility for UK-based SMEs who may otherwise be unable to repay their loans.

In addition, the Secretary of State announced an unprecedented £1.57 billion support package for the cultural sector which will benefit the live music sector by providing support to music venues and many other cultural organisations to stay open and continue operating.

We continue to engage with the sector to discuss the on-going challenges facing the industry.

Football clubs are the heart of local communities, they have unique social value and many with a great history. It is vital they are protected.

The Government is focusing its support on those in the sector most in need as a result of the decision not to readmit spectators to stadia from 1 October. We are working through the details and will set that support in due course.

In parallel, we also continue work on the fan-led review of football governance and are currently considering deciding the scope and structure of the review. Whilst any thorough review could not be concluded in advance of consideration of financial need as a result of a delay to the return of fans, I am clear that the governance and financing of football are intrinsically linked, and will have that in mind as both strands progress.

Football clubs form the bedrock of local communities. It is vital they are protected.

We have worked closely with football throughout the pandemic including getting the Premier League and English Football League back behind closed doors but we have been clear that we expect the game - where it can at the top tiers - to support itself. The Government will then focus our support on those in the sector most in need as a result of the October 1 decision.

We are working through the details and will set that support in the coming days.

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

The Government will continue to work closely with the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) and a whole range of sports to understand the latest thinking that might allow spectators to return. This includes the creation of a new Sports Technology Innovation Working Group of sporting bodies and health experts to analyse new technologies which might support this.

We understand from the Premier League that broadcast rights to their matches have been sold around the world, with only five countries not covered as of 17 June - Afghanistan, Cuba, North Korea, the Philippines and Turkmenistan.

The guidance published on GOV.UK specifies that ‘charity workers delivering key frontline services’ can be classified as critical workers during the covid-19 outbreak. However, the guidance also states that if children can stay safely at home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.

Local authorities in England have a statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service. It is for individual local authorities to decide how best to provide a public library service that meets local needs within their available resources. The net expenditure on the library service by local authorities in England increased in 2018/19 from 2017/18.

DCMS works across central and local government to encourage investment in libraries to ensure they can continue to support the delivery of local and national priorities and needs. The DCMS funded Libraries Taskforce was established, by DCMS and the Local Government Association, to devise and implement the “Libraries Deliver” strategy which is helping support and reinvigorate the public library service in England. It has worked with sector partners to advocate for libraries and to share and promote good practice to help libraries better serve their communities.

In October 2019 DCMS also announced the £250 million Cultural Investment Fund, of which over £125 million will be invested in regional museums and libraries over five years from 2020/21. The funds will be used to upgrade buildings and technology so public libraries across England are better placed to respond to the changing ways people are using them.

The Department has published a wide range of data on the attainment of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 at both national and local level on 26 November 2020. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/key-stage-4-performance-2020.

The latest published data shows that in the Portsmouth South constituency, the average attainment 8 score was 47.5 compared with an average attainment 8 score of 50.2 across all state funded schools in England.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) publishes data on the number of 18 year olds accepted to full-time undergraduate higher education (HE) courses in the UK by domicile and parliament constituency.

The attached table shows the number of 18 year old accepted applicants to UK HE providers, the population estimates for the number of 18 year olds and the entry rate of 18 year old accepted applicants to UK HE providers for the Portsmouth South constituency and England.

In 2020, the entry rate of 18 year old accepted applicants to UK HE providers for Portsmouth South was 26.9%, compared to 37.9% for England, a difference of 11 percentage points.

We have always been committed to getting students back onto campus as soon as the public health situation allows. At every stage, we have prioritised students’ education and helping students to meet their learning outcomes, which is why students on creative and practical courses or practice-based courses have been able to return to in-person teaching since March.

We understand that, in some universities, teaching may have concluded by 17 May. However, the wider experience outside the classroom is also important and we know that students are keen to get back to campus and universities are keen to have them back. We want to enable this as soon as the public health situation allows, even if some universities have concluded teaching.

A return in line with step 3 of the roadmap allows time for students to receive some teaching, engage with cocurricular activities, take part in face-to-face careers support and in activities to build employability skills. As students return to campus, there will also be more opportunities for universities to provide mental health support for them.

For many students, teaching does not end in May. For example, postgraduate students, both taught and research, will continue their studies throughout the summer, as will some students on some healthcare courses or who start at different times throughout the year. It is also open to universities, as autonomous institutions, to put on teaching outside of their normal term dates, if they consider this appropriate to fulfil their duties to their students.

We understand that this is a very difficult and uncertain time for students. We are working with universities, higher education (HE) institutions, mission groups, unions and professional sector bodies to make sure that all reasonable efforts are being made to enable all students to continue their studies and to provide the support required for them to do so.

In these exceptional circumstances, we recognise that some students may face financial hardship. On 13 April, we announced that we are making a further £15 million of additional student hardship funding available for the 2020/21 academic year. In total, we have made an additional £85 million of funding available for student hardship since December. HE providers have flexibility in how they distribute the funding to students in a way that best prioritises those in greatest need.

To support with this further, we have worked closely with the Office for Students to help clarify that HE providers can draw upon existing funding to increase hardship funds and support disadvantaged and vulnerable students impacted by COVID-19. HE providers are able to use the funding, worth around £256 million for academic year 2020/21, towards student hardship funds, including the purchase of IT equipment

We want to make sure all students receive the right amount of student support to complete their studies. Students who received a loan for living costs at the living away from home rates in the spring term have received a loan at the same rate in the summer term, even though they may be staying at their family home to comply with public health guidance. This change to the funding rules will help cover any accommodation costs students may still be incurring at their term time address in the summer term. The maximum loans for living costs for the 2020/21 academic year have been increased by 2.9%, with a further 3.1% increase for the 2021/22 academic year, to record levels in cash terms.

Students who have applied for a loan for living costs for the current 2020/21 academic year have been awarded a lower amount than the maximum and believe their household income for the 2020-21 tax year will drop by at least 15% compared to the household income they provided when they were initially assessed, can apply for their entitlement to be reassessed.

In addition, students undertaking courses that would normally require attendance on-site, but for which learning has moved either fully or partially online due to COVID-19, will qualify for living cost support in the 2020/21 academic year as they would ordinarily, provided they continue to engage with their HE provider. This also applies when the student is prevented from attending the course physically and is required to study online due to shielding.

The current measures aim to target support for students in greatest need, and we will continue to monitor the situation and adjust sector guidance and support where necessary.

We are committed to taking a cautious approach to easing restrictions, guided by data instead of dates. Much of the data that has been used to inform decision making has already been published.

It is important that we continue to take a cautious – but irreversible – approach to re-opening. Moving too fast, too soon, risks a resurgence in infections, hospitalisations and deaths. Whilst we are aware that there is limited evidence of transmission in in-person teaching environments, we must not lose sight of the risks the virus poses and must stay vigilant throughout to ensure this roadmap provides a one-way passage to returning to a more normal life.

We have worked extremely closely with scientists and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) to understand and model various scenarios to inform our plan that seeks to enable us to re-open the country without putting unsustainable pressure on the NHS. We have also examined economic and social data to get a balanced understanding of the impacts of carefully easing restrictions. The government has also carefully considered data on the impact of COVID-19 and lockdown on ethnic minority communities, the vulnerable, the young, and low-income groups.

The government has taken into account all the scientific advice and models that suggest that allowing additional indoor mixing at an earlier stage when prevalence is higher and fewer people have been vaccinated would result in significantly higher numbers of infections and that is why restrictions outdoors have been eased first and restrictions on most indoor activity will remain in place. As the number of people vaccinated increases, we anticipate being able to take steps to ease further as more people are protected.

A wealth of data, papers and evidence is being published at the same time as the Roadmap, to ensure transparency on the information the government has had available to it in reaching its decisions. This includes information from Public Health England:

• Information on vaccine effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccination
• A surveillance report with a more detailed summary of the findings so far from the SARS-CoV-2 Immunity & REinfection EvaluatioN (SIREN) study and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections Watch
• A technical paper on the SIREN analysis being published (as a pre-print) by the Lancet

The papers from SAGE include:

• Minutes from the last 4 SAGE meetings
• Children’s Task and Finish Group paper: ‘COVID-19 in higher education settings, 10 February 2021’
• 3 papers from the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M), with a summary of modelling on scenarios for easing restrictions, together with the supporting papers from modellers at Warwick and Imperial universities
• A collection of papers from SPI-M on “relaxation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and the re-opening of schools”, Independent Pandemic Scientific Insights Group on Behaviours (the behavioural experts’ sub-group of SAGE) on return to campus for the spring term and the risk of increased transmission from student migration

The government is continuing to prioritise mental health and wellbeing support for children, young people, and staff following the return to education on 8 March. The Department for Education has convened a Mental Health in Education Action Group. The action group will look at the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the mental health and wellbeing of children, young people and staff in nurseries, schools, colleges, and universities. It will consider how to support mental wellbeing as children and young people are returning to education settings, with transitions between education settings in September, and in the longer term. As we consider how best to support the education sector moving forward, we will consider access to outdoor spaces in that context.

In the first instance the group are engaging with health experts to bring together the evidence of impact on children and young people. The group will identify the existing range of support available and will examine how to ensure support is easy to access and has the greatest possible impact. They are also engaging with education stakeholders, including staff and leadership unions, to ensure that we understand the issues that are facing staff in nurseries, schools, colleges, and universities and how they can be supported in the coming months.

This year, we will invest up to £220 million in our Holiday Activities and Food programme. Delivery began at Easter and will run during the summer and Christmas holidays in 2021, supporting disadvantaged pupils and their families with enriching activities, providing them with healthy food, helping them to learn new things and improving socialisation.

Given the extremely challenging global supply context for devices, the Department has had to make difficult decisions about where provision is needed most. In Autumn 2020, following conversations with school leaders, the decision was taken to allocate devices to children in Key Stage 2 and above on the basis that children in younger years would be unlikely to be working on a laptop or tablet independently.

The Department’s guidance on remote education acknowledges that younger children often require high levels of parental involvement to support their engagement with remote education, which makes digital provision a particular challenge for this age group. We do not expect that solely digital means will be used to teach these pupils remotely.

We continue to review the eligibility criteria for the Get Help with Technology Scheme to ensure we meet the needs of disadvantaged children and young people.

The School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) provides independent advice to my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, on school teachers’ pay and conditions in England.

The STRB’s 30^th report analysed the evidence given by the Department and relevant organisations and made recommendations for teachers’ and school leaders’ pay. The Government responded to the report in Parliament and accepted the recommendations in full for the September 2020 pay award. As a result, teachers received an average pay award of 3.1% this year.

We are currently developing our written evidence to support the STRB’s consideration of the 2021 pay award for teachers. Her Majesty’s Treasury has already published evidence that sets out the rationale for the pause on pay for the majority of public sector workers, including teachers.

The Government will reassess the pay policy ahead of issuing the remit for the 2022-23 pay award, once the economic recovery is established and the impact of COVID-19 on the wider labour market is clearer.

The number of local authority-maintained schools in receipt of the Service Child element of the Pupil Premium in each of the last five years are shown below. The figures have decreased over the period due to the number of academy conversions in that time. The figures for financial year 2020/21 are also shown but are provisional, as the new and growing schools are due to be incorporated in the final quarterly update later this year.

Schools are free to decide the best approach for their free school meal pupils. They can provide lunch parcels, locally arranged vouchers, or they can use the national voucher scheme which re-opened for schools to order vouchers on Monday 18 January. Any support provided since 4 January 2021 through lunch parcels or locally arranged vouchers can be claimed back from the department.

Universities and private accommodation providers are autonomous and responsible for setting their own rent agreements. The government plays no direct role in the provision of student accommodation.

This has been a very difficult time for students, and we encourage universities and accommodation providers to review their accommodation policies to ensure they are fair, transparent and have the best interests of students at heart.

We recognise that in these exceptional circumstances some students may face financial hardship. The Department for Education has worked with the Office for Students to clarify that providers are able to draw on existing funds, worth around £256 million for academic year 2020/21, towards hardship support. The government is making available up to a further £20 million on a one-off basis to support those that need it most, particularly disadvantaged students. As my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, said on the 7 January 2021, we are considering what more we can do to provide further support to students.

Maintenance loans are available as a contribution towards a student’s living costs while attending university. The system targets the most living cost support at those from the lowest income families, who need it most.

Students undertaking courses that would normally require attendance on-site, but for which learning has moved either fully or partially online due to the COVID-19 outbreak, will qualify for living costs support in the 2020/21 academic year as they would ordinarily, provided they continue to engage with their higher education provider. This also applies when the student is prevented from attending the course physically and is required to study online due to shielding.

If students have concerns about their accommodation fees, they should first raise their concerns with their accommodation provider. If their concerns remain unresolved, and their higher education provider is involved in the provision of the accommodation, students at providers in England or Wales can ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education to consider their complaint.

If a student thinks their accommodation provider is treating them unfairly, they can raise a complaint under the accommodation codes of practice as long as their provider is a code member. The codes can be found at: https://www.thesac.org.uk/, https://www.unipol.org.uk/the-code/how-to-complain and https://www.rla.org.uk/about/nrla-code-of-practice.shtml.

The Government is investing over £300 million to support access to remote education and online social care services, including securing over one million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people. This includes over 560,000 laptops and tablets that have already been delivered to schools, trusts and local authorities in 2020.

The laptops and tablets are the property of the school, local authority or academy trust, and they should assume responsibility for their ongoing maintenance and support as part of this. The Department will not apply financial penalties for devices that are lost or stolen and schools – academy trusts and local authorities should manage devices reported as lost or stolen, in line with their organisational policies.

If a device develops a fault that is not caused by a user, the school, local authority or academy trust that owns it can request a free replacement.

The safety and wellbeing of staff and students in higher education (HE) is always our priority. The government is doing all it can to minimise the risks to those working and studying in our HE institutions in this unprecedented situation, whilst mitigating the impact on education.

The government is committed to prioritising education and wants to enable all students who have travelled home for the winter break to return to their universities and resume their studies. On 2 December 2020, we published guidance on students returning to higher education for the spring term, which sets out our plans for staggering the return of students over a 5-week period. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/students-returning-to-higher-education-from-spring-term.

Practical and placement students should return first, in line with their planned start dates, from 4 January to the week commencing 18 January 2021. HE providers will need to make an assessment of the courses and students that should be allowed to return first, based on the requirements of the curriculum and the need for practical face-to-face learning and equipment. Students on all remaining courses should be offered online learning from the beginning of term so they can continue their studies at home, and should be asked to return to their university over a 2-week period from 25 January.

Testing students on return to campus is a key part of the plan for January and all students should be tested in order to protect themselves, others on campus and the wider community. The Department for Education is actively working with the Department for Health and Social Care to ensure that all HE providers can deliver government supported asymptomatic test sites utilising lateral flow devices, which will help to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission during the staggered return.

Personal protective equipment and kits will be provided to HE providers at no cost, along with access to digital solutions, training and clinical guidance to support testing. A cost recovery model is also in place for providers to recover costs for workforce, site set up and site furnishings.

We recognise that this year has been incredibly difficult for students and that, in these exceptional circumstances, some may face financial hardship. I have announced that we are making available up to £20 million on a one-off basis to support those that need it most, particularly disadvantaged students.

The safety and wellbeing of staff and students in higher education (HE) is always our priority. The government is doing all it can to minimise the risks to those working and studying in our HE institutions in this unprecedented situation, whilst mitigating the impact on education.

The government is committed to prioritising education and wants to enable all students who have travelled home for the winter break to return to their universities and resume their studies. On 2 December 2020, we published guidance on students returning to higher education for the spring term, which sets out our plans for staggering the return of students over a 5-week period. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/students-returning-to-higher-education-from-spring-term.

Practical and placement students should return first, in line with their planned start dates, from 4 January to the week commencing 18 January 2021. HE providers will need to make an assessment of the courses and students that should be allowed to return first, based on the requirements of the curriculum and the need for practical face-to-face learning and equipment. Students on all remaining courses should be offered online learning from the beginning of term so they can continue their studies at home, and should be asked to return to their university over a 2-week period from 25 January.

Testing students on return to campus is a key part of the plan for January and all students should be tested in order to protect themselves, others on campus and the wider community. The Department for Education is actively working with the Department for Health and Social Care to ensure that all HE providers can deliver government supported asymptomatic test sites utilising lateral flow devices, which will help to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission during the staggered return.

Personal protective equipment and kits will be provided to HE providers at no cost, along with access to digital solutions, training and clinical guidance to support testing. A cost recovery model is also in place for providers to recover costs for workforce, site set up and site furnishings.

We recognise that this year has been incredibly difficult for students and that, in these exceptional circumstances, some may face financial hardship. I have announced that we are making available up to £20 million on a one-off basis to support those that need it most, particularly disadvantaged students.

Guidance regarding testing for universities at the end of the spring term will be published in due course.

Work is ongoing between the Department for Education, Department for Health and Social Care and the higher education sector to ensure that students are able to travel to and from their places of study over the Christmas break and to get tested before departure and upon return.

The results of this work will inform the guidance for the end of spring, which we will publish with sufficient time for higher education institutions to plan.

The safety and wellbeing of staff and students in higher education (HE) is always our priority. The government is doing all it can to minimise the risks to those working and studying in our HE institutions in this unprecedented situation, whilst mitigating the impact on education.

The government is committed to prioritising education and want to enable all students who have travelled home for the winter break to return to their universities and resume blended learning. On 2 December, we published guidance on students returning to HE for the spring term in 2021, which sets out our plans for staggering the return of students over a 5-week period: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/students-returning-to-higher-education-from-spring-term.

Practical and placement students should return first, in line with their planned start dates, from 4 January to week commencing 18 January 2021. Students on all remaining courses should be offered online learning from the beginning of term so they can continue their studies at home, and should be asked to return to their university over a 2-week period from 25 January.

The safety and wellbeing of staff and students in higher education (HE) is always our priority. The government is doing all it can to minimise the risks to those working and studying in our HE institutions in this unprecedented situation, whilst mitigating the impact on education.

On 2 December, we published guidance on students returning to HE for the spring term in 2021: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/students-returning-to-higher-education-from-spring-term.

HE providers are autonomous institutions, independent from government, and have a responsibility to students when delivering services, including the provision of pastoral support, and taking steps to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of students. It is vitally important that this support is in place, particularly for self-isolating students.

I have previously written to Vice Chancellors, asking them to ensure that self-isolating students have a range of choices available for access to food and other essential supplies. This includes providing food to those that need it and facilitating deliveries that will not require students to leave the accommodation where they are self-isolating. We expect this support to continue in the spring term.

Many HE providers have already bolstered their existing mental health services and adapted delivery mechanisms, including reaching out to students who may be more vulnerable. Staff at universities and colleges have responded quickly to the need to transform mental health and wellbeing services, showing resourcefulness, and there are many examples of good practice.

To support with this important work, we have worked closely with the Office for Students to help clarify that HE providers can draw upon existing funding to increase hardship funds and support disadvantaged students impacted by COVID-19. Providers are able to use the funding, worth around £256 million for the academic year 2020-21 starting from August, towards student hardship funds, including the purchase of IT equipment and mental health support. We have also confirmed that Student Space, which bridges any gaps in mental health support for students arising from this unprecedented situation, has been extended to cover the 2020-21 academic year. The Student Space website is available here: https://studentspace.org.uk/.

Furthermore, we will be making available up to £20 million on a one-off basis to support those that need it most, particularly disadvantaged students. Further detail will be set out in due course.

The government recognises the importance of supporting the early years sector financially during the COVID-19 outbreak. This is why we are continuing to fund local authorities for the autumn term 2020 at the same level as before the COVID-19 outbreak, giving all nurseries and childminders another term of secure income, regardless of how many children are attending childcare settings.

Additionally, the government has provided a package of support for individuals and businesses across all local authorities which providers of childcare can benefit from. This includes business rates relief and grants, and the extended Self-Employment Income Support Scheme. As private nurseries typically rely on private income for a significant proportion of their income, unlike most state-funded schools, they are able to access support to furlough their staff via the extended Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme (CJRS). The CJRS will remain open until March 2021.

Early years settings will continue to benefit from a planned £3.6 billion funding in the 2020/21 financial year to create free early education and childcare places. On 25 November 2020, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced a further £44 million investment for the 2021/22 financial year, allowing local authorities to increase hourly rates paid to childcare providers for the government’s free childcare entitlement offers. This is inclusive of the Hampshire local authority and the Portsmouth South constituency. Further information on how this will be distributed will be made available as soon as possible.

We continue to work with the early years sector to understand how they can be best supported to ensure that sufficient safe, appropriate and affordable childcare is available for those returning to work now, and for all families who need it in the longer term. Local authorities are best placed to monitor and manage their local childcare market and have responsibility for ensuring sufficient childcare places.

Levelling up outcomes for disadvantaged children is a priority for the government, and the Sutton Trust report rightly highlights that the early years of a child’s education are crucial.

That is why the government has prioritised getting children back into nurseries as quickly as possible, where they can be fully supported during this crucial period for their development. Since 1 June 2020, early years settings have been able to welcome back children of all ages.

We are continuing to provide extra security to nurseries and childminders that are open. We will do this by paying local authorities for the autumn term for childcare places at the level we would have funded before the COVID-19 outbreak, regardless of how many children are attending.

Children in reception year, who may have missed time in formal early education settings at the outset of the COVID-19 outbreak, will benefit from the government’s £650 million catch up premium for schools, to ensure they have the support they need to make up for lost teaching time. Additionally, up to £9 million of the National Tutoring Programme fund will go towards improving the language skills of reception age children who need it most. We are working with the Education Endowment Foundation to make training and resources for the Nuffield Early Language Intervention available at no cost to schools that would particularly benefit.

It is unlikely that removing our funding will have any significant effect on the Lifetime Skills Guarantee. This is because Unionlearn support is focused on supporting people at Level 2 and below where the existing Adult entitlement provides fully funded Government support for adults without English and Maths at Level 2 or Digital Skills (Level 1). Out of the 200,000 people they help each year, only about 3,000 are undertaking learning at Level 3 or above.

The Lifetime Skills Guarantee is part of the significant £2.5 billion investment in the National Skills Fund. It will offer support to all adults lacking a Level 3 qualification, it will provide digital boot camps to support employers in filling vacancies and a Lifelong Loan Entitlement, which will provide individuals with an entitlement to 4 years of loan funding to use over their lifetime.

As such the Lifelong Learning Guarantee and the National Skills Fund has the capacity to take on any individuals who might have undertaken Level 3 learning with the support of the Union Learning Fund.

Education on financial matters ensures that pupils are well prepared to manage their money, make sound financial decisions and know where to seek further information, if required. In 2014, for the first time, financial literacy was made statutory within the National Curriculum as part of the citizenship curriculum for 11 to 16 year olds.

The Department also introduced a rigorous mathematics curriculum, which provides pupils with the knowledge and skills to make important financial decisions. The Government has published statutory programmes of study for mathematics and citizenship that outline what pupils should learn about financial education from key stages one to four.

In the primary mathematics curriculum, there is a strong emphasis on the arithmetic that pupils should have. This knowledge is vital, as a strong understanding of numeracy and numbers will underpin the pupils’ ability to manage budgets and money. There is also some specific content about financial education such as calculations with money.

The Department trusts schools to use their professional judgement and understanding of their pupils to develop the right teaching approach for their particular school, drawing on the expertise of subject associations and organisations such as Young Money.

Schools should have resumed teaching an ambitious and broad curriculum in all subjects from the start of the autumn term. This means that all pupils will be taught a wide range of subjects so they can maintain their choices for further study and employment. The Department’s latest guidance on teaching to support children is set out here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

The Department supports wider initiatives that aim to improve financial confidence, such as Talk Money Week, led by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS). Talk Money Week is a platform for all UK citizens that aims to encourage open discussions at home, within families and at school about managing money. More information is available at: https://maps.org.uk/talk-money-week/.

The Department does not plan to make its own assessment of the contribution of Talk Money Week to improving the provision of financial education at primary education level. We will continue to work closely with the MaPS and other stakeholders such as Her Majesty’s Treasury to consider what can be learnt from such initiatives and how to provide further support for the teaching of financial education in schools.

The government is committed to ensuring that students who wish to return home for the winter break are able to do so. It is essential that measures are put in place to ensure this can happen as safely as possible for students, staff and the communities that they return to.

On 11 November, the department published guidance for providers on the plans for the end of the autumn term, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/student-movement-and-plans-for-the-end-of-autumn-2020-term#specific-support-for-students.

As outlined in the guidance, we expect higher education (HE) providers to support students to return home following the period of national restrictions, whilst mitigating the risk of transmission of the virus. We are asking that students return home once the national restrictions have been lifted, in a “student travel window” lasting from 3-9 December. This should be in line with specific arrangements put in place by their HE provider, which should include a staggered end to face-to-face provision, with learning being moved online by 9 December.

We are also working closely with universities and the Department for Health and Social Care to roll out mass testing for students and we will offer this to as many students as possible before they travel home, targeting this in areas of high prevalence of COVID-19. This will help to provide further confidence that students can leave safely if they test negative. If a student tests positive before their departure, they will need to remain in self-isolation, following the relevant guidance. Moving all learning online by 9 December allows enough time for students to complete the isolation period before returning home for Christmas.

The government recognises the significant challenges that the COVID-19 outbreak has presented for children and young people, and their families, and that the impact is likely to be greater for some groups, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Supporting children and young people with SEND continues to be a priority for this government, and their wellbeing has been central to our response throughout the outbreak.

As my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, made clear in his statement of 31 October 2020, our priority remains keeping all early years settings, schools and colleges open to children and young people during the lockdown period, which commenced on 5 November 2020. Schools and colleges should continue to ensure that children and young people with SEND receive the education, therapeutic or specialist support required to enable them to successfully engage with school or college, and to support their wellbeing, during this period.

Where a child or young person with SEND has provision specified within their Education, Health and Care plan, it remains the duty of the local authority and relevant health bodies to secure or arrange the delivery of this provision. The department will continue to closely monitor the provision of services and support for those with SEND during the COVID-19 outbreak and engage with local authorities where there appear to be issues. For children and young people with SEND who require health services, the new regulations in effect from 5 November 2020 specifically allow access to medical services, whether they are delivered at home, in an educational setting or in the community. Furthermore, we recognise the importance of respite care for disabled children and young people, and their families. That is why parents and carers may continue to access respite care, to support them in caring for their disabled children while the new national restrictions are in force.

Local authorities have also been allocated a further £4.6 billion to help their communities through the COVID-19 outbreak. This funding is un-ringfenced, recognising that local authorities are best placed to decide how to meet the major COVID-19 outbreak service pressures in their local area, including children’s services. This year, we have also committed £37.3 million (including £10 million in response to the COVID-19 outbreak) to the Family Fund, which provides grants to low-income families caring for disabled children or seriously ill children.

The safety and wellbeing of staff and students in higher education is always our priority. The government is doing all it can to minimise the risks to those working and studying in our higher education institutions, during this unprecedented situation, whilst mitigating the impact on education.

As my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced to the House on Tuesday 29 September, the department is working with universities to make sure that all students are supported to return home safely and spend Christmas with their loved ones, if they choose to do so.

We are working through measures to mitigate transmission risks and why we are planning to publish guidance on students returning home safely at Christmas.

The safety and wellbeing of staff and students in higher education (HE) and the wider community is always our priority. The government is doing all it can to minimise the risks of COVID-19 transmission in this unprecedented situation.

Our system of HE tiers, as set out in guidance, intends to help universities identify the appropriate restrictions to impose on their educational provision in response to a COVID-19 outbreak. This is particularly important when there is a change to the local COVID alert level. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses.

We have worked to ensure that all universities have outbreak plans. These have been shared with local Directors of Public Health and continue to be reviewed and updated based on emerging lessons and local situations, including changes to the local COVID alert level. The plans cover a range of scenarios and will ensure that HE providers are prepared to respond quickly to an outbreak in their educational setting or wider community.

Implementation of these plans is for the universities themselves, working with local public health and local authority colleagues.

The safety and wellbeing of staff and students in higher education (HE) and the wider community is always our priority. The government is doing all it can to minimise the risks of transmission in this unprecedented situation.

We are working across the government, and closely with the HE sector, to provide both practical and financial support through the COVID-19 outbreak. On 4 May, we announced the HE stabilisation package which reprofiled public funding and introduced measures to stabilise admissions with a view to mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on HE providers’ finances. This package, along with the government-backed business support schemes, provided substantial support to the HE sector. On 27 June, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy announced further support to preserve research capacity and capability in the Research Stabilisation Package. On 16 July, we also announced further information about the Higher Education Restructuring Regime, which will review providers’ circumstances and assess the need for restructuring, financial support and come with strict conditions to align with wider government objectives.

Further to this, we have also published reopening guidance to universities informed by advice from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies. We are lifting caps on domestic medicine and dentistry courses for the 2020/21 academic year and providing both additional capital and teaching grant funding. Importantly, we are supporting providers to protect students’ mental health and wellbeing, having clarified that providers can use funding worth £256 million for the academic year 2020/21, starting from August, towards student hardship funds and mental health support. Additionally, the Office for Students has provided up to £3 million to fund the Student Space platform to bridge gaps in mental health support for students.

We will continue to draw upon the expertise of the Higher Education Taskforce to identify COVID-19 related challenges faced by HE providers and students. We will keep policies under review as the situation evolves, based on the latest advice from Public Health England and evidence of the effectiveness of interventions and support for students and providers.

Schools and colleges have an important role to play in supporting the health and well-being of children and young people. We recognise that playing and learning outside is a fundamental part of childhood and supports children’s health and wellbeing. We also know that some children have good access to natural spaces whilst others do not, such as those living in areas of high disadvantage.

We want headteachers to have as much discretion as possible over how they use their funding. It is for schools to decide what teaching approaches and wider pastoral and extra-curricular activity to put in place, as part of a whole school approach, based on the needs of their pupils and drawing on evidence of effective practice. Schools’ core funding in financial years is rising by £2.6 billion in 2020-21, £4.8 billion in 2021-22 and £7.1 billion in 2022-23, compared to 2019-20 funding levels.

To support children from disadvantaged backgrounds to have better access to natural environments, the Department for Education is funding the ‘Children and Nature Programme’, working alongside Natural England and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The programme is supporting three delivery projects which include delivering greener grounds and pupil visits to green spaces for schools with the highest proportion of disadvantaged pupils.

I have asked departmental officials to meet with representatives of the Nature Premium campaign to discuss the potential merits further.

Schools and colleges have an important role to play in supporting the health and well-being of children and young people. We recognise that playing and learning outside is a fundamental part of childhood and supports children’s health and wellbeing. We also know that some children have good access to natural spaces whilst others do not, such as those living in areas of high disadvantage.

We want headteachers to have as much discretion as possible over how they use their funding. It is for schools to decide what teaching approaches and wider pastoral and extra-curricular activity to put in place, as part of a whole school approach, based on the needs of their pupils and drawing on evidence of effective practice. Schools’ core funding in financial years is rising by £2.6 billion in 2020-21, £4.8 billion in 2021-22 and £7.1 billion in 2022-23, compared to 2019-20 funding levels.

To support children from disadvantaged backgrounds to have better access to natural environments, the Department for Education is funding the ‘Children and Nature Programme’, working alongside Natural England and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The programme is supporting three delivery projects which include delivering greener grounds and pupil visits to green spaces for schools with the highest proportion of disadvantaged pupils.

I have asked departmental officials to meet with representatives of the Nature Premium campaign to discuss the potential merits further.

Schools and colleges have an important role to play in supporting the health and well-being of children and young people. We recognise that playing and learning outside is a fundamental part of childhood and supports children’s health and wellbeing. We also know that some children have good access to natural spaces whilst others do not, such as those living in areas of high disadvantage.

We want headteachers to have as much discretion as possible over how they use their funding. It is for schools to decide what teaching approaches and wider pastoral and extra-curricular activity to put in place, as part of a whole school approach, based on the needs of their pupils and drawing on evidence of effective practice. Schools’ core funding in financial years is rising by £2.6 billion in 2020-21, £4.8 billion in 2021-22 and £7.1 billion in 2022-23, compared to 2019-20 funding levels.

To support children from disadvantaged backgrounds to have better access to natural environments, the Department for Education is funding the ‘Children and Nature Programme’, working alongside Natural England and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The programme is supporting three delivery projects which include delivering greener grounds and pupil visits to green spaces for schools with the highest proportion of disadvantaged pupils.

I have asked departmental officials to meet with representatives of the Nature Premium campaign to discuss the potential merits further.

In Portsmouth, as set out in national guidance, every further education (FE) provider should ensure they have a strong contingency plan in place for high quality remote education for all students by the end of September, if individuals or groups are asked to isolate, or the setting has to be partially or fully closed. The national guidance can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-further-education-provision/what-fe-colleges-and-providers-will-need-to-do-from-the-start-of-the-2020-autumn-term.

We know that FE providers delivered aspects of provision remotely prior to national lockdown and this has been successfully expanded over recent months, so providers are well placed to respond quickly if the need arises.

Similarly, as set out in the guidance for the full opening of schools, where a pupil is unable to attend a secondary school because they are complying with clinical or public health advice, we expect schools to be able to immediately offer them access to remote education. This guidance can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

This guidance applies equally to sixth form students who may be self-isolating whilst awaiting COVID-19 test results, and seeks to ensure that their education continues until such time as they can return to a school or college setting.

It is vital that students and college staff only get a test if they develop COVID-19 symptoms. If a positive case is confirmed in a college, swift action is being taken to ask those who have been in close contact to self-isolate, and Public Health England’s local health protection teams continue to support and advise colleges in this situation.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) sent an initial supply of 10 test kits to all colleges including sixth form colleges, for those who develop symptoms on site and face significant personal barriers to accessing a test and so would not otherwise seek to get tested. Further education colleges can now place a monthly order for additional test kits, with order limits proportionate to their number of students. We are making this increase in the number of kits available so that colleges are able to prioritise testing for symptomatic staff who cannot access a test - so that if they test negative they can get back to work as quickly as possible and help keep their setting open.

We will work with DHSC to provide updates to our guidance with advice on how to distribute these kits safely. Relevant guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-home-test-kits-for-schools-and-fe-providers/coronavirus-covid-19-home-test-kits-for-schools-and-fe-providers.

All pupils are eligible to be tested if they display symptoms of COVID-19 and should get tested in this scenario. A negative test result will enable pupils to get back into childcare or education once they feel well enough.

Testing capacity is the highest it has ever been and hundreds of thousands of people are being tested every day, but there is currently a significant demand for tests. It is vital that pupils and school staff only get a test if they develop symptoms of COVID-19. The NHS Test and Trace system is fully up and running, but it must stay focused on testing those with true symptoms of COVID-19.

The Government are upscaling testing capacity even further to 500,000 tests a day by the end of October. To support this, the Government has announced the addition of new lighthouse laboratories in Newport and Charnwood to the national lab network, and work is ongoing on plans to expand the UK’s laboratory capacity even further over the coming months.

All schools and colleges have been provided with an initial supply of ten test kits to be used in the exceptional circumstance that an individual becomes symptomatic on site and may have significant personal barriers to accessing testing elsewhere. Schools and colleges can order additional test kits online if they have run out or are running out of test kits.

On 2 July, the Government published guidance for the full opening of schools, including a Public Health England endorsed system of controls which, when implemented alongside the school’s own risk assessment, create an inherently safer environment for children and staff where the risk of transmission of infection is substantially reduced. This guidance can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

As stated in the guidance, schools should make use of their existing resources when welcoming all children back for the autumn. Schools may need to alter the way in which they deploy their staff, and use existing staff more flexibly, to welcome back all pupils at the start of the autumn term. It is important that planning builds in the need to avoid unnecessary and unmanageable workload burdens.

We are providing additional funding to schools to cover unavoidable costs incurred due to the COVID-19 outbreak between March and July that cannot be met from their existing resources. Schools were eligible to claim for: increased premises related costs associated with keeping schools open over the Easter and summer half term holidays; support for free school meals for eligible children who are not in school, where schools are not using the national voucher scheme; and additional cleaning costs required due to confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases, over and above the cost of existing cleaning arrangements.

Schools have also continued to receive their core funding allocations throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. Following last year’s Spending Round, school budgets are rising by £2.6 billion in 2020-21, £4.8 billion in 2021-22 and £7.1 billion in 2022-23, compared to 2019-20.

On 2 July, the Government published guidance for the full opening of schools, including a Public Health England endorsed system of controls which, when implemented alongside the school’s own risk assessment, create an inherently safer environment for children and staff where the risk of transmission of infection is substantially reduced. This guidance can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

As stated in the guidance, schools should make use of their existing resources when welcoming all children back for the autumn. Schools may need to alter the way in which they deploy their staff, and use existing staff more flexibly, to welcome back all pupils at the start of the autumn term. It is important that planning builds in the need to avoid unnecessary and unmanageable workload burdens.

We are providing additional funding to schools to cover unavoidable costs incurred due to the COVID-19 outbreak between March and July that cannot be met from their existing resources. Schools were eligible to claim for: increased premises related costs associated with keeping schools open over the Easter and summer half term holidays; support for free school meals for eligible children who are not in school, where schools are not using the national voucher scheme; and additional cleaning costs required due to confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases, over and above the cost of existing cleaning arrangements.

Schools have also continued to receive their core funding allocations throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. Following last year’s Spending Round, school budgets are rising by £2.6 billion in 2020-21, £4.8 billion in 2021-22 and £7.1 billion in 2022-23, compared to 2019-20.

On 2 July the Department published guidance to help schools prepare for all pupils, in all year groups, to return to school full time from the beginning of the autumn term. The guidance can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

This includes the public health advice schools must follow to minimise the risks of COVID-19 transmission. The public health advice in the guidance makes up a Public Health England (PHE) endorsed ‘system of controls’, building on the hierarchy of protective measures that have been used throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. When implemented in line with a revised risk assessment, these measures create an inherently safer environment for children and staff where the risk of transmission of infection is substantially reduced. Measures include minimising contact between groups and maintaining distance where possible, encouraging regular handwashing, and enhanced cleaning.

The guidance also includes advice to schools on responding to any suspected cases of COVID-19. All staff and pupils should be tested if they develop COVID-19 symptoms, and every school and college that has been attended by someone who tests positive will receive direct support and advice from their local PHE health protection team.

The Department have asked every school to plan for the possibility of local restrictions and how they will ensure continuity of education in exceptional circumstances where there is some level of restriction applied to education or childcare in a local area. The Department of Health and Social Care has published an overview of the tiers of restriction for education and childcare, to be implemented only where absolutely necessary, in its contain framework. This makes clear that we anticipate that education and childcare will usually remain fully open to all. This can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/containing-and-managing-local-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreaks/covid-19-contain-framework-a-guide-for-local-decision-makers.

Guidance has also been published on how schools can plan for tier 2 local restrictions due to the operational challenges that schools could experience. This can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-schools-can-plan-for-tier-2-local-restrictions/how-schools-can-plan-for-tier-2-local-restrictions.

The Department has worked closely with Public Health England (PHE) to publish comprehensive guidance to all schools and colleges on a system of controls which, when implemented, create an inherently safer system where the risk of transmission of the infection is substantially reduced. The guidance can be found here:

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

The majority of staff in schools and colleges will not require personal protective equipment (PPE) beyond what they would normally need for their work. Additional PPE is only needed when in close contact with those with COVID-19 symptoms. Guidance on the use of PPE in education settings is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings-including-the-use-of-personal-protective-equipment-ppe.

Schools and colleges are responsible for sourcing their own PPE and cleaning products. In addition to existing procurement routes, the Government has launched the Crown Commercial Service safer working supplies website and promoted public sector buying organisations through which schools and colleges can access PPE and cleaning products.

To further build resilience across the education sector to respond to any suspected cases arising in schools and colleges, the Department has worked with the Department of Health and Social Care to deliver a one off distribution of PPE to them. The delivery contained clinical face masks, aprons, gloves and visors, as well as the hand sanitiser needed to put on and take off PPE. This PPE has been provided free of change by the DHSC to be used for COVID-19 related purposes in line with the Department’s guidance.

The capacity of the NHS Test and Trace system must be protected for those with symptoms of COVID-19. Booking is essential for drive in and walk in test sites, and under 18s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

In line with our guidance, the home test kits supplied to schools and colleges must be reserved for those who face significant barriers to accessing a test and would not otherwise get tested. The Department of Health and Social Care is emailing all schools and colleges with details of how to access additional test kits. An order may be placed each month for a number of kits proportionate to the number of pupils or students at that school or college. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-home-test-kits-for-schools-and-fe-providers/coronavirus-covid-19-home-test-kits-for-schools-and-fe-providers?utm_source=10%20September%202020%20C19&utm_medium=Daily%20Email%20C19&utm_campaign=DfE%20C19.

No one with symptoms should attend their nursery, school, college or university. In the case of a confirmed positive test for COVID-19, the relevant local health protection team should be contacted immediately. The health protection team will carry out a rapid risk assessment and identify the appropriate next steps.

Shielding advice for all adults and children was paused on 1 August. We now expect all pupils, in all year groups, to return to school full time for the autumn term. On 2 July, the Department published guidance to support schools to do this. While our aim is to have all pupils back in the classroom, every school will need to plan for the possibility of local restrictions and how they will ensure continuity of education.

The Department is committed to the continuation of high-quality remote education during this difficult time and is supporting schools to ensure that it is aligned to their normal provision for their pupils. We expect schools to have a strong contingency plan for remote education in place by the end of September. We have asked schools to look to align the quality of their existing provision with the expectations set out in the published guidance on curriculum and remote education provision: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#section-3-curriculum-behaviour-and-pastoral-support.

We have published a comprehensive range of advice and guidance to support schools. This includes examples of teaching practice during the COVID-19 outbreak, which provides an opportunity for schools to learn from each other’s approaches to remote education. It outlines strategies and techniques that have worked for teachers and school leaders and contains information about effective remote provision. This can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remote-education-practice-for-schools-during-coronavirus-covid-19.

The guidance also includes examples of how schools can support pupils without internet access by, for example, providing physical work packs, which can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remote-education-practice-for-schools-during-coronavirus-covid-19

https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/providing-physical-work-packs-for-pupils-with-limited-or-no-internet-connection.

The Government has already invested over £100 million to help schools and young people continue their education at home and access social care services. This includes investment of over £14 million on technical support to give schools access to cloud based education platforms, nearly £6 million to support a new EdTech demonstrator school network, and over £85 million to provide laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers to young people who would not otherwise have access. The Department is now supplementing this support by making an initial 150,000 additional devices available in the event that face to face schooling becomes disrupted as a result of local COVID-19 restrictions. These should be used to enable disadvantaged children in years 3 to 11 to continue to access remote education.

The Department has also supported sector-led initiatives, like Oak National Academy, which launched on 20 April. By 12 July, 4.7 million unique users had accessed the Oak National Academy website and 16.1 million lessons had been viewed. The Department has made £4.84 million available for Oak National Academy both for the summer term of the academic year 2019-20, and then for the 2020-21 academic year to provide video lessons for reception up to year 11. This will include specialist content for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. Oak will remain a free optional resource for 2020-21.

Shielding advice for all adults and children was paused on 1 August. We now expect all pupils, in all year groups, to return to school full time for the autumn term. On 2 July, the Department published guidance to support schools to do this. While our aim is to have all pupils back in the classroom, every school will need to plan for the possibility of local restrictions and how they will ensure continuity of education.

The Department is committed to the continuation of high-quality remote education during this difficult time and is supporting schools to ensure that it is aligned to their normal provision for their pupils. We expect schools to have a strong contingency plan for remote education in place by the end of September. We have asked schools to look to align the quality of their existing provision with the expectations set out in the published guidance on curriculum and remote education provision: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#section-3-curriculum-behaviour-and-pastoral-support.

We have published a comprehensive range of advice and guidance to support schools. This includes examples of teaching practice during the COVID-19 outbreak, which provides an opportunity for schools to learn from each other’s approaches to remote education. It outlines strategies and techniques that have worked for teachers and school leaders and contains information about effective remote provision. This can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remote-education-practice-for-schools-during-coronavirus-covid-19.

The guidance also includes examples of how schools can support pupils without internet access by, for example, providing physical work packs, which can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remote-education-practice-for-schools-during-coronavirus-covid-19

https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/providing-physical-work-packs-for-pupils-with-limited-or-no-internet-connection.

The Government has already invested over £100 million to help schools and young people continue their education at home and access social care services. This includes investment of over £14 million on technical support to give schools access to cloud based education platforms, nearly £6 million to support a new EdTech demonstrator school network, and over £85 million to provide laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers to young people who would not otherwise have access. The Department is now supplementing this support by making an initial 150,000 additional devices available in the event that face to face schooling becomes disrupted as a result of local COVID-19 restrictions. These should be used to enable disadvantaged children in years 3 to 11 to continue to access remote education.

The Department has also supported sector-led initiatives, like Oak National Academy, which launched on 20 April. By 12 July, 4.7 million unique users had accessed the Oak National Academy website and 16.1 million lessons had been viewed. The Department has made £4.84 million available for Oak National Academy both for the summer term of the academic year 2019-20, and then for the 2020-21 academic year to provide video lessons for reception up to year 11. This will include specialist content for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. Oak will remain a free optional resource for 2020-21.

On 2 July we published guidance to help schools prepare for all pupils, in all year groups, to return to school full-time from the beginning of the autumn term. The guidance can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

The above guidance sets out a system of controls which provide a framework for school leaders to put in place a range of proportionate protective measures for children and staff, which also ensure that all pupils receive a high quality education that enables them to thrive and progress. Measures include minimising contacts between groups and maintaining distance where possible, encouraging regular handwashing, and enhanced cleaning.

This includes advice that once the school is in operation, it is important to ensure good ventilation and maximise this wherever possible, for example, by opening windows and propping open doors, as long as they are not fire doors, where safe to do so (bearing in mind safeguarding in particular). Arrangements for ventilation will vary in each setting based on individual circumstances.

Advice on this can be found in Health and Safety Executive guidance on air conditioning and ventilation during the COVID-19 outbreak available at https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/equipment-and-machinery/air-conditioning-and-ventilation.htm.

On 2 July we published guidance to help schools prepare for all pupils, in all year groups, to return to school full-time from the beginning of the autumn term. The guidance can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

The above guidance sets out a system of controls which provide a framework for school leaders to put in place a range of proportionate protective measures for children and staff, which also ensure that all pupils receive a high quality education that enables them to thrive and progress. Measures include minimising contacts between groups and maintaining distance where possible, encouraging regular handwashing, and enhanced cleaning.

This includes advice that once the school is in operation, it is important to ensure good ventilation and maximise this wherever possible, for example, by opening windows and propping open doors, as long as they are not fire doors, where safe to do so (bearing in mind safeguarding in particular). Arrangements for ventilation will vary in each setting based on individual circumstances.

Advice on this can be found in Health and Safety Executive guidance on air conditioning and ventilation during the COVID-19 outbreak available at https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/equipment-and-machinery/air-conditioning-and-ventilation.htm.

The Government is grateful for the continued hard work of head teachers, teachers and support staff in their efforts to ensure that all pupils, in all year groups, have been able to return to school full-time from the beginning of the autumn term.

Our guidance for the full opening of schools recognises that schools may need to alter the way in which they deploy their staff and use existing staff more flexibly. Managers should discuss and agree any changes to staff roles with individuals. It is important that planning builds in the need to avoid increases in unnecessary and unmanageable workload burdens. The Department has published a range of resources, including case studies to support remote education, that help address staff workload: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/case-studies-remote-education-practice-for-schools-during-coronavirus-covid-19

Over the next few months, we will continue to work closely with school leaders, teachers and their representatives to continue to address workload issues and provide support for schools.

We appreciate that many private candidates will be concerned about their GCSE results. We know that the COVID-19 outbreak is likely to affect the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people, including in the longer term.

We have been working with health partners such as Public Health England and Health Education England to provide resources and guidance to support and promote the mental health of children and young people during the COVID-19 outbreak. We have signposted resources on supporting and promoting mental wellbeing in the list of resources to help children who are learning at home. The government has also provided additional funding to mental health charities to adapt, expand and reach out to those children who are most vulnerable. The list of resources is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources#mental-wellbeing.

The Ofqual guidance for teachers, students, parents and carers explains the options available for private candidates to be awarded grades this year. Ofqual has asked organisations that represent further education providers to consider steps that they could take when making admissions decisions this summer for any private candidates who do not receive a grade. We understand that institutions will consider a range of other evidence and information for these students to allow them to progress wherever possible. The Ofqual guidance is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/awarding-qualifications-in-summer-2020.

There will be an opportunity for students to sit exams in the autumn term, if they feel their calculated grade does not reflect their ability.

The Government's plan is for all pupils, in all year groups, to return to school full-time from the beginning of the autumn term, and on 2 July we published guidance to help schools prepare for this. The guidance can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

As part of this guidance, we are asking all school leaders to put measures in place to minimise the risk of transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) in their school. This includes implementing a Public Health England (PHE) endorsed ‘system of controls’ that includes: ensuring that people who have symptoms do not attend school, robust hand and respiratory hygiene, enhanced cleaning arrangements, active engagement with NHS Test and Trace, and minimising contact and maintaining distance between individuals wherever possible.

Alongside this, schools have a legal obligation to protect their employees, and others, from harm and should continue to assess health and safety risks. We are asking schools to thoroughly review their health and safety risk assessments and draw up plans for the autumn term that address the risks identified using the system of controls described above.

If schools follow the guidance we have set out they will effectively reduce risks and create an inherently safer environment for pupils and staff. On that basis, schools are advised that all teachers and other staff can operate across different classes and year groups in order to facilitate the delivery of the school timetable. Our guidance makes clear that where staff need to move between classes and year groups, they should try to keep their distance from pupils and other staff as much as they can, ideally 2 metres from other adults. Schools should ensure they have explained to all staff the measures they are proposing to put in place and involve all staff in that process.

The guidance also sets out that supply staff and other temporary workers can move between schools. Where it is necessary to use supply staff or other temporary teachers, those individuals will be expected to comply with the school’s arrangements for managing and minimising risk, including taking particular care to maintain distance from other staff and pupils. To minimise the numbers of temporary staff entering the school premises, and secure best value, we have suggested that schools may wish to use longer assignments with supply teachers and agree a minimum number of hours across the academic year.

The Government has been clear that our plan is for all pupils, in all year groups, to return to school full-time from the beginning of the autumn term and on 2 July we published guidance to help schools prepare for this. The guidance can be viewed at:

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

This guidance advises schools to ensure there is good ventilation in classrooms and directs them to the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance on air conditioning and ventilation during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Arrangements for ventilation will vary in each setting based on individual circumstances. As normal, schools will need to continue to ensure good ventilation during the winter heating period.

The Government's plan is for all pupils, in all year groups, to return to school full-time from the beginning of the autumn term, and on 2 July we published guidance to help schools prepare for this. The guidance can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

As part of this guidance, we are asking all school leaders to put measures in place to minimise the risk of transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) in their school. This includes implementing a Public Health England (PHE) endorsed ‘system of controls’ that includes: ensuring that people who have symptoms do not attend school, robust hand and respiratory hygiene, enhanced cleaning arrangements, active engagement with NHS Test and Trace, and minimising contact and maintaining distance between individuals wherever possible.

Alongside this, schools have a legal obligation to protect their employees, and others, from harm and should continue to assess health and safety risks. We are asking schools to thoroughly review their health and safety risk assessments and draw up plans for the autumn term that address the risks identified using the system of controls described above.

If schools follow the guidance we have set out they will effectively reduce risks and create an inherently safer environment for pupils and staff. On that basis, schools are advised that all teachers and other staff can operate across different classes and year groups in order to facilitate the delivery of the school timetable. Our guidance makes clear that where staff need to move between classes and year groups, they should try to keep their distance from pupils and other staff as much as they can, ideally 2 metres from other adults. Schools should ensure they have explained to all staff the measures they are proposing to put in place and involve all staff in that process.

The guidance also sets out that supply staff and other temporary workers can move between schools. Where it is necessary to use supply staff or other temporary teachers, those individuals will be expected to comply with the school’s arrangements for managing and minimising risk, including taking particular care to maintain distance from other staff and pupils. To minimise the numbers of temporary staff entering the school premises, and secure best value, we have suggested that schools may wish to use longer assignments with supply teachers and agree a minimum number of hours across the academic year.

The Government's plan is for all pupils, in all year groups, to return to school full-time from the beginning of the autumn term, and on 2 July we published guidance to help schools prepare for this. The guidance can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

As part of this guidance, we are asking all school leaders to put measures in place to minimise the risk of transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) in their school. This includes implementing a Public Health England (PHE) endorsed ‘system of controls’ that includes: ensuring that people who have symptoms do not attend school, robust hand and respiratory hygiene, enhanced cleaning arrangements, active engagement with NHS Test and Trace, and minimising contact and maintaining distance between individuals wherever possible.

Alongside this, schools have a legal obligation to protect their employees, and others, from harm and should continue to assess health and safety risks. We are asking schools to thoroughly review their health and safety risk assessments and draw up plans for the autumn term that address the risks identified using the system of controls described above.

If schools follow the guidance we have set out they will effectively reduce risks and create an inherently safer environment for pupils and staff. On that basis, schools are advised that all teachers and other staff can operate across different classes and year groups in order to facilitate the delivery of the school timetable. Our guidance makes clear that where staff need to move between classes and year groups, they should try to keep their distance from pupils and other staff as much as they can, ideally 2 metres from other adults. Schools should ensure they have explained to all staff the measures they are proposing to put in place and involve all staff in that process.

The guidance also sets out that supply staff and other temporary workers can move between schools. Where it is necessary to use supply staff or other temporary teachers, those individuals will be expected to comply with the school’s arrangements for managing and minimising risk, including taking particular care to maintain distance from other staff and pupils. To minimise the numbers of temporary staff entering the school premises, and secure best value, we have suggested that schools may wish to use longer assignments with supply teachers and agree a minimum number of hours across the academic year.

The design and construction standards for new school buildings are under regular review to reflect any changes in regulations or best practice nationally. There are no plans at present to review Building Bulletin 103.

The design and construction standards for new school buildings are under regular review to reflect any changes in regulations or best practice nationally. There are no plans at present to review Building Bulletin 103.

The design and construction standards for new school buildings are under regular review to reflect any changes in regulations or best practice nationally. There are no plans at present to review Building Bulletin 103.

We have no plans to instruct schools to operate throughout summer.

We understand that the COVID-19 outbreak has caused disruption to young people’s education as teachers and parents have had to adapt to remote education. We are doing everything possible to make sure every child, whatever their background, has the support they need to deal with the impact of COVID-19 on their education and wellbeing and are working with partners to consider the best ways to deliver this ongoing support.

The School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) covers the pay and conditions for teachers in maintained schools in England, and requires that teachers must be available to teach for 190 days each year. There are no plans to review this.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, we know that many schools have implemented a rota system so that any staff who are asked to work during a holiday period will have time off during normal term time. Teachers and other school staff will continue to be paid during this period as normal, and we expect schools to continue to fulfill their contractual duties to their staff.

Responsibility for the pay and conditions of support staff lies at a local level with headteachers and school employers; they are best placed to use their professional judgement to set terms and conditions to suit local circumstances.

Non-maintained schools, including academies and free schools, are responsible for determining the pay and conditions of their staff themselves; such schools are not obliged to follow the statutory arrangements set out in the STPCD, although they may still choose to do so if they wish.

The government remains committed to promoting and supporting the mental health of children and young people. Access to mental health support is more important than ever during the COVID-19 outbreak. NHS services remain open and leading mental health charities are being supported to deliver additional services through the £5 million Coronavirus Mental Health Response Fund. The NHS is also setting up 24/7 open access telephone lines for urgent mental health support for people of all ages.

The return to school will in itself be part of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of pupils as attendance enables social interaction with peers, carers and teachers. Pupil wellbeing is an important consideration within our guidance on actions for educational and childcare settings as they prepare for wider opening from 1 June 2020, which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-educational-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020.

It is also included as a specific theme in the planning framework the department has issued, which is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-educational-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020/opening-schools-for-more-children-and-young-people-initial-planning-framework-for-schools-in-england.

We are working with the Department of Health and Social Care to put in place further specific support. This includes training for teachers, such as a new module developed with clinical experts on how to teach about mental health in health education https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-mental-wellbeing

as well advice seminars, £750k of funding to three organisations extend support and advice to schools on tackling bullying, and grants to the Education Support Partnership and Timewise to support teachers’ mental health and flexible working.

Where children do not return, schools can continue to support their mental wellbeing.

Public Health England and Health Education England have developed advice and guidance for parents and professionals on supporting children and young people's mental health and wellbeing, which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-supporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing.

The department has signposted resources on supporting and promoting mental wellbeing among the list of resources to help children to learn at home. BBC Bitesize have worked with the department to provide content with substantial focus on mental health, wellbeing and pastoral care, which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources.

The department is also working across government to consider what further resources and support including bereavement support might be appropriate to support children and young people during this outbreak.

We are committed to ensuring the safety and protection of vulnerable children and young people, particularly during the current period. This is why education settings remained open for these children and local authorities are maintaining contact with them.

Vulnerable children and young people across all year groups continue to be expected to attend educational provision where it is appropriate for them to do so. This should remain a priority for educational providers and local authorities, including as some year groups begin to return to on-site provision.

Where vulnerable children are not attending an educational setting, we have asked local authorities, schools and colleges to continue to keep in touch with them. Our new regional education care teams, comprising education and social care staff from the department and Ofsted, are working with local authorities directly to ensure their systems and processes for maintaining contact with vulnerable children are robust.

To ensure children and young people can maintain contact with a social worker, we are providing laptops and tablets to children with a social worker who do not have access to a device otherwise, either privately or through school. We are also providing 4G wireless routers to children with a social worker at secondary school in order to support them to maintain contact with their social worker and access remote education independently at home.

Access to mental health support is more important than ever during COVID-19. NHS services remain open and leading mental health charities are being supported to deliver additional services through the £5 million Coronavirus Mental Health Response Fund. The NHS is setting up 24/7 open access telephone lines for urgent mental health support for people of all ages. The department and Public Health England have provided guidance and resources to families and schools to help promote and support good mental health and wellbeing for children and young people. The guidance can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-supporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing/guidance-for-parents-and-carers-on-supporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

Whilst plans for wider opening of schools have been announced from 1 June at the earliest, in the meantime schools continue to be open to priority groups: vulnerable children and children of critical workers.

With significantly reduced pupil numbers, the Department understands that shared provision through multi-school cluster or hub arrangements may be considered. The Department has published guidance on cluster and hub provision which makes it clear that public health should be a priority and that provision through individual schools and settings, where possible, entails fewer people in a single setting and less social contact, and therefore a reduced risk of spreading the virus. The guidance is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/using-clusters-and-hubs-to-maintain-educational-provision/cluster-and-hub-provision-coronavirus-covid-19.

Where schools have no alternative but to close and cannot ‘pair up’ with a neighbouring school, larger hubs may be the only practical alternative. If this is the case, public health should remain a priority and any arrangement should follow the latest guidance on implementing protective measures in education settings, which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings.

Short breaks for carers of disabled children (or ‘respite care’) are funded opportunities, ranging from a few hours to a few days, that allow for disabled children to be cared for away from the family home. Short breaks provide a wide variety of experiences which support children and young people in developing social interaction and communication skills and also promote physical and mental health and develop independence.

Since 2011, local authorities have been under a duty to provide a range of short breaks which must be provided regularly and reliably to meet families’ needs. It is up to local authorities to determine how to deliver these services and it is right that they have the freedom to make decisions based on the needs of their local area.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, local authorities will work with their local providers of short breaks to offer as much flexibility as possible whilst adhering to the government’s guidance to keep children and staff safe. The government has provided £3.2 billion of additional to support local authorities to address pressures they are facing during the COVID-19 outbreak, including in children’s social care and for special educational needs and disabilities services. The government has also announced £750 million of funding to support frontline charities during the outbreak, including those supporting vulnerable children.

On 19 May 2020, we announced £37 million for the Family Fund in 2020-21, who will provide grants to families on low incomes with disabled and critically ill children. £10 million of that funding has been committed specifically due to the unique difficulties presented by the COVID-19 outbreak, helping parents to educate and look after children who are staying at home more than usual. Details of the announcement are at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/37-million-to-support-children-with-complex-needs.

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

Our latest guidance on safeguarding in schools and protecting vulnerable children is set out below:

• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers/coronavirus-covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people

Being at school can be an important lifeline for children who need or have needed a social worker, which is why schools have remained open to them throughout the period of partial closures. Where these children are not attending school, the school should notify the child’s social worker. They should then work together with the local authority/social worker to follow up the reasons for absence, strongly encourage attendance where the social worker agrees this is appropriate, and consider how to keep in touch with the child, including through the provision of remote education, particularly where the social worker agrees that attendance would not be appropriate.

Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) is statutory safeguarding guidance that schools should continue to have regard to as per their legislative duty. To help schools do this we have published safeguarding guidance.

This guidance supports governing bodies, proprietors, senior leadership teams and designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) so they can continue to have appropriate regard to KCSIE and keep their children safe. It suggests where schools might consider safeguarding policy and process differently when compared to business as usual. The guidance is clear that revised child protection policies should, amongst other things, reflect the arrangements in place to keep children not physically attending the school safe, especially online and how concerns about these children should be progressed. The guidance also reflects the continued importance for school staff to work with and support children’s social workers and have access to a trained DSL or deputy.

Designated safeguarding leads, working with social workers are best placed, on a case by case basis, to put support mechanisms in place for individual vulnerable children not attending school, including who will be best placed (from the school) to keep in regular contact with the child.

The department are providing laptops, tablets and routers, as required, for children with social workers and care leavers to help them keep in touch with the services they need.

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

Our latest guidance on safeguarding in schools and protecting vulnerable children is set out below:

• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers/coronavirus-covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people

Being at school can be an important lifeline for children who need or have needed a social worker, which is why schools have remained open to them throughout the period of partial closures. Where these children are not attending school, the school should notify the child’s social worker. They should then work together with the local authority/social worker to follow up the reasons for absence, strongly encourage attendance where the social worker agrees this is appropriate, and consider how to keep in touch with the child, including through the provision of remote education, particularly where the social worker agrees that attendance would not be appropriate.

Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) is statutory safeguarding guidance that schools should continue to have regard to as per their legislative duty. To help schools do this we have published safeguarding guidance.

This guidance supports governing bodies, proprietors, senior leadership teams and designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) so they can continue to have appropriate regard to KCSIE and keep their children safe. It suggests where schools might consider safeguarding policy and process differently when compared to business as usual. The guidance is clear that revised child protection policies should, amongst other things, reflect the arrangements in place to keep children not physically attending the school safe, especially online and how concerns about these children should be progressed. The guidance also reflects the continued importance for school staff to work with and support children’s social workers and have access to a trained DSL or deputy.

Designated safeguarding leads, working with social workers are best placed, on a case by case basis, to put support mechanisms in place for individual vulnerable children not attending school, including who will be best placed (from the school) to keep in regular contact with the child.

The department are providing laptops, tablets and routers, as required, for children with social workers and care leavers to help them keep in touch with the services they need.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that they meet the needs of their looked-after children, including unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) and they must ensure that care placements facilitate this.

Each care placement must consider the individual needs of the child and local authorities must have flexibility meeting those needs.

The department recognises the benefits of placing UASC in family-based environments whenever possible. The Safeguarding Strategy for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking and Refugee Children commits us to developing resources to support recruitment of supported lodging hosts as a form of semi-independent accommodation.

While there is a place for independent and semi-independent provision in the care system, it is clear that reform is needed to ensure it is being used appropriately and meets the needs of the young people placed there. The department is moving to take action on these issues and has launched a consultation on reforms to the use of independent and semi-independent provision. The consultation covers proposals including banning the placement of children under-16 in this provision and introducing new mandatory quality standards for provision.

The latest figures relate to the 31 March 2019. The department holds information for England, but information for Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland is a matter for the devolved administrations.

There were 5,070 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children looked after by local authorities in England, of which 101 were looked after by Portsmouth local authority. 990 of the unaccompanied asylum-seeking children looked after by local authorities in England were placed in semi-independent living accommodation, a further 1,460 were living independently.

24 children (aged under 18 years) were looked after by Portsmouth local authority and were accommodated in semi-independent living accommodation, a further 37 were living independently.

Information on the numbers of children looked after in England, including information on the numbers who are unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and placements, is available in the annual statistical release ‘Children looked after in England (including adoption) which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2018-to-2019.

While most children in care are placed in children’s homes or foster care, independent and semi-independent settings can be the right choice for some older children, acting as a stepping stone towards independence and adult life. Given that the majority of unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) are aged 16 and over, UASC are more likely to benefit from high quality placements in these settings than the wider cohort of looked-after-children. We have launched a consultation on new measures to improve the quality of this provision, including introducing new national standards.

The latest figures relate to the 31 March 2019. The department holds information for England, but information for Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland is a matter for the devolved administrations.

There were 5,070 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children looked after by local authorities in England, of which 101 were looked after by Portsmouth local authority. 990 of the unaccompanied asylum-seeking children looked after by local authorities in England were placed in semi-independent living accommodation, a further 1,460 were living independently.

24 children (aged under 18 years) were looked after by Portsmouth local authority and were accommodated in semi-independent living accommodation, a further 37 were living independently.

Information on the numbers of children looked after in England, including information on the numbers who are unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and placements, is available in the annual statistical release ‘Children looked after in England (including adoption) which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2018-to-2019.

While most children in care are placed in children’s homes or foster care, independent and semi-independent settings can be the right choice for some older children, acting as a stepping stone towards independence and adult life. Given that the majority of unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) are aged 16 and over, UASC are more likely to benefit from high quality placements in these settings than the wider cohort of looked-after-children. We have launched a consultation on new measures to improve the quality of this provision, including introducing new national standards.

Every child growing up in care should have a safe and secure environment where they feel supported. Local authorities are required by the law to ensure that they meet the needs of their looked-after children, and they must ensure that care placements facilitate this.

Independent and semi-independent (unregulated) settings can play an important role in the care system in meeting the needs of older children, acting as a stepping stone towards independence and adult life.

Such placements have benefited young people in Portsmouth, where one of the 8 Staying Close pilots is in place. The department has issued £1.6 million in the last two years to the 8 existing pilots, and has agreed a further £6 million for the next year to begin a national rollout. The Staying Close pilot in Portsmouth is supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) care leavers to move towards independence by providing additional support in semi-independent living arrangements.

Through the safeguarding strategy for UASC, we are also committed to developing resources to support the recruitment of supported lodging hosts as a form of semi-independent accommodation. This will ensure that we continue to support local authorities to find the most appropriate placements to meet the needs of UASC.

While independent and semi-independent settings do form an important part of the care landscape, in meeting the needs of older children who are ready for this, we have made clear that we are concerned that the quality is not always good enough. We are particularly concerned about the number of children under the age of 16 being placed in this provision. It is unacceptable for any child to be placed in a setting that does not meet their needs for any amount of time.

We are moving quickly to take action on these issues, and have launched a consultation on reforms to the use of independent and semi-independent provision. The consultation covers proposals including banning the placement of children under 16 in this provision and introducing new mandatory quality standards.

The latest figures relate to the 31 March 2019. The department holds information for England, but information for Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland is a matter for the devolved administrations.

There were 5,070 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children looked after by local authorities in England, of which 101 were looked after by Portsmouth local authority. 990 of the unaccompanied asylum-seeking children looked after by local authorities in England were placed in semi-independent living accommodation, a further 1,460 were living independently.

24 children (aged under 18 years) were looked after by Portsmouth local authority and were accommodated in semi-independent living accommodation, a further 37 were living independently.

Information on the numbers of children looked after in England, including information on the numbers who are unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and placements, is available in the annual statistical release ‘Children looked after in England (including adoption) which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2018-to-2019.

While most children in care are placed in children’s homes or foster care, independent and semi-independent settings can be the right choice for some older children, acting as a stepping stone towards independence and adult life. Given that the majority of unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) are aged 16 and over, UASC are more likely to benefit from high quality placements in these settings than the wider cohort of looked-after-children. We have launched a consultation on new measures to improve the quality of this provision, including introducing new national standards.

Every child growing up in care should have a safe and secure environment where they feel supported. Local authorities are required by the law to ensure that they meet the needs of their looked-after children, and they must ensure that care placements facilitate this.

Independent and semi-independent (unregulated) settings can play an important role in the care system in meeting the needs of older children, acting as a stepping stone towards independence and adult life.

Such placements have benefited young people in Portsmouth, where one of the 8 Staying Close pilots is in place. The department has issued £1.6 million in the last two years to the 8 existing pilots, and has agreed a further £6 million for the next year to begin a national rollout. The Staying Close pilot in Portsmouth is supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) care leavers to move towards independence by providing additional support in semi-independent living arrangements.

Through the safeguarding strategy for UASC, we are also committed to developing resources to support the recruitment of supported lodging hosts as a form of semi-independent accommodation. This will ensure that we continue to support local authorities to find the most appropriate placements to meet the needs of UASC.

While independent and semi-independent settings do form an important part of the care landscape, in meeting the needs of older children who are ready for this, we have made clear that we are concerned that the quality is not always good enough. We are particularly concerned about the number of children under the age of 16 being placed in this provision. It is unacceptable for any child to be placed in a setting that does not meet their needs for any amount of time.

We are moving quickly to take action on these issues, and have launched a consultation on reforms to the use of independent and semi-independent provision. The consultation covers proposals including banning the placement of children under 16 in this provision and introducing new mandatory quality standards.

Every child growing up in care should have a safe and secure environment where they feel supported. Local authorities are required by the law to ensure that they meet the needs of their looked-after children, and they must ensure that care placements facilitate this.

Independent and semi-independent (unregulated) settings can play an important role in the care system in meeting the needs of older children, acting as a stepping stone towards independence and adult life.

Such placements have benefited young people in Portsmouth, where one of the 8 Staying Close pilots is in place. The department has issued £1.6 million in the last two years to the 8 existing pilots, and has agreed a further £6 million for the next year to begin a national rollout. The Staying Close pilot in Portsmouth is supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) care leavers to move towards independence by providing additional support in semi-independent living arrangements.

Through the safeguarding strategy for UASC, we are also committed to developing resources to support the recruitment of supported lodging hosts as a form of semi-independent accommodation. This will ensure that we continue to support local authorities to find the most appropriate placements to meet the needs of UASC.

While independent and semi-independent settings do form an important part of the care landscape, in meeting the needs of older children who are ready for this, we have made clear that we are concerned that the quality is not always good enough. We are particularly concerned about the number of children under the age of 16 being placed in this provision. It is unacceptable for any child to be placed in a setting that does not meet their needs for any amount of time.

We are moving quickly to take action on these issues, and have launched a consultation on reforms to the use of independent and semi-independent provision. The consultation covers proposals including banning the placement of children under 16 in this provision and introducing new mandatory quality standards.

We do not collect data on levels of braille fluency. However, we recognise the importance of children and young people with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with vision impairment, receiving a world class education that sets them up for life, no matter what challenges they face.

Local authorities are responsible for developing a ‘Local Offer’ of support services and provision for children and young people with SEND in their area, including those with vision impairment. This should be co-produced with children and young people and their parents and carers, to provide a genuine sense of co-ownership.

The Department for Education provides local authorities with funding to enable them to fulfil their statutory duties towards children and young people with SEND, including those with vision impairment. We recently announced £780 million of additional high needs funding for the next financial year, bringing the total high needs funding to over £7 billion. Local authorities are responsible for determining how they allocate their high needs funding to support children and young people with SEND in their area.

Schools also have an important role to play in supporting pupils with SEND. Every school is required to identify and address the special educational needs of their pupils. Schools also have duties under the Equality Act 2010 towards individual disabled children and young people. They must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services, to ensure that disabled children are not at a substantial disadvantage compared with their peers. The specific type of support provided to individual pupils will vary, depending on their needs.

We do not collect data on levels of braille fluency. However, we recognise the importance of children and young people with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with vision impairment, receiving a world class education that sets them up for life, no matter what challenges they face.

Local authorities are responsible for developing a ‘Local Offer’ of support services and provision for children and young people with SEND in their area, including those with vision impairment. This should be co-produced with children and young people and their parents and carers, to provide a genuine sense of co-ownership.

The Department for Education provides local authorities with funding to enable them to fulfil their statutory duties towards children and young people with SEND, including those with vision impairment. We recently announced £780 million of additional high needs funding for the next financial year, bringing the total high needs funding to over £7 billion. Local authorities are responsible for determining how they allocate their high needs funding to support children and young people with SEND in their area.

Schools also have an important role to play in supporting pupils with SEND. Every school is required to identify and address the special educational needs of their pupils. Schools also have duties under the Equality Act 2010 towards individual disabled children and young people. They must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services, to ensure that disabled children are not at a substantial disadvantage compared with their peers. The specific type of support provided to individual pupils will vary, depending on their needs.

The Department for Education assesses pupils in England via end of Key Stage 1 assessments when pupils are typically age 7, end of Key Stage 2 assessments when pupils are typically age 11, and end of Key Stage 4 (GCSE) exams when pupils are typically age 16.

The Department publishes attainment, in headline measures for state-funded schools, at the end of Key Stage 2 by local authority, region and all of England. An extract from the latest figures for 2018-19 are in the table below, relating to attainment in reading and writing. At Key Stage 2 English reading is assessed via tests and writing via teacher assessments.

Table 1 - Key Stage 2 English results in 2019 for Portsmouth local authority and state funded schools in England

Key Stage 2 local authority data, including for previous years[1], is available at the following link[2]:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-key-stage-2.

For students at the end of Key Stage 4, there is no assessment of literacy skills, nor reading and writing separately. As a proxy, Table 2 provides the percentage of students entering the English element of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), and the percentage attaining a standard pass (grade 9-4).

Table 2 - EBacc English results in 2019 for Portsmouth local authority and state funded schools in England

Local authority data, including for previous years, is available at the following link[4]:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-gcses-key-stage-4.

[1] Due to change in methodology and headline measures at Key Stage 2, figures are only comparable between 2009-10 to 2014-15 and 2015-16 to 2016-17. Changes made within the 2017-18 writing teaching assistant frameworks mean that judgements in 2018 are not directly comparable to those made using the previous interim frameworks in 2016 and 2017.

[2] For each year, select the ‘revised’ publication and then open the ‘Local authority and regional tables’. For 2015-16 to 2016-17 the headline measures are the percentage of students reaching the expected standard and can be found in tables L1, L2 and L3. For 2009-10 to 2014-15 the headline measures are the percentage achieving L4 or above and can be found in tables 12-16 (2013-14 to 2014-15); tables 12-15 (2012-13); tables 13-15 (2011-12); table 11 (2010-11); table 18 (2009-10 – in the ‘national and local authority tables’).

[3] Pupils must achieve at least a grade 4 in English at the end of Key Stage 4 or are required to resit in post-16 education. Therefore, entry and achievement at grade 4 in EBacc English has been used as a proxy for 'literacy' for pupils at the end of Key Stage 4. For more information about EBacc, go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/progress-8-school-performance-measure.

[4] For each year, select the ‘revised’ publication and then open the ‘local authority tables’.

National Literacy Trust research published in November 2019 showed that the gap in book ownership between disadvantaged children and their peers has almost halved in the past six years (from 6.1% in 2013 to 3.3% in 2019).

The Department wants all children to be able to read well, with fluency and understanding. In 2018 we launched a £26.3 million English Hubs Programme. The English Hubs are focused on improving educational outcomes for the most disadvantaged pupils in Reception and Year 1. We have appointed 34 primary schools across England as English Hubs. The English Hubs Programme is supporting nearly 3000 schools across England to improve their teaching of reading through systematic synthetic phonics, early language development, and reading for pleasure. Springhill Primary School is an English Hub which aims to support 170 schools in its local area, which includes Portsmouth.

The Department recognises that disadvantaged pupils may face greater challenges to succeed at school. Since 2011 we have provided schools with more than £15 billion in extra funding through the pupil premium so that disadvantaged pupils can receive the support they need. School leaders are free to use the pupil premium as they choose; drawing on eight years of research the Education Endowment Foundation recommends focusing the grant on meeting basic needs, that can include providing books, as well as teaching quality and targeted academic programmes.

National Literacy Trust research published in November 2019 showed that the gap in book ownership between disadvantaged children and their peers has almost halved in the past six years (from 6.1% in 2013 to 3.3% in 2019).

The Department wants all children to be able to read well, with fluency and understanding. In 2018 we launched a £26.3 million English Hubs Programme. The English Hubs are focused on improving educational outcomes for the most disadvantaged pupils in Reception and Year 1. We have appointed 34 primary schools across England as English Hubs. The English Hubs Programme is supporting nearly 3000 schools across England to improve their teaching of reading through systematic synthetic phonics, early language development, and reading for pleasure. Springhill Primary School is an English Hub which aims to support 170 schools in its local area, which includes Portsmouth.

The Department recognises that disadvantaged pupils may face greater challenges to succeed at school. Since 2011 we have provided schools with more than £15 billion in extra funding through the pupil premium so that disadvantaged pupils can receive the support they need. School leaders are free to use the pupil premium as they choose; drawing on eight years of research the Education Endowment Foundation recommends focusing the grant on meeting basic needs, that can include providing books, as well as teaching quality and targeted academic programmes.

National Literacy Trust research published in November 2019 showed that the gap in book ownership between disadvantaged children and their peers has almost halved in the past six years (from 6.1% in 2013 to 3.3% in 2019).

The Department wants all children to be able to read well, with fluency and understanding. In 2018 we launched a £26.3 million English Hubs Programme. The English Hubs are focused on improving educational outcomes for the most disadvantaged pupils in Reception and Year 1. We have appointed 34 primary schools across England as English Hubs. The English Hubs Programme is supporting nearly 3000 schools across England to improve their teaching of reading through systematic synthetic phonics, early language development, and reading for pleasure. Springhill Primary School is an English Hub which aims to support 170 schools in its local area, which includes Portsmouth.

The Department recognises that disadvantaged pupils may face greater challenges to succeed at school. Since 2011 we have provided schools with more than £15 billion in extra funding through the pupil premium so that disadvantaged pupils can receive the support they need. School leaders are free to use the pupil premium as they choose; drawing on eight years of research the Education Endowment Foundation recommends focusing the grant on meeting basic needs, that can include providing books, as well as teaching quality and targeted academic programmes.

Tackling the harm caused by sewer overflows is a top priority for this Department.

There are currently no projects planned by Southern Water to improve treatment or increase capacity at Budds Farm wastewater treatment facility within this Asset Management cycle (2020-2025). There have been improvement projects to environmental monitoring systems at Budds Farm wastewater treatment facility. The treatment works is complying with its permit and there are have been no recorded breaches of effluent quality standards for this discharge during 2020.

During periods of significant rainfall untreated sewage diluted by rainwater will discharge through storm overflows to avoid streets, premises and sewage treatment plants from being flooded. Water companies are committed in the 5-year business planning period (2020-2025) to a significant programme of improvements to the monitoring and management of storm overflows at a cost of around £1.1 billion. This investment includes undertaking 800 investigations and 798 improvement schemes to provide environmental improvements by reducing spills from frequently spilling overflows.

I met water company CEOs in September and made clear that the volume of sewage discharged into rivers and other waterways in extreme weather must be reduced.

The new Storm Overflows Taskforce - bringing together Government, the water industry, regulators and environmental NGOs - has agreed to set a long term goal to eliminate harm from storm overflows. The Taskforce is now working on plans to start making progress towards that goal, and they have commissioned research to gather evidence on the costs, benefits and feasibility of different options.

Water companies are currently producing for the first time comprehensive Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans to assess the capacity of their wastewater networks. We are also taking key steps through the Environment Bill to require water companies to produce such Plans on a statutory basis. These plans will be another tool to help address the risks that storm overflows pose to the environment.

Tackling the harm caused by sewer overflows is a top priority for Defra.

Nationally water companies have agreed to make real-time data on sewage discharges available at bathing sites all year round and are installing additional monitoring devices by 2023. Southern Water intends to meet this commitment ahead of the deadline.

Locally Environment Agency (EA) teams are assessing the latest data of discharges to Langstone Harbour and identifying any discharges that are not operating as they are intended. For any non-compliance they will take appropriate actions in line with the EA’s enforcement and prosecution policy and will continue to investigate and respond to any reported incidents associated with the operation of storm discharges in the area.

I also understand that the hon. Member met with the EA recently to discuss the reporting arrangements and controls relating to storm discharges into Langstone Harbour.

During periods of significant rainfall untreated sewage diluted by rainwater will discharge through storm overflows to avoid streets, premises and sewage treatment plants being flooded. Water companies are committed in the five-year business planning period (2020-25) to a significant programme of improvements to the monitoring and management of storm overflows at a cost of around £1.1 billion. This investment includes undertaking 800 investigations and 798 improvement schemes to provide environmental improvements by reducing spills from frequently spilling overflows.

The new Storm Overflows Taskforce - bringing together the Government, the water industry, regulators and environmental NGOs - has agreed to set a long-term goal to eliminate harm from storm overflows. The Taskforce is now working on plans to start making progress towards that goal, and has commissioned research to gather evidence on the costs, benefits and feasibility of different options.

Water companies are currently producing comprehensive Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans to assess the capacity of their wastewater networks. We are also taking steps through the Environment Bill to require water companies to produce such plans on a statutory basis. These plans will be another tool to help address the risks that storm overflows pose to the environment.

Tackling the harm caused by sewer overflows is a top priority for this Department.

Since the privatisation of water companies, around £25 billion has been invested to reduce pollution from sewage, covering improvements in sewage treatment and in sewer overflows.

During periods of significant rainfall untreated sewage diluted by rainwater will discharge through storm overflows to avoid streets, premises and sewage treatment plants from being flooded. Water companies are committed in the 5-year business planning period (2020-2025) to a significant programme of improvements to the monitoring and management of storm overflows at a cost of around £1.1 billion. This investment includes undertaking 800 investigations and 798 improvement schemes to provide environmental improvements by reducing spills from frequently spilling overflows.

There is more to do to manage sewage pollution. To achieve this, we have set up a new Taskforce - bringing together Government, the water industry, regulators and environmental NGOs - which has agreed to set a long-term goal to eliminate harm from storm overflows. The Taskforce is now working on plans to start making progress towards that goal, and they have commissioned research to gather evidence on the costs, benefits and feasibility of different options.

Water companies are currently producing comprehensive Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans to assess the capacity of their wastewater networks. We are also taking steps through the Environment Bill to require water companies to produce such Plans on a statutory basis. These plans will be another tool to help address the risks that storm overflows pose to the environment.

I met the Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee on the date of the latest Storm Overflows Taskforce announcement on 22 January 2021 and have had subsequent conversations with him on this issue. Officials are working with the Chair on how we can accelerate progress in reducing the frequency and harm caused by sewage discharges from storm overflows.

Air quality has improved significantly since 2010. We are committed to leaving the environment in a better state for the next generation.

Our Clean Air Strategy sets out an ambitious programme of action to reduce air pollutant emissions from a wide range of sources. The World Health Organization has recognised the Strategy as an example for the rest of the world to follow.

The Environment Bill delivers a number of key elements of the strategy including establishing a duty to set a target on PM2.5 alongside a further long-term target on air quality as part of the wider framework for setting legally binding environmental targets. As set out in a policy paper published in August 2020, we're also specifically looking at average population exposure to PM2.5 across England and setting an additional long-term target on this. The Report Stage is set to recommence early in the Second Session and Royal Assent expected in Autumn.

We have put in place a £3.8 billion plan to improve air quality and deliver cleaner transport.

We have also introduced our statutory instrument containing regulations to phase out the sale of the most polluting solid fuels (wet wood, bituminous (house) coal and high sulphur manufactured solid fuels) used in domestic combustion. This area is critical as domestic burning is a major source of our national emissions of PM2.5.

Climate change and air pollution are closely coupled because the sources of air pollutants are also often the sources of climate change agents. the UK recognises the potential for carbon emission reduction policies to improve air quality but also the risk that some approaches can increase human exposure to air pollution. The UK supports decarbonisation approaches that strive to improve air quality and minimise adverse impacts on human health, balanced with action to achieve reductions in carbon emissions.

I met water company CEOs last year and made clear that the volume of sewage discharged into rivers and other waterways in extreme weather must be reduced. To achieve this, our new Storm Overflows Taskforce has been established, bringing together representatives from the Government, the water industry, regulators and environmental Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to set out clear proposals to address the harm and frequency of sewage discharged into our rivers and other waterways from storm overflows. As announced on 22 January, this Taskforce has agreed a long-term goal to eliminate harm from storm overflows.

This Taskforce has commissioned a research project to gather a comprehensive evidence base about the costs, benefits and feasibility of different options. This research project is due to be completed in the spring.

We are also taking key steps through the Environment Bill by requiring sewerage undertakers to produce Drainage and Sewerage Management Plans on a statutory basis. Plans will fully assess network capacity, and set out the measures undertakers plan to take to develop their drainage and sewerage systems. The plans aim to deliver more actions to help sewerage companies better address the risks that some sewerage assets, such as storm overflows, may pose to the environment. Undertakers started developing plans on a non-statutory basis in 2018.

We have introduced the requirement for at least one legally binding, water target in the Environment Bill. This target will complement existing regulations and legislation, moving us closer to achieving our goal of clean and plentiful water set out in Defra’s 25 Year Environmental Plan.

I met water company CEOs last year and made clear that the volume of sewage discharged into rivers and other waterways in extreme weather must be reduced. To achieve this, our new Storm Overflows Taskforce has been established, bringing together representatives from the Government, the water industry, regulators and environmental Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to set out clear proposals to address the harm and frequency of sewage discharged into our rivers and other waterways from storm overflows. As announced on 22 January, this Taskforce has agreed a long-term goal to eliminate harm from storm overflows.

This Taskforce has commissioned a research project to gather a comprehensive evidence base about the costs, benefits and feasibility of different options. This research project is due to be completed in the spring.

We are also taking key steps through the Environment Bill by requiring sewerage undertakers to produce Drainage and Sewerage Management Plans on a statutory basis. Plans will fully assess network capacity, and set out the measures undertakers plan to take to develop their drainage and sewerage systems. The plans aim to deliver more actions to help sewerage companies better address the risks that some sewerage assets, such as storm overflows, may pose to the environment. Undertakers started developing plans on a non-statutory basis in 2018.

We have introduced the requirement for at least one legally binding, water target in the Environment Bill. This target will complement existing regulations and legislation, moving us closer to achieving our goal of clean and plentiful water set out in Defra’s 25 Year Environmental Plan.

I met water company CEOs last year and made clear that the volume of sewage discharged into rivers and other waterways in extreme weather must be reduced. To achieve this, our new Storm Overflows Taskforce has been established, bringing together representatives from the Government, the water industry, regulators and environmental Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to set out clear proposals to address the harm and frequency of sewage discharged into our rivers and other waterways from storm overflows. As announced on 22 January, this Taskforce has agreed a long-term goal to eliminate harm from storm overflows.

This Taskforce has commissioned a research project to gather a comprehensive evidence base about the costs, benefits and feasibility of different options. This research project is due to be completed in the spring.

We are also taking key steps through the Environment Bill by requiring sewerage undertakers to produce Drainage and Sewerage Management Plans on a statutory basis. Plans will fully assess network capacity, and set out the measures undertakers plan to take to develop their drainage and sewerage systems. The plans aim to deliver more actions to help sewerage companies better address the risks that some sewerage assets, such as storm overflows, may pose to the environment. Undertakers started developing plans on a non-statutory basis in 2018.

We have introduced the requirement for at least one legally binding, water target in the Environment Bill. This target will complement existing regulations and legislation, moving us closer to achieving our goal of clean and plentiful water set out in Defra’s 25 Year Environmental Plan.

The work carried out by Surfers Against Sewage on their Ocean & Climate Report provides a timely reminder of the urgent need to reduce emissions and the importance of nature-based solutions in our response to climate change and biodiversity loss.

The most effective thing we can do to reduce the impacts of climate change on the ocean is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The UK government has therefore set a legally binding target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Internationally, 2021 is a critical year for the ocean, climate and nature. We are committed to working closely with our partners to drive a recognition of the linkages between the ocean, climate and biodiversity. We will use our COP26 Presidency to secure ambitious emission reductions and drive action on the Leaders' Pledge for Nature commitments, recognising the role of nature-based solutions in building resilience and adapting to the impacts of climate change, as well as supporting mitigation.

At the recent One Planet Summit, the UK accepted the position as Ocean Co-Chair of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People and between this and the UK-led Global Ocean Alliance we now have over 60 countries supporting a target to protect at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030 as part of our aim for an ambitious and transformational post-2020 global biodiversity framework for adoption at the 15th Conference of Parties of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 15).

Together with Vanuatu, the UK Government is driving forward ambitious action to reduce plastic pollution in the ocean through the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance (CCOA), a growing group of 34 Commonwealth member states. To support the ambitions of CCOA, the UK Government has committed up to £70 million to boost global research and support developing countries to stop plastic waste from entering the ocean in the first place. Through one of our UK Aid programmes, the Global Plastic Action Partnership, the UK is working in partnership with Indonesia, Ghana, Vietnam and Nigeria to stem the tide of plastics entering in the ocean.

The UK has also committed to launch a £500m Blue Planet Fund, financed from official development assistance (ODA), to protect the ocean and reduce poverty in developing countries.

In November 2020 the UK announced its support to start negotiations on a new global agreement at the United Nations Environment Assembly that will create the system change required to tackle increasing levels of marine plastic litter and microplastics.

The UK is also taking action domestically to avoid further irreversible impacts to the ocean from climate change and biodiversity loss.

The protection, restoration and management of the marine environment are central to objectives in the 25 Year Environment Plan and the UK Marine Strategy on clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse seas that are managed sustainably. We already have 38% of UK waters in Marine Protected Areas and our focus is ensuring these are effectively protected.

We have stated our intention to pilot Highly Protected Marine Areas in Secretary of State waters and we look forward to publishing the Government's response to Richard Benyon's review in due course.

The Fisheries Act 2020 protects our marine environment and develops plans to restore our fish stocks back to more sustainable levels.

As part of our commitment to ocean recovery we are supporting coastal and estuarine restoration projects, including blue carbon habitats. The £80 million Green Recovery Challenge Fund will help environmental organisations start work now on restoration projects across England, including the inshore marine environment.

Our new Storm Overflows Taskforce is bringing together government, the water industry, regulators and environmental NGOs to work urgently on options to tackle sewage pollution issues.

As announced on 22 January, and welcomed by Surfers Against Sewage, this Taskforce has agreed a long-term goal to eliminate harm from storm overflows.

Water companies have also agreed to make real-time data on sewage discharges available at bathing sites all year round. This data will be made available to help surfers, swimmers and other recreational water users to check the latest information and make informed choices on where to swim.

We recognise there is more that needs to be done beyond providing more and better information, and so we will continue to work with the industry to reduce frequency and harm of discharges from storm overflows.

The work carried out by Surfers Against Sewage on their Ocean & Climate Report provides a timely reminder of the urgent need to reduce emissions and the importance of nature-based solutions in our response to climate change and biodiversity loss.

The most effective thing we can do to reduce the impacts of climate change on the ocean is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The UK government has therefore set a legally binding target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Internationally, 2021 is a critical year for the ocean, climate and nature. We are committed to working closely with our partners to drive a recognition of the linkages between the ocean, climate and biodiversity. We will use our COP26 Presidency to secure ambitious emission reductions and drive action on the Leaders' Pledge for Nature commitments, recognising the role of nature-based solutions in building resilience and adapting to the impacts of climate change, as well as supporting mitigation.

At the recent One Planet Summit, the UK accepted the position as Ocean Co-Chair of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People and between this and the UK-led Global Ocean Alliance we now have over 60 countries supporting a target to protect at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030 as part of our aim for an ambitious and transformational post-2020 global biodiversity framework for adoption at the 15th Conference of Parties of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 15).

Together with Vanuatu, the UK Government is driving forward ambitious action to reduce plastic pollution in the ocean through the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance (CCOA), a growing group of 34 Commonwealth member states. To support the ambitions of CCOA, the UK Government has committed up to £70 million to boost global research and support developing countries to stop plastic waste from entering the ocean in the first place. Through one of our UK Aid programmes, the Global Plastic Action Partnership, the UK is working in partnership with Indonesia, Ghana, Vietnam and Nigeria to stem the tide of plastics entering in the ocean.

The UK has also committed to launch a £500m Blue Planet Fund, financed from official development assistance (ODA), to protect the ocean and reduce poverty in developing countries.

In November 2020 the UK announced its support to start negotiations on a new global agreement at the United Nations Environment Assembly that will create the system change required to tackle increasing levels of marine plastic litter and microplastics.

The UK is also taking action domestically to avoid further irreversible impacts to the ocean from climate change and biodiversity loss.

The protection, restoration and management of the marine environment are central to objectives in the 25 Year Environment Plan and the UK Marine Strategy on clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse seas that are managed sustainably. We already have 38% of UK waters in Marine Protected Areas and our focus is ensuring these are effectively protected.

We have stated our intention to pilot Highly Protected Marine Areas in Secretary of State waters and we look forward to publishing the Government's response to Richard Benyon's review in due course.

The Fisheries Act 2020 protects our marine environment and develops plans to restore our fish stocks back to more sustainable levels.

As part of our commitment to ocean recovery we are supporting coastal and estuarine restoration projects, including blue carbon habitats. The £80 million Green Recovery Challenge Fund will help environmental organisations start work now on restoration projects across England, including the inshore marine environment.

Our new Storm Overflows Taskforce is bringing together government, the water industry, regulators and environmental NGOs to work urgently on options to tackle sewage pollution issues.

As announced on 22 January, and welcomed by Surfers Against Sewage, this Taskforce has agreed a long-term goal to eliminate harm from storm overflows.

Water companies have also agreed to make real-time data on sewage discharges available at bathing sites all year round. This data will be made available to help surfers, swimmers and other recreational water users to check the latest information and make informed choices on where to swim.

We recognise there is more that needs to be done beyond providing more and better information, and so we will continue to work with the industry to reduce frequency and harm of discharges from storm overflows.

Domestic biodiversity policy is a devolved matter, and the information provided relates to England only.

The Government's 25 Year Environment Plan marked a step change in ambition for biodiversity and the natural environment in England. This Government is taking a wide range of steps to deliver on this ambition.

Our landmark Environment Bill introduces a powerful package of policies and tools to support nature's recovery. Biodiversity net gain, local nature recovery strategies, conservation covenants and a strengthened biodiversity duty on public authorities will work together to drive local action on the ground that creates or restores wildlife-rich habitats. This action will be supported by a new framework for setting long term legally binding targets, including on biodiversity, to make sure that our ambition is maintained.

We have introduced new funding for nature, such as the Nature for Climate and the Green Recovery Challenge Funds. The first £40 million round of the Green Recovery Challenge Fund has been extremely successful. The fund has received a high-level of interest and we have been able to fund 68 high quality projects across England. For example, The Woodland Trust is being awarded £3,860,200 to restore ancient woodlands and trees across England. Following this success, the Government doubled the Green Recovery Challenge Fund to £80 million, kick-starting a further pipeline of nature-based projects to restore nature, tackle climate change and connect people with the natural environment.

We are developing a new Environmental Land Management scheme that will incentivise farmers and land managers to improve the environment, improve animal health and welfare, and reduce carbon emissions. The Prime Minister recently announced, as part of his 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, that over the next four years we will establish 10 Landscape Recovery projects to help us restore wilder landscapes.

In English waters there are 178 Marine Protected Areas protecting 40% of our seas. We have now essentially completed building our comprehensive network of Marine Protected Areas and are focusing on making sure they are protected properly.

Exports of livestock to the EU will require an Export Health Certificate (EHC), certified by a suitably qualified Official Veterinarian (OV), following the end of the transition period. Checks on EHCs will take place at the Border Control Post (BCP) of arrival in the EU, as opposed to the port of departure in Great Britain (GB). Generally, livestock animals already require a form of veterinary certification to move between GB and the EU. The training required for vets to certify ungulate exports has been made available free of charge by the Government and we expect sufficient resource will be available as a result. There are currently approximately 700 OVs authorised to certify ungulate exports across GB.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) already carry out controls on live animal imports. From 1 January they will continue to carry these out at destination, meaning that there will be no controls on imported live animals at ports, including Portsmouth. The APHA will ensure that the necessary live animal inspection resources are in place in time for July 2021, when all live animals imports will need to enter GB via an established point of entry with an appropriate Border Control Post (BCP).

Exports of livestock to the EU will require an Export Health Certificate (EHC), certified by a suitably qualified Official Veterinarian (OV), following the end of the transition period. Checks on EHCs will take place at the Border Control Post (BCP) of arrival in the EU, as opposed to the port of departure in Great Britain (GB). Generally, livestock animals already require a form of veterinary certification to move between GB and the EU. The training required for vets to certify ungulate exports has been made available free of charge by the Government and we expect sufficient resource will be available as a result. There are currently approximately 700 OVs authorised to certify ungulate exports across GB.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) already carry out controls on live animal imports. From 1 January they will continue to carry these out at destination, meaning that there will be no controls on imported live animals at ports, including Portsmouth. The APHA will ensure that the necessary live animal inspection resources are in place in time for July 2021, when all live animals imports will need to enter GB via an established point of entry with an appropriate Border Control Post (BCP).

The Environment Agency (EA) carries out monitoring of specific bathing waters. The nearby designated bathing waters on Hayling Island, Beachlands West, Beachlands Central and Eastoke, and those on Portsea Island, Eastney and Southsea East, all consistently achieve a water quality classification of excellent.

The list of ‘designated’ bathing waters (issued by Defra) is carefully compiled to ensure that samples are taken at the most appropriate geographical locations. Langstone Harbour is not a designated bathing water and therefore does not benefit from the bacteriological monitoring that designated bathing waters receive.

The EA does not have any evidence that storm discharges into Langstone Harbour impact any designated bathing waters.

Storm discharges may impact water quality within the harbour and so there will be an increased risk for swimmers or other recreational water users here. The harbour, as it does not contain designated bathing waters, is monitored for the purpose of protecting fish and wildlife, not people.

Storm overflows allow excess surface water and sewage to be directed away from homes during rainfall events. They are operating more frequently across the country due to housing growth and climate change. In 2019, storm overflows across the country spilled an average of 35 times each and nearly one in ten spilled more than 100 times.

Langstone Harbour is designated as a transitional waterbody under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The Environment Agency (EA) monitors the harbour for water quality and ecology. Since the 1990s, there has been an improving trend in nutrients within the harbour. This is due in part to the transfer of the Budds Farm discharge from the north of the harbour to a long sea outfall 5 kilometres offshore. The improvement in nutrients has led to the substantial reduction in macroalgae and Langstone Harbour now consistently achieves WFD Good status for nitrogen and macroalgae.

Langstone Harbour is also a designated shellfish water under WFD. It fails the stringent WFD microbial standard in shellfish flesh. Discharges from Combined Surface water Outfalls (CSOs) are likely to be one of the sources of shellfish contamination, as sewage contains bacteria and other material that shellfish feed on which can contaminate the shellfish for a period of time. Upgrades to reduce CSO spills were proposed in Southern Water’s latest Asset Management Plan (AMP). However, this is unlikely to go ahead, as it will not be cost beneficial. The cost of infrastructure upgrades is likely to be far greater than the commercial value of harvested shellfish.

Southern Water provides the EA with a record of its storm water discharges annually, detailing frequency and duration. The most recent data for Langstone Harbour that has been fully assessed and is supplied below. The EA may request specific information at any time.

The data shows that, in 2019, the majority of storm water discharges into Langstone Harbour came from Budds Farm sewage treatment works, with 57 spills that year, totalling 617 hours.

Table 1: Storm water discharges into Langstone Harbour from Southern Water Assets 2019

Southern Water operates several assets with Environmental Permits authorising the discharge of dilute storm sewage into Langstone Harbour or to the Solent during times of heavy and persistent rainfall. These discharges take place via storm overflows.

Storm sewage discharges are necessary because England has a 'combined' sewerage system in many urban centres which convey both rainwater and wastewater from toilets, bathrooms and kitchens within the same pipes to a sewage treatment works. During heavy rainfall the capacity of these pipes can be exceeded many times over. Storm overflows act as relief valves which prevent the system from overloading which would otherwise result in sewage backing up and flooding people's homes, workplaces and neighbourhoods.

Where the Environment Agency (EA) suspects or has evidence that Environmental Permit conditions have been breached, or that a polluting un-permitted discharge has occurred, the EA investigates further, taking enforcement action where appropriate in accordance with its Enforcement and Sanctions Policy.

I recognise that there is more to do with regards to the management of sewage pollution. I met water company CEOs in September and made clear that the volumes of sewage discharged into rivers and other waterways in extreme weather must be reduced. To achieve this, I have set up a new Taskforce bringing together Government, the water industry, regulators and environmental NGOs. This Taskforce will set out clear proposals to address the volumes of sewage discharged into our rivers. The Taskforce is also exploring further short-term actions water companies can take to accelerate progress on storm overflows.

Littering is a criminal offence, with a maximum penalty on conviction of a fine of up to £2,500, although most enforcement is carried out by local authorities using fixed penalties. Following consultation, with effect from April 2018, we increased the maximum fixed penalty for littering from £80 to £150, and from April 2019, the minimum fixed penalty was also raised from £50 to £65. We have also given councils in England (outside London) new civil penalty powers to tackle littering from vehicles. We have no plans to make further changes to the level of fixed penalties or fines for littering and have made no specific assessment of the potential environmental merits of doing so at this stage.

Enforcement action should only be taken when it is in the public interest to do so. Enforcement action should always be proportionate, and penalties should not be issued for trivial offences or accidental littering.

We have recently published improved guidance to councils and others on the use of their fixed penalty powers for littering and related offences. The guidance to enforcement officers is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-on-litter-and-refuse

Defra does not hold the data requested.

Data on local authority waste is collected on a quarterly basis and is reported three months in arrears to the end of the period to which it relates. Figures for the period January to March 2020 have not yet been submitted by most local authorities.

Quarterly data relating to street cleansing waste tonnages for 2018/19 and earlier years are available at:

https://data.gov.uk/dataset/0e0c12d8-24f6-461f-b4bc-f6d6a5bf2de5/wastedataflow-local-authority-waste-management

These figures will include waste collected as part of street cleansing operations, including naturally-occurring detritus such as fallen leaves/blossom and other fine material, as well as waste collected from public litter bins and dropped as litter.

Local councils remain responsible for keeping their land clear of litter and refuse according to standards set out in the statutory Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse. The Code is available at: http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-on-litter-and-refuse.

We recognise that in the current circumstances, local authorities may have more challenges than usual in collecting all kinds of waste. The Government has announced £3.2 billion of additional funding to support local authorities in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Defra has also published guidance for local authorities on the prioritisation of waste collection services and released advice over social media on appropriate disposal of personal protective equipment.

Defra does not collect data from local authorities on littering rates in public green spaces or elsewhere, and has made no specific assessment of recent trends in littering in public green spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, industry data collected by ADEPT suggests that over 60% of councils are reporting that their street sweeping services are operating normally with 30% reporting minor disruption, and that the amount of litter collected via street sweeping has reduced during the coronavirus outbreak. The data is available at: https://www.adeptnet.org.uk/covid-19-waste-survey-results.

Marine litter is a transboundary issue as it can move with ocean currents, so we cannot yet estimate the effect that COVID-19 will have had on levels in the marine environment.

Local councils remain responsible for keeping their land clear of litter and refuse according to standards set out in the statutory Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse. The Code is available at: http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-on-litter-and-refuse.

We recognise that in the current circumstances, local authorities may have more challenges than usual in collecting all kinds of waste. The Government has announced £3.2 billion of additional funding to support local authorities in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Defra has also published guidance for local authorities on the prioritisation of waste collection services and released advice over social media on appropriate disposal of personal protective equipment.

Defra does not collect data from local authorities on littering rates in public green spaces or elsewhere, and has made no specific assessment of recent trends in littering in public green spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, industry data collected by ADEPT suggests that over 60% of councils are reporting that their street sweeping services are operating normally with 30% reporting minor disruption, and that the amount of litter collected via street sweeping has reduced during the coronavirus outbreak. The data is available at: https://www.adeptnet.org.uk/covid-19-waste-survey-results.

Marine litter is a transboundary issue as it can move with ocean currents, so we cannot yet estimate the effect that COVID-19 will have had on levels in the marine environment.

Local councils remain responsible for keeping their land clear of litter and refuse according to standards set out in the statutory Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse. The Code is available at: http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-on-litter-and-refuse.

We recognise that in the current circumstances, local authorities may have more challenges than usual in collecting all kinds of waste. The Government has announced £3.2 billion of additional funding to support local authorities in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Defra has also published guidance for local authorities on the prioritisation of waste collection services and released advice over social media on appropriate disposal of personal protective equipment.

Defra does not collect data from local authorities on littering rates in public green spaces or elsewhere, and has made no specific assessment of recent trends in littering in public green spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, industry data collected by ADEPT suggests that over 60% of councils are reporting that their street sweeping services are operating normally with 30% reporting minor disruption, and that the amount of litter collected via street sweeping has reduced during the coronavirus outbreak. The data is available at: https://www.adeptnet.org.uk/covid-19-waste-survey-results.

Marine litter is a transboundary issue as it can move with ocean currents, so we cannot yet estimate the effect that COVID-19 will have had on levels in the marine environment.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend, the Member for North Devon, Selaine Saxby, on 27 April 2020, PQ 37936, and the reply given to the hon. Member for Dunfermline and West Fife, Douglas Chapman, on 11 May 2020, PQ 43675.

A £14 million Zoos Support Fund was launched on 4 May 2020. As of 1 June, Defra has received 80 applications from zoos and aquariums in England and has already awarded grants to zoos and aquariums to the value of almost £1.4 million. We continue to engage with the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums and HM Treasury to monitor progress.

Defra officials have also been engaging with some of the largest zoos to discuss additional concerns about reduced visitor numbers and income over a longer time frame, and active consideration of these is ongoing.

Work is ongoing to understand how and when zoos, including safari parks, and aquariums, may be able to reopen in a safe way to the public whilst maintaining social distancing.

The Government is in regular contact with the food industry on the response to coronavirus, building on our well-established links with the industry to manage disruption. The industry is adapting quickly to what have been unprecedented changes in consumer demands, and food supply into and within the UK remains resilient.

To help supermarkets, the Government has already introduced new measures to keep food supply flowing. We have temporarily relaxed elements of competition law to enable supermarkets to work more closely together to ensure people can access the products they need. Food retailers will now be able to share data on their stock levels, cooperate to keep stores open and share staff, distribution depots and delivery vehicles. This will help keep shops open and staffed and better able to meet high demand. Guidance has been issued to local authorities to show flexibility to allow extended delivery hours to supermarkets to ensure shelves can be replenished more quickly. The Transport Secretary has also announced a temporary and limited relaxation of the drivers’ hours rules so that more goods can be delivered to every store every day.

The Government has well-established ways of working with the food industry during disruption to supply situations. Our retailers already have highly resilient supply chains and they are working around the clock to ensure people have the food and products they need. Industry is adapting quickly to any changes in demands, and food supply into and across the UK is resilient.

The Secretary of State is in regular dialogue with industry, including the British Retail Consortium and supermarket chief executives to discuss any additional support the Government can provide. To help supermarkets respond to this unprecedented demand we have already introduced new measures to keep food supply flowing. We have issued guidance to local authorities to allow extended delivery hours to supermarkets so that shelves can be filled up quicker, and we have implemented extensions to drivers’ hours.

We fully recognise the additional pressures on our food supply chain as a result of recent events. The UK’s major supermarkets have last weekend issued a statement to encourage everyone to shop as they normally would and pull together to support those staying at home.

We will continue to work closely with the industry over the coming days and months.

The Government has well-established ways of working with the food industry during disruption to supply situations. Our retailers already have highly resilient supply chains and they are working around the clock to ensure people have the food and products they need. Industry is adapting quickly to any changes in demands, and food supply into and across the UK is resilient.

The Secretary of State is in regular dialogue with industry, including the British Retail Consortium and supermarket chief executives to discuss any additional support the Government can provide. To help supermarkets respond to this unprecedented demand we have already introduced new measures to keep food supply flowing. We have issued guidance to local authorities to allow extended delivery hours to supermarkets so that shelves can be filled up quicker, and we have implemented extensions to drivers’ hours.

We fully recognise the additional pressures on our food supply chain as a result of recent events. The UK’s major supermarkets have last weekend issued a statement to encourage everyone to shop as they normally would and pull together to support those staying at home.

We will continue to work closely with the industry over the coming days and months.

Defra is engaging with the waste industry, local authorities, the Environment Agency, and other relevant parties to discuss contingency planning for waste management as a result of potential workforce challenges posed by the spread of covid-19. These discussions include consideration of potential risks and impacts and whether further measures or resources funding might be necessary.

Defra is engaging with the waste industry, local authorities, the Environment Agency, and other relevant parties to discuss contingency planning for waste management as a result of potential workforce challenges posed by the spread of covid-19. These discussions include consideration of potential risks and impacts and whether further measures or resources funding might be necessary.

Defra is engaging with the waste industry, local authorities, the Environment Agency, and other relevant parties to discuss contingency planning for waste management as a result of potential workforce challenges posed by the spread of covid-19. These discussions include consideration of potential risks and impacts and whether further measures or resources funding might be necessary.

Defra is engaging with the waste industry, local authorities, the Environment Agency, and other relevant parties to discuss contingency planning for waste management as a result of potential workforce challenges posed by the spread of covid-19. These discussions include consideration of potential risks and impacts and whether further measures or resources funding might be necessary.

Conservation of the ocean is a priority for this Government. We are committed to concluding negotiations on a new legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. Defra plays a key role in the negotiation team and we will be sending four officials from marine policy, in addition to officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the lead Department for the negotiations, to attend the fourth intergovernmental conference from 23 March – 3 April 2020.

Local authorities in England and Wales are the enforcers of the Private Water Supplies Regulations 2016 (as amended) (in England) and The Private Water Supplies (Wales) Regulations 2017 (in Wales). These regulations contain the standards that private supplies of drinking water are required to meet. Local authorities are also required to keep themselves advised of the quality of public drinking water supplies in their area and water companies are required to meet standards in the Water Supplies (Water Quality ) Regulations 2016 (as amended).

On public supplies, the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), as enforcers of the regulations relating to public supplies publishes three quarterly reports and an annual report on the quality of public supplies which are available free of charge on its website http://www.dwi.gov.uk/about/annual-report/index.htm.

On private supplies, the DWI has a role in providing support to local authorities in discharging their regulatory duties and reports to Ministers annually on progress with improvements to private supplies. The DWI website (http://www.dwi.gov.uk/private-water-supply/index.htm) contains a section specific to private water supplies and the section for local authorities provides guidance on the regulations, risk assessment (including a tool for local authorities to use), sampling and monitoring, notices (including templates), reporting and case studies covering real life cases. The DWI provides an advice line which, in 2018 handled 309 enquiries from local authorities (http://www.dwi.gov.uk/about/annual-report/2018/PWS-2018-England.pdf). In addition the DWI provides inspectors to regional local authority meetings on request and visits individual local authorities to provide training where required.

Drinking water safety measures are not funded through Exchequer funding in England.

Water companies are responsible for the safety of the public drinking water supplies in their area. Any drinking water safety measures are funded through customers’ bills. This is regulated by Ofwat, the economic regulator. In Portsmouth, the water supplier is Portsmouth Water.

Private water supplies are regulated by local authorities. Although there are no private supplies in the Portsmouth South area (as reported by the local authority in 2019), any necessary safety measures should be paid for by the relevant person. This is usually the owner and occupier of the premises which use the supply.

The Government remains committed to banning the use of certain types of electronic training collars for dogs. We will introduce the necessary legislation to implement the ban as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

Radioactive substances are regulated in England and Wales under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. These implement the relevant aspects of European Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom (Basic Safety Standards Directive 2013) based on standards recommended by the International Commission for Radiological Protection. In England the Environment Agency regulates the management of waste water from hydraulic fracturing sites to ensure these high standards of protection are met.

The current regulatory framework covering dangers posed by radioactive substances such as radium includes the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17). The regulatory provisions to protect workers were recently reviewed as part of the process of introducing IRR17, which replaced the previous version of the Ionising Radiations Regulations.

The Health and Safety Executive is therefore satisfied that these arrangements are sufficient and has no current plans to make any further assessment of their adequacy.

More widely, through the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, the Environment Agency (EA) consider the radiological impact of exposure to the public from radioactive waste as part of its assessment of applications for environmental permits at disposal sites. The EA will not issue a permit unless a company can demonstrate how it will provide a high level of protection to people and the environment.

The UK Government’s border health measures are part of our strategy to tackle variants of concern, and to protect both the progress we have made in bringing cases down and the effectiveness of our vaccination programme.

Therefore, on top of the travel ban for all on non-residents coming from the 33 countries on the red list, all UK/Irish residents arriving from the 33 red-list countries must now quarantine in a government assigned hotel for 10 days from arrival, or longer if they test positive during their stay.

Since the start of the pandemic, the UK has provided exemptions for seafarers from the need to self-isolate where it has been safe to do so. However, there is currently not an exemption for seafarers who arrive in the UK having travelled through a ‘red list’ country in the proceeding 10 days.

There are limited exemptions to maximise the benefits of managed quarantine and the exemptions list will remain as tight as reasonably possible to maximise the public health benefits.

Full details on quarantining can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-quarantine-when-you-arrive-in-england

Covid-19 testing sites have been located at thirty-five Information and Advice sites (Motorway Service Areas and Truck Stops) across the country, linked to key haulier stopping spots on their journey to ports.

The Department for Transport has set-up three Information and Advice sites near Portsmouth that provide free testing for hauliers. The closest one on the M27, at Rownhams (Northbound) Services, operates 24 hours a day.

The Department for Transport worked closely with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Resilience Forum to identify suitable locations which would minimise local disruption adjacent to ports. Site locations were determined by analysing such criteria as proximity to port, proportion of haulage traffic using the route, and capacity of the parking available. Covid-19 security has also informed the locations and site infrastructure.

The Department for Transport continues to urge hauliers not to leave testing to the last opportunity, and to get tested well before arriving at their port of departure.

The Department for Transport is responsible for the legislative and policy framework of the Blue Badge Scheme. It has also has issued clear non-statutory guidance to local authorities in England on how to administer the scheme.

Day to day administration is the responsibility of individual local authorities. Local authorities must determine and implement assessment procedures which they believe are in accordance with the governing legislation.

The Department for Transport officials have been working closely with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Resilience Forum (LRF) to ensure that the LRF has the necessary traffic analysis and £2.5m resource funding to mitigate against potential congestion at the port of Portsmouth at the end of the transition period.

The Department for Transport officials have been working closely with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Resilience Forum (LRF) to ensure that the LRF has the necessary traffic analysis and £2.5m resource funding to mitigate against potential congestion at the port of Portsmouth at the end of the transition period.

Train services in the Solent area were recently examined as part of a Continuous Modular Strategic Plan (CMSP) undertaken by Network Rail with input from key stakeholders including the Department and SWR. The CMSP was published in May 2020 and explored options and constraints to introducing additional services. Analysis has shown that there are considerable railway geography / train path limitations that based on the existing infrastructure severely limit any ability to operate direct service between Portsmouth and Southampton Airport.

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Solent-Connectivity-Continuous-Modular-Strategic-Planning.pdf

Department for Transport (DfT) officials are in regular contact with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Resilience Forum (LRF) and have been working closely with HM Treasury to consider the funding issues raised by Hampshire and other LRFs. On 21 October HM Treasury approved funding for a small number of LRFs with high volume EU facing Roll-on Roll-off ports within their jurisdiction, including for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight LRF. DfT will write to affected LRFs to confirm details shortly.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has made its own estimates of the potential for disruption around key ports at the end of the transition period. In the case of Portsmouth Port the DfT estimates suggest that even under a reasonable worst case scenario queues of HGVs attempting to enter Portsmouth Port would be considerably lower than the 480 referenced in the question. Nevertheless, there remains a risk of disruption at several ports, including Portsmouth, at the end of transition period. The Department for Transport is working closely with Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) across the country, including the Hampshire and Isle of Wight LRF, as they develop locally appropriate plans to manage any potential disruption.

DfT officials are working closely with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Resilience Forum (LRF) to ensure that the LRF has the required analysis and information to enable it to stand up an effective local traffic management plan (Operation Transmission), in case of traffic disruption post the EU Transition period.

The Department has worked closely with all parts of the maritime sector, including our ports and their Trade Associations, as they have continued to operate throughout the pandemic and provide vital freight and passenger services. As the economy continues its safe re-opening, we will continue to engage widely across the maritime sector to understand any challenges they face, including the ongoing financial health of maritime companies and our ports.

The Government has worked closely with all parts of the maritime sector, including Portsmouth International Port, to ensure that ferry services can continue to operate throughout the pandemic. We have provided guidance to both ports and ferry companies on safe operating practices to address the risks of Covid-19.

The Government is actively working on the practicalities of using testing to release people from self-isolation earlier than 14 days. Officials across the Government are working with health experts with the aim of cutting the self-isolation period without adding to infection risk or infringing on our overall NHS test capacity. The Secretary of State for Transport has committed to updating the House on testing of international arrivals in the coming weeks.

The Government has worked closely with all parts of the maritime sector, including Portsmouth International Port, to ensure that ferry services can continue to operate throughout the pandemic. We have provided guidance to both ports and ferry companies on safe operating practices to address the risks of Covid-19.

The Government is actively working on the practicalities of using testing to release people from self-isolation earlier than 14 days. Officials across the Government are working with health experts with the aim of cutting the self-isolation period without adding to infection risk or infringing on our overall NHS test capacity. The Secretary of State for Transport has committed to updating the House on testing of international arrivals in the coming weeks.

The initial release of Fix Your Bike vouchers was a small pilot and there will be more opportunities to secure vouchers in the coming months. The Government will continue to work closely with industry during the pilot to monitor its impact and adapt the scheme as necessary before rolling it out more widely. Future releases of vouchers will also be informed by analysis of data available from the initial release, including on the geographical locations where vouchers were released and on the extent to which those accessing the vouchers were new or regular cyclists.

The Government is committed to ensuring that its online services are accessible to all citizens, and that an appropriate alternative channel is available where citizens are not online. Internet access was required to access the initial tranche of Fix Your Bike vouchers, but the Department will consider whether it might be possible to distribute some vouchers in other ways in future tranches. The Department has also provided funding for “pop-up” bike maintenance sessions around the country as part of Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival programme. Members of the public can drop into these sessions and receive basic repairs to their cycles free of charge.

The UK has not placed restrictions on the transit and transfer of seafarers. I have previously written to the International Maritime Organization asking for an international solution to this issue, confirming the UK’s position on crew changes, and also urged other countries to allow crew changes to take place. The UK has also exempted seafarers from the quarantine requirements.

The Department and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have always looked to support other maritime nations and to share best practice whatever the topic and we work closely with both domestic and international social partners and the international bodies and other flag states.

The UK will host the first international summit on the impact of Covid-19 on crew changes on Thursday July 9th and will include an audience from the UN, overseas Ministers and international maritime bodies.

We recognise that the recent BA announcement will be distressing news for BA employees and their families and stand ready to support them. However, we do not comment on discussions held with individual companies, as this information is commercially sensitive.

The Department for Transport is in regular contact with airlines, airports and unions to understand the impact that COVID-19 is having on the sector and its workers.

We recognise that the recent BA announcement will be distressing news for BA employees and their families and stand ready to support them. However, we do not comment on discussions held with individual companies, as this information is commercially sensitive.

The Department for Transport is in regular contact with airlines, airports and unions to understand the impact that COVID-19 is having on the sector and its workers.

We recognise that the recent BA announcement will be distressing news for BA employees and their families and we stand ready to support them.

Employers should always treat employees fairly and in a spirit of partnership. Terms and conditions of employment are for negotiation and agreement between employers and employees (or their representatives).

The Department for Transport is in regular contact with airlines, airports and unions to understand the impact that COVID-19 is having on the sector and its workers.

The government has announced an unprecedented package of financial measures to support businesses through the Covid-19 pandemic, worth £350 billion. This includes supporting both employers and employees via the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), by paying furloughed staff 80% of their current salary, up to £2,500. To access the CJRS, a company must have a UK bank account and have started a PAYE payroll scheme on or before 19 March 2020. My officials have previously engaged with Condor Ferries and expressed these requirements to them. We have continued to offer our support to them during this difficult time.

My officials and I have also been working closely with businesses across the maritime sector to understand how these measures can be applied and will continue to do so. The Department recognises the important role Condor Ferries provides to the region and local communities and are also working with the Ports to ensure that the areas remain well connected during this period. We recognise the vital contribution that seafarers make to the UK’s economy and remain committed to supporting them.

The Channel Island governments have also launched a similar scheme as well as other financial measures to support local businesses. Those staff members that are employed and paid through the Channel Islands would be subject to the terms and conditions governing those particular schemes and be a matter for the Channel Island governments.

The government has announced an unprecedented package of financial measures to support businesses through the Covid-19 pandemic, worth £350 billion. This includes supporting both employers and employees via the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), by paying furloughed staff 80% of their current salary, up to £2,500. To access the CJRS, a company must have a UK bank account and have started a PAYE payroll scheme on or before 19 March 2020. My officials have previously engaged with Condor Ferries and expressed these requirements to them. We have continued to offer our support to them during this difficult time.

My officials and I have also been working closely with businesses across the maritime sector to understand how these measures can be applied and will continue to do so. The Department recognises the important role Condor Ferries provides to the region and local communities and are also working with the Ports to ensure that the areas remain well connected during this period. We recognise the vital contribution that seafarers make to the UK’s economy and remain committed to supporting them.

The Channel Island governments have also launched a similar scheme as well as other financial measures to support local businesses. Those staff members that are employed and paid through the Channel Islands would be subject to the terms and conditions governing those particular schemes and be a matter for the Channel Island governments.

Three Public Service Obligation (PSO) Agreements were awarded to Brittany Ferries. The value of the awards will depend on actual revenues and service level requirements during operation. The estimated value of the PSO Agreements at the point of contract award have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union and are as follows:

• PSO Agreement between Portsmouth and Santander: £1,508,265.00

• PSO Agreement between Portsmouth and Cherbourg: £1,042,551.00

• PSO Agreement between Poole and Bilbao: £370,395.00

The government has announced an unprecedented package of financial measures to support businesses through the Covid-19 pandemic, worth £350 billion. This includes supporting both employers and employees via the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), by paying furloughed staff 80% of their current salary, up to £2,500. To access the CJRS, a company must have a UK bank account and have started a PAYE payroll scheme on or before 19 March 2020. My officials have previously engaged with Condor Ferries and expressed these requirements to them. We have continued to offer our support to them during this difficult time. The Department recognises the important contribution that seafarers make to the UK’s economy and remain committed to supporting them.

The Channel Island governments have also launched a similar scheme as well as other financial measures to support local businesses. Those staff members that are employed and paid through the Channel Islands would be subject to the terms and conditions governing those particular schemes and be a matter for the Channel Island governments.

The Government has announced an unprecedented package of financial measures to support businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic, worth £350 billion. This includes providing local authorities with a total of £3.2bn to support the COVID-19 response to the pandemic at the local level. These wide-ranging measures are providing support for businesses of all sizes.

The Department for Transport has encouraged Gosport Ferry Company to consider options from the wide range of financial support measures introduced by the Government to support UK businesses, and has also worked closely with Portsmouth, Gosport and Hampshire councils to explore local funding options.

The Government has announced an unprecedented package of financial measures to support businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic, worth £350 billion. This includes providing local authorities with a total of £3.2bn to support the COVID-19 response to the pandemic at the local level. These wide-ranging measures are providing support for businesses of all sizes.

The Department for Transport has encouraged Gosport Ferry Company to consider options from the wide range of financial support measures introduced by the Government to support UK businesses, and has also worked closely with Portsmouth, Gosport and Hampshire councils to explore local funding options.

The Department recognises that applicants for a Blue Badge can find some aspects of the process challenging and has therefore recommended, via non-statutory guidance, that local authorities only use mobility assessments where an applicant’s eligibility is uncertain. The requirement to provide details of registered healthcare professionals involved with the applicant’s care provides local authorities with contact details should they require further insight into the applicant’s condition if eligibility remains unclear.

To help reduce the application process for those not in receipt of personal independence payments and disability living allowance we have provided local authorities with the option in our Blue Badge digital service to mark applicants who are applying through the further assessment route as “not for reassessment”. This choice can be used where it is clear that applicants conditions or disabilities are unlikely to improve and should therefore reduce the amount of evidence required when they reapply.

The Department is constantly looking at ways to make the online application form and application process as straightforward and as intuitive for applicants as possible.

The Department is expediting and expanding trials of rental e-scooters. We have been working with Solent Transport as part of Future Transport Zone project and we are working with a range of local authorities to design e-scooter trials. The trials will gather evidence about the safety and wider impacts of e-scooters, including their effects on air quality and emissions, and their safety impacts for their users and other road users. This will inform whether e-scooters should be legalised in the future. We have recently consulted on regulatory changes for e-scooter trials, including proposals to allow e-scooters to use cycle lanes and tracks, and engaged with a wide number of stakeholder groups.

The Department is expediting and expanding trials of rental e-scooters. We have been working with Solent Transport as part of Future Transport Zone project and we are working with a range of local authorities to design e-scooter trials. The trials will gather evidence about the safety and wider impacts of e-scooters, including their effects on air quality and emissions, and their safety impacts for their users and other road users. This will inform whether e-scooters should be legalised in the future. We have recently consulted on regulatory changes for e-scooter trials, including proposals to allow e-scooters to use cycle lanes and tracks, and engaged with a wide number of stakeholder groups.

The Department is expediting and expanding trials of rental e-scooters. We have been working with Solent Transport as part of Future Transport Zone project and we are working with a range of local authorities to design e-scooter trials. The trials will gather evidence about the safety and wider impacts of e-scooters, including their effects on air quality and emissions, and their safety impacts for their users and other road users. This will inform whether e-scooters should be legalised in the future. We have recently consulted on regulatory changes for e-scooter trials, including proposals to allow e-scooters to use cycle lanes and tracks, and engaged with a wide number of stakeholder groups.

The Department is expediting and expanding trials of rental e-scooters. We have been working with Solent Transport as part of Future Transport Zone project and we are working with a range of local authorities to design e-scooter trials. The trials will gather evidence about the safety and wider impacts of e-scooters, including their effects on air quality and emissions, and their safety impacts for their users and other road users. This will inform whether e-scooters should be legalised in the future. We have recently consulted on regulatory changes for e-scooter trials, including proposals to allow e-scooters to use cycle lanes and tracks, and engaged with a wide number of stakeholder groups.

The Government has made no assessment of the potential effect of removing VAT from bicycles and has no plans to do so.

On the 9^th May the Government announced a £2bn package of funding for cycling and walking. This includes £250m which will encourage cycling to work through the provision of pop up bike lanes with protected space for cycling, as well as vouchers for cycle repairs and greater provision for bike fixing facilities.

Highways England runs regular national public information campaigns to help improve driver confidence and safety when using the Strategic Road Network (SRN). Detailed advice about safe driving on England’s motorways and major A-roads is available on its website www.highwaysengland.co.uk/motorways.

Since 2016, Highways England has run eight national smart motorways public awareness campaigns. Last Summer and again in February this year, it ran national public awareness campaigns on how to drive safely on its motorways, including messaging on what to do in a breakdown and smart motorway features, including Red X and variable speed limits. Highways England will continue to deliver national public awareness campaigns, with the next one planned for later this year on what to do in the event of a breakdown.

More widely, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State commissioned a review into smart motorway safety which reported earlier this year, with 18 measures to raise the bar on smart motorway safety, notwithstanding that the evidence shows that in most ways, smart motorways are as safe as, or safer than, the conventional ones. These measures included committing to an additional £5million on national targeted communications campaigns to further increase awareness and understanding of smart motorways, how they work and how to use them confidently.

Highways England is delivering a number of communications activities for the M27 Junction 4 to 11 Smart Motorway Scheme ahead of opening to help customers understand how to safely use a smart motorway. These include local exhibition events at community centres along the length of the scheme, information points at shopping centres, and the creation of scheme specific newsletters as well as information leaflets. Local authorities and other key stakeholders are also encouraged to share information using their own communication channels. Highways England expects to follow a similar communication strategy for the M3 scheme.

The M27 Junction 4 to 11 Smart Motorway Scheme will utilise variable mandatory speed limits (VMSL) which are set automatically in response to the level of congestion or traffic queues. Sensors detect the speed and volume of traffic, and this is used to calculate the optimum speed to keep vehicles moving smoothly, reducing the level of stop-start traffic and congestion.

The M3 Junctions 9 to 14 Smart Motorway Scheme is also planned to operate with VMSLs following a consultation, in which there was no opposition to the specifics of implementing VMSL.

Highways England runs regular national public information campaigns to help improve driver confidence and safety when using the Strategic Road Network (SRN). Detailed advice about safe driving on England’s motorways and major A-roads is available on its website www.highwaysengland.co.uk/motorways.

Since 2016, Highways England has run eight national smart motorways public awareness campaigns. Last Summer and again in February this year, it ran national public awareness campaigns on how to drive safely on its motorways, including messaging on what to do in a breakdown and smart motorway features, including Red X and variable speed limits. Highways England will continue to deliver national public awareness campaigns, with the next one planned for later this year on what to do in the event of a breakdown.

More widely, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State commissioned a review into smart motorway safety which reported earlier this year, with 18 measures to raise the bar on smart motorway safety, notwithstanding that the evidence shows that in most ways, smart motorways are as safe as, or safer than, the conventional ones. These measures included committing to an additional £5million on national targeted communications campaigns to further increase awareness and understanding of smart motorways, how they work and how to use them confidently.

Highways England is delivering a number of communications activities for the M27 Junction 4 to 11 Smart Motorway Scheme ahead of opening to help customers understand how to safely use a smart motorway. These include local exhibition events at community centres along the length of the scheme, information points at shopping centres, and the creation of scheme specific newsletters as well as information leaflets. Local authorities and other key stakeholders are also encouraged to share information using their own communication channels. Highways England expects to follow a similar communication strategy for the M3 scheme.

The M27 Junction 4 to 11 Smart Motorway Scheme will utilise variable mandatory speed limits (VMSL) which are set automatically in response to the level of congestion or traffic queues. Sensors detect the speed and volume of traffic, and this is used to calculate the optimum speed to keep vehicles moving smoothly, reducing the level of stop-start traffic and congestion.

The M3 Junctions 9 to 14 Smart Motorway Scheme is also planned to operate with VMSLs following a consultation, in which there was no opposition to the specifics of implementing VMSL.

Highways England runs regular national public information campaigns to help improve driver confidence and safety when using the Strategic Road Network (SRN). Detailed advice about safe driving on England’s motorways and major A-roads is available on its website www.highwaysengland.co.uk/motorways.

Since 2016, Highways England has run eight national smart motorways public awareness campaigns. Last Summer and again in February this year, it ran national public awareness campaigns on how to drive safely on its motorways, including messaging on what to do in a breakdown and smart motorway features, including Red X and variable speed limits. Highways England will continue to deliver national public awareness campaigns, with the next one planned for later this year on what to do in the event of a breakdown.

More widely, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State commissioned a review into smart motorway safety which reported earlier this year, with 18 measures to raise the bar on smart motorway safety, notwithstanding that the evidence shows that in most ways, smart motorways are as safe as, or safer than, the conventional ones. These measures included committing to an additional £5million on national targeted communications campaigns to further increase awareness and understanding of smart motorways, how they work and how to use them confidently.

Highways England is delivering a number of communications activities for the M27 Junction 4 to 11 Smart Motorway Scheme ahead of opening to help customers understand how to safely use a smart motorway. These include local exhibition events at community centres along the length of the scheme, information points at shopping centres, and the creation of scheme specific newsletters as well as information leaflets. Local authorities and other key stakeholders are also encouraged to share information using their own communication channels. Highways England expects to follow a similar communication strategy for the M3 scheme.

The M27 Junction 4 to 11 Smart Motorway Scheme will utilise variable mandatory speed limits (VMSL) which are set automatically in response to the level of congestion or traffic queues. Sensors detect the speed and volume of traffic, and this is used to calculate the optimum speed to keep vehicles moving smoothly, reducing the level of stop-start traffic and congestion.

The M3 Junctions 9 to 14 Smart Motorway Scheme is also planned to operate with VMSLs following a consultation, in which there was no opposition to the specifics of implementing VMSL.

The aviation sector is important to the UK economy and the government recognises the challenging times it is facing as a result of COVID-19. Our transport systems are critical to support the restart of the wider economy and we are working closely with the aviation sector, including CAA and Airlines UK, on these restart plans and the longer-term recovery of the sector.

The Government and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) are doing everything possible to support the industry during this difficult period, including being flexible about regulatory requirements where possible without compromising safety. The CAA have issued four General Exemptions which extend the validity period of certain licences, ratings, and certificates which expire before the 31^st of October 2020 until the end date of the exemption (22^nd of November 2020). The references for these General Exemptions and the associated conditions are ORS4 No.1378, ORS4 No.1383, ORS4 No.1384, and ORS4 No.1385. These are all publicly available on the CAA website at the following link:

https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/modalapplication.aspx?catid=1&pagetype=65&appid=11&mode=list&type=sercat&id=17

The Government and the CAA will continue to monitor the situation in consultation with stakeholders and we expect to issue further exemptions in the near future to support the aviation sector further.

The aviation sector is important to the UK economy and the government recognises the challenging times it is facing as a result of COVID-19. We continue to work closely with the sector to carry on with the repatriation of British Nationals and to maintain critical freight routes for medical supplies, whilst increasingly focusing on restart and recovery. Our transport systems are critical to support the restart of the wider economy and we are working closely with airports and the wider aviation sector on these restart plans.

The Government has announced an unprecedented package of financial measures to support businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic, worth £350 billion. This includes providing local authorities with a total of £3.2bn to support the COVID-19 response to the pandemic at the local level. These wide-ranging measures are providing support for businesses of all sizes.

The Department’s officials and I have been working closely with operators across the maritime sector, including Gosport Ferry Company, to understand how these measures can be applied. The Department recognises the important role the Ferry provides to the region, alongside other transport options that are available to access Portsmouth from Gosport and vice versa, ensuring that the South-East region remains well connected during this period.

The Government has announced an unprecedented package of financial measures to support businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic, worth £350 billion. This includes providing local authorities with a total of £3.2bn to support the COVID-19 response to the pandemic at the local level. These wide-ranging measures are providing support for businesses of all sizes.

The Department’s officials and I have been working closely with operators across the maritime sector, including Gosport Ferry Company, to understand how these measures can be applied. The Department recognises the important role the Ferry provides to the region, alongside other transport options that are available to access Portsmouth from Gosport and vice versa, ensuring that the South-East region remains well connected during this period.

The Government has announced an unprecedented package of financial measures to support businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic, worth £350 billion. This includes providing local authorities with a total of £3.2bn to support the COVID-19 response to the pandemic at the local level. These wide-ranging measures are providing support for businesses of all sizes.

The Department’s officials and I have been working closely with operators across the maritime sector, including Gosport Ferry Company, to understand how these measures can be applied. The Department recognises the important role the Ferry provides to the region, alongside other transport options that are available to access Portsmouth from Gosport and vice versa, ensuring that the South-East region remains well connected during this period.

The Government has announced an unprecedented package of financial measures to support businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic, worth £350 billion. This includes providing local authorities with a total of £3.2bn to support the COVID-19 response to the pandemic at the local level. These wide-ranging measures are providing support for businesses of all sizes.

My Department’s officials and I have been working closely with operators across the maritime sector, including Gosport Ferry Company, to understand how these Government’s COVID-19 support measures can be applied.

The department is monitoring and in regular dialogue with aviation businesses, including British Airways, ensuring that firms which provide vital services and infrastructure still exist following the outbreak.

The Chancellor has taken significant action to support businesses throughout the UK economy – including unprecedented steps to support wages and financing. These include Time to Pay, financial support for employees, and the Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility.

We do not comment on the commercial or financial matters of private firms. To protect the interests of the taxpayer, the Chancellor has been clear that bespoke Government support will only be considered as a last resort, once all other options have been fully exhausted – including raising further capital from existing investors, approaching other investors, and discussing arrangements with financial stakeholders. Any Government support will only be provided on commercial terms.

At Budget, on 11 March, the Government announced that 9 of the 12 shortlisted city regions that were invited to bid for Tranche 2 of the Transforming Cities Fund had made successful bids and will each receive a share of the £1.22 billion available from 2019-20 to 2022-23. Portsmouth were one of three cities whose proposals need to be further refined in order to proceed to investment. The Department will continue to work with Portsmouth this year to develop a package of proposals that could secure them a share of the £1.22 billion.

The Government has confirmed that it plans to introduce full import controls on EU goods at the border after the transition period ends on 31 December 2020. That will involve the need for customs declarations and will mean that goods are newly subject to checks.

HMG will be engaging with ports, airports and other stakeholders at key border locations to understand local constraints and opportunities and how best to support planning for operational readiness.

The Government has confirmed that it plans to introduce full import controls on EU goods at the border after the transition period ends on 31 December 2020. That will involve the need for customs declarations and will mean that goods are newly subject to checks.

HMG will be engaging with ports, airports and other stakeholders at key border locations to understand local constraints and opportunities and how best to support planning for operational readiness.

The Government has confirmed that it plans to introduce full import controls on EU goods at the border after the transition period ends on 31 December 2020. That will involve the need for customs declarations and will mean that goods are newly subject to checks.

HMG will be engaging with ports, airports and other stakeholders at key border locations to understand local constraints and opportunities and how best to support planning for operational readiness.

The Department uses the results of the National Rail Passenger Survey (NRPS) to monitor the performance of all franchised TOCs, including South Western Railway. The most recent NRPS results published in January 2020 are currently being assessed by officials in relation to the specific NRPS benchmarks for South Western Railway as outlined in Schedule 7.2 of the Franchise Agreement.

As confirmed in the written ministerial statement on 22 January 2020, the Department is preparing contingency plans for South Western Railway (SWR). Options include a new short-term contract with SWR, with tightly defined performance requirements; or transferring the operation to the Operator of Last Resort, a public sector operator wholly owned by the Department. The Department will evaluate both options to determine how best to secure the continuation of passenger services on this part of the network.

The Department uses the results of the National Rail Passenger Survey (NRPS) to monitor the performance of all franchised TOCs, including South Western Railway (SWR). The most recent NRPS results published in January 2020 are currently being assessed by officials in relation to the specific NRPS benchmarks for SWR as outlined in Schedule 7.2 of the Franchise Agreement.

South Western Railways’ (SWR) Franchise Agreement contains provisions that incentivise SWR to reduce its environmental impact, reduce waste and improve on recycling. Challenging annual environmental targets have been set and officials frequently monitor SWR’s performance against these targets. Where SWR fail to meet the targets, they must produce an improvement plan which is capable of achieving the targets set out within the Franchise Agreement.

South Western Railways’ (SWR) Franchise Agreement contains provisions that incentivises South Western Railway to improve its own performance and to work jointly with Network Rail. Challenging targets for performance have been set and where performance falls below expected levels, SWR is required to invest additional sums of money into initiatives to address the causes of the poor performance. Officials and I continue to closely monitor SWR’s performance and are currently in the process of finalising a Remedial Agreement.

This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers each and every day in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society including pensioners and those with disabilities. We will provide them with the help and support they need, including through the benefit system.

The support that carers provide has been even more vital during the Covid-19 pandemic when other support services may have been reduced or even closed and the caring role became even harder due to the need to self-isolate or shield the person they care for.

Unpaid carers may be able to apply for Carer’s Allowance if they meet the qualifying conditions, such as providing 35 hours of care a week. To ensure that carers already in receipt of Carer’s Allowance do not inadvertently stop receiving it because of changes to patterns of care, we have allowed emotional support to count towards the 35 hours of care being provided by the carer as well as relaxing the rules around breaks in care. These measures recognise that carers need extra flexibility in the way they provide care during the current emergency.

This Government continues to protect the value of benefits paid to carers whilst also spending record amounts in real terms. The level of Carer’s Allowance is protected by uprating it each year in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The purpose of benefit uprating is to ensure that the value of benefits stays in line with the general level of prices. Carer’s Allowance is increased each April in line with inflation as measured by the CPI for the previous September. For the April 2021 increase we use the September 2020 CPI, which was 0.5 per cent. Since 2010, the rate of Carer’s Allowance has increased from £53.90 to £67.25 a week, meaning around an additional £700 a year for carers. Between 2020/21 and 2025/26 real terms expenditure on Carer’s Allowance is forecast to increase by nearly a third (around £1 billion). By 2025/26, the Government is forecast to spend just over £4bn a year on Carer’s Allowance.

As of May 2020, there were 1,674 carers in the Portsmouth South constituency that were claiming Carer’s Allowance, of which 1,302 were in receipt of Carer’s Allowance while 372 had an underlying entitlement to it (which can passport to carer premiums). In 2019/20 we spent approximately £4.7 million on Carer’s Allowance there.

Information on the number of people claiming Carer’s Allowance by Parliamentary constituency is published and available at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk

Guidance for users is available at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html

The latest information on benefit expenditure by parliamentary constituency including Carer’s Allowance is also published and available at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/920543/benefit-expenditure-by-parliamentary-constituency-2019-20.xlsx

But Carer’s Allowance isn’t the only benefit available to carers. Carers have access to the full range of social security benefits according to their circumstances. Income replacement benefits help people and households on lower incomes, and can include a carer premium, currently £37.50 a week. An equivalent additional amount applies in Pension Credit. Universal Credit also includes a carer element at the rate of £162.92 per monthly assessment period. These amounts recognise the additional contribution and responsibilities associated with caring and mean that lower-income carers can receive more money than others who receive these benefits. Between the existing carer-specific support, and the temporary Covid-19 uplift, 270,000 carer households receiving Universal Credit have benefitted from up to an extra £2,990 this financial year.

This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers each and every day in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society including pensioners and those with disabilities. We will provide them with the help and support they need, including through the benefit system.

The support that carers provide has been even more vital during the Covid-19 pandemic when other support services may have been reduced or even closed and the caring role became even harder due to the need to self-isolate or shield the person they care for.

Unpaid carers may be able to apply for Carer’s Allowance if they meet the qualifying conditions, such as providing 35 hours of care a week. To ensure that carers already in receipt of Carer’s Allowance do not inadvertently stop receiving it because of changes to patterns of care, we have allowed emotional support to count towards the 35 hours of care being provided by the carer as well as relaxing the rules around breaks in care. These measures recognise that carers need extra flexibility in the way they provide care during the current emergency.

This Government continues to protect the value of benefits paid to carers whilst also spending record amounts in real terms. The level of Carer’s Allowance is protected by uprating it each year in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The purpose of benefit uprating is to ensure that the value of benefits stays in line with the general level of prices. Carer’s Allowance is increased each April in line with inflation as measured by the CPI for the previous September. For the April 2021 increase we use the September 2020 CPI, which was 0.5 per cent. Since 2010, the rate of Carer’s Allowance has increased from £53.90 to £67.25 a week, meaning around an additional £700 a year for carers. Between 2020/21 and 2025/26 real terms expenditure on Carer’s Allowance is forecast to increase by nearly a third (around £1 billion). By 2025/26, the Government is forecast to spend just over £4bn a year on Carer’s Allowance.

As of May 2020, there were 1,674 carers in the Portsmouth South constituency that were claiming Carer’s Allowance, of which 1,302 were in receipt of Carer’s Allowance while 372 had an underlying entitlement to it (which can passport to carer premiums). In 2019/20 we spent approximately £4.7 million on Carer’s Allowance there.

Information on the number of people claiming Carer’s Allowance by Parliamentary constituency is published and available at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk

Guidance for users is available at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html

The latest information on benefit expenditure by parliamentary constituency including Carer’s Allowance is also published and available at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/920543/benefit-expenditure-by-parliamentary-constituency-2019-20.xlsx

But Carer’s Allowance isn’t the only benefit available to carers. Carers have access to the full range of social security benefits according to their circumstances. Income replacement benefits help people and households on lower incomes, and can include a carer premium, currently £37.50 a week. An equivalent additional amount applies in Pension Credit. Universal Credit also includes a carer element at the rate of £162.92 per monthly assessment period. These amounts recognise the additional contribution and responsibilities associated with caring and mean that lower-income carers can receive more money than others who receive these benefits. Between the existing carer-specific support, and the temporary Covid-19 uplift, 270,000 carer households receiving Universal Credit have benefitted from up to an extra £2,990 this financial year.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 January 2020 to Question UIN 133744

The data requested is not available. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to parliamentary question 134540 on 13 January 2020.

The Secretary of State announced her plans for up-rating 2021/22 in a Written Ministerial Statement published on 25 November 2020:

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2020-11-25/hcws600

The proposed rates are subject to Parliamentary approval and are available on gov.uk:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-and-pension-rates-2021-to-2022

People who are made redundant as a result of Covid-19, or in any other circumstances, are able to make a claim to Universal Credit.

The Severe Disability Premium (SDP) Gateway is currently in place to prevent existing claimants who have been, within the past month, entitled to an award of an existing benefit (Employment and Support Allowance (income related), Jobseekers Allowance (income based), Income Support or Housing Benefit) that includes a SDP, from moving to Universal Credit if they have a relevant change in their circumstances. In cases where the benefit award ended during that month, they must have continued to satisfy the eligibility conditions for a SDP within the relevant benefit.

When the SDP Gateway is removed from 27 January 2021, existing benefit claimants who are entitled to the SDP will need to claim Universal Credit if they have a relevant change of circumstances and they will be considered for a transitional SDP element to be included in their Universal Credit award.

As of 15/01/21 there have been 1,868 new starts in the UK. We are working to provide geographical breakdowns of data soon.

No assessment has been made. There are no plans to align the treatment of pension income with that for earned income when calculating Universal Credit entitlement.

DWP have no plans to increase Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance or Income Support. These benefits were increased by 1.7% in April 2020 as part of the annual up-rating exercise.

Claimants in need of support do not have to wait 5 weeks for their first payment. New Claim Advances of up to 100% of a claimant’s indicative award are available if claimants need support during their first assessment period, and budgeting support is available for anyone who needs extra help.

No assessment has been made of the effect of Universal Credit on the wellbeing of claimants who are also in receipt of maternity allowance, during the covid-19 outbreak.

Universal Credit is replacing a complex system of six legacy benefits with a single monthly payment and through a simple taper system ensures claimants are better off in work, keeping more of what they earn compared to the legacy benefit system. It is a longstanding principle of the welfare system that benefits are not paid to claimants with income available from other sources to support themselves.

Where claimants have income available to meet their everyday living costs, their entitlement to Universal Credit is adjusted accordingly. This includes other benefits such as new style Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance and Maternity Allowance.

Maternity Allowance is a health and safety measure to enable women to stop work in the later stages of pregnancy and after childbirth in the interest of their own, and their baby’s, health and wellbeing.

There are currently no plans to change the Benefit Cap. The Benefit Cap ensures fairness between those receiving out-of-work benefits and taxpayers.

In response to unprecedented numbers of new claims, the Department has taken steps to ensure that people get the support they need quickly. The latest payment time statistics show over 90% of new eligible claimants are paid in full and on time. Data on payment timeliness up to April 2020 will be available on Stat-Xplore from 11th August

The latest available information on Universal Credit payment timeliness is published and can be found at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/.

Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html

Notes:

Payment timeliness is published with a further month between the publication date and the latest period being published for other UC household official statistics. This is because the data is subject to a lot of retrospection. Publishing data earlier would lead to relatively large revisions and to a loss of confidence in the earlier figures. This is the earliest payment timeliness can be published when balancing the needs of quality and timeliness of the statistics.

The Government has committed to annual statistics releases related to the operation of this policy. Statistics for 2018/19 can be found on GOV.UK. Statistics related to 2019/20 will be published in the summer.

Paying parents are still expected to pay child maintenance throughout this period. Our priority is to maintain the flow of maintenance that is currently being paid, by ensuring that we transfer the payments as quickly as possible to receiving parents.

We know the vast majority of parents take their responsibilities extremely seriously and will do whatever is needed to ensure their children are supported.

Where payments have been missed we have asked parents to report the changes via the self-service portal.

In order to ensure that receiving parents do not lose out in the long run, we will update cases with notified changes as soon as possible. Where payments have been missed the Service will take action to re-establish compliance and collect any unpaid amounts that may have accrued. There is insufficient data to estimate the precise economic impact of missed payments on different groups.

The Government has been clear in its commitment to support those, including both paying and receiving parents, whose income drops as a result of the public health emergency and we have made a number changes to the welfare system to ensure people are receiving the support they need. Taken together, these 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 the coronavirus outbreak.

Paying Parents have a regular schedule of payments to make and all parents are expected to make payments according to the schedule during their claim. Child Maintenance payments are routinely made via an automated method direct from the Paying Parents bank account or wages.

Paying parents are still expected to pay child maintenance throughout this period. Our priority is to maintain the flow of maintenance by easing the financial pressure on parents and ensuring that we transfer the payments as quickly as possible to receiving parents, and resources are focussed on ensuring payments are made where Child Maintenance Service has received them.

The department is committed to providing a quality, sensitive and respectful service to everyone. Individuals are encouraged to alert their assessment provider of any additional requirements they may have and providers will endeavour to meet any such reasonable requests.

Individuals can access additional support at any point in the claim or assessment process, for example help filling in the form or questionnaire. Companions are also able to join the telephony assessment, as they would have done for the face-to-face assessment. This is confirmed to the individual in the initial invitation to assessment letter for all phone assessments. If choosing to request a companion, they will be added to the call by the Health Professional at the start of the assessment.

To further enhance the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) telephony service, PIP providers have begun implementing a video relay service for deaf / British Sign Language-user claimants with an interpreter to allow these individuals to participate in the assessment process.

Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have a legal duty to have due regard to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidelines and are responsible for working with other local commissioners and organisations, including National Health Service trusts to make decisions about how best to meet the needs of their local populations. This includes NICE guideline ‘Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management’ which aims to improve the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and the quality of care and support that people receive.

The data requested is not held centrally.

In England, decisions about local NHS fertility services are determined by clinical commissioning groups, taking account of the National Institute for Health Care Excellence’s (NICE) fertility guidelines. The Government is clear that we expect local National Health Service commissioning bodies to commission fertility services in line with NICE guidelines.

NICE has started a scoping process for reviewing fertility guidelines including those for same sex female couples.