Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2022 to Question 94773 on Prison Education Review, what proportion of the budget of the Dynamic Purchasing System was spent in each prison in the most recent accounting period.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) is designed to enable governors to commission innovative, local projects that meet the needs of their prisoners. The budget for the DPS in 2022-23 is £21.8 million. Allocation of the education budget is based on Prisoner population and the role of the individual prison. Governors have authority to move education funds between the Prison Education Framework (PEF) and the DPS pots on an annual basis, up to 5 per cent of the PEF contract value. The overall spend this financial year to date is £11.3 million, against the year-to-date budget of £12.6 million.
As these services involve local spending plans and courses commissioned, we do not keep central records of what each prison commissions, and it would not be possible to obtain the information requested on a prison-by-prison basis without approaching each prison individually, which would incur disproportionate cost.
95 suppliers are currently delivering DPS services, which include: Catering & Hospitality; Construction, Cleaning and Facilities Management; Engineering & Manufacturing Technologies; Retail & Commercial Enterprise; Health & Public Services and Care; Business, Leadership, Administration and Law; Arts, Media and Publishing; Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care; Sport, Leisure, Travel and Tourism; Information and Communication Technology (additional to the core curriculum); Life Skills; Services to support individuals with additional learning needs; Resettlement; Preparation for Work, Careers Information Advice and Guidance.
The success and value for money of local commissioning is evaluated at local level, with support from the central contract management team. For larger DPS contracts, additional assurance processes are put in place by the contract management team. In addition to the contract management process, DPS provision is subject to OFSTED scrutiny, as are PEF and Prison Education provision.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2022 to Question 94773 on Prison Education Review, how the budget of the Dynamic Purchasing System is determined for each prison.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) is designed to enable governors to commission innovative, local projects that meet the needs of their prisoners. The budget for the DPS in 2022-23 is £21.8 million. Allocation of the education budget is based on Prisoner population and the role of the individual prison. Governors have authority to move education funds between the Prison Education Framework (PEF) and the DPS pots on an annual basis, up to 5 per cent of the PEF contract value. The overall spend this financial year to date is £11.3 million, against the year-to-date budget of £12.6 million.
As these services involve local spending plans and courses commissioned, we do not keep central records of what each prison commissions, and it would not be possible to obtain the information requested on a prison-by-prison basis without approaching each prison individually, which would incur disproportionate cost.
95 suppliers are currently delivering DPS services, which include: Catering & Hospitality; Construction, Cleaning and Facilities Management; Engineering & Manufacturing Technologies; Retail & Commercial Enterprise; Health & Public Services and Care; Business, Leadership, Administration and Law; Arts, Media and Publishing; Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care; Sport, Leisure, Travel and Tourism; Information and Communication Technology (additional to the core curriculum); Life Skills; Services to support individuals with additional learning needs; Resettlement; Preparation for Work, Careers Information Advice and Guidance.
The success and value for money of local commissioning is evaluated at local level, with support from the central contract management team. For larger DPS contracts, additional assurance processes are put in place by the contract management team. In addition to the contract management process, DPS provision is subject to OFSTED scrutiny, as are PEF and Prison Education provision.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2022 to Question 94773 on Prison Education Review, what the budget of the Dynamic Purchasing System is for each prison.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) is designed to enable governors to commission innovative, local projects that meet the needs of their prisoners. The budget for the DPS in 2022-23 is £21.8 million. Allocation of the education budget is based on Prisoner population and the role of the individual prison. Governors have authority to move education funds between the Prison Education Framework (PEF) and the DPS pots on an annual basis, up to 5 per cent of the PEF contract value. The overall spend this financial year to date is £11.3 million, against the year-to-date budget of £12.6 million.
As these services involve local spending plans and courses commissioned, we do not keep central records of what each prison commissions, and it would not be possible to obtain the information requested on a prison-by-prison basis without approaching each prison individually, which would incur disproportionate cost.
95 suppliers are currently delivering DPS services, which include: Catering & Hospitality; Construction, Cleaning and Facilities Management; Engineering & Manufacturing Technologies; Retail & Commercial Enterprise; Health & Public Services and Care; Business, Leadership, Administration and Law; Arts, Media and Publishing; Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care; Sport, Leisure, Travel and Tourism; Information and Communication Technology (additional to the core curriculum); Life Skills; Services to support individuals with additional learning needs; Resettlement; Preparation for Work, Careers Information Advice and Guidance.
The success and value for money of local commissioning is evaluated at local level, with support from the central contract management team. For larger DPS contracts, additional assurance processes are put in place by the contract management team. In addition to the contract management process, DPS provision is subject to OFSTED scrutiny, as are PEF and Prison Education provision.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing VAT reductions or subsidies for businesses in the hospitality sector.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The temporary reduced rate of VAT was introduced on 15 July 2020 to support the cash flow and viability of around 150,000 businesses and protect over 2.4 million jobs in the hospitality and tourism sectors, which were severely affected by COVID-19. The relief, which ended on 31 March 2022, cost over £8 billion.
All taxes are kept under review, but the Government has been clear that this was a temporary measure in response to COVID-19. It was appropriate that as restrictions were lifted and demand for goods and services in these sectors increased, the temporary VAT relief was first reduced and then removed in order to rebuild and strengthen the public finances.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the potential merits of reducing the VAT charged on food and drink served in pubs.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Chancellor regularly engages with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on a range of issues.
The temporary reduced rate of VAT was introduced on 15 July 2020 to support the cash flow and viability of around 150,000 businesses and protect over 2.4 million jobs in the hospitality and tourism sectors. On 1 October 2021, a new reduced rate of 12.5 per cent was introduced for these goods and services to ease affected businesses back to the standard rate. The relief ended on 31 March 2022.
The VAT reduced rate for the hospitality sector was a temporary measure designed to support the cash flow and viability of sectors that have been severely affected by COVID-19. It was appropriate that as restrictions were lifted and demand for goods and services in these sectors increased, the temporary tax reliefs were first reduced and then removed in order to rebuild and strengthen the public finances.
VAT is the UK’s third largest tax forecast to raise £157 billion in 2022/23 helping to fund key spending priorities such as important public services, including the NHS and policing. In addition, this request should be viewed in the context of over £50 billion of requests for relief from VAT received since the EU referendum.
While there are currently no plans to reduce the rate of VAT for the hospitality industry, the Government keeps all taxes under review.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect the (1) pay, (2) conditions, and (3) employment rights, of workers in the hospitality sector, given increasing energy costs.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Over the past year, the Government has supported workers across the UK and in the hospitality sector to improve pay, conditions, and employment rights.
On pay and facing increasing energy costs, we have helped people and businesses with their energy bills. The Energy Bills Support Scheme is supporting millions of households with rising energy costs until April next year. We have also raised the national living wage which will be £10.42 in April 2023. This is the largest ever cash increase and will ensure the lowest paid are fairly rewarded for their contribution to the economy.
On employment rights and conditions, the Government is backing five Private Members’ Bills to support workers. This includes the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill, which will ensure that all tips go to hospitality staff and allows staff to bring a claim to an Employment Tribunal if businesses do not distribute well-earned service charges fairly.
The Government has also been working closely with the hospitality sector. The Hospitality and Tourism Skills Board is developing guidance for employers on good practice regarding working conditions and employee wellbeing and progression
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she is taking steps with industry stakeholders to help ensure that delegations representation holiday destinations in the UK are present hospitality and tourism trade fairs.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
I recently attended the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, which is one of the global travel trade’s largest events responsible for reconnecting, rebuilding and innovating the industry. Here, the UK was represented by Trade Associations (such as UKInbound), Destination Management Organisations (such as VisitWest), and delegates from countries around the world.
The WTM was an opportunity to underline the government’s support for the travel and tourism sector. My attendance demonstrated that HMG is prioritising the recovery of the sector, and that bringing back inbound tourism levels to meet and surpass 2019 figures is a key driver of economic growth.
Such business events generate Foreign Direct Investment and trade in the UK’s most lucrative growth sectors, with an estimated £165 billion of trade transacted each year at trade shows and exhibitions in the UK (World Travel Market itself generates £2.8 billion in industry deals).
Forums such as the Tourism Industry Council and the Inter-Ministerial Group on the Visitor Economy ensure that delegations representing holiday destinations in the UK are present and briefed to showcase Britain as a global knowledge hub for hospitality and tourism trade fairs.
VisitBritain organise trade events, such as ExploreGB, Destination Britain North America, and Destination Britain China, to connect international buyers with British suppliers and destinations in order to open up new connections and business opportunities.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the viability of the supply chains which support the UK tourism and hospitality sector.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The resilience of UK supply chains is a key priority for this Government. Through our free trade agreements and market access work, the Department for International Trade is supporting British businesses to build more diverse and resilient supply chains which will be crucial in tackling challenges both today and in the future.
Last year, UK supply chains were disrupted by a spike in demand following COVID lockdowns and global shipping challenges. This year, the conflict in Ukraine, other geopolitical tensions, and rolling industrial action have added further pressure.
DCMS sectors continue to face a number of labour market issues, especially shortages in the hospitality sector. We are also seeing greater competition between sectors for staff. The Government set up a Ways to Work campaign to help move job-ready claimants into work. The Department for Work and Pensions Account Managers have worked with the largest employers and small and medium businesses have worked with local job centres directly to help fill the vacancies in businesses that have staff shortages.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to promote UK hospitality and tourism to potential overseas customers.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
In 2021, the government published two key documents which have been key to promoting the UK hospitality and tourism industry following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tourism Recovery Plan (TRP) and the Hospitality Strategy. The TRP sets out the role of the UK Government in assisting and accelerating the tourism sector’s recovery from COVID-19. The Tourism minister has continued to co-chair the Tourism Industry Council (TIC) meetings, to engage with stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support tourism’s recovery across the UK.
The Hospitality Strategy set out twenty-two commitments to support the sector across a range of policy areas, grouped into three themes: Reopening, Recovery, and Resilience. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) launched the Hospitality Sector Council to oversee the delivery of the strategy, and BEIS officials continue to work with the Council and the sector to deliver the strategy commitments.
The Government will continue to work with VisitBritain to promote the UK as a tourist destination domestically and internationally. In 2022, VisitBritain ran its Welcome to Another Side of Britain marketing campaign. The £14 million GREAT-funded campaign put the spotlight on Britain’s cities, hit hard by the absence of international visitors, as well as on messages of welcome and reassurance.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps her Department has taken to help promote the UK hospitality and tourism sectors.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
In 2021, the government published two key documents which have been key to promoting the UK hospitality and tourism industry following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tourism Recovery Plan (TRP) and the Hospitality Strategy. The TRP sets out the role of the UK Government in assisting and accelerating the tourism sector’s recovery from COVID-19. The Tourism minister has continued to co-chair the Tourism Industry Council (TIC) meetings, to engage with stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support tourism’s recovery across the UK.
The Hospitality Strategy set out twenty-two commitments to support the sector across a range of policy areas, grouped into three themes: Reopening, Recovery, and Resilience. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) launched the Hospitality Sector Council to oversee the delivery of the strategy, and BEIS officials continue to work with the Council and the sector to deliver the strategy commitments.
The Government will continue to work with VisitBritain to promote the UK as a tourist destination domestically and internationally. In 2022, VisitBritain ran its Welcome to Another Side of Britain marketing campaign. The £14 million GREAT-funded campaign put the spotlight on Britain’s cities, hit hard by the absence of international visitors, as well as on messages of welcome and reassurance.