Daily Report Thursday, 16 July 2020

This report shows written answers and statements provided on 16 July 2020 and the

information is correct at the time of publication (06:37 P.M., 16 July 2020). For the latest

information on written questions and answers, ministerial corrections, and written statements,

please visit: http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/

CONTENTS

ANSWERS 6

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND

INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 6

Bounce Back Loan Scheme 6

Coronavirus Local Authority

Discretionary Grants Fund 6

Coronavirus: Publications 7

Fire Prevention: Furniture 8

Fire Resistant Materials:

Health Hazards 8

Green Homes Grant Scheme 9

Industry: Heating 9

Minimum Wage: Non-payment 9

OneWeb: Investment 11

Personal Care Services:

Coronavirus 12

Personal Care Services:

Income 12

Remote Working: Taxation 13

CABINET OFFICE 13

[Subject Heading to be

Assigned] 13

Cabinet Office: Written

Questions 13

Census: Staff 13

Import Duties: Northern Ireland 14

National Security 14

Office for Tackling Injustices 14

Ports: Wales 15

Prime Minister: Photographs 16

Senior Civil Servants:

Resignations 16

UK Relations with EU 17

DEFENCE 17

Animal Experiments: Porton

Down 17

Armed Forces: Coronavirus 18

Defence Audit Committee 18

Defence: Contracts 18

Defence: Procurement 19

Integrated Security, Defence,

Development and Foreign

Policy Review 19

Integrated Security, Defence,

Development and Foreign

Policy Review: Parachute

Regiment 20

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND

SPORT 20

Broadband: Rural Areas 20

Broadband: Standards 21

Broadband: Voucher Schemes 21

Charities: Coronavirus 22

Conference Centres:

Coronavirus 22

Electronic Commerce: EU Law 23

Gambling: Fees and Charges 23

National Lottery Community

Fund: Charities 24

Science: Finance 24

Telecommunications 25

Tourism: Finance 25

EDUCATION 26

Academies and Schools:

Coronavirus 26

Assessments: Coronavirus 27

Confucius Institutes 28

Covid-19 Education Catch-up

Fund 28

Dance: Coronavirus 28

Department for Education:

Data Protection 29

Education: Standards 30

Higher Education: Finance 30

History: Education 31

Outdoor Education:

Coronavirus 32

Schools: Coronavirus 33

Secondary Education: Pupils 34

Student Loans Company 34

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND

RURAL AFFAIRS 35

Beverage Containers:

Recycling 35

Fracking: Ground Water 35

Members: Correspondence 36

Nature Conservation 36

Pesticides: Imports 37

Special Areas of Conservation 37

Waste: Exports 37

FOREIGN AND

COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 38

Bahrain: Capital Punishment 38

British Council: Coronavirus 39

British Nationals Abroad:

Coronavirus 39

China: India 40

China: Uighurs 40

Embassies: St Andrew's Day 41

Hong Kong: Human Rights 42

Iran: Arms Trade 42

Iraq: Turkey 42

Myanmar: War Crimes 43

Riot Control Weapons: Hong

Kong 43

Rwanda: Genocide 44

South China Sea 44

Spain: Coronavirus 44

Sri Lanka: Sanctions 45

Turkey: Coronavirus 45

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE 46

NHS Trusts: Finance 46

HOME OFFICE 46

Counter-terrorism: Expenditure 46

Fraud: Telephone Services 47

Police: Unmanned Air Vehicles 48

Quarantine: Exemptions 48

Remote Working: Females 49

Windrush Generation:

Compensation 49

HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND

LOCAL GOVERNMENT 52

Building Safety Fund 52

Churches: Coronavirus 52

Homelessness 53

Homelessness: Veterans 53

Mortgages 53

Planning Permission 54

Rough Sleeping: LGBT people 54

Supermarkets: Coronavirus 55

Veterans: Coronavirus 55

INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT 56

Foreign, Commonwealth and

Development Office 56

Malnutrition: Children 56

Polio: Disease Control 57

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 57

Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia 57

Iron and Steel: UK Trade with

EU 57

Ports: Smuggling 58

Trade Agreements 58

Trade Agreements: Vietnam 59

Trade: Africa 59

JUSTICE 60

Cremation: Coronavirus 60

Criminal Proceedings:

Coronavirus 60

Dangerous Dogs 61

Judges Council: Ethnic Groups 62

Judiciary: Ethnic Groups 62

Ministry of Justice: Standards 62

Prisoners' Release: Females 63

Ranby Prison 63

NORTHERN IRELAND 64

Terrorism: Northern Ireland 64

SCOTLAND 65

Agriculture: Coronavirus 65

Air Pollution: Coronavirus 65

Aviation: Scotland 66

Fisheries: Coronavirus 66

TRANSPORT 67

Aviation: Coronavirus 67

Aviation: Pakistan 68

Bicycles: Repairs and

Maintenance 68

Buses: Hydrogen 69

Cars: Coronavirus 69

Driving Tests: Coronavirus 69

High Speed 2 Railway Line 70

High Speed 2 Railway Line:

Archaeology 71

High Speed 2 Railway Line:

Coronavirus 71

Jet Zero Council 71

Motor Vehicles: Exhaust

Emissions 71

Motor Vehicles: Insurance 72

Motor Vehicles: Testing 73

Public Transport: Concessions 73

Railway Stations: Business

Premises 73

Railways: Commuters 74

Roads: Greater Manchester 74

Shipping: Crew 75

Southeastern: Railway

Stations 75

Transport: Northern Ireland 76

Transport: Schools 76

TREASURY 76

All Party ExcludedUK

Parliamentary Group 76

Borders: Northern Ireland 77

Coronavirus Job Retention

Scheme 78

Coronavirus Job Retention

Scheme: Arts 79

Customs Declaration Services

Programme 80

Debts: Developing Countries 80

Eat Out to Help Out Scheme 81

Employment: Coronavirus 82

Energy: VAT 82

Government Departments:

Kickstart Scheme 82

Green Homes Grant Scheme 83

Infrastructure: Environment

Protection 83

Landlords: Licensing 83

Landlords: Taxation 84

Manufacturing Industries:

Clothing 84

Minimum Wage 85

Money 88

Parks: Coronavirus 89

Remittances 89

Revenue and Customs:

Birmingham 90

Revenue and Customs:

Cleaning Services 90

Revenue and Customs:

Merseyside 91

Roadchef: Employee Benefit

Trusts 91

Roads: Freight 91

Self-employment Income

Support Scheme 92

Self-employment Income

Support Scheme: Emergency

Services 93

WALES 93

Coronavirus: Wales 93

WORK AND PENSIONS 94

Carer's Allowance 94

Child Maintenance Service 94

Children: Maintenance 95

Social Security Benefits 95

Universal Credit 96

Universal Credit: Coronavirus 96

Universal Credit: Northern

Ireland 96

Universal Credit: Wales 97

MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS 98

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND

RURAL AFFAIRS 98

Seabed: Bomb Disposal 98

HOME OFFICE 98

Entry Clearances: Overseas

Students 98

Travel Restrictions:

Coronavirus 99

WRITTEN STATEMENTS 100

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND

SPORT 100

A Call for Views on Proposals

for Regulating Consumer

Smart Product Security 100

EDUCATION 101

COVID-19 Higher Education

Restructuring Regime 101

FOREIGN AND

COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 102

Annual Human Rights and

Democracy Report 2019 102

Cyber Security: Update 102

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE 103

Implementation of Liberty

Protection Safeguards 103

Independent Investigation of

Patient Safety Incidents and

Deaths at Liverpool

Community Health NHS Trust

Terms Of Reference 104

The fourth annual report of the

Learning Disabilities Mortality

Review Programme 105

HOME OFFICE 107

Terrorism Prevention and

Investigation Measures (1

March 2020 to 31 May 2020) 107

JUSTICE 108

Criminal Injuries

Compensation Scheme

Review 2020 108

Judicial update 109

PRIME MINISTER 111

Commission on Race and

Ethnic Disparities 111

TRANSPORT 112

Transport Update 112

TREASURY 112

Public Service Pensions

Consultation and Update 112

Notes:

Questions marked thus [R] indicate that a relevant interest has been declared.

Questions with identification numbers of 900000 or greater indicate that the question was originally tabled as an

oral question and has since been unstarred.

ANSWERS

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

Bounce Back Loan Scheme

Drew Hendry: [72979]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his

Department has undertaken to ensure that businesses utilising personal current accounts

for business activities are not rejected for support from the Business Bounce Back Loan

Scheme.

Paul Scully:

The Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) has been introduced to help small and

medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000. Businesses are

not required to bank with their provider in order to be eligible for a loan under the

Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS).

It is also not a requirement of the Scheme for businesses to operate via a business

account. However, some lenders may request that an applicant opens a business

account in line with their standard policies. This is at the sole discretion of the lender.

There are now 26 lenders accredited under the scheme, providing more choice for

SMEs. Details of accredited lenders can be found on the British Business Bank’s

website.

In order to apply for the scheme, businesses need to complete a short, simple online

application form. A lender may consider paying funds into a personal current account

if no business bank account is held, if it has been satisfactorily evidenced that the

personal current account is being used for business purposes. In some cases,

borrowers may need to include their 2018-19 HMRC self-assessment tax return

alongside the form to verify their status as a business.

Coronavirus Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund

Sir David Amess: [72745]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether

businesses that are registered at a domestic residential address are eligible for the Local

Authority Discretionary Grant; and what guidance has been issued to local authorities on

the distribution of the Local Authority Discretionary Grant to businesses registered at a

domestic residential address.

Paul Scully:

On 1 May, the Government announced that up to £617 million has been made

available to local authorities in England to allow them to provide discretionary grants.

The Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund (LADGF) is aimed at small businesses

with ongoing fixed property-related costs that are not liable for business rates or rates

reliefs.

We are asking local authorities to prioritise the following types of businesses for

grants from within this funding pot:

• Small businesses in shared offices or other flexible workspaces. Examples could

include units in industrial parks, science parks, and incubators which do not have

their own business rates assessment.

• Regular market traders with fixed building costs, such as rent, who do not have

their own business rates assessment.

• Bed & breakfasts which pay Council Tax instead of business rates.

• Charity properties in receipt of Charitable Rate Relief, which would otherwise have

been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief.

Local authorities are responsible for defining the precise eligibility for this

Fund and may choose to make payments to other businesses based on local

economic need, subject to those businesses meeting the specific eligibility

criteria. Guidance for Local Authorities was published 13 May:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-

business-support-grant-funding.

We appreciate that there is substantial demand for the LADGF. Local Authorities will

need to manage their scheme to stay within their funding allocation and will have to

make choices about which businesses to prioritise.

Where businesses are registered at a domestic residential address, tax and

insurance details should identify the separate costs of a home-based business. Local

Authorities should take steps to understand the specific costs of the business.

Officials are keeping in close contact with Local Authorities to understand how the

scheme is rolling out and advising ministers on any additional support which could be

offered to help businesses and support local economies.

Any enquiries or appeals regarding the provision of, or eligibility for, grant funding

should be directed in the first instance to the relevant local authority.

The grant funding schemes are part of the Government’s wider package of support for

business. For further information on what support you might be eligible for,

please visit: https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder.

Coronavirus: Publications

Theresa Villiers: [72833]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will

publish formal guidance on distribution of (a) magazines, (b) leaflets and (c) other printed

material in line with the Public Health England advice that circulation of such material

does not increase risk of transmission of covid-19.

Paul Scully:

The Government will not be publishing additional guidance in relation to this.

However, the Government is reviewing existing guidance in light of the updated

information from Public Health England.

Fire Prevention: Furniture

Geraint Davies: [72752]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the (a)

remit (b) purpose, (c) terms of reference and (b) membership application process is for

the British Standards Institute (i) Expert Advisory Group and (ii) Working Group FW/6 on

flammability performance and fire tests for furniture.

Geraint Davies: [72753]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps is

his Department taking to ensure that it appoints a wide range of (a) stakeholders, (b)

representative organisations (c) experts and (d) professionals to the British Standards

Institute (i) Expert Advisory Group and (ii) Working Group FW/6 on flammability

performance and fire tests for furniture.

Paul Scully:

The British Standards Institution (BSI) is appointed by government as the UK’s

National Standards Body. Standards are voluntary and BSI is independent from

government. The BSI are responsible for ensuring their standards committees are

balanced and broadly represent the views of all interested stakeholders. This is

formally set out in the British Standard, “BS 0: A standard for standards: principles of

standardization”. Section 7 of this standard makes it clear that “committee

membership is at the discretion of BSI”.

The Government announced in July 2019 that it would developing a new approach to

the Furniture and Fire Safety Regulations and it will seek appropriate expert advice to

inform the policy development.

Fire Resistant Materials: Health Hazards

Geraint Davies: [72754]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference

to the Government Response to the Environmental Audit Committee's Twentieth Report

of Session 2017–19 on Toxic Chemicals in Everyday Life, published on 30 October 2019,

HC160, if he will report on his Department’s review of the status of baby and children’s

products within the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988; and what

assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the evidence heard by that

Committee on the effect of the chemicals in flame retardants on children’s health.

Paul Scully:

The Government published its response to the Environmental Audit Committee's

Twentieth Report of Session 2017–19 on Toxic Chemicals in Everyday Life (EAC) on

the 16 September 2019. It committed to reviewing the scope of the furniture and fire

safety regs including baby and children’s products. This remains the case.

We will consider all available evidence including that which was submitted to the EAC

and we will source a wide range of expertise in consultation with Chief Scientific

Advisor.

Green Homes Grant Scheme

Wes Streeting: [73008]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he

plans to open the Green Homes Grant for applications.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

In his Summer Economic Update, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Excheqer

announced a £2bn Green Home Grant scheme that will support homeowners and

landlords in England to improve the energy efficiency of their properties, reducing

energy bills and carbon emissions, and supporting a green economic recovery.

The funding will be spent on paying for accredited tradespeople to install a range of

measures, for example insulation, to improve the energy performance of their homes.

Further detail on the range of measures will be announced in the coming days, before

the full launch.

Industry: Heating

Mr Barry Sheerman: [72806]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he

plans to meet with representatives of the PUMPITUP! heat pump campaign to discuss

support for heat pump projects across a range of industries.

Kwasi Kwarteng:

Heat pumps will play a vital role in decarbonising heat in the UK. I have already

asked BEIS officials to meet with representatives of the Pump it Up Campaign to

discuss support for heat pump projects further.

Minimum Wage: Non-payment

Andy McDonald: [72934]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference

to the recommendations in the Low Pay Commission's May 2020 report, Non-compliance

and enforcement of the National Minimum Wage, what steps he has taken to (a) evaluate

what data are recorded in non-compliance investigations, (b) make an assessment of

how that data can be used to improve cost-effectiveness, (c) monitor the effect of the

increase in the threshold for naming employers found to have underpaid workers, (d) take

responsibility for the delivery of the new higher NLW target in the sectors where it is the

main source of funding, (e) use targeted communications to both apprentices and their

employers to highlight underpayment risks and the non-payment of training hours, (f)

instruct HMRC to (i) review how it records apprentice underpayment, (ii) publish the

number and profile of the apprentices identified as having been underpaid and (iii))

review its approach to investigations involving apprentices and whether such

investigations would identify non-payment of training hours and (g) review the regulations

on records to be kept by an employer to set out the minimum requirements needed to

keep sufficient records; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Scully:

The Government is committed to tackling minimum wage non-compliance. Anyone

entitled to be paid the National Minimum Wage (NMW) should receive it. The last

financial year (2019/20) was another strong year for NMW enforcement. HMRC

completed over 3,300 investigations and found arrears in just over 1,200 of them.

They identified £20.8 million in arrears for over 263,000 workers and issued just

under 1,000 penalties, totalling £18.5 million to non-compliant employers.

We have noted the Low Pay Commission’s (LPC) recommendations made in their

2020 report on non-compliance and enforcement of the NMW. We responded to the

LPC’s last (2019) set of enforcement recommendations in the 2018/19 edition of

BEIS’ annual report on NMW Enforcement and Compliance[1].

We have already acted on the recommendations made by the LPC following the

publication of their report in May 2020. We have drawn up plans for evaluative work

across the 2020-21 financial year, started research to assess the impact of HMRC’s

promote activity and engaged with both the Department for Education and HMRC to

tackle the underpayment of apprentices. We will respond in full to the LPC’s 2020

enforcement recommendations in due course. We will also provide more detailed

statistics on enforcement in 2019/20 as part of the 2019/20 edition of BEIS’ annual

report on NMW Enforcement and Compliance.

[1] National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage: Government evidence on

compliance and enforcement, 2019 (BEIS, 2020)

Andy McDonald: [72935]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what

assessment he has made of trends in the number of prosecutions for non-payment of the

national minimum wage by region (a) in total and (b) in each year since the financial year

2009-10.

Paul Scully:

The Government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum

Wage (NMW) receives it. All businesses, irrespective of size or business sector, are

responsible for paying the correct minimum wage to their staff. Our priority is to

ensure that workers receive the money they are owed as quickly as possible. For this

reason, in the vast majority of cases, HMRC pursue civil enforcement, which is the

quickest way of ensuring workers receive their arrears.

Labour Market Enforcement Undertakings and Orders provide a further tool for cases

that involve high levels of arrears per worker and/or NMW non-compliance over an

extended period of time. These can result in a two-year custodial sentence and/or an

unlimited fine.

HMRC investigates all complaints from workers; and if anyone thinks they are not

receiving at least the minimum wage they can contact Acas, in confidence, on 0300

123 1100 or via the online complaints form using the link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pay-and-work-rights-complaints

HMRC will prosecute where it finds the most serious cases of non-compliance and

since the financial year 2009-10 HMRC NMW investigations have led to 8 successful

prosecutions of employers for NMW related offences.

Total prosecutions since the financial year 2009-10:

NUMBER REGION DATE

1 Manchester 23/06/2010

2 London 26/02/2013

3 Birmingham 11/05/2016

4 Weymouth 13/05/2016

5 Oldham 04/08/2016

6 Southampton 08/12/2016

7 Birmingham 17/08/2017

8* - November 2019

Government compliance and enforcement 18/19 link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-living-wage-and-national-

minimum-wage-government-evidence-on-compliance-and-enforcement-2019

*The eighth case was successfully prosecuted in November 2019. As this case falls

outside the 2018/19 reporting period, it will be detailed in next year’s (19/20) report.

OneWeb: Investment

Owen Thompson: [72998]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what due

diligence the Government has undertaken to ensure that its investment in OneWeb is

commercially sound.

Amanda Solloway:

This investment is likely to make an economic return, with due diligence showing a

strong commercial basis for investment. The deal contributes to the government’s

plan to join the first rank of space nations, and signals the government’s ambition for

the UK to be a pioneer in the research, development, manufacturing, and exploitation

of novel satellite technologies enabling enhanced broadband through the ownership

of a fleet of Low Earth orbit satellites.

We expect revenue streams from 2022 in several areas including aerospace,

maritime, government & military and Enterprise/business broadband.

Personal Care Services: Coronavirus

James Wild: [73117]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will

publish Public Health England's assessment of the scientific evidence on which the

Government has instructed that beauty salons are not permitted to carry out facial

treatments under covid-19 lockdown restrictions.

Paul Scully:

The Ministerial Taskforces have been getting scientific input from Public Health

England (PHE), who have been directly involved in the taskforce meetings, helping to

resolve scientific issues as they draft the guidance. Each individual working group

which produced the guidance published on 11 May had active PHE presence, and

each set of guidance was produced in collaboration with them, the Health and Safety

Executive and other Departments. That model was followed for both the pubs and

restaurants, close contact services, and non-essential retail taskforces. The PHE staff

who have supported the BEIS taskforces are in regular direct contact with those

attending SAGE and have access to the PHE SAGE read-outs. They have

endeavoured to reflect closely the SAGE recommendations and have also been

responsible for putting some subjects pertinent to BEIS discussions to SAGE, such

as persistence of COVID-19 on surfaces, and consideration of social distancing

requirements under different scenarios. SAGE information is shared on its website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-

sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response.

Personal Care Services: Income

James Wild: [73118]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will

estimate the proportion of beauty industry sector turnover that is derived from facial

treatments.

Paul Scully:

We do not currently hold accurate information on the proportion of the beauty industry

sector turnover that is derived from facial treatments.

Remote Working: Taxation

Alex Norris: [73060]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what

methodology his Department was used to determine a tax-free payment value of £6 per

week for people required to work from home.

Nadhim Zahawi:

In order to determine a tax-free payment value of £6 per week for people required to

work from home due to Covid-19, the Department followed the guidance set out by

HM Revenue and Customs of £26 per month as a fair contribution towards the utility

costs of employees. This guidance is set out at: https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-

employees/working-at-home.

CABINET OFFICE

[Subject Heading to be Assigned]

Alan Brown: [904850]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to publish Lord Dunlop's

Review of UK Government Union Capability.

Chloe Smith:

Since Lord Dunlop delivered his report, the Government has been carefully

considering its recommendations on how departments can work most effectively to

realise fully all the benefits of being a United Kingdom.

The Government is grateful for the work that Lord Dunlop has undertaken.

Cabinet Office: Written Questions

Dawn Butler: [72829]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to answer Questions (a) 62329,

(b) 62330, (c) 62331, (d) 62332 and (e) 62333 tabled on 22 June 2020 by the hon.

Member for Brent Central.

Chloe Smith:

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQs 62329, 62330, 62331, 62332,

62333, 69482, 69483 on 16 July 2020.

Census: Staff

Preet Kaur Gill: [72246]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people employed in census

community adviser roles speak foreign languages; and which languages to those people

speak.

Preet Kaur Gill: [72247]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people employed in census

community adviser roles there are in each ethnic group.

Preet Kaur Gill: [72248]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people employed in census

community adviser roles there are from each religion.

Chloe Smith:

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have

therefore asked the Authority to respond.

Attachments:

1. UKSA response [PQ72246_72247_72248 (1).pdf]

Import Duties: Northern Ireland

Louise Haigh: [72984]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of

the legal risk of failing to deliver the dual tariff system in Northern Ireland.

Beth Winter: [73125]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the Government’s policy is on tariffs on

goods entering Northern Ireland in the event that the dual UK and EU tariff system is not

ready by 1 January 2021.

Penny Mordaunt:

I refer the hon. Members to the answer given to PQ 71822 answered on 15 July

2020.

National Security

Stephen Morgan: [71865]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who will act as National Security Adviser in the

interim period between the departure of the previous National Security Adviser and the

start date of the new post holder in the Autumn.

Penny Mordaunt:

I refer the hon. Member to the Urgent Question responded to by the Chancellor of the

Duchy of Lancaster on 30 June 2020.

Office for Tackling Injustices

Dawn Butler: [62329]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse has been of

establishing the Office for Tackling Injustices under the Administrations of the (a)

previous and (b) current Prime Minister.

Dawn Butler: [62330]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what provision for funding the Office for

Tackling Injustices (a) was made in his Department’s Supplementary Estimate for 2019-

20 and (b) is planned to be made in his Department’s Main Estimate for 2020-21.

Dawn Butler: [62331]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings he has held with (a) his

Cabinet colleagues and (b) Ministers of other Government departments on the

establishment of the Office for Tackling Injustices in each month since July 2019.

Dawn Butler: [62332]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have been asked by his

Department to serve in the Office for Tackling Injustices; what the outcome of each such

request has been; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Butler: [62333]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answers of 8 June 2020 to

Questions 55892, 55893 and 55894 on Office for Tackling Injustices, what the process is

for the announcements referred to in the answer; and if he will make it his policy to make

a statement to the House in respect of each decision made by Ministers relating to the

establishment of the Office for Tackling Injustices.

Dawn Butler: [69482]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2020 to

Question 1870 on Office for Tackling Injustices and with reference to the Prime Minister’s

statement of 15 June 2020, how the cross-governmental commission to look at all

aspects of inequality will contribute to the work of the Office for Tackling Injustices.

Dawn Butler: [69483]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the news release entitled,

Authored article, Prime Minister's article in the Telegraph: 15 June 2020, what the

territorial scope of the commission is planned to be; and what discussions he has had

with Ministers in the Devolved Administrations on the remit of the commission in relation

to (a) Northern Ireland, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales.

Chloe Smith:

I refer the Hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by the Prime

Minister on 16 July 2020, which outlines the plans for a new cross-government

Commission to review inequality in the UK. This Commission has superseded the

proposals from the last Administration to create an Office for Tackling Injustice.

Ports: Wales

Hywel Williams: [71672]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment the Government has

made of the preparedness of the ports of (a) Holyhead, (b) Milford Haven, (c) Cardiff, (d)

Newport, (e) Port Talbot, (f) Fishguard and (g) Swansea to adapt to changes to customs

rules and physical checks requirements following the end of the transition period.

Penny Mordaunt:

Further to the answer by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Cabinet

Office's Border and Protocol Delivery Group is working with Government departments

and with Welsh Government officials and with ports in Wales on their requirements

for the end of the Transition Period.

Prime Minister: Photographs

Layla Moran: [72254]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse has been of

private photographers for 10 Downing Street in each of the last 12 months.

Chloe Smith:

During the course of the year, 10 Downing Street hosts a number of events to

celebrate the work of charities and mark initiatives such as Black History Month, NHS

workers, Police Bravery, Pride, International Women’s Day and Girls’ Education. As

part of this a freelance photographer is occasionally engaged for the primary purpose

of taking photographs of the guests attending; these photographs are then shared

with them after the event. This is since there are security restrictions on personal

photography by guests. The cost of this over the last 12 months has been £5,100.

Given the Hon. Member's interest in freelance photography, I also refer her to the

answer to 28 November 2011, Official Report, Column 733W, by her Rt Hon Friend,

the Member for Kingston and Surbiton.

Senior Civil Servants: Resignations

Sir Edward Davey: [70302]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many (a) Permanent Secretaries and (b)

Cabinet Secretaries have left their posts in each of the last 15 years.

Chloe Smith:

Lord Turnbull served as Cabinet Secretary from 2002 to 2005, Lord O'Donnell from

2005 to 2011, Lord Heywood of Whitehall from 2011 to 2018, and Sir Mark Sedwill

from 2018.

Over the last fifteen years various permanent secretaries have left their posts

including to other roles; some held more than one role during this period.

In 2014 the Coalition Government agreed that all new Permanent Secretaries (SCS4-

level appointments) would be made on the basis of a 5 year fixed tenure, and that

there would be no automatic presumption in favour of renewal.

The table below relates only to substantive first and second permanent secretaries; it

does not include Directors General assigned on a short-term basis to cover

temporary vacancies. It therefore includes the permanent secretary of the

Department of Energy and Climate Change who left during the time while the

Member for Kingston and Surbiton was Secretary of State, but not an official who left

having filled the role on a temporary basis. Members of the Diplomatic Service, other

than the Permanent Secretary to FCO, are also not included.

2005 12 2011 10 2017 9

2006 6 2012 8 2018 3

2007 11 2013 6 2019 7

2008 7 2014 4 2020 (to June) 6

2009 4 2015 9

2010 8 2016 4

UK Relations with EU

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: [71120]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which senior Ministers (a) have been, (b) are

and (c) plan to be engaged in the next five months in negotiations with the EU on the

UK's post-transition relationship.

Penny Mordaunt:

Details of Cabinet Committee membership and their terms of reference are available

online at GOV.UK, including the EU Exit Strategy (XS) and EU Exit Operations (XO)

committees.

DEFENCE

Animal Experiments: Porton Down

Mark Tami: [72818]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the principle of replacement,

reduction and refinement of the use of animals in research, what plans there are to

reduce the size of the breeding colony of marmosets at the Defence Science and

Technology Laboratory, Porton Down.

Jeremy Quin:

The size of the Dstl marmoset breeding colony is under constant review by veterinary

staff, independent inspectors and the Dstl Animal Welfare Ethical Review Body,

following the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement of the use of

animals in research (the 3Rs). Accordingly, the breeding colony is maintained at the

minimum size consistent with future research needs and maintaining suitable genetic

diversity.

Armed Forces: Coronavirus

Chi Onwurah: [71046]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the

protections required for armed forces personnel stationed overseas to operate safely

during the covid-19 pandemic.

James Heappey:

Further to the answer given during Defence oral questions on Monday 6 July 2020,

The Ministry of Defence has developed and implemented a package of Covid-19

protection measures (social distancing, isolation, quarantine and specialist medical

air evacuation) for each overseas location. All non-essential travel has been halted to

minimise the risk of transmission, and following assessment, those deemed most

medically vulnerable have been returned home. Commanders in each theatre have

the ability to suspend activity as required to ensure force protection. The Department

continues to review where our personnel are serving during the pandemic and the

support they may need whilst doing so.

Defence Audit Committee

Mr Kevan Jones: [72176]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the membership of the

Defence Audit Committee.

Jeremy Quin:

The Defence Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (formerly the Defence Audit

Committee) is a sub-committee of the Defence Board. It supports the Board and

Accounting Officer in their responsibilities for risk control and governance by

reviewing the comprehensiveness, reliability and integrity of the Ministry of Defence's

(MOD) risk assurance framework.

Membership of the Defence Audit and Risk Assurance Committee 2018-19 can be

found in the Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts 2018-19 Pages 103 -

104.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-defence-annual-report-and-

accounts-2018-to-19

The MOD's Annual Report and Accounts for 2019 - 20 will be published in October

2020.

Defence: Contracts

Mr Kevan Jones: [72823]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what changes his Department has made to the

contract profit rate in the last five years.

Jeremy Quin:

Under the Single Source Contract Regulations, the contract profit rate for a Qualifying

Defence Contract (QDC) is determined by a six-step process, starting with a Baseline

Profit Rate (BPR). The BPR is determined each year by the Single Source

Regulations Office (SSRO). It is then adjusted to take account of various factors,

including risk, capital servicing and SSRO funding, in order to determine the contract

profit rate for each QDC.

Movements in the BPR over the past five years, together with details of some other

adjustments, can be found in the 2020 contract profit rate update, which is published

on gov.uk at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2020-contract-profit-rate

The site also includes a detailed supporting analysis and information on the

methodologies used.

Defence: Procurement

Mr Kevan Jones: [72824]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the existing FOREX rate is for dollar

purchases negotiated by his Department with the Bank of England.

Jeremy Quin:

We address the impact of foreign exchange using forward purchase contracts agreed

with the Bank of England. This mechanism provides budget stability in the forward

programme and is not intended to generate gains or savings from the foreign

exchange market.

The average Dollar rate secured by the Department through its forward purchase

contracts for 2020-21 is 1.326, this covers 80% of the Department's requirement.

Integrated Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy Review

Jack Lopresti: [72880]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will ensure that as a result of the

Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy the UK (a)

continues to exceed the NATO target of spending 2 per cent of GDP on defence and (b)

at least maintains its level of established strength in each branch of the armed forces and

Reserves; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Ben Wallace:

Her Majesty's Government will continue to exceed the NATO target of spending 2 per

cent of GDP on defence and increase the budget by at least 0.5 above inflation every

year of this parliament. The UK is one of only a handful of nations that meets the 2

per cent target, and we remain the largest European Defence spender in NATO. It is

too early to speculate on the outcomes of the Integrated Review but I can assure you

that our national security capabilities will be determined by the threats that we face

and that this country will maintain the strength of our world class Armed Forces.

Integrated Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy Review: Parachute

Regiment

Dan Jarvis: [R] [72928]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the veracity

of recent media reports on plans to reduce the (a) number of personnel in and (b) funding

received by the Parachute Regiment as part of the upcoming Integrated Review of

Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy; and if he will make a statement.

James Heappey:

The Integrated Review will define the UK Government's ambition for the UK's role in

the world and the long-term strategic aims for our national security and foreign policy.

It is too early to discuss specific capabilities, but I can assure you that this country will

continue to have the world class Armed Forces that it needs and deserves.

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Broadband: Rural Areas

Chi Onwurah: [72900]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much of the £200

million allocated to hubs and SME vouchers for the Rural Gigabit Connectivity

Programme has been spent.

Matt Warman:

RGC is a demand side intervention and the run rate is therefore driven by demand

from public buildings (“hubs”) in rural areas requesting an upgrade to full fibre, and

demand from rural SMEs and residents for “vouchers”. Demand got off to a slow start

in 2019/20 as the programme was established and the interventions took time to

come into effect. Hub demand is stimulated through Other Government Departments,

and voucher demand is being stimulated by suppliers and Local Authorities. £17.4

million was spent on the programme in 2019/20.

As the programme is now fully established, the run rate is in line with the original

plans for 2020/21. The department is forecasting £23.7 million will be spent on hubs

in 2020/21 and forecasting £71 million will be spent on vouchers in 2020/21.

Nonetheless the department is mindful of the challenges to the programme posed by

COVID-19.

However, the programme has generated a strong pipeline of public building upgrades

and voucher demand for subsequent years. Whilst the RGC programme itself will end

in March 2021, the demand “hopper” will feed the demand side intervention in the

successor programme - the UK Gigabit Programme - from March 2021 onwards. HM

Treasury has agreed that the programme can contract for connections in 2020/21

that will be delivered in 2021/22, which will ultimately close the shortfall from 2019/20.

Of the 39,829 public buildings sites analysed through the programme to date, 5,745

are eligible and form this “hopper” of prospective upgrades.

Broadband: Standards

Chi Onwurah: [69556]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will publish data

on the latency of superfast broadband lines delivered with Building Digital UK by local

authority area.

Matt Warman:

Building Digital UK (BDUK) does not monitor nor track the latency of superfast

broadband lines delivered through their rollout programmes. BDUK and Ofcom only

collect speed data, not latency data.

BDUK receives delivery and speed data at a premise level in the form of a delivery

report that is received from suppliers every quarter of a contract up until delivery

completion. This provides BDUK with information on what premises have been

delivered to, what upload and download speeds they expect to receive, when the

premise was built to, and what technology was used to build to that premise.

Local Authority and constituency level data on available speed is published in

Ofcom’s Connected Nations reports and summarised on the House of Commons

Library website.

Broadband: Voucher Schemes

Chi Onwurah: [72207]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he

has made of the potential merits on introducing a dedicated Business Broadband

Voucher Scheme to help SMEs (a) improve their broadband connections and (b) adapt to

the digital economy.

Matt Warman:

The department already operates a voucher scheme to Small to Medium Enterprises

(SMEs) through the Rural Gigabit Voucher Scheme. Funding of up to £3,500 is

available to SMEs, and up to £1,500 for residents. This is available for businesses as

large as 249 employees and a turnover of up to €50m per annum, and as small as

sole traders. £71 million of funding is available for residents and businesses in this

financial year.

Local Authority ‘top-up’ funding is also available in Kent, West Sussex, Borderlands

and Wales which increases the amount available. For example in Wales the SME

voucher is worth up to £7,000. To date, the Rural Gigabit Voucher Scheme has

issued over 10,000 vouchers to SMEs and residents, of which over 2,500 have

already resulted in a live connection.

The department previously offered the UK wide Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme,

which closed in May 2020 and was available to both urban and rural premises. This

Scheme offered up to £1,500 for SMEs and up to £500 for residents, with ‘top-up’

funding available in Kent and Wales. To date nearly 25,000 connections have been

made through this Scheme, with a further 8,000 vouchers issued that will be

connected over the coming 12 months. The total value of vouchers for businesses

through this Scheme was £64 million.

With billions of pounds of commercial investment announced for urban fibre build,

there is now a high risk of “deadweight” from urban vouchers which is why the

department is now focusing on developing gigabit-capable connectivity in rural areas.

Charities: Coronavirus

Wes Streeting: [73010]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much of the £750

million Government financial support announced for charities in response to the covid-19

outbreak has been paid out; and to how many charities that funding has been allocated.

Mr John Whittingdale:

Of the £750m of financial support for charities during the Covid-19 crisis, £360m was

committed to be distributed by other government departments, which includes £200m

to be distributed to hospices via the Department for Health & Social Care. Currently,

over £150m has been dispersed for hospices. Of the remaining £160m allocated to

other government departments, £59.4m has been distributed.

£310m of the £750m total was committed to support small and medium charities in

England during the Covid-19 crisis. Of this, £200m has been allocated to the

Coronavirus Community Support Fund (CCSF) which is being distributed by the

National Lottery Community Fund. To date, 934 grants have been awarded to

charities and social enterprises in England, totalling approximately £20m. Of this,

payments have been made to 463 organisations, totalling £5,163,403.

We are continuing to review the early findings from the distribution of the Coronavirus

Community Support Fund (CCSF) to ensure that the remaining £110m is utilised in

the most effective way, addressing emerging priorities.

Lastly, the government committed to match-fund the £36.5m raised during the BBC

Big Night In. To date, £21.9m has been disbursed to our partners (NET & Comic

Relief). Please note that no funds have been distributed to Children in Need yet.

We have published clear and comprehensive guidance on the full £750 million

package of support for charities and how organisations can apply for it on Gov.uk.

This guidance will be updated frequently: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/financial-

support-for-voluntary-community-and-social-enterprise-vcse-organisations-to-

respond-to-coronavirus-covid-19

Conference Centres: Coronavirus

Andy Slaughter: [72848]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he plans to make

additional funding available to exhibitions and events businesses that are employing staff

to rebuild their business following the covid-19 outbreak.

Nigel Huddleston:

The events industry and its suppliers have been severely hit by the current crisis. My

officials and I continue to engage with events stakeholders - for example through the

Visitor Economy Working Group and the Events Industry Board - to monitor the

ongoing impact on exhibitions and events businesses.

Events businesses and workers can access the Government’s economic support

package, including the recently extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the

Self-Employed Income Support Scheme and the Bounce Back Loan scheme. We will

continue to engage with stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support

tourism’s recovery across the UK.

We are working closely with events stakeholders, such as the Association of Events

Organisers, to develop Covid-19 Secure reopening guidance for conferences and

events venues.

Electronic Commerce: EU Law

Chi Onwurah: [71053]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his

Department has made of the effect on UK consumers of the eCommerce Directive no

longer applying to the UK from 1 January 2021.

Caroline Dinenage:

The eCommerce Directive is a piece of EU legislation that seeks to facilitate digital

trade within the EU’s internal market. By the end of the year, we will be a fully

independent and sovereign country: this means that there will be no alignment with

EU law. From 1 January 2021, online service providers based in the European

Economic Area will be required to abide by UK legislation when providing services to

UK consumers.

Gambling: Fees and Charges

James Wild: [73119]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment (a)

his Department and (b) the Gambling Commission has made of the level of risk of harm

to vulnerable people from permitting gambling charges to be added to post-paid mobile

phone bills.

Nigel Huddleston:

All operators providing gambling facilities to customers in Great Britain must be

licensed by the Gambling Commission and comply with licence conditions. These

include requirements to protect vulnerable people from being harmed by gambling

and to intervene when a customer shows signs of being at risk of harm, which apply

however payments are made.

Payments made by mobile phone are capped by the Payment Services Regulations

2017 at £40 per transaction, up to a total of £240 per month. These limits cover all

services charged to phone bills, such as gambling and music downloads. They are

not a common means of spending on gambling, currently accounting for around 0.4%

of the annual gross gambling yield (including lotteries). In addition to the regulatory

requirements of the Commission, the Phone-Paid Services Authority also regulates

services that involve charges to phone bills.

Phone payments do not represent a breach of rules banning credit card payments for

gambling but the Gambling Commission has committed to evaluate the impact of the

ban, including looking at displacement to other payment methods. They will continue

to monitor the use of phone-paid payments as part of that evaluation.

National Lottery Community Fund: Charities

Daniel Zeichner: [71797]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of the

£200m assigned to the National Lottery Community Fund as emergency covid-19 funding

for smaller charities has been received by charities.

Mr John Whittingdale:

The Coronavirus Community Support Fund was set up to help maintain and enhance

services for vulnerable people affected by the current crisis, where delivery

organisations are experiencing income disruption and/or increased demand for their

services.

To date, 934 grants have been awarded to charities and social enterprises in

England, totalling approximately £20m. Of this payments have been made to 463

organisations, totalling £5,163,403.

The funding is being distributed by the National Lottery Community Fund and is open

for applications from small and medium charities and social enterprises.

How to apply: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/covid-19/learn-about-

applying-for-emergency-funding-in-england

We have published clear and comprehensive guidance on the full £750 million

package of support for charities and how organisations can apply for it on Gov.uk.

This guidance will be updated frequently: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/financial-

support-for-voluntary-community-and-social-enterprise-vcse-organisations-to-

respond-to-coronavirus-covid-19

Science: Finance

Tommy Sheppard: [45300]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he

has made of the potential merits of the UK Association for Science and Discovery

Centres’ Proposal for an Emergency Resilience Fund for UK Science Centres; and if he

will make a statement.

Caroline Dinenage:

Science and discovery centres around the country have an important role in

educating, inspiring and entertaining visitors of all ages on what science is and the

important discoveries over the centuries that have changed all our lives.

Science centres in England have access to the unprecedented support the

Government has announced for business and workers, to protect them against the

current economic emergency. This includes the Job Retention Scheme, which

science centres have benefited from, VAT payment deferrals, and £330bn worth of

government backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses. The Chancellor

has also announced a Bounce Back loan scheme to help small businesses access

loans of up to £50,000, with a 100% government-backed guarantee for lenders.

Additionally some of the members of the ASDC - specifically cultural institutions like

museums - may be eligible to apply for support as part of the £1.57 billion investment

announced earlier this month.

Science centres outside England may be eligible for further support from the

devolved governments for example some centres in Scotland may eligible for

additional support from the Scottish Government.

Telecommunications

Neil Coyle: [72943]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to

issue updated guidance on valuation for site access agreements under the Electronic

Communications Code for central government departments, arm’s length bodies and

local authorities.

Matt Warman:

Our intention is to publish updated guidance on valuation under the Electronic

Communications Code for public sector bodies as soon as possible. We hope to do

so this summer.

Tourism: Finance

Dan Jarvis: [72925]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, which Destination

Management Organisations (DMOs) (a) applied for funding through the DMO Resilience

Fund and (b) were successful in their application.

Dan Jarvis: [72926]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding

has been awarded through the DMO Resilience Fund, by individual Destination

Management Organisations.

Dan Jarvis: [72927]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent

assessment he has made of the economic effect of the covid-19 outbreak on destination

management organisations (DMO); and whether his Department plans to increase the

level of funding provided through the DMO resilience fund.

Nigel Huddleston:

The Destination Management Organisation (DMO) Resilience Fund awarded a total

of £1.33m to eligible DMOs in England.

The fund has supported 56 DMOs. A further 23 applications were made which were

unsuccessful as they did not meet the criteria.

The Government recognises that these remain extremely challenging conditions for

tourism organisations across the country. We will continue to monitor the situation in

the tourism sector as restrictions are eased, and I encourage DMOs to keep sharing

information with VisitEngland and my Department.

DMOs have provided vital business support to local tourism organisations during this

crisis, and will play a key role in helping our tourism industry recover.

List of DMOs who successfully applied to the fund and the amount awarded to them

can be found on the attached table.

Attachments:

1. Destination Management Organisation [Destination Management Organisation.pdf]

EDUCATION

Academies and Schools: Coronavirus

Alec Shelbrooke: [67625]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if it his policy that local authorities should

encourage schools and academies to update their risk assessments to reflect 1 metre

plus social distancing.

Nick Gibb:

On 2 July we published guidance to help schools plan for a full return of all children in

September. This sets out that in preparation for September, schools should

thoroughly review their health and safety risk assessments and draw up plans for the

autumn term that address the risks identified.

Schools are expected to give consideration of how to reduce contacts and maximise

distancing between those in school wherever possible and minimise potential for

contamination so far as is reasonably practicable. These contacts can be reduced by

a variety of steps including grouping children together, avoiding contact between

groups and staff maintaining distance from pupils and other staff as much as

possible.

Our guidance states that ideally, adults should maintain 2 metre distance from each

other, and from children. We know that this is not always possible, particularly when

working with younger children. In particular, adults should avoid close face to face

contact and minimise time spent within 1 metre of anyone.

Children who are old enough should also be supported to maintain distance and not

touch staff and their peers where possible. This will not be possible for the youngest

children and some children with complex needs and it is not feasible in some schools

where space does not allow. Schools doing this where they can, and even doing this

some of the time, will help.

The guidance on the full opening of schools can be viewed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-

coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

Assessments: Coronavirus

Ben Lake: [68774]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what financial support he plans to allocate to

(a) exam invigilators and (b) moderators appointed by examination boards who have

been unable to work during the covid-19 outbreak; and what discussions he has had with

representatives from the Welsh Government on that support.

Nick Gibb:

Invigilators are mostly employed directly by school and other exam centres, while

moderators are employed by exam boards.

The Department’s guidance states that where schools or local authorities had

expected to use their public funding to engage workers, and had budgeted for this,

but work is no longer needed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we encourage them to

follow the approach for casual workers set out in paragraph 20 of the Procurement

Policy Note 02/20 and 4/20 on contingent workers. This will ensure that directly hired

casual workers have access to the same levels of support as casual agency workers

on live assignment during the COVID-19 outbreak. The guidance sets out that in

certain circumstances, public bodies can make payments of up to 80% of previously

agreed rates to contingent workers. Whilst we encourage schools to follow this

guidance, including for invigilators where appropriate, it is advisory and does not

mandate or prescribe what schools should do in individual circumstances.

The exam boards that employ moderators are independent organisations. As such,

they are responsible for deciding on payment arrangements and discussing with

HMRC as appropriate. The situation is complex given the status of different

examiners, but we know that the boards are providing information and updates to

those involved.

Given that invigilators and moderators are employed by either exam centers or exam

boards and covered by general Government guidance as set out above, we have not

discussed this specific issue with the Welsh Government.

Confucius Institutes

Tim Loughton: [72747]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which (a) schools and (b) higher education

establishments (i) host a Confucius Institute and (ii) are in receipt of funds from the

Chinese Government.

Michelle Donelan:

Higher education establishments are independent, autonomous organisations and

the government does not collect data of this sort. A number of UK higher education

providers host and publicise their Confucius Institutes and are responsible for

ensuring their partnerships are managed appropriately with the right due diligence in

place.

The government does not collect data on which education establishments host a

Confucius institute.

Covid-19 Education Catch-up Fund

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: [68712]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to make available funding

from the £1 billion catch-up fund for tutoring school pupils; and what the criteria is for the

allocation of those funds.

Nick Gibb:

The £350 million National Tutoring Programme will increase the availability of high-

quality tutoring across England, enabling schools to access provision for

disadvantaged pupils at a subsidised rate. It will also place high-calibre graduate

coaches in the most disadvantaged schools across the country to support pupils to

catch up in key subjects. We will say more about the programme in due course.

The wider £650 million catch-up fund recognises that all pupils, irrespective of their

background or location, have lost time in education. Whilst school leaders will decide

how it is used, the intention is that this money will be spent on the most effective

interventions. On 19 June the Education Endowment Foundation published a guide to

help school leaders and staff decide how to use this universal funding to best support

their pupils.

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Publications/Covid-

19_Resources/Covid-19_support_guide_for_schools.pdf

We will announce more details, including allocations, in due course.

Dance: Coronavirus

Lilian Greenwood: [63315]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when dance schools will be permitted to

reopen as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

Lilian Greenwood: [63316]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to permit the re-opening of

dance schools as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

Nick Gibb:

A dance school which operates for fewer than 18 hours per week would generally be

considered to be an out-of-school setting. As my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister,

confirmed in his announcement on 23 June, out-of-school settings which run

community activities, holiday clubs, after-school clubs, tuition and other out-of-school

provision for children can operate over the summer holiday, with safety measures in

place. Providers of these settings have been able to open since 4 July, provided that

they follow the protective measures set out by Government. However, providers

should check the latest government guidelines on which businesses and venues can

open and for which purposes as some premises may only be able to open for certain

limited purposes:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-

close/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close-guidance.

As announced on the 9 July, indoor gyms, sports courts and fitness and dance

studios will be able to reopen from 25 July. They cannot be used for holiday clubs

and activities for children until that point.

Protective measures guidance for out-of-school settings can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-

school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-

covid-19-outbreak.

Providers who offer indoor sports activities for children should also refer to the

guidance for keeping workers, volunteers and customers safe during COVID-19 for

providers of grassroots sports, gym or leisure facilities:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/providers-

of-grassroots-sport-and-gym-leisure-facilities.

Department for Education: Data Protection

Sir Edward Davey: [72162]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many data breaches his Department

has reported to the Information Commissioner in each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb:

The table below shows the number of data breaches that the Department reported to

the Information Commissioner in the last 5 years.

REPORT YEAR (APRIL TO MARCH)

NUMBER OF DATA BREACHES REPORTED TO THE

INFORMATION COMMISSIONER

2015/2016 1

2016/2017 1

2017/2018 2

2018/2019 2

2019/2020 3

Education: Standards

Neil O'Brien: [72279]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils in (a) state and (b)

independent schools achieved the equivalent of AAA or better in each English region in

each year since 2005.

Nick Gibb:

The information requested is not available in the format requested.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 9 July 2020 to Question 69679, which

covered the percentage of pupils achieving 3 A*-A grades or better at A level by

region between 2009-10 and 2018-19.

Higher Education: Finance

Neil O'Brien: [70489]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, after accounting for changes to the

classification of student loans, how much (a) was spent on higher education in each of

the last 10 years and (b) has been allocated in each year of the forecast period.

Michelle Donelan:

Higher education spending is reflected in the national accounts in different ways. Net

spending by government on higher education over the year contributes to Public

Sector Net Borrowing (PSNB), also known as the deficit.

Grants to students and providers are government spending and increase the deficit.

The recent classification decision by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) changed

the way that student loans contribute to the deficit. Under the reclassification, the part

of the maintenance and tuition loan which is not expected to be repaid is considered

spending and increases the deficit. Any accruing interest which is expected to be

repaid is considered as income, decreasing the deficit. The difference between

spending on loans which are not expected to be repaid and expected interest income

represents the net spending by the government on student loans over the year.

More detail on the reclassification by the ONS is at:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/publicsectorfinanc

e/methodologies/studentloansinthepublicsectorfinancesamethodologicalguide.

A table summarising the total deficit cost of higher education is attached. Figures are

not yet available for the 2019/20 academic year.

Historic information on student loans is published by the Student Loans Company

and available at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/student-loans-

company/about/statistics.

The Office for Students (OfS) is responsible for distributing funding to the sector on

behalf of the department. Details of future teaching grant allocation budgets from the

department to the OfS are published at https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-

and-guidance/regulation/guidance-from-government/.

The Office for Budget Responsibility publishes the forecast impact of student loans

on PSNB. This is available in table 3.24 of the ‘March 2020 Economic and Fiscal

Outlook’: https://cdn.obr.uk/EFO_March-2020_Accessible.pdf. These figures include

student loans funded by the devolved administrations and the department.

Attachments:

1. 70489_table [70489-table-showing-higher-education-spending-from-2009-to-2019.pdf]

History: Education

Fleur Anderson: [73120]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with external

organisations on the inclusion of Black British history in the national curriculum.

Nick Gibb:

On behalf of the Department, my officials have discussed the flexible scope of the

history curriculum with a range of organisations such as the Historical Association,

Runnymede Trust and The Black Curriculum.

The national curriculum is a framework setting out the content of what the

Department expects schools to cover in each subject. The curriculum does not set

out how curriculum subjects, or topics within the subjects, should be taught. The

Department believes teachers should be able to use their own knowledge and

expertise to determine how they teach their pupils, and to make choices about what

they teach.

As part of a broad and balanced curriculum, pupils should be taught about different

societies, and how different groups have contributed to the development of Britain,

and this can include the voices and experience of Black people. The flexibility within

the history curriculum means that there is the opportunity for teachers to teach about

Black history across the spectrum of themes and eras set out in the curriculum.

We will continue to explore what more we can do to support the teaching of Black

history and welcome the perspectives of committed individuals and groups, building

on previous discussions.

Outdoor Education: Coronavirus

Hywel Williams: [72170]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect

of his Department’s advice on overnight stays on outdoor activity centres in (a) England

and (b) Wales.

Hywel Williams: [72171]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions his Department has had

with HM Treasury on Government support for the outdoor activity sector following his

Department’s advice on overnight stays.

Tulip Siddiq: [72238]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent guidance his Department has

issued on the operation of (a) Scouts, (b) Guides and (c) other children's extra-curricular

activities as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

Nick Gibb:

The Department has published guidance for providers who run community activities,

holiday clubs, after-school clubs, tuition and other out-of-school provision for children

over the age of 5, setting out the safety measures that must be in place to ensure

they can operate over the summer holiday:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-

school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-

covid-19-outbreak.

This follows confirmation from my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, that from

Saturday 4 July these providers can operate, with safety measures in place.

The guidance advises that children and young people can take part in outdoor

activities in small, consistent groups of no more than 15 with at least one staff

member. Out-of-school provision should not, however, offer overnight or residential

provision for the time-being. This is consistent with the latest government guidance

on meeting people from outside your household, (

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/meeting-people-from-outside-your-household-from-4-

july ) which advises that you should not stay overnight away from your home with

members of more than 2 households.

Outdoor activity providers who have been adversely affected by COVID-19 can find

out what financial support is available for their business here:

https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder. They may be eligible for tax

relief, loans or cash grants through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme or

the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for example depending on their

circumstances.

Schools: Coronavirus

Sajid Javid: [67613]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to

support schools with smaller premises in the phased wider opening of educational

settings as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

Nick Gibb:

It is our intention for all pupils, in all year groups, to return to school full-time from the

beginning of the autumn term. It is the best place for them to learn, and important for

their wellbeing to have social interactions with their teachers and friends

On 2 July we published guidance to help schools plan for a full return of all children in

September. The measures set out in this guidance provide a framework for school

leaders to put in place 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. All schools must ensure that they adhere to the measures outlined in

our guidance, but the way different schools implement some of the requirements will

differ based on their individual circumstances.

We do not consider it necessary for schools to make significant adaptations to their

site to enable them to welcome all children back to school. We also do not think

schools will need to deliver any of their education on other sites such as community

centres or village halls because class sizes can return to normal and spaces used by

more than one class or group can be cleaned between use.

Following a risk assessment, some schools may determine that small adaptations to

their site are required, such as additional wash basins. This will be at the discretion of

individual schools, based on their particular circumstances.

Guidance for schools on full opening for the autumn term is available at the link

below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-

coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

Rachael Maskell: [68378]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he has taken to ensure that

schools have the capacity to provide additional cleaning services due to the covid-19

outbreak from September 2020; and whether he plans to allocate addition funding to

schools for those services.

Nick Gibb:

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.

Schools are required to put in place a cleaning schedule that ensures cleaning is

generally enhanced, including more frequent cleaning of shared areas and frequently

touched surfaces being cleaned more often than normal. The guidance for full

opening of schools can be viewed at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-

coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

Public Health England have provided guidance for cleaning non-healthcare settings

in the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19. By the end of the summer term, new

advice will be published on the general cleaning required when all pupils return. The

existing guidance can be viewed at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-decontamination-in-non-

healthcare-settings.

Schools have 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

As stated in our guidance, schools should use their existing resources when making

arrangements to welcome all children back for the autumn. There are no plans at

present to reimburse additional costs incurred as part of that process.

Secondary Education: Pupils

Neil O'Brien: [72259]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils there were in (a) year 11

and (b) year 13 in (i) state and (ii) independent schools in each English region in each

year since 2003.

Nick Gibb:

The number of pupils by year group is available in the National statistics publication

‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbers.

This includes the number of pupils by national curriculum year group for state-funded

schools. National curriculum year group is not collected for independent schools,

however the same publication contains the number of pupils by age at school, local

authority, region and national level.

Student Loans Company

Emma Hardy: [73061]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish the most recent Annual

Performance and Resource Agreement Letter from the Government to the Student Loans

Company.

Emma Hardy: [73062]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish the most recent Ministerial

letter from his Department to the Chair of the Student Loans Company sent as part of the

Annual Performance and Resource Agreement process.

Michelle Donelan:

The department has issued the Annual Performance and Resource Agreement to the

Student Loans Company (SLC), however there was a delay in issuing it this year due

to the impact of COVID-19. The Annual Performance and Resource Agreement will

be published by the SLC later in the year.

The department does not publish the Ministerial letter, however the SLC’s ‘Corporate

Strategy 2019-20 to 2021-22’ (

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/corporate-strategy ) sets out the

medium-term direction and strategy in line with shareholders’ priorities.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Beverage Containers: Recycling

Lilian Greenwood: [72882]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) materials

and (b) containers his Department plans to include in the Deposit Return Scheme

announced on 22 August 2019.

Rebecca Pow:

Since consulting on its introduction in 2019, the Government has been developing

proposals for a deposit return scheme (DRS) using further evidence and ongoing

engagement with stakeholders. The specific details of a DRS, including the materials

and containers to be included in scope, will be presented in a second consultation in

early 2021.

Fracking: Ground Water

Olivia Blake: [73146]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment

he has made of the potential effect of increased shale gas exploitation on UK

groundwater.

Rebecca Pow:

Operators proposing to explore for shale gas using hydraulic fracturing in England

require environmental permits from the Environment Agency. The permits, which are

subject to a detailed site-specific assessment, set legally binding conditions on how

activities are carried out so that the local environment is protected. Groundwater must

be monitored before, during and after operations and the results submitted regularly

to the Environment Agency. On 4 November 2019 the Government confirmed in a

written Ministerial statement that, based on the current scientific evidence, it will take

a presumption against issuing any further Hydraulic Fracturing Consents in England,

which are required before hydraulic fracturing operations can take place. This

position, in effect a moratorium, will be maintained unless compelling new evidence is

provided which addresses the concerns around the prediction and management of

induced seismicity. The full statement can be found at:

www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-

statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-11-04/HCWS68.

In 2018, onshore oil and gas licensing powers in Scotland and Wales were devolved

to Scottish and Welsh Ministers respectively. The Devolved Administrations in

Scotland and Wales have adopted policy positions opposed to shale gas exploration.

Further, the licensing and regulation of shale gas development is fully devolved to the

Northern Ireland Executive. Any decision on whether shale developments can occur

in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Members: Correspondence

Mr John Baron: [72822]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to

respond to the (a) letter referenced Home Office ref MIN/6357/20 from the hon. Member

for Basildon and Billericay of 21 April 2020 which was transferred to his Department by

the Home Office on 12 May 2020 and (b) further correspondence dated 18 June 2020

and 25 June 2020.

Victoria Prentis:

I apologise for the delay in responding to my Hon Friend. Defra is currently dealing

with unprecedented volumes of correspondence due to COVID-19. A reply to my Hon

Friend’s correspondence is being prepared and will be sent out very shortly.

Mr Peter Bone: [72858]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to

reply to the correspondence dated 15 April and 18 May 2020 from the hon. Member for

Wellingborough on a proposed large scale chicken farm in the hon. Member's

constituency.

Victoria Prentis:

The Secretary of State replied to my Hon. Friend’s correspondence on 13 July 2020.

Nature Conservation

Olivia Blake: [73143]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what statutory

powers require local authorities to implement the recommendations in nature recovery

strategies.

Rebecca Pow:

Local Nature Recovery Strategies are a new system of spatial strategies for nature

introduced by the Environment Bill. All public authorities will be required to have

regard to relevant strategies, as part of a stronger duty on public authorities to

conserve and enhance biodiversity also included in the Bill.

Pesticides: Imports

Geraint Davies: [72756]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions

he has had with the Secretary of State for International Trade to ensure that (a)

chlorpyrifos, (b) neonicotinoids and (c) other pesticides banned in the UK are not

imported on products as the result of trade negotiations.

Geraint Davies: [72757]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has

taken to ensure the hazard-based approach to pesticide regulation is maintained in the

event that the UK agrees trade deals with the US and Australia.

Victoria Prentis:

We will maintain our high food and environmental standards when operating our own

independent pesticides regulatory regime after the Transition Period. The statutory

requirements of the EU regime on standards of protection will be carried across

unchanged into domestic law. Food imports into the UK will need to continue to

comply with the rules on the maximum residue levels of pesticides. Existing

maximum residue levels will all remain in place at the end of the Transition Period.

The Government will stand firm in trade negotiations to ensure any future trade deals

live up to the values of farmers and consumers across the UK. We will not lower our

standards nor put the UK’s biosecurity at risk as we negotiate new trade deals.

Special Areas of Conservation

Olivia Blake: [73145]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans

to increase the number of special areas of conservation in the UK.

Rebecca Pow:

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England

only.

There are no plans to increase the number of special areas of conservation in

England.

Waste: Exports

Olivia Blake: [73144]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will

implement a ban on the exportation of (a) plastic waste and (b) other types of UK waste.

Rebecca Pow:

Recognising the difficulties experienced by some countries in managing imports of

plastic waste, the Queen’s Speech on 19 December 2019 included a commitment to

ban the export of plastic waste to countries that are not members of the Organisation

for Economic Cooperation and Development. The Environment Bill includes a power

which will enable us to deliver on this commitment and we will consult on the date by

when the ban should be in place. The Bill also includes a power to introduce

electronic tracking of waste to help tackle waste crime here in the UK and prevent

illegal waste from being shipped abroad.

The export of UK waste for disposal is generally prohibited. The Government has no

plans to ban the export of other wastes. We are keen to promote UK-based recycling

and export less waste to be processed abroad. Where the UK cannot currently

recycle materials economically, exports can help ensure those materials are recycled

in recipient countries. While there is a legitimate global market for secondary

materials, it must be and is subject to strict regulatory requirements.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Bahrain: Capital Punishment

Mr Barry Sheerman: [71662]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when his most

recent discussions took place with his counterpart in the Bahraini Government on the

death sentences of (a) Mohammed Ramadhan and (b) Hussain Moosa.

James Cleverly:

[Holding answer 14 July 2020]: We are deeply concerned by the death sentences

handed to Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa. We have raised both cases at

senior levels with the Government of Bahrain. The Bahraini Government is fully

aware that the UK opposes the death penalty, in all circumstances, as a matter of

principle. We continue to monitor their case, as it is taken to the Court of Cassation

for final review.

Martyn Day: [73003]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to

decision of Bahrain’s Court of Cassation to uphold the death sentences of Mohammed

Ramadhan and Husain Moosa on 13 July 2020 if he will (a) make representations to the

Government of Bahrain and (b) make a public appeal to the King of Bahrain for those

sentences to be set aside.

James Cleverly:

We are deeply concerned that the death penalty verdicts imposed on Mohammed

Ramadhan and Husain Moosa by Bahrain's Court of Cassation have been upheld.

Lord Ahmad, who is the Minister of State responsible for human rights, reinforced this

position in his tweet of 14 July. We have raised both cases at senior levels with the

Government of Bahrain. The Bahraini Government is fully aware that the UK opposes

the death penalty, in all circumstances, as a matter of principle.

British Council: Coronavirus

Patrick Grady: [72972]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish a

response to EDM 375 on Future of the British Council.

Nigel Adams:

As the EDM is a motion for a debate the FCO has no plans to reply in writing.

British Nationals Abroad: Coronavirus

Imran Hussain: [72952]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his

Department is taking to ensure the safe return of British nationals with health concerns

who remain stranded abroad during the covid-19 pandemic.

Imran Hussain: [72953]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate his

Department has made of the number of British nationals who remain stranded abroad as

a result of covid-19 travel restrictions and flight cancellations.

Nigel Adams:

Helping British travellers who need and want to return to the UK is one of the

Government's highest priorities. Since the outbreak in Wuhan, we estimate that over

1.3 million people have returned to the UK via commercial routes - the majority

supported by our work to keep vital routes open. We have brought home over 38,000

people on 186 special charter flights organised by the Foreign and Commonwealth

Office, from 57 countries and territories. Our first priority was to bring back those who

are vulnerable, who clearly face the greatest risk. We sought to ensure that space

was made available on flight for acutely vulnerable British nationals of who we were

aware, and - where possible - prioritised passengers by vulnerability.

We believe the vast majority of British travellers seeking to return to the UK - who

don't have commercial options - have now done so. Through our embassies, and a

dedicated central team, we continue to support British nationals who need consular

support and are working to ensure commercial routes are maintained. We are

monitoring risks globally and continue to review how best to provide assistance

where necessary. Our travel advice and social media pages are also regularly

updated to ensure that those wishing to return are aware of further developments.

Paul Girvan: [73051]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his

Department has taken to assist British merchant sailors who have been marooned at sea

as a result of the covid-19 pandemic.

Nigel Adams:

The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport wrote to the International

Labour Organisation (ILO), International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and World

Health Organisation (WHO) on 23 March, reaffirming our international obligations on

seafarers' welfare and transit, and calling for clear international guidance for port, flag

and coastal states on seafarers' welfare and facilitating seafarer transit. Where vessel

operators request assistance to repatriate their employees, the UK Government

stands ready to work as quickly as possible to help those who may need rapid

consular assistance.

Not all British crew are seeking to return to the UK. Some may wish to stay with the

ship (with their employer's consent), while others may be required by their role to do

so as part of the minimum safe manning requirements for the vessel. This is a

legislative and flag state requirement to ensure the continued seaworthiness of

vessels.

China: India

Sir Robert Neill: [70373]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions

he has had with other his counterparts in the international community on the recent

violence in the Galwan Valley.

Nigel Adams:

On 24 June the Prime Minister expressed his concern at increased tensions between

China and India. We welcome recent progress between India and China to manage

tensions along their disputed border and the commitment on 5 July by Indian and

Chinese Special Representatives on 'the Boundary Question' to disengage troops

along the Line of Actual Control and de-escalate the border areas. We encourage

both sides to maintain dialogue and continue to monitor the situation closely.

China: Uighurs

Theresa Villiers: [72834]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make

further representations to his Chinese counterpart on the abuse of the human rights of

Uyghur Muslims in that country.

Nigel Adams:

As I set out during an Urgent Question in the House of Commons on 29 June, we are

seriously concerned about the human rights situation in Xinjiang. On 30 June, the UK

read out a formal statement on behalf of 28 countries at the 44th session of the UN

Human Rights Council highlighting arbitrary detention, widespread surveillance and

restrictions, particularly those targeting Uyghurs and other minorities, and urged

China to allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights meaningful access to

the region. On 9 March, the Foreign Secretary raised our concerns with his Chinese

counterpart, Foreign Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi. We will continue to raise

this issue with the Chinese authorities, both bilaterally with China and at the UN

alongside our international partners.

Theresa Villiers: [72835]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance

the Government is able to give to Uyghur Muslims detained in camps in China.

Nigel Adams:

As I set out during an Urgent Question in the House of Commons on 29 June, we are

seriously concerned about the human rights situation in Xinjiang. On 30 June, the UK

read out a formal statement on behalf of 28 countries at the 44th session of the UN

Human Rights Council highlighting arbitrary detention, widespread surveillance and

restrictions, particularly those targeting Uyghurs and other minorities, and urged

China to allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights meaningful access to

the region. On 9 March, the Foreign Secretary raised our concerns with his Chinese

counterpart, Foreign Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi. We will continue to raise

this issue with the Chinese authorities, both bilaterally with China and at the UN

alongside our international partners.

Embassies: St Andrew's Day

Brendan O'Hara: [72209]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what events took

place in UK (a) embassies and (b) other diplomatic missions to mark St Andrews Day in

2019.

Brendan O'Hara: [72210]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what events took

place in (a) embassies and (b) other diplomatic missions to mark Burns Night in (i) 2019

and (ii) 2020.

Brendan O'Hara: [72211]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what events were

hosted in UK (a) embassies and (b) other diplomatic missions to promote Scottish (i)

business and (ii) culture in the last 12 months.

Nigel Adams:

[Holding answer 15 July 2020]: It is important for the FCO overseas network to

promote the interests and diversity of the whole of the UK to other countries - this

includes promoting Scotland at events hosted to mark St Andrew's Day and Burns

Night.

We do not hold a central log of all the events hosted across the world, but some

examples for Burns Night include our Ambassadors in Latvia, Hungary and Georgia

each hosting a Burns Night supper with key stakeholders to promote Scottish culture

and trade. Others promoted St Andrew's Day on social media and flew the Saltire on

the day itself.

Furthermore, the GREAT marketing campaign also promotes Scottish business and

culture throughout the world. The GREAT Challenge Fund is run from the FCO to

enable Posts to deliver impactful GREAT activity overseas. Last financial year, there

were over 40 projects promoting the devolved nations including: Bookfest

International Fair in Bucharest featuring elements of Scottish literature and a Higher

Education partnership in Germany promoting the University of Aberdeen and Scottish

primary and secondary schools.

Hong Kong: Human Rights

Andrea Jenkyns: [70457]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an

assessment of the potential merits of imposing sanctions on people responsible for

human rights violations in Hong Kong.

Nigel Adams:

On 6 July, The Foreign Secretary brought into force the UK's first autonomous human

rights sanctions regime, which gives the Government the power to impose sanctions

on those involved in the very worst of human rights abuses around the world.

As the Foreign Secretary said in his statement to the House, the Government will

consider carefully further suggestions for designations under this regime. However, it

would not be appropriate to pre-empt who may be designated.

Iran: Arms Trade

Gareth Bacon: [71913]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what mechanisms

are in place to prevent Iran from increasing arms exports to terrorist groups after the

expiration of the UN conventional arms embargo in October 2020.

James Cleverly:

We have repeatedly set out concerns about Iranian destabilising behaviour in the

region, including proliferation to non-state actors. As set out in the E3 Foreign

Ministers statement of 19 June, we are working with partners, including UN Security

Council Members, to address the planned expiry of the UN conventional arms

embargo.

It is also important to note that other UN sanctions (UNSCRs 1540, 2216 and 1701),

which prohibit the proliferation of weapons to the Houthis and Lebanese Hizballah,

will remain in place after the arms embargo expires. The EU arms embargo and UN

ballistic missile restrictions on Iran will also remain in place until 2023. The UK

encourages all states to implement national export control best practice in support of

these regimes.

Iraq: Turkey

Beth Winter: [73127]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what

representations he has made to his Turkish counterpart on Turkish armed forces' attacks

on civilian settlements in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Wendy Morton:

The British Ambassador in Ankara has spoken to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign

Affairs regarding Turkish military actions in northern Iraq, including on reports of

civilian casualties. We continue to urge dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and

Turkey to combat terrorism, ensure regional security and protect civilians.

Myanmar: War Crimes

Rushanara Ali: [72924]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic

steps he plans to take to hold the Myanmar military to account for the killing and maiming

of children and for sexual violence against them as identified in the UN Secretary-

General's Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict.

Nigel Adams:

The UK will continue to shine a spotlight on gross human rights violations committed

by the Myanmar Military across the country. This includes grave violations against

children. On 23 June, I [Minister Adams] spoke to the Myanmar Minister for

International Cooperation. I encouraged Myanmar to continue to engage with the

International Court of Justice process, and highlighted the need for dialogue to de -

escalate the conflict in Rakhine which has seen a significant increase in crimes

against children in the first half of this year. On 6 July, the UK's Global Human Rights

sanction regime (GHR) listed the Myanmar military's Commander-in-Chief and

Deputy Commander-in-Chief in the first tranche of listings, for overseeing the

systematic and brutal violence against the Rohingya and other minorities, as set out

in the Independent Fact Finding Mission Report. This is in addition to the sanctions

which the UK secured through the EU, against 14 members of the Myanmar military

responsible for serious human rights violations. The UK led the international effort to

establish the UN Independent Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar (IIMM), which

collects and preserves evidence for use in future domestic or international

accountability processes.

Riot Control Weapons: Hong Kong

Tom Randall: [71192]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent

assessment he has made of whether (a) tear gas, (b) rubber bullets and (c) riot gear

exported from the UK to Hong Kong has been used by the Hong Kong Police Force

against peaceful protesters in Hong Kong.

Nigel Adams:

Licensing decisions are based on the most up-to-date information and analysis

available at the time and our export licensing system allows us to respond quickly to

changing facts on the ground.

As the former Foreign Secretary stated during his remarks in the House of Commons

on 25 June 2019, no further export licences will be granted for crowd control

equipment to Hong Kong unless we are satisfied that concerns raised about human

rights and fundamental freedoms have been thoroughly addressed. There are no

extant licences for crowd control equipment.

Rwanda: Genocide

Mr Andrew Mitchell: [71668]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons

his Department has declined to refer to the genocide in Rwanda in 1992 as being

perpetrated against Tutsis.

James Duddridge:

The UK Government remains committed to supporting Rwanda's recovery from the

genocide in 1994, including holding perpetrators to account. We recognise the

genocide was committed against the Tutsi and condemn any genocide denial.

However we believe it is also important to recognise all victims during the period of

the genocide in 1994, during which tens of thousands of Hutus and others were also

killed.

South China Sea

Daniel Kawczynski: [72186]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the (a)

frequency and (b) cost was of freedom of navigation exercises through the South China

sea in (i) 2018 and (ii) 2019.

Nigel Adams:

[Holding answer 15 July 2020]: As part of the Royal Navy's persistent presence in

the region, five ships have transited the South China Sea since April 2018, most

recently HMS Enterprise in late 2019 and early 2020. These deployments have

involved a range of defence engagement with regional partners, multilateral exercises

and maritime surveillance including support for enforcing UNSCR sanctions on

DPRK. These deployments also serve to reinforce our commitment to regional

security and to upholding the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The

cost of this activity is met through the Defence budget. Wherever the Royal Navy

operates, it does so in full compliance with international laws, norms and rights to

freedom of navigation provided for by UNCLOS.

Spain: Coronavirus

Margaret Ferrier: [72945]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is

taking to review travel advice to Spain in response to recent increases in the number of

covid-19 cases reported in that country.

Wendy Morton:

Spain is currently exempt from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advice

against all non-essential international travel. The FCO travel advice for Spain is

updated factually as required, and as of 14 July 2020 remains to follow the advice of

local authorities and to stay up to date, including by checking a map on locations of

localised outbreaks published by the Spanish Ministry of Health. This is based on the

current assessment of COVID-19 risks. We are monitoring the international situation

very closely and keeping all our travel advice under constant review to ensure it

reflects the latest situation on the ground and our assessment of risk to British

people.

Sri Lanka: Sanctions

Theresa Villiers: [R] [72831]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent

discussions he has had with his Sri Lankan counterpart on the imposition of Magnitsky

sanctions for people involved in war crimes and human rights abuses during the Sri

Lankan civil war.

Nigel Adams:

On 6 July the UK Government established the Global Human Rights ('Magnitsky')

sanctions regime by laying regulations in Parliament under the Sanctions and Anti-

Money Laundering Act 2018. This sanctions regime will give the UK a powerful new

tool to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses by

stopping them from entering our country, channelling money through UK banks, or

profiting from our economy. It is not appropriate to speculate on who may be

designated under the sanctions regime in the future. We do not want to reduce the

impact of the designations. We will keep all evidence and potential listings under

close review.

The UK is a member of the Core Group on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights

Council (UNHRC) and has long supported Sri Lanka's commitments under UNHRC

Resolutions 30/1, 34/1 and 40/1 on accountability, reconciliation and justice for all

communities following the Sri Lankan civil war. The Foreign Secretary and the

Minister for South Asia, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, have both underlined the

importance of these commitments in recent engagement with the Sri Lankan Foreign

Minister, Dinesh Gunawardena.

Turkey: Coronavirus

Beth Winter: [73126]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent

representations he has made to his Turkish counterpart on the condition and treatment of

prisoners in Turkey who have contracted covid-19.

Wendy Morton:

We regularly raise our concerns with Turkey about conditions in Turkish prisons and

the risks posed by COVID-19 in Turkey. We continue to urge the authorities to ensure

that all detainees are treated in accordance with relevant international human rights

standards. Ministers and our Ambassador to Turkey continue to engage the Turkish

Government on Covid risks and future work to tackle the disease.

We support the call made by the UN Secretary-General in his message of 22 April

that human rights must be at the front and centre of the COVID-19 response and

recovery. We continue to be clear in our expectation that Turkey, like all countries,

should live up to its human rights obligations towards all its citizens. We support all

efforts by the UN to minimise long-term damage to global economies, societies,

politics and freedoms.

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

NHS Trusts: Finance

Justin Madders: [70424]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to Answer of 17 June

to Question 54127 on NHS Trusts: Finance, what estimate he has made of the amount

owed by trusts in dividend charges in the financial year 2019/20.

Edward Argar:

The dividend charge for National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts in 2019-

20 will be published as part of the next Departmental Annual Report and Accounts.

This will be shortly after parliamentary summer recess.

HOME OFFICE

Counter-terrorism: Expenditure

Conor McGinn: [72974]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has

spent on counter-terrorism programmes in each year since 2010.

James Brokenshire:

Overall net spending for the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism is published

annually in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts. This information is broken

down by administration, programme and capital expenditure.

This information can be found via the following links:

FY 2018-19 - pages 99-100

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm

ent_data/file/807126/6.5571_HO_Annual_Report_201920_WEB.PDF

FY 2017-18 – pages 91-92

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm

ent_data/file/727179/6_4360_HO_Annual_report_WEB.PDF

FY 2016-17 – pages 82-83

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm

ent_data/file/627853/ho_annual_report_and_accounts_2016_2017.pdf

FY 2015-16– pages 101-102

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm

ent_data/file/539638/HO_AR_16_gov.pdf

FY 2014-15– pages 93-94

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm

ent_data/file/441282/HO-AR15_web.pdf

FY 2013-14– pages 81-82

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm

ent_data/file/321446/ARA_web_enabled_18_June.pdf

FY 2012-13– pages 116-117

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm

ent_data/file/210660/Annual_Report_and_Accounts_FINAL_updated_logo.pdf

FY 2011-12– pages 120-121

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm

ent_data/file/143619/annual-report-2011-12.pdf

FY 2010-11– pages 39-40

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm

ent_data/file/120048/annual-report-201011.pdf

Fraud: Telephone Services

John McNally: [58002]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information his Department

holds on the number of people who have lost money through telephone scams in each of

the last five years in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) Falkirk constituency.

James Brokenshire:

Victims of fraud and cyber-crime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are

encouraged to report these crimes directly to a centralised reporting centre called

Action Fraud. Fraud victims in Scotland also reported crimes directly into Action

Fraud until December 2019, when Police Scotland decided that victims should report

incidents directly to them, via their 101 service. These reports are now recorded

separately from Action Fraud data.

Action Fraud does not categorise fraud reports by the mode in which the fraud was

conducted. Fraud can often encompass several different methods of communication,

so it may not necessarily be clear to the victim what the primary vector for this kind of

criminal attack was. Victim locations are only recorded when sufficient information is

provided. For these reasons, the data requested is not held centrally.

Police: Unmanned Air Vehicles

Florence Eshalomi: [73160]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether drones are permitted to

fly within London domestic airspace for use by the Metropolitan Police.

Florence Eshalomi: [73161]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding the Government

has allocated to Beyond Visual Line of Sight Drone technology for use by the

Metropolitan Police.

Florence Eshalomi: [73162]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when Beyond Visual Line of

Sight Drone technology will be made available for use by the Metropolitan Police.

Florence Eshalomi: [73163]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made

of the potential merits of the use of advanced drone technology for policing in London.

Kit Malthouse:

Police Forces in England and Wales, including the Metropolitan Police can use small

drones, in accordance with Civil Aviation Authority regulations. These are used for

public order events; missing people search operations and to support ground teams.

The Home Office has not allocated funding to Beyond the Visual Line of Sight

(BVLOS) Drones for use by the Metropolitan Police. The Home Office is working with

the policing aviation sector to assess the potential merits of the use of BVLOS

Drones, including significant reductions in carbon emissions and the future potential

for them to become electrically powered, reduced noise levels and longer flying

times.

There are two main factors that will determine when this technology is available to

safely use across London. The first is operational viability, which is currently being

assessed by the policing aviation sector; the second is ensuring that this new

technology can be used safely within busy airspace and overhead densely populated

areas.

Quarantine: Exemptions

Mark Tami: [72817]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether (a) aerospace and (b)

cybersecurity workers are exempt from quarantining when arriving in the UK if they carry

out that work in another country and are returning to the UK.

Kevin Foster:

The list of travellers exempt from quarantine can be found here

(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-travellers-exempt-

from-uk-border-rules/coronavirus-covid-19-travellers-exempt-from-uk-border-rules).

Passengers arriving from exempt countries and territories no longer need to self-

isolate when entering England from 10 th July.

Travellers will need to self-isolate if they visited or made a transit stop

(https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors#transit-stops) in a

country that is not on the list in the 14 days before they arrive in England.

Public health remains our top priority, and we will not hesitate to remove countries

and territories from the list if the health risks are seen to increase.

Devolved administrations make their own decisions around public health measures in

place and so it is important for travellers to familiarise themselves with the latest

position in the nation of the UK they are travelling to.

Remote Working: Females

Fleur Anderson: [30077]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has in place to

support women who have to (a) work from home and (b) self-isolate who are at risk of

domestic violence.

Victoria Atkins:

Domestic abuse is unacceptable in any situation. We are working closely with the

sector, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and the police to understand the impact of

COVID-19 on victims, including as restrictions are eased.

The Home Secretary announced £2 million in funding to ensure that helplines and

online services continue to be easily accessible to victims. £1.2 million of this has

already been allocated.

This is in addition to the £750 million funding package announced by the Chancellor,

£76 million of which will support survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and

modern slavery as well as ensure that vulnerable children and young people continue

to get the help they need. From this funding the HO launched a £2m fund for national

and regionally based domestic abuse organisations. Following assessment of initial

bids, £793,000 of this has been awarded to 13 organisations and the fund has been

re-opened.

We have also launched a campaign to raise awareness of domestic abuse and

signpost victims to the support services available. The campaign, under the hashtag

#YouAreNotAlone, aims to reassure those affected by domestic abuse that support

services remain available during this difficult time. Details of these services can be

found at www.gov.uk/domestic-abuse

Windrush Generation: Compensation

Patrick Grady: [57242]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have (a)

applied for and (b) received compensation under the Windrush Compensation scheme;

and how much has been paid out under that scheme to date.

Patrick Grady: [57243]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has

made of the adequacy of the timescale for processing payments under the Windrush

Compensation Scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Priti Patel:

Information on the total number of applications, claims paid and the overall amount

paid out by the scheme is available to view on GOV.UK at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windrush-compensation-scheme-data-

may-2020.

We are processing claims as quickly as possible, but all claims are different, and the

time taken will depend on many factors, including the complexity of the case. We are

committed to working with the claimant to ensure all possible information is taken into

account and this will have an impact on the length of time it takes to process the

claim. Wherever possible, we will make interim payments on parts of the claim that

are straightforward to determine, such as immigration fees, thereby speeding up the

provision of compensation.

Our recently published statistics on the payments made under the Windrush

Compensation Scheme, show a clear increasing trajectory of payments: £362,997

paid in the first 12 months of the scheme, of which £300,799 was paid in the most

recent three months of that period.

Sir Charles Walker: [59193]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department

has made on ensuring that people eligible for compensation under the Windrush scheme

have received the financial recompense they are entitled to; and if she will make a

statement.

Priti Patel:

There has been significant outreach and communication activity to publicise the

Windrush Compensation Scheme. These events have been promoted by

stakeholders and on local and social media. We are now continuing events online:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/windrush-online-engagement-events.

We also work with MPs, local councils and stakeholders to raise awareness and

materials on the scheme are available on GOV.UK and have been provided to

community groups to try to ensure that all those affected are aware of the scheme.

Our recently published statistics on the payments made under the Windrush

Compensation Scheme, show a clear increasing trajectory of payments: £362,997

paid in the first 12 months of the scheme, of which £300,799 was paid in the most

recent three months of that period. Comprehensive data can be found at

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windrush-compensation-scheme-data-

may-2020.

The Home Office has additionally made offers of approximately £280,000 in

compensation through the scheme. Once the offers are accepted by the applicants,

the payments will be made.

We work with claimants throughout the process to obtain as much information about

the claim as possible. This approach ensures that claimants receive the maximum

possible amount to which they are entitled under the scheme.

Fiona Bruce: [59421]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) people are eligible

for compensation and (b) people have received compensation from the Windrush

compensation scheme.

Priti Patel:

An updated Impact Assessment was published in February 2020 which outlines the

Home Office’s estimate that there could be 11,500 eligible claims to the Windrush

Compensation Scheme.

This has reduced since the previous Impact Assessment was published in April 2019

(which predicted 15,000 eligible claims), due to lower than anticipated claims to date.

There inevitably is a high degree of uncertainty around estimated volumes of claims

and the Department will continue to review estimates as more payments are made.

Information on the total number of applications, claims paid and the overall amount

paid out by the scheme since April 2019 is available to view on GOV.UK at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windrush-compensation-scheme-data-

may-2020.

Kate Osamor: [59531]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will place in the Library the

criteria used by her Department to determine the amount of compensation due to

Windrush Compensation Scheme applicants.

Priti Patel:

The Windrush Compensation Scheme rules and caseworker guidance set out the

criteria by which claims under the Windrush Compensation Scheme are considered.

These are published at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/windrush-compensation-

scheme and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windrush-compensation-

scheme-casework-guidance.

Helen Hayes: [60832]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) scope and (b)

purpose are of the community grant fund established to promote access to the Windrush

Scheme and Windrush Compensation Scheme with regard to (i) when that scheme will

be launched (ii) who will be eligible to bid and (iii) which activities will be eligible for

funding from that grant fund.

Priti Patel:

The purpose of the £500,000 Windrush Schemes Community Fund will be to provide

community organisations with funding to run outreach, promotional and support

activity to raise awareness of the Windrush Compensation Scheme and the Windrush

Scheme.

The Home Office will be working with stakeholders to co-design and deliver the Fund.

Further details, including eligibility criteria and when the Fund will be open for bids,

will be released in due course.

HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Building Safety Fund

Fleur Anderson: [73122]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will

extend the deadline for applications to the Building Safety Fund to 31 July 2020.

Christopher Pincher:

Registration for the Building Safety Fund opened 1 June and closes on 31 July.

Guidance for the application process will be published later this month. To submit a

full application buildings must be registered with the scheme. The registration

process is straightforward and there should be no reason that a building owner who

believes their building is eligible for funding should not be able to register before the

end of the registration period.

Churches: Coronavirus

Robert Halfon: [72873]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will

publish the timeframe for people to be able to sing in churches as the covid-19 lockdown

restrictions are eased.

Luke Hall:

The Government recognises that singing is a key part of our cultural and religious life.

We have published Guidance for the Safe Use of Places of Worship during COVID-

19 which provides advice on singing within places of worship:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-

places-of-worship-during-the-pandemic-from-4-july . The Department for Digital,

Culture, Media and Sport has also published guidance for people who work in

performing arts, including organisations, venue operators and participants:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/performing-

arts . Singing is a central element of many religious practices but poses a particular

risk of spreading the virus. The Government and medical and scientific communities

are urgently engaged in research around transmission risk and how activities such

as singing and chanting can be managed safely indoors, by congregations and by

amateurs.

Homelessness

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [71697]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether

he plans to record the (a) gender, (b) age, (c) ethnicity and (d) nationality of people who

are street homeless.

Luke Hall:

My Department’s annual Rough Sleeping Snapshot Statistics provide information

about the estimated number of people sleeping rough across local authorities in

England on a single night. This data includes demographic information such as age,

gender and nationality. These statistics do not currently include ethnicity of people

sleeping rough.

The most recent national figures, from the Official 2019 Rough Sleeping Snapshot,

showed that the number of people sleeping on our streets on a single night fell for the

second year in a row. These statistics are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/rough-sleeping-snapshot-in-england-

autumn-2019.

Homelessness: Veterans

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [71696]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what

plans his Department has to record the number of street homeless veterans.

Luke Hall:

In April 2018, my Department introduced Homelessness Case Level Information

Collection (H-CLIC). H-CLIC captures information on all those who engage with local

authority homelessness services, including support need resulting from being in the

armed forces.

In addition, the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) is a

multi-agency database which records information, including former armed forces

service, about people seen rough sleeping by outreach teams in London across the

year.

There are a number of existing support services available to veterans who are

experiencing, or are at risk of, homelessness. This includes the Veterans Gateway,

an online web and telephone resource for veterans, providing access to a housing

specialist who has up-to-date information regarding vacancies.

Mortgages

Gareth Thomas: [70953]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant

to the Answer of 2 July 2020 to Question 64062, whether he has had further discussions

with mortgage lenders on plans for mortgage valuations on properties under 18 meters;

what plans he has to monitor the outcome of reviews of policies and guidance to valuers

by mortgage lenders; who attended the roundtable meeting with mortgage lenders on 25

June 2020; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Pincher:

Further to the round table on 25 June, the Minister for Building Safety intends to hold

a further lender roundtable, with the addition of the Royal Institution of Chartered

Surveyors and UK Finance, to monitor and facilitate progress on valuation and

lending policies for properties under 18 metres.

Planning Permission

Caroline Lucas: [71718]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant

to the written answer on Economic Growth: Environment Protection and Planning

Permission on 29 June 2020, and with reference to the Prime Minister’s speech of 30

June 2020, (a) what is his Department’s assessment of the impact of Project Speed on

planning regulations and environmental protections and (b) what recent discussions he

has had with the (i) Prime Minister and (ii) Chancellor on amending planning regulations

and environmental protections.

Christopher Pincher:

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2 July to Question 64882.

Rough Sleeping: LGBT people

Dawn Butler: [70999]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what

steps his Department will take to prevent rough sleeping amongst LGBTQ+ youth after

the ban on tenant evictions is lifted on 23 August 2020.

Luke Hall:

Working across the public sector in order to continue tackling homelessness and

rough sleeping throughout the crisis, this Government has provided funding to assist

local authorities to provide accommodation and support to vulnerable people who are

at risk of, or who have been diagnosed with, coronavirus.

At the beginning of the pandemic, our priority was to bring vulnerable people inside

so they could self-isolate and stop the virus spreading. We backed this with £3.2

million in emergency funding for local authorities to support vulnerable rough

sleepers, and a further £3.7 billion to help councils to manage the impacts of COVID-

19, including supporting homeless people. This may include people identifying as

LGBTQ+, as well as those who identify as having other protected characteristics.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, charities across the country, including LGBTQ+

charities, were able to bid for funding through the Voluntary, Community and Social

Enterprise (VCSE) Fund, which provided £6 million of emergency funding as part of a

£750 million package of government support for UK charities who may have been

impacted by the pandemic. Following a successful bidding process, over 130

charities across England benefitted from the £6 million emergency fund.

We have also put in place bespoke support for local authorities through our

Homelessness Advice and Support Team, which includes dedicated youth

homelessness advisor roles that have a commitment to work with local authorities to

proactively promote positive joint working across housing authorities and children’s

services, offering training, advice and support to all local authorities.

The Government has taken unprecedented action to support renters during the

pandemic to ensure no one can be forced from their home. On 5 June we announced

that the suspension of evictions from social or private rented accommodation had

been extended by a further two months. This means that no action to evict a tenant

will proceed before 24 August 2020. The emergency measures in the Coronavirus

Act, which require landlords to give at least three months' notice to evict tenants, are

unaffected by this and remain in place until 30 September 2020.  We will also

continue work with the judiciary, legal representatives and the advice sector on

arrangements, including new rules, to ensure that when the moratorium on evictions

ends, the courts are better able to address the need for appropriate protection of all

parties, including those shielding from coronavirus.

Supermarkets: Coronavirus

Richard Fuller: [71020]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with

reference to his Department's press release, New measures on night time deliveries to

supermarkets to support coronavirus response, published on 9 March 2020, whether the

measures on extended delivery hours for supermarkets and other food retailers have

since been revoked.

Christopher Pincher:

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided to PQ 62505 on June 30 2020:

Veterans: Coronavirus

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [71695]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what

discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local

Government on the potential merits of recording the number of street homeless veterans

moved to temporary accommodation during the covid-19 outbreak.

Luke Hall:

During the COVID-19 pandemic MHCLG asked all local authorities to provide

information on their rough sleeping cohort in order to support local authorities to

make offers of accommodation to people who were sleeping rough, in shared

sleeping sites, such as night shelters, or considered to be at risk of rough sleeping, to

reduce the risk faced by some of the most vulnerable in society. This collection of

data does not record information on whether someone is a veteran or not.

H-CLIC (Homelessness Case Level Information Collection) is still the main vehicle to

capture more detailed data on those offered assistance under a Housing Act duty.

Any rough sleeper helped under a Housing Act duty should have their data recorded

on the H-CLIC system, including those that are ex-armed forces personnel. We

anticipate publishing H-CLIC data for the April 2020 to June 2020 period in autumn

2020.

In May 2020, we published the latest H-CLIC data for the October to December 2019

period. In this dataset, there were 470 households that required additional support

because they contained ex armed forces personnel. This represents less than 1 per

cent, of the 67,280 households that were owed a homelessness duty.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Jim Shannon: [71769]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she had

with representatives from (a) NGOs, (b) aid recipients and (c) other stakeholders in

advance of the decision to merge her Department with the Foreign and Commonwealth

Office.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan:

As with any government change like this, the announcement came first to Parliament.

Since then, the DFID Permanent Secretary and Baroness Sugg, who is DFID’s NGO

lead, have been meeting with NGOs regularly. The Government will continue to

engage closely with interested stakeholders in the weeks and months to come as we

work to create the new department, which will unite our development expertise and

first class diplomatic service to make the UK a force for good in the world.

Malnutrition: Children

Dr Dan Poulter: [71723]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what guidance she has

issued to her Department's country offices on the continuation of programmes treating

and preventing child malnutrition during the covid-19 pandemic.

Wendy Morton:

Prevention and treatment of malnutrition remains a priority for the UK as part of our

commitment to end the preventable deaths of mothers, new-borns and children.

Malnutrition undermines immune function putting children at greater risk of getting

sick and dying. The indirect impacts of COVID-19 are expected to increase acute

malnutrition by at least 10% resulting in at least an additional 90,000 child deaths.

DFID teams have been provided with practical guidance on how to address

malnutrition during the pandemic. This emphasises the need to maintain services to

treat malnutrition and to support safe infant and young child feeding. It also

emphasises the importance of social protection to help the poorest access nutritious

foods and the need to protect the production and supply of nutritious foods.

Polio: Disease Control

Dr Dan Poulter: [71721]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has

made of the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the global effort to eradicate polio.

Wendy Morton:

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted essential health services worldwide. Polio

eradication is no exception and polio vaccination campaigns were paused in order to

ensure the safety of health workers and communities.

During this pause, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has pivoted

effectively to respond to COVID-19. It has provided personal protective equipment,

trained health workers, contributed to COVID-19 surveillance, and informed

communities on prevention measures. This is a clear example of how the UK’s

investment in the polio programme strengthens global health security systems more

broadly.

GPEI has resumed vaccination campaigns in Africa and is due to start in Asia in the

coming weeks. Two million children in Afghanistan and Pakistan are due to receive

polio vaccines next week [20th July].

As a result of the pandemic, there is an increased risk of polio and other infectious

disease outbreaks. As such, support for GPEI is more critical than ever. The UK is

fully committed to polio eradication.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: [73044]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether the Undersecretary of

State for her Department from 17 July 2016 to 9 January 2018 signed arms export

licences to (a) Saudi Arabia or (b) its coalition partners.

Mr Ranil Jayawardena:

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Iron and Steel: UK Trade with EU

Stephen Kinnock: [72940]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of

the potential merits of the Government stating that it intends to exempt steel produced in

the EU from the UK’s safeguard measures in order to achieve reciprocal arrangements

for UK-produced steel sold in the EU.

Mr Ranil Jayawardena:

The Government’s priority is to ensure that, at the end of the transition period,

domestic industry retains appropriate trade remedy protections. The Department for

International Trade continues to seek to engage with the European Commission on

the mutual application of steel safeguard measures, with the aim of preserving

traditional trade flows and providing as much continuity to industry as possible at the

end of the transition period.

Ports: Smuggling

Sir Edward Davey: [72148]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of

the ability of the UK's ports to cope with smuggling at the end of the transition

arrangements with the EU; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Ranil Jayawardena:

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) are already tackling smuggling and they will

continue to do so through intelligence-led targeting; the Department for International

Trade (DIT) will not be making a statement on this issue. My Department continues to

work closely with HMRC to make sure that the United Kingdom’s trade policy will be

effectively operationalised at the border after the transition period ends.

Border controls on controlled goods will continue regardless of whether imports come

from the European Union or Rest of the World countries. To ensure compliance with

new customs procedures and controls at the border after transition period ends, my

Rt Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster recently announced a new

infrastructure funding package that includes £470m to build the necessary

infrastructure required.

Trade Agreements

Gareth Thomas: [71658]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of

the potential effect on the economy of not concluding a trade agreement between the UK

and (a) Canada, (b) Japan and (c) Turkey by 31 December 2020; and if she will make a

statement.

Gareth Thomas: [71659]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what progress she has made on

agreeing a trade agreement between the UK and (a) Brazil and (b) Mexico; and if she will

make a statement.

Mr Ranil Jayawardena:

Brazil

The United Kingdom values Brazil as an important trading partner. Brazil is part of the

Mercosur trade bloc, alongside Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. We will continue

to work together to develop our trade relationship and consider options for future

agreements.

Mexico, Canada, Japan and Turkey

The United Kingdom’s ambition is to sign continuity trade agreements with Mexico,

Canada, Japan and Turkey by the end of the transition period, which would make

sure that existing trade flows are protected. If we do not reproduce the effects of an

existing EU agreement, trade with these partners would take place on British terms –

in line with the “UK Global Tariff” that we have published – after the end of the

transition period. The volume of trade that would be impacted by such a change

varies between different trading partners and we are working closely with businesses

to ensure preparedness for any scenario.

Trade Agreements: Vietnam

Bill Esterson: [72891]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what progress she has made on

negotiating an international trade agreement with Vietnam; and if she will make a

statement.

Mr Ranil Jayawardena:

The United Kingdom is committed to seeking trade continuity of the EU-Vietnam Free

Trade Agreement (EVFTA), once it enters into force on 1st August, by transitioning it

into a bilateral agreement. HM Government are working closely with the Vietnamese

Government on this.

Trade: Africa

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: [72939]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June

2020 to Question 52663, which countries in Africa have been identified as key markets.

Graham Stuart:

The Department for International Trade’s Defence and Security Organisation has

identified the following key markets in Africa for defence and security opportunities in

2019-20:

Algeria

Egypt

Morocco

Nigeria

South Africa

JUSTICE

Cremation: Coronavirus

Maria Eagle: [72815]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when covid-19 restrictions on interment of

ashes following cremation will be lifted; and if she will make a statement.

Alex Chalk:

There are no Government restrictions on the interment of ashes. It has never been

Government policy to prevent the interment of ashes, and the Government amended

the Regulations on 22 April to make it clear that it was only crematoria buildings

which had to close to members of the public, except for funerals and burials. There

have never been restrictions on the grounds surrounding crematoria, including burial

grounds and gardens of remembrance. The restrictions on crematoria buildings were

then lifted on 4 July.

The law does not compel the owners and managers of these places to keep them

open, and there are many reasonable justifications for why they may need to close

temporarily, such as when conducting a funeral, or for maintenance. The Government

urges the owners and managers of these places to take all practical steps towards

enabling these places to be visited, in a safe manner consistent with social distancing

guidelines.

Criminal Proceedings: Coronavirus

Layla Moran: [71147]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many of the backlogged cases in the

Criminal Justice System are for (a) murder, (b) rape and (c) robbery in 2020.

Chris Philp:

The table below provides the information requested on the number of outstanding

cases in the Criminal Justice System for (a) murder, (b) rape, and (c) robbery in

2020.

National statistics on the level of outstanding work in the criminal courts for the first

quarter of 2020 were published on 26 June 2020. These data represent a proportion

of the total outstanding caseload.

OUTSTANDING CASES IN THE MAGISTRATES’ AND CROWN COURT AS AT 31 MARCH 2020

Murder Robbery Rape

Magistrates’ Court 1 76 654 1911

Crown Court 354 1,770 1,159

1 Notes

SOURCE HMCTS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION

Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete.

However, it is important to note that the data have been extracted from large administrative

data systems generated by the courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure

data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when data are

used.

The figure for outstanding cases in the Magistrates Court is based on all cases with a Case

Opened date prior to 31 March 2020 and no Case Completion date, irrespective of when the

offence was committed.

Data are taken from a live management information system and can change over time.

The data provided is the most recent available and for that reason might differ slightly from

any previously published information.

Data are management information and are not subject to the same level of checks as official

statistics.

Data has not been cross referenced with case files.

Dangerous Dogs

Andrew Rosindell: [71680]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted of

offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in each Police Force area in each of the

last five years.

Chris Philp:

The Ministry of Justice has published information on convictions at offence level up to

December 2019. The number of convictions for offences under the Dangerous Dog

Act 1991 at all courts can be found in the ‘Principal offence proceedings and

outcomes by Home Office offence code data tool’, available here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm

ent_data/file/888344/HO-code-tool-principal-offence-2019.xlsx

In the pivot table, filter the Offence code field to include the following Home Office

offence codes:

11112, 11113, 11114, 11115, 11116, 11117, 11118, 11119, 11120 and 11125:

Summary offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991

00821: Owner or person in charge allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in a

public place injuring any person

00822 : Owner or person in charge allowing dog to enter a non-public place and

injure any person

In the pivot table fields menu, drag ‘Police Force Area’ from the filters section to the

rows section underneath ‘Values’. Convictions for each Police Force Area can be

found in rows 77 to 120.

Judges Council: Ethnic Groups

Barry Gardiner: [72750]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for what reason the Judges Council which

advises the Lord Chancellor does not have any Black and Minority Ethnic members.

Alex Chalk:

The Judges’ Council does not advise the Lord Chancellor. The primary function of the

Judges’ Council is to inform and advise the Lord Chief Justice of England & Wales.

Members of the Judicial Executive Board (including the Lead Diversity Judge) are

also members of the Judges’ Council. Other members are selected by the judicial

group which that member represents including, for example, the High Court Judges’

Association, the Council of Her Majesty’s Circuit Judges, the Association of Her

Majesty’s District Judges and the Magistrates’ Association. Diversity data for Judges’

Council members is not held separately.

Judiciary: Ethnic Groups

Barry Gardiner: [72749]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for what reasons the Judicial Executive Board

does not have members from Black and Minority Ethnic communities.

Alex Chalk:

There are no Judicial Executive Board (JEB) members from Black and minority ethnic

communities. JEB is chaired by the Lord Chief Justice of England & Wales and

comprised of the judges in the most senior leadership roles - the Master of the Rolls,

the President of the Queen’s Bench Division, the President of the Family Division, the

Chancellor of the High Court, the Senior President of Tribunals and the Senior

Presiding Judge for England & Wales, as well as the Chair of the Judicial College and

the Chief Executive of Judicial Office. Appointments to the leaderships roles are

made through the independent Judicial Appointments Commission. The Lead

Diversity Judge also sits on the Board and shows the commitment to diversity at the

heart of the senior judicial leadership.

Ministry of Justice: Standards

Jane Hunt: [71929]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure his

Department's estate delivers (a) effective public services and (b) value for money.

Chris Philp:

We continue to keep our estate under review to ensure it delivers effective public

services and value for money. We have already launched the most ambitious prison

building programme for generations, delivering over 13,000 places by the mid-2020s,

and have dramatically increased the use of technology in the courts system. An extra

£285m of improvements to courts and prisons will be made this year as part of the

plan for economic recovery announced by the Prime Minister. This extra spending will

keep thousands of people in work and generate jobs for thousands more, helping the

UK recover from the economic freeze brought on by coronavirus. These

improvements will also help to speed up justice through the courts and improve

education in prisons and youth custody so that offenders leave less likely to reoffend.

Prisoners' Release: Females

Carolyn Harris: [71105]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of

the effectiveness of the End of Custody Temporary Release scheme for (a) pregnant

women and (b) women.

Lucy Frazer:

The End of Custody Temporary Release Scheme (ECTR) allows risk-assessed

prisoners, who are within two months of their release date, to be temporarily released

from custody. ECTR was introduced as part of our wider measures to create

headroom across the prison estate, to enable us to implement our

compartmentalisation strategy. This strategy allows us to isolate those with

symptoms, quarantine new admissions and shield those most at risk from Covid-19.

Early release is however only one part of our overall strategy towards achieving the

headroom. We are also expanding the capacity of the prison estate through

temporary accommodation, expediting remand cases and expanding our video court

capacity and capability to facilitate timely remand and sentencing hearings.

Public Health England and HMPPS modelling suggests that our strategy is having a

positive impact on the risk of infection in prison populations (including the women’s

estate).

In addition to ECTR, pregnant women, prisoners with their babies in custody and

those defined by NHS guidelines as ‘extremely vulnerable’ to Covid-19 will merit

consideration for compassionate temporary release on a Special Purpose Licence.

The Ministry of Justice now publishes a weekly release of Covid-19 related statistics.

This includes the number of prisoners that have been released from custody under

Covid-19 temporary release schemes. The statistics release can be found here each

Friday:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hm-prison-and-probation-service-covid-19-

statistics

Ranby Prison

Paula Barker: [71186]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the cost to the public purse was in staff

payments and awards at HMP Ranby in each of the last six months.

Lucy Frazer:

The table below shows the overall staff salary costs and any additional payment

awards made to staff at HMP Ranby in the last six months.

We are also making special payments to all of our hard-working prison staff who are

going above and beyond the call of duty during these exceptional times.

JANUARY TO

JUNE 2020 STAFF COSTS - HMP RANBY

January February March April May June

Salary £1,225,097 £1,255,139 £1,301,870 £1,283,881 £1,293,544 £1,264,886

Additional

Payments

£158,952 £137,898 £154,645 £150,892 £320,005 £270,260

Total £1,384,049 £1,393,037 £1,456,515 £1,434,773 £1,613,549 £1,535,146

Note for the

table

Salary costs includes National Insurance and employer contributions

Additional payment includes payment plus, overtime and bonus payments

Paula Barker: [71187]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether HMP Ranby has a regime

management plan in place; and if he will make a statement.

Lucy Frazer:

There is an Exceptional Regime Management Plan (ERMP) at the prison. This was

developed in consultation with Public Heath England at the beginning of the Covid-19

pandemic. The plan outlines a framework to assist with the delivery of services during

the pandemic.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Louise Haigh: [72982]

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the Answer of the 30

June 2020 to Written Question 64962 on Terrorism: Northern Ireland, what estimate his

Department made as part of legislative proposals for the Victims Payment Scheme of the

(a) potential number of victims entitled to the payment from that scheme and (b) the total

cost of that scheme.

Mr Robin Walker:

The Government provided a legislative framework for this scheme in the absence of

an Executive. A public consultation was carried out between October and November

2019, and the responses to the consultation contributed to the final shape of the

scheme. Unlike fatalities, there is no comprehensive dataset about seriously injured

victims of the Troubles. In this context, the ability to estimate with confidence both the

number of applications to the scheme and the number of awards that will be issued is

constrained.

The Executive committed to “find a way forward” on this issue in 2014. We have

provided that way forward through the regulations. The Executive must now set aside

its political differences and deliver for victims.

SCOTLAND

Agriculture: Coronavirus

Sir Edward Davey: [72786]

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the

economic effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the farming industry in Scotland; and if he

will make a statement.

David Duguid:

Just like many other industries in the United Kingdom, the farming industry in

Scotland has had to make a number of changes to the way it operates as a result of

COVID-19.

I appreciate the variety of roles involved in maintaining the UK’s food supply chain,

and would like to give credit to all involved, including our farmers, who have helped

ensure this has remained secure during the current crisis.

As we emerge from the pandemic, ministers and officials from this department remain

in close contact with the farming industry in Scotland to ensure that we understand

the challenges they continue to face, and so that they are kept informed of the range

of support that is available from the UK Government in response to COVID-19.

Air Pollution: Coronavirus

Sir Edward Davey: [72788]

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the effect of

the covid-19 outbreak on air pollution in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Alister Jack:

Responsibility for air quality policy and legislation is devolved to Scotland and

therefore this is a matter for Scottish Government.

Aviation: Scotland

Sir Edward Davey: [72789]

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the

potential merits of making Scottish short-haul flights electric; and if he will make a

statement.

Mr Alister Jack:

The UK Government supports the development of new aviation technology such as

electric aircraft. We must continue to embrace the opportunities offered by

technology, such as fully electric or hybrid planes, if we are to accelerate the

transition to a greener future. Short-haul electric flights throughout the whole of the

UK would help support our ambitious net zero emissions target.

The UK Government has announced the Jet Zero Council, which will bring together

BEIS and DfT Secretaries of State, and CEO-level stakeholders across the UK to

drive high ambition in the delivery of new technologies and innovative ways to cut

aviation emissions.

Sir Edward Davey: [72790]

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking to support the

development of electric short-haul flights in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Alister Jack:

The UK Government is providing £125m of funding to the Future Flight Challenge,

which will enable the UK to build, use and export new, greener ways of flying through

advances in electric and autonomous flight technology. We have also supported the

Civil Aviation Authority establish an Innovation Hub to engage with innovative aviation

companies throughout the United Kingdom.

The UK Government will consult on Aviation and Climate Change later this year.

Fisheries: Coronavirus

Sir Edward Davey: [72787]

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the

economic effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the fishing industry in Scotland; and if he will

make a statement.

Mr Alister Jack:

The fishing industry has faced tremendous challenges during Covid-19. These

challenges have varied in nature and severity across the industry. For example, the

shellfish industry which relies on hospitality in domestic and export markets was

affected particularly severely.

I know from the regular conversations that my Department has been having and

continues to have with those in the fishing industry that the UK Government’s support

has been crucial whether it be through employment support or through campaigns to

promote Scottish produce domestically and abroad.

The Scottish fishing industry has demonstrated incredible resilience and creativity in

its response to the pandemic. Now, we must look towards the future and the

opportunities that can be seized from leaving the Common Fisheries Policy and

becoming an independent coastal state.

TRANSPORT

Aviation: Coronavirus

Ruth Jones: [71886]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps the Government has taken

to help ensure the safety of people (a) travelling to airports, (b) in airports and (c) on

aircraft.

Kelly Tolhurst:

The Government has published transport guidance for passengers and operators on

safer travel during the coronavirus outbreak. This guidance will enable passengers to

take the necessary measures to protect themselves and others on the forms

transport most commonly used for travelling to airports (including private cars, taxis,

buses, and trains).

The Government has also published guidance specifically for aviation operators and

for air passengers on safer travel during the coronavirus outbreak. This guidance

maps out the measures passengers can take to protect themselves and others in

airports and on board aircraft, and includes advice on hygiene measures, face

coverings, and social distancing in aviation settings. The Government expects all

airport operators and airlines to manage the risks of coronavirus as far as possible in

order to provide safer workplaces and services for workers and passengers.

It is also important to note that wearing face coverings on public transport (including

on board aircraft) is now mandatory in England and Scotland.

Theresa Villiers: [72832]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the

Government of Singapore on the potential establishment of an air bridge between the UK

and Singapore and the consequent removal of quarantine requirements for people

travelling to the UK from Singapore.

Kelly Tolhurst:

The Government has regular discussions with countries on a range of issues.

Our approach to travel corridors has been guided by the science and we have

worked closely with health and policy experts from across government to ensure the

steps we are taking will minimise the risk of importing COVID-19 cases, while helping

to open our travel and tourism sector.

Although Singapore was not included in the travel corridors announced on 3 July, the

Health Regulations relating to the self-isolation requirements remain under constant

review. The next formal review will be on 27 July 2020.

Mr David Jones: [72840]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to authorise the opening

of air corridors with the United Arab Emirates.

Kelly Tolhurst:

Our approach to travel corridors has been guided by the science and we have

worked closely with health and policy experts from across government to ensure the

steps we are taking will minimise the risk of importing COVID-19 cases, while helping

to open our travel and tourism sector. The Joint Biosecurity Centre, in close

consultation with Public Health England (PHE) and the Chief Medical Officer, has

developed an approach to assessing the public health risk associated with inbound

travel from specific countries and territories. The resulting categorisation

methodology has been informed by a number of factors including an estimate of the

proportion of the population that is currently infectious in each country, trends in virus

incidences and deaths, transmission status and international epidemic intelligence.

We have also considered issues such as the testing capacity of each country and the

quality of the data available.

Aviation: Pakistan

John Spellar: [72805]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the airline

industry on increases in air fares to Pakistan following the restrictions placed on Pakistan

International Airlines.

Kelly Tolhurst:

Air fares are a matter for individual airlines to determine; we have had no discussions

with the airline industry about air fares to Pakistan. We are monitoring the situation

following the suspension of Pakistan International Airlines’ services, on safety

grounds, which must remain a priority. We wish to ensure on-going air connectivity

between the UK and Pakistan.

Bicycles: Repairs and Maintenance

Preet Kaur Gill: [73034]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timeframe is for opening the Fix

Your Bike Voucher Scheme to members of the public.

Chris Heaton-Harris:

The Department remains committed to launching the Fix Your Bike Voucher Scheme

this summer. Over one thousand bike shops and mechanics are now registered with

the scheme and we are ready to make vouchers available to the public when the time

is right.

Buses: Hydrogen

Ben Lake: [71854]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to increase the (a)

production and (b) use of hydrogen buses.

Rachel Maclean:

The Government has supported the use of a range of low carbon bus technologies,

including hydrogen buses and supporting infrastructure, through funds including the

Low Emission and Ultra-Low Emission Bus Schemes.

In February, the Government announced a £5 billion funding package for buses and

cycling, which includes support for the purchase of at least 4,000 zero-emission

buses. The details of these programmes, including technology options and how

funding will be distributed, will be announced in due course.

Cars: Coronavirus

Sarah Olney: [71847]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to enable two people from

different households to share a car following the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will put in

place plans for disabled people who rely on other people to drive them.

Chris Heaton-Harris:

Our priority throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been to keep people safe by

minimising the risk of transmission. This is why we continue to recommend that

people should consider walking, cycling or using their own vehicle rather than sharing

a vehicle with people from other households or support bubbles.

We appreciate that this will not be an option for everyone and recognise the

importance of car sharing for people with disabilities. Our Safer Travel Guidance for

Passengers outlines clear steps that people should attempt to follow if they have to

travel in the same vehicle with people outside their household or support bubble

(https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-travel-guidance-for-

passengers).

Driving Tests: Coronavirus

David Mundell: [71688]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timeframe is for the resumption of

driving tests in (a) rural and (b) urban areas in Scotland.

Rachel Maclean:

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) priority throughout the COVID-

19 pandemic has been to protect the public and save lives. That remains its priority

as it restarts its services.

As different approaches to easing lockdown are currently being adopted across

England, Scotland and Wales, the DVSA is following published guidance in each of

those countries as it restarts its services safely for customers and staff.

The DVSA will continue to observe the guidance and scale up its services when it is

permissible and lawful to do so.

In Scotland, theory tests and motorcycle instruction may restart on 22 July 2020.

Motorcycle module 1 and module 2 tests, and tractor driving tests, will restart on

Monday 3 August 2020.

Other types of driving tests are still suspended. When the DVSA has more detail, it

will inform instructors and candidates.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Dame Cheryl Gillan: [72743]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Infrastructure and Projects

Authority report 2020 classifying HS2 as a Red project, what steps he plans to take in

response to that classification; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stephenson:

The IPA’s report refers to the status of the HS2 project in September 2019. This was

before the project was comprehensively reset in February 2020 with a revised budget

and schedule, and provision of adequate contingency. Steps have also been taken to

ensure the project is delivered in a more disciplined and transparent manner with, for

example, a dedicated HS2 Minister appointed and bi-annual updates to be provided

to Parliament. We are confident HS2 is being delivered with the strict oversight,

accountability and transparency needed.

Dr Kieran Mullan: [73139]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of High Speed Two

construction sites are in operation as at 13 July 2020.

Andrew Stephenson:

229 sites out of a possible 244 sites are open, meaning that 94% of sites that could

be open are open. All Construction sites for Main Works Civils on the Phase One

route are open. A small number of enabling works construction sites remain

closed/paused, primarily due to work requiring access to residents’ homes.

Dr Kieran Mullan: [73141]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timeframe is for construction work

on High Speed Two Phase 2a (West Midlands - Crewe) to commence.

Andrew Stephenson:

The Phase 2a Bill is currently in the House of Lords with petition hearings restarting

before the Lords Select Committee next week. Parliamentary time allowing, we hope

it will receive Royal Assent before the end of the year. Royal Assent of the Bill will

allow construction of Phase 2a to begin. We expect the construction of Phase 2a to

align with the timing of Phase One.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Archaeology

Tim Loughton: [72746]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many qualified archaeologists are being

deployed on survey and excavation work relating to High Speed Two construction.

Andrew Stephenson:

The number of archaeologists required and consequently deployed will vary as the

HS2 project moves forward. HS2 Ltd has estimated that they will need the skills of

over 1,000 archaeologists and associated specialisms for the entire HS2 archaeology

programme.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Coronavirus

Dr Kieran Mullan: [73140]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect

of the covid-19 on the timeframe for the construction of High Speed Two.

Andrew Stephenson:

High Speed Two Ltd continue to monitor the impacts of Covid-19 on construction.

94% of sites are open on Phase One and work is continuing in line with Public Health

England Guidelines. As part of our twice-yearly reports to Parliament on the status of

the project, we will consider the impacts of COVID-19 once the pandemic’s wider

effect on the economy becomes clearer.

Jet Zero Council

John Spellar: [72802]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2020 to

Question 64070 on Jet Zero Council, whether he plans to publish the membership of the

Jet Zero Council before the summer recess.

Kelly Tolhurst:

It is our intention to publish draft membership and terms of reference of the Jet Zero

Council before summer recess.

Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions

Andrew Gwynne: [72844]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2020 to

Question 68683 on Roads: Greater Manchester, whether Highways England is legally

responsible for managing air quality from its strategic network for the purpose of the UK's

legal obligations on clean air.

Rachel Maclean:

For purpose of the air quality Directive (2008/50/EC), DEFRA on behalf of the

Government are the competent authority. In 2017 the Government published its Plan

for Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations (The Plan) which set out

plans to achieve compliance as quickly as possible.

Highways England is legally required, under the Infrastructure Act 2015 and its

Licence, to comply with (or have due regard to) relevant Government policy, which

includes the Government’s plans and policies on air quality, and has been

commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT) to deliver its part of The Plan.

The Infrastructure Act also obliges Highways England to comply with DfT’s Road

Investment Strategy (RIS). The current (second) RIS sets out DfT’s expectations for

environmental outcomes to be in line with (but not limited to) The Plan, and sets key

performance indicators in relation to air quality, including compliance with legal

nitrogen dioxide limits as soon as possible. The Office of Rail and Road monitors

Highways England’s compliance with its obligations as set out in the RIS and

Licence, and has enforcement powers in respect of these obligations.

Andrew Gwynne: [72845]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2020 to

Question 68683 on Roads: Greater Manchester, whether Highways England will be fined

for breaching clean air obligations to communities adjoining the strategic highway

network.

Andrew Gwynne: [72846]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2020 to

Question 68683 on Roads: Greater Manchester, whether local authorities will be fined for

breaching clean air obligations to communities adjoining the strategic highway network.

Rachel Maclean:

We are working across Government, including with Highways England, and with local

authorities, to deliver our 2017 Plan for Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide

Concentrations and achieve compliance as quickly as possible, without recourse to

fines.

Motor Vehicles: Insurance

Stuart Anderson: [71164]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help

drivers involved in non-fault accidents penalised by insurance companies.

Rachel Maclean:

The setting and the adjustment of premiums following a claim are commercial

decisions for individual insurers based on their underwriting experience and the

Government does not generally intervene or seek to control the market.

The motor insurance market is very competitive and we encourage policyholders to

shop around to find the best deal. Many insurers will offer considerable discounts to

attract new customers and it is possible that a driver might find a better offer if he or

she fully explains the circumstances of a no fault claim.

Motor Vehicles: Testing

Kerry McCarthy: [72830]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Driver and Vehicle

Standards Agency Collection entitled Vehicle Market Surveillance Unit programme results

and the reports published in July 2018 and July 2019, when the Driver and Vehicle

Standards Agency plans to publish the findings from vehicle and component testing

carried out during 2019 to check that new products on the UK market meet legal

obligations.

Rachel Maclean:

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is planning to publish the 2019 report in

the Autumn of 2020.

Public Transport: Concessions

Ms Harriet Harman: [72751]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with Transport for

London on reviewing the planned end to free travel for under 18s in London.

Rachel Maclean:

The £1.6 billion Extraordinary Funding and Financing Agreement to enable Transport

for London (TfL) to continue operating services contained a series of conditions to

facilitate safe travel on public transport in London, including the temporary

suspension of free travel for under 18s. These conditions were agreed by the Mayor

of London and Deputy Mayor for Transport.

Before the Covid-19 crisis, around a third of journeys in the morning peak period

were made by young people travelling to school and many of these journeys were

less than 2km in length. The temporary suspension of free travel for under 18s will

help to reduce demand for public transport so that those who need to use it can do so

safely.

The Department is working closely with TfL and the Department for Education on how

the temporary suspension can be operationalised. Any child eligible for free home to

school travel under the Education Act 1996 will still receive this. The Department is

also completing an Equality Impact Assessment, which will consider whether there

are further categories of children that should receive free transport.

Railway Stations: Business Premises

Tom Tugendhat: [71097]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what financial support is available for tenants

operating businesses from stations managed by Train Operating Companies subject to

Emergency Measures Agreements with his Department.

Chris Heaton-Harris:

The government has taken steps to support commercial businesses, including those

located within railway stations. These measures include amending the Coronavirus

Act to extend the time period for suspension of the forfeiture of evictions from 30

June to 30 September and landlords will also be prevented from using Commercial

Rent Arrears Recovery unless they are owed 189 days of unpaid rent. In addition, the

temporary ban on the use of statutory demands and winding-up petitions, where a

company cannot pay its bills due to the Covid-19 pandemic, has been extended to 30

September. The government has also ensured that businesses and workers have

access to unprecedented packages of support, including £330 billion of government-

backed and guaranteed loans.

Railways: Commuters

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: [71145]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with rail

operators on the effect on their services of a potential increase in flexible and part-time

commuters.

Chris Heaton-Harris:

The Government recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a fundamental

change in working patterns and that this could have long-term effects on commuter

behaviour. In order to support a green recovery and new working patterns, the

Department is working with industry to explore already available options for flexible

commuters, such as carnets, and what steps could be taken quickly to make these as

useful and convenient for passengers as possible.

Roads: Greater Manchester

Andrew Gwynne: [72842]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2020 to

Question 68683 on Roads: Greater Manchester, what steps he plans to take to introduce

measures complementary to the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan to reduce air

pollution on the Trunk Road Network in (a) Tameside and (b) Stockport.

Rachel Maclean:

We are working across Government, including with Highways England, and with local

authorities, to deliver our 2017 Plan for Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide

Concentrations and achieve compliance as quickly as possible.

The Mottram Moor link road and A57(T) to A57 link road, which Highways England is

due to start construction on in the current road period, will contribute to improvements

in air quality in the area.

Andrew Gwynne: [72843]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2020 to

Question 68683 on Roads: Greater Manchester, what assessment he has made of the air

quality for communities living alongside the Strategic Highway Network in (a) Tameside

and (b) Stockport for which Highways England is responsible.

Rachel Maclean:

The Pollution Climate Mapping model is used alongside measurements from the

Automatic Urban and Rural Network to assess levels of air pollutants for major urban

roads across the UK and report compliance with legal limits for nitrogen dioxide. One,

local authority managed, section of road in Tameside, has been identified as

exceeding legal nitrogen dioxide limits in the latest national modelling. Five sections

of road in Stockport, one Highways England managed and four local authority

managed, have been identified as exceeding legal nitrogen dioxide limits in the latest

national modelling. As set out in response to Question 72845/72846 we are working

across Government, including with Highways England, and with local authorities, to

deliver our 2017 Plan for Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations and

achieve compliance as quickly as possible.

Shipping: Crew

Karl Turner: [71736]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the

adequacy of employment conditions for seafarers working on the Cypriot registered

Seaways Strashnov transporting steel monopile (a) foundations and (b) transition pieces

for installation at the site of the Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm on the UK Continental

Shelf.

Kelly Tolhurst:

The vessel in question is registered in Cyprus and is currently operating out of the

Netherlands. Cyprus has ratified the Maritime Labour Convention and the

employment conditions on board must be in compliance with the Convention.

If there is reason to believe that the vessel is not in compliance, it should be brought

either to the attention of the Dutch maritime authorities, as the port state for the

vessel, or the Cypriot maritime authorities as the flag state.

Southeastern: Railway Stations

Tom Tugendhat: [71098]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many tenants have rental agreements

with Southeastern to operate businesses within stations that company manages.

Chris Heaton-Harris:

As of the 9 July 2020, Southeastern has 218 rental agreements with tenants to

operate businesses within Southeastern managed stations.

Transport: Northern Ireland

Ruth Jones: [71888]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has

made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on connectivity between Northern Ireland and

Great Britain.

Kelly Tolhurst:

The government welcomes the resumption of passenger services between airports in

Northern Ireland and Great Britain. In May the Government announced a £5.7million

funding package of measures, temporarily supporting two airlinks, from Belfast and

Londonderry to London, and associated airport services at City of Derry Airport and

Belfast City Airport. The funding package ensured that lifeline connectivity services

continued to both Belfast and Londonderry during the height of the COVID-19

pandemic.

We recognise that the impacts of COVID-19 on the civil aviation sector will continue

for some time. The Department speaks regularly to the Northern Ireland Executive,

airlines and airports as part of our engagement on restart and recovery in the sector

and will continue to do so as we look to rebuild regional connectivity throughout the

UK.

Transport: Schools

Janet Daby: [71881]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made

on the effect on trends in the level of (a) school and (b) college attendance of the

suspension of free and discounted travel for under 18’s in London.

Rachel Maclean:

The £1.6 billion Extraordinary Funding and Financing Agreement to enable Transport

for London (TfL) to continue operating services contained a series of conditions to

facilitate safe travel on public transport in London, including the temporary

suspension of free travel for under 18s.

The Department is working closely with TfL and the Department for Education on how

the temporary suspension can be operationalised. Any child eligible for free home to

school travel under the Education Act 1996 will still receive this. The Department is

also completing an Equality Impact Assessment, which will consider whether there

are further categories of children that should receive free transport.

TREASURY

All Party ExcludedUK Parliamentary Group

Dr Philippa Whitford: [71799]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if will he meet with representatives of the the all

party parliamentary group Excluded UK.

Christian Matheson: [71810]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of the

number of people working on self-employed PAYE conditions who are not eligible for (a)

the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and (b) the Self Employment Income Support

Scheme.

Jesse Norman:

The Chancellor of the Exchequer regularly meets with parliamentary colleagues and

has answered questions on this issue in the House.

The Government has recently announced further measures as part of the

comprehensive economic response, taking unprecedented steps to support families,

businesses and the most vulnerable. The fiscal response so far totals £160bn.

As well as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Self-Employment

Income Support Scheme (SEISS), this package includes a comprehensive set of

Government-backed loans and grants to businesses, tax deferrals, rental support and

mortgage and consumer credit holidays.

This package also includes extra funding for the welfare safety net, in order to help

those unable to access other forms of support to get through the coronavirus

outbreak. The temporary welfare measures include increases to Universal Credit and

Local Housing Allowance, a relaxation of the Universal Credit minimum income floor

and making Statutory Sick Pay easier to access.

The Government’s Plan for Jobs will support, protect and create jobs. This plan will

make available up to £30bn to help kickstart the nation’s economic recovery ahead of

a fuller package of medium-term recovery measures in the forthcoming Autumn

Budget and Spending Review.

Borders: Northern Ireland

Louise Haigh: [72983]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate HMRC have made of the number

of traders who will be required to complete the additional processes required on trade

between Great Britain and Northern Ireland outlined in the Command Paper entitled, The

UK’s approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol, published 20 May 2020.

Jesse Norman:

Declaration volumes will depend on how businesses choose to operate, and HMRC

are engaging with industry to understand their operating models. As announced in

the Command Paper, HMRC will soon set out more detailed plans for extensive

support for businesses engaged in the limited additional processes on goods arriving

into Northern Ireland.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Sir Mark Hendrick: [70987]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend eligibility criteria to new starters

who missed the date for enrolment in the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme due to (a)

the date of starting a new job and (b) their employer’s choice of timing in submitting

paperwork to HMRC.

Jesse Norman:

The Government has prioritised helping the greatest number of people as quickly as

possible. For this reason, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has had to be set

up to operate at significant scale and with limited manual intervention.

Extending the cut-off date beyond 19 March would significantly increase the risk of

abuse and fraud, as claims could not be confidently verified against the risk of fraud

using the data after 20 March, when the scheme became public.

Bridget Phillipson: [72888]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish a table of the organisations

receiving public funds through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, showing for each

month of operation and for each company in receipt of public funds the (a) company or

charity number (as applicable), (b) the organisation's name, (c) in what sector of the

economy it operates, (d) the postcode or (if overseas) the country in which it is based, (e)

the total number of staff in each organisation whose employment is being supported by

that scheme in that month, (f) the total amount paid to that organisation in that month as a

result of that scheme; and if he will make statement.

Jesse Norman:

In order to protect the confidentiality of individual organisations’ tax affairs, HMRC are

unable to provide information on individual companies and charities.

Bridget Phillipson: [72889]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish aggregate data, in respect of

public funding for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, showing for each month of that

scheme's operation for each (a) Government office region of the UK, (b) district council

area, (c) Westminster Parliamentary constituency, (d) Scottish Parliament constituency,

and (e) Senedd constituency (i) how many organisations based in that area have

received support, (ii) in what sector of the economy those organisations operate, (iii) the

total number of staff in each organisation whose employment is being supported by that

scheme in that month and (iv) the total amount of funding allocated.

Bridget Phillipson: [72890]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish aggregate data on public

funding for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme this year, showing, for each month of

that scheme's operation for (a) each government office region of the United Kingdom, (b)

each district council area in England, and each council area in Wales, Scotland, and

Northern Ireland, (c) each Westminster Parliamentary constituency, (d) each Scottish

Parliament constituency and (e) each Senedd constituency and for companies in which (i)

5 or fewer, (ii) six-19, (iii) 20-39, (iv) 50-99, (v) 100-499, (vi) 500-999, (vii) 1000-4999, (vii)

5000 or more employees are receiving support through the scheme, (A) how many

organisations of that size based in that area have received support, (B) the total number

of staff in such organisations of that size in that area whose employment is being

supported by that scheme in that month, and (C) the total amount of funding allocated to

support such organisations of that size in that area.

Jesse Norman:

Statistics on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme are published on GOV.UK. The

latest publication can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coronavirus-job-retention-scheme-statistics-

july-2020. This includes breakdowns of the total number of employments furloughed

by industry sector, country, English region, local authority and by Westminster

Parliamentary constituency. The publication also includes breakdowns of the total

number of employments furloughed by the number of employees within each claiming

PAYE scheme.

It is not possible to provide the further breakdowns requested in the time available.

Furthermore, there are likely to be statistical disclosure issues at this level of

disaggregation.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Arts

Damian Collins: [72875]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the extent to

which workers in the creative industries on short-term contracts qualify for payments

under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Jesse Norman:

Employees on fixed-term contracts, regardless of industry, can be claimed for under

the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme if otherwise eligible.

From 1 July an employee is eligible to be claimed for under the scheme, if their

employer has previously submitted a claim for them in relation to a furlough period of

at least three consecutive weeks taking place any time between 1 March 2020 and

30 June.

For an employee on a fixed term contract, the employer would have been able to re-

employ them and put them on furlough as long as they did this by 10 June, and if

either the employee’s contract expired on or after 28 February 2020 and an RTI

payment submission for the employee was notified to HMRC on or before 28

February 2020, or the employee’s contract expired on or after 19 March 2020 and an

RTI payment submission for the employee was notified to HMRC on or before 19

March 2020.

If the employee’s fixed term contract has not already expired, it can be extended, or

renewed. Employers can claim for these employees as long as an RTI payment

submission for the employee was notified to HMRC on or before 19 March 2020.

Employees that started and ended the same contract between 28 February 2020 and

19 March 2020 will not qualify for this scheme. This is not specific to employees on

fixed-term contracts; the same would apply to employees on all other contracts.

Customs Declaration Services Programme

Louise Haigh: [71825]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether all traders have been transferred to the

Customs Declaration Service; and whether that service is fully operational.

Jesse Norman:

The Customs Declaration Service (CDS) has been a live service since August 2018

and is fully operational. The operation of the customs platform is not dependent on

completing full trader migration to CDS, as it will be dual running alongside CHIEF.

HMRC will continue to work with traders in order to meet requirements for the end of

the transition period.

Louise Haigh: [71826]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the electronic declarations of the Goods

Vehicle Movement Service will be compatible with the Customs Declaration Service.

Jesse Norman:

The Goods Vehicle Movement Service will be integrated across multiple platforms,

including the Customs Declaration Service and the UK’s legacy customs system,

CHIEF.

Louise Haigh: [71827]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff vacancies there are on the

programme team for the delivery of the Customs Declaration Service.

Jesse Norman:

HMRC manage the Customs Declaration Service programme of work very closely

and have prioritised resourcing the changes required for the end of the Transition

Period. HMRC have the resources and capability required to deliver the programme.

This is kept under review, and where additional resources are required these will be

provided.

Debts: Developing Countries

Bambos Charalambous: [73042]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with his

international counterparts on the merits of extending the Debt Service Suspension

Initiative to include middle-income countries.

Bambos Charalambous: [73043]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the amount of

international debt held by private creditors under English law; and what assessment he

has made of the ability of UK creditors to sue developing countries for defaulting on debt

repayments in English courts.

John Glen:

Under the Debt Service Suspension Initiative, the G20 committed to suspend the

debt repayments of the world’s poorest 77 countries. The G20 focused on these

countries as they are particularly vulnerable to the economic pressures of the

pandemic; and because G20 creditors have a larger share of these countries’

outstanding debt, as middle-income countries borrow much more from commercial

markets. Given the more complex composition of many middle-income countries’

debt, and their access to capital markets, the G20 did not agree a blanket approach

to respond to middle-income country debt vulnerabilities would be appropriate.

In 2019 the IMF assessed that 45% of the total outstanding stock of international

sovereign bonds by nominal principal amount are governed under English law.

The G20 have called for private creditor participation in the DSSI on a voluntary

basis. It is important that developing countries do not see their access to international

capital markets become too costly or restricted as mobilising private finance will be

essential for crisis recovery and long-term sustainable development. HM Government

will continue to monitor implementation of the DSSI by private lenders under this

voluntary framework closely, as it is important that all creditors work together to help

enable countries especially vulnerable to the pandemic to protect their citizens and

economies.

Eat Out to Help Out Scheme

Wes Streeting: [73006]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the

public purse of administering the Eat Out to Help Out scheme; and whether those costs

will be funded from HM Revenue and Custom's budget.

Jesse Norman:

HM Treasury has committed to provide HMRC with additional funding to deliver their

coronavirus-related schemes, including Eat Out to Help Out. HMRC keep the

administrative and policy costs of these schemes under regular review and HMRC

will receive additional funding from HM Treasury via standard Government

processes.

Ben Everitt: [73136]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to extend the Eat Out to Help

Out scheme to include take-away outlets.

Jesse Norman:

Eat Out to Help Out is designed to encourage people to return to eating out in order

to support restaurants, pubs, cafes and other dine-in establishments, which have

been severely affected by COVID-19 due to closures and the impact of social

distancing. In doing so, it will help support 1.8 million jobs disproportionately occupied

by young, female, part-time workers, in the bottom half of incomes.

Hot takeaway food and drinks will benefit from the temporary VAT reduced rate for

hospitality from 15 July 2020 to 12 January 2021.

Employment: Coronavirus

Sir Mark Hendrick: [70990]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to support

freelancers and people on short-term PAYE contracts who are not entitled to support

under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme or Self-Employment Income Support

Scheme.

Jesse Norman:

The Government has prioritised helping the greatest number of people as quickly as

possible, and the CJRS and SEISS have provided support to more than 11 million

people across the country.

Those who are not eligible for the CJRS and SEISS may have access to other

support that the Government is providing, including a package of temporary welfare

measures, £3.2bn in funding for local authorities to support the most vulnerable

people in society, mortgage payment holidays, and a nearly £1bn increase in support

for renters through increases to the Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal

Credit and Housing Benefit claimants.

Energy: VAT

Dave Doogan: [71160]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will reduce VAT on energy saving products

after the end of the transition period.

Jesse Norman:

VAT is a broad based tax on consumption and the twenty per cent standard rate

applies to most goods and services.

Relief from the standard rate is already available on the sale and installation of

certain energy-saving materials such as insulation, draught stripping and solar panels

if certain conditions are met.

Although there are no plans to extend the scope of the relief already in place, the

Government keeps all taxes under review.

Government Departments: Kickstart Scheme

Wes Streeting: [73007]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many six-month work placements will be

created within (a) his Department, (b) HMRC and (c) the civil service as part of the

kickstart scheme.

Jesse Norman:

The Kickstart Scheme will be open to funding applications from August 2020, and the

Government expects the first jobs to begin in the autumn.

The scheme will be open to applications from private, voluntary and public sector

employers, including the Civil Service.

More information on the application process will be available in due course.

Green Homes Grant Scheme

Wes Streeting: [73009]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.40 of the

document entitled, Plan for Jobs, CP 261, what the timeframe is for the 600,000 to be

upgraded.

Kemi Badenoch:

The Plan for Jobs announced that over £2 billion will be provided to support

homeowners and landlords to make their homes more energy-efficient in 2020-21.

Funding for future years will be considered as part of the Spending Review.

This could support more than 100,000 green jobs, upgrade more than 600,000

homes across the country, and save households hundreds of pounds a year on their

energy bills.

Further details on the Green Homes Grant scheme will be announced in the coming

weeks before its full launch in the Autumn.

Infrastructure: Environment Protection

Caroline Lucas: [71716]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what environmental assessments the

Government plans to make of (a) each project in Project Speed and (b) Project Speed

overall.

Jesse Norman:

The Infrastructure Delivery Taskforce will bring forward proposals to deliver the

Government’s public investment projects more strategically and efficiently, while

ensuring that environmental protection and biodiversity conservation outcomes are

maintained or improved. All infrastructure projects will be in scope of this work.

Landlords: Licensing

Stephen Timms: [72772]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the

additional tax receipts that would be raised from a national licensing scheme for

residential landlords.

Jesse Norman:

All individual landlords are liable to income tax at normal rates on any taxable profits

they receive from property that they rent. Landlords must contact HMRC if they have

any taxable profits from property.

Landlords: Taxation

Stephen Timms: [72771]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his most recent estimate is of the tax

revenues lost through residential landlords failing to declare their rental income.

Jesse Norman:

The information requested is not available as HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)

does not make a separate estimate of the proportion of the total tax gap attributable

to residential landlords.

However, HMRC does estimate the tax gap arising from individuals in employment

who have not declared and therefore not paid tax on lettings income. The latest

estimate of this tax gap was £540 million for the tax year 2018-19.

Manufacturing Industries: Clothing

Claudia Webbe: [71193]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department plans to take to

enforce the minimum wage rules for all garment factory workers (a) in Leicester and (b)

throughout the UK.

Jesse Norman:

The Government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum

Wage (NMW) receives it.

HMRC enforce the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW)

in line with the law and policy set out by the Department for Business, Energy and

Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

All businesses, irrespective of size or business sector, are responsible for paying the

correct minimum wage to their staff.

HMRC continue to take action against employers who ignore the law, ensuring that

workers receive the wages they are entitled to.

HMRC take seriously and review all complaints from workers referred by the Acas

helpline, or received via the online complaints form, and investigate as appropriate. If

anyone thinks they are not receiving at least the minimum wage, they can contact

Acas, in confidence, on 0300 123 1100 or submit a query online using the link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pay-and-work-rights-complaints .

As part of continuing operational activity in Leicester and throughout the UK, over the

past two years HMRC have completed over 50 investigations into textile traders,

uncovering over £125,000 in wage arrears for more than 280 workers and issuing

over £240,000 in penalties.

Minimum Wage

Andy McDonald: [72936]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many HMRC national minimum wage

enforcement staff were employed in each region in each year since the financial year

2009-10.

Andy McDonald: [72937]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much HMRC has expended on national

minimum wage enforcement in (a) total and (b) each region for each year since the

financial year 2009-10.

Jesse Norman:

The Government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum

Wage (NMW) receives it.

HMRC enforce the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW)

in line with the law and policy set out by the Department for Business, Energy and

Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

HMRC investigate all complaints from workers referred by the Acas helpline, or

received via the online complaints form.

The total number of staff employed by HMRC since 2009-2010 to carry out National

Minimum Wage enforcement is provided in the table below.

YEAR NUMBER OF FULL TIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) STAFF

2009/10 140

2010/11 142

2011/12 139

2012/13 142

2013/14 158

2014/15 183

2015/16 251

2016/17 352

2017/18 412

2018/19 429

2019/20 442

There are also additional staff across HMRC who contribute to enforcing the NMW

including lawyers, technical advisers, and those specialising in criminal

investigations. These staff are not included in the numbers outlined above.

HMRC do not hold accurate data on regional staff numbers going back to 2009-10.

However, most recently, for 2019-20 there were 442 full-time equivalent NMW

enforcement staff working from 22 locations in 12 regions across the country:

REGION NUMBER OF FULL TIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) STAFF

East Midlands 25

Greater London 40

North East 34

North West 106

Northern Ireland 25

Scotland 65

South East 12

South West 13

East of England 3

Wales 24

West Midlands 52

Yorkshire and the Humber 43

Total 442

As a national operation, it is common for staff based in one region to work cases in

another.

The Government has been increasing funding for NMW enforcement year-on-year.

This has enabled a significant expansion of resources dedicated to enforcing the

minimum wage.

The table below provides a yearly breakdown of funding received for NMW

enforcement from 2009/10 to 2020/21.

YEAR FUNDING FOR NMW ENFORCEMENT (MILLIONS)

2009/10 £8.3

2010/11 £8.1

YEAR FUNDING FOR NMW ENFORCEMENT (MILLIONS)

2011/12 £8.3

2012/13 £8.3

2013/14 £8.3

2014/15 £9.2

2015/16 £13.2

2016/17 £20.0

2017/18 £25.3

2018/19 £25.2

2019/20 £26.3

2020/21 £26.4

It is not possible to provide an accurate regional breakdown of the NMW enforcement

budget.

Neil Coyle: [72941]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many prosecutions for non-payment of the

National Minimum Wage there have been (a) in total since 2010 and (b) in each year

since 2010.

Neil Coyle: [72942]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what additional steps his Department is taking to

secure prosecutions for non-payment of the National Minimum Wage.

Jesse Norman:

HMRC enforce the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW)

in line with the law and policy set out by the Department for Business, Energy and

Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

All businesses, irrespective of size or business sector, are responsible for paying the

correct minimum wage to their staff. HMRC will not hesitate to take action to ensure

that workers receive the pay to which they are legally entitled.

A majority of NMW cases relate to civil (non-criminal) offences, which attract

penalties of up to 200% of the identified wage arrears and public naming.

Alongside civil sanctions, HMRC have a clear approach for how they consider

prosecutions in appropriate cases involving potential criminal breaches in the most

serious cases.

Where potential criminality has occurred, HMRC refer these cases to the Crown

Prosecution Service who decide whether or not to prosecute.

Since 2010-11 HMRC have completed nearly 25,000 NMW investigations, identifying

over £100 million in national minimum wage arrears for over 950,000 workers. During

this period, HMRC investigations have also led to the successful prosecution of 8

employers for NMW related offences. A yearly breakdown of NMW prosecutions is

included in the table below.

YEAR NUMBER OF PROSECUTIONS

2010/11 1

2011/12 0

2012/13 1

2013/14 0

2014/15 0

2015/16 0

2016/17 4

2017/18 1

2018/19 0

2019/20 1

Money

Conor McGinn: [72975]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate his Department has made

of the number of people in (a) St Helens North constituency, (b) the North West and c)

the UK for whom cash is their primary payment method.

Conor McGinn: [72976]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the

number of free-to-use ATMs in (a) St Helens North constituency, (b) the North West and

(c) the UK in each year since 2010.

Conor McGinn: [72977]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to promote adequate

access to alternative payment methods during the covid-19 outbreak for people whose

primary payment method is cash.

John Glen:

The Government recognises that cash remains important for many individuals and

businesses across the UK. That is why, at the March 2020 Budget, the Chancellor

announced that the Government will bring forward legislation to protect access to

cash for those who need it.

The Government is engaging with the financial regulators, including through the Joint

Authorities Cash Strategy Group, to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on the UK’s

cash infrastructure and ensure that those who rely on cash to transact can continue

to do so in the long-term. The Financial Conduct Authority and Payment Systems

Regulators are developing a comprehensive picture of cash access infrastructure

across the UK in relation to social economic factors that reflect consumer needs,

building upon their mapping work carried out during the COVID-19 crisis.

LINK, the UK’s main ATM network, publishes the annual total of free-to-use ATMs

across the UK since 1998 online. As of 2019, there were 45,000 free-to-use ATMs in

the UK; although this is less than the peak number in 2017, this remains 13% higher

than a decade ago. LINK’s Monthly ATM Footprint Report also publishes information

monthly on the break down by constituency.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, financial services firms have announced a range of

measures to support vulnerable customers. We are working with the Financial

Conduct Authority to ensure there is continued support for these people. For

example, many firms have methods for trusted third parties to access cash. Anyone

with questions should contact their banking service provider.

Parks: Coronavirus

Mr Virendra Sharma: [72864]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential

merits of allocating additional funding to local authorities for the provision of park sporting

facilities as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

Kemi Badenoch:

The Government has provided a comprehensive package of support for councils to

help with their response to Covid-19. Over £3.7bn in additional grant funding has

been announced for councils in England, which can be used flexibly across all their

services, and Sport England have announced a support package of £210 million to

help community clubs through this crisis. The Government will continue to work

closely with local authorities to monitor the pressures that they are facing.

Remittances

Sir David Amess: [72744]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2020 to

Question 64077, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of disclosing the

full cost of fees and charges including the exchange rate margin as calculated from the

mid-market rate provided by the ECB to ensure that consumers are able to make

informed decisions when sending money abroad by bank transfer.

John Glen:

Further to my response of 3 July 2020 to Question 64077, before the end of the

Transition Period, the Government will bring forward secondary legislation under the

EU Withdrawal Act 2018 to ensure that the provisions of the Cross Border Payments

Regulation which require transparency of currency conversion fees and charges for

credit transfers, continue to work effectively in UK law after the end of the Transition

Period.

Revenue and Customs: Birmingham

Dan Carden: [73066]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what Key Performance Indicators were missed

at (a) City Centre House and (b) Norfolk House HMRC offices in Birmingham from 16 to

17 March 2020; and what penalties were issued to the contracted cleaning company ISS.

Jesse Norman:

The following tasks were not delivered within agreed KPIs between the period of 16

to 17 March for each site as follows: (a) Birmingham, City Centre House 4 items: 2

Fabric, 1 Electrical, 1 Plumbing; and (b) Birmingham Norfolk House 1 item. HMRC

are not aware of any financial deductions specifically related to ISS as HMRC do not

have a direct contract with ISS. ISS are a Tier 3 supplier within HMRC’s prime PFI

contract with Mapeley STEPS Ltd.

Revenue and Customs: Cleaning Services

Dan Carden: [73067]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the additional costs to the public purse

would be per annum of paying staff employed on the HMRC cleaning contract held by

ISS at (a) Litherland House, (b) the Triad, (c) Regian House and (d) Imperial Court in

Merseyside and (i) City Centre House and (ii) Norfolk House in Birmingham the Real

Living Wage as determined by the Living Wage Foundation.

Jesse Norman:

HMRC do not have any direct contracts with ISS and the provision of these services

is provided through a twenty-year national PFI contract with Mapeley STEPS Ltd.

Dan Carden: [73068]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much HMRC paid ISS to employ temporary

staff to clean during the covid-19 outbreak from 1 March 2020 to date (a) at (i) Litherland

House, (ii) the Triad, (iii) Regian House and (iv) Imperial Court in Merseyside, (b) at (A)

City Centre House and (B) Norfolk House in Birmingham and (c) throughout the UK.

Jesse Norman:

HMRC have paid through the PFI contractor the following indicative amounts to

support the COVID-19 crisis: Bootle and Liverpool £88,000; Birmingham £20,000;

and throughout the UK £480,000. HMRC have no visibility of the split between

temporary or permanent staff or of the costs passed on to ISS under their contract

model as HMRC do not have any direct contracts with ISS.

Revenue and Customs: Merseyside

Dan Carden: [73065]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what Key Performance Indicators were missed

at (a) Litherland House, (b) The Triad, (c) Regian House and (d) Imperial Court HMRC

offices in Merseyside from 16 to 27 March 2020; and what penalties were issued to the

contracted cleaning company ISS.

Jesse Norman:

The following tasks were not delivered within agreed KPIs between the period of 16

to 27 March for each site as follows; (a) Bootle, Litherland House 2 items: 1 Fabric, 1

Electrical; (b) Bootle, Triad 18 items: 9 Electrical (mainly light bulb replacements), 4

Fabric, 3 Plumbing, 1 Heating and 1 Security; (c) Liverpool, Regian House 2 items: 1

Consumables, 1 Lift; (c) Liverpool, Imperial Court 8 items: 7 Fabric, 1 Plumbing.

HMRC would not be made aware of any financial deduction related to the contract

that ISS (as a Tier 3 supplier) has in the period, as ISS is within the supply chain as

part of HMRC’s contract with Mapeley STEPS Ltd.

Roadchef: Employee Benefit Trusts

Martyn Day: [71108]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2020 to

Question 904399 on Roadchef: Employee Benefit Trusts, if he will make it a Government

priority to review tax legislation so that the Roadchef Employee Benefits Trust is exempt

from tax in line with other all-employee share ownership schemes.

Jesse Norman:

The administration of the tax system is a matter for HM Revenue and Customs, who

have indicated that they are in dialogue with the taxpayer. It would not be appropriate

for Treasury ministers to become involved in the administration of the tax system in

specific cases.

Roads: Freight

Louise Haigh: [72981]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff vacancies there are on the

programme team for the delivery of the Goods Vehicle Movement Service.

Jesse Norman:

The Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) project is part of a wider programme

of work delivering system and business process changes for the end of the Transition

Period. HMRC manage the GVMS project very closely and have prioritised

resourcing the changes required for the end of the Transition Period. HMRC have the

resources and capability required to deliver the project. This is kept under continuous

review, and where additional resources are required these will be provided.

Self-employment Income Support Scheme

Sir Mark Hendrick: [70989]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential

merits of removing the £50,000 cap for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme to

allow people with profits in excess of that cap to access financial support.

Jesse Norman:

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) helps those adversely

affected by COVID-19. Individuals can at present claim a taxable grant under the

SEISS worth 80 per cent of their average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single

instalment covering three months’ worth of profits, and capped at £7,500 in total.

The extension of the SEISS announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 29

May 2020 means that eligible individuals whose businesses are adversely affected by

COVID-19 will be able to claim a second and final grant when the scheme reopens

for applications in August. This will be a taxable grant worth 70 per cent of their

average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering three months’

worth of profits, and capped at £6,570 in total.

The SEISS is designed to target help at those who most need it. Those who had

more than £50,000 from trading profits in 2018-19 had an average total income of

more than £200,000.

Those with average trading profits above £50,000 may still be eligible for other

elements of the unprecedented financial support package made available by the

Government. These measures include Bounce Back Loans, tax deferrals, rental

support, increased levels of Universal Credit, mortgage holidays, and other business

support grants.

Liz Saville Roberts: [73021]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department made before

deciding how (a) maternity leave, (b) sick leave and (c) holidays affect the value of claims

made to the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.

Liz Saville Roberts: [73022]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the calculation of the Self-

Employment Income Support Scheme grant, what assessment his Department has made

of the financial effect on women of not exempting maternity leave taken in (a) 2017-18

and (b) 2016-17.

Jesse Norman:

The Government takes care to pay due regard to the equality impacts of its policy

decisions relating to the Covid-19 outbreak, including the equality impacts of the

SEISS, in line with all legal requirements and the Government’s commitment to

promoting equality.

It is not possible for HMRC to know the reasons why an individual’s profits may have

dropped in earlier years from income tax self-assessment returns. However, by

calculating the grant on a three-year average of profits, the SEISS supports people

who saw a dip in profits for parental/sickness leave.

HMRC have published statistics about the number and value of SEISS claims made

by 31 May, including a breakdown by gender. These can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/self-employment-income-support-scheme-

statistics-june-2020

Self-employment Income Support Scheme: Emergency Services

Drew Hendry: [72978]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the

potential merits of changing the proportion of the income of frontline emergency service

staff members which is required to be from self-employment to enable them to be eligible

for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.

Jesse Norman:

The Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), including the eligibility

requirement that an individual’s trading profits must be no more than £50,000 and at

least equal to their non-trading income, is designed to target those who most need it,

and who are most reliant on their self-employment income.

Those not eligible for the SEISS may benefit from other elements of the

comprehensive package of support for individuals and businesses. This package

includes Bounce Back Loans, tax deferrals, rental support, increased levels of

Universal Credit, mortgage holidays, and other business support grants.

The Government’s focus must now turn to economic recovery. The Government will

support, protect and create jobs through the Plan for Jobs, which will provide up to

£30bn of support.

WALES

Coronavirus: Wales

Simon Baynes: [71916]

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions his Department has had

with the Welsh Government on the (a) effectiveness and (b) quantity of testing for covid-

19 in Wales.

Simon Hart:

Eligibility for Covid-19 testing in Wales is a devolved matter. The UK Government has

regular discussions with the Welsh Government to identify how the effectiveness of

testing in Wales can be improved and the quantity increased. The two Governments

are working closely and constructively to ensure our approaches are compatible and

to minimise any differences cross-border. As of 9.00am on 15 July, the number of

tests carried out in Wales was 9,307.9 per 100,000 people. However, testing per

100,000 people in England remains higher at 15,390.7.

In recent weeks, the UK Government has taken measures to increase testing

capacity in Wales by opening two new regional testing sites. The sites, in Deeside

and in Ebbw Vale, will both use testing equipment provided to them by the UK

Government as well as having the tests analysed in UK Government laboratories.

The UK Government is also supporting the increased testing of care home staff and

all care homes in Wales are being offered weekly testing for their staff through the UK

Government’s social care portal.

The UK Government has also allocated additional funding to the devolved

administrations and to local authorities in England to support Test and Trace

schemes. The Welsh Government will receive an additional £18 million in support.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Carer's Allowance

Mark Tami: [72819]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of

claimants of Carers' Allowance also receive (a) one and (b) more than one means-tested

benefit.

Justin Tomlinson:

Of the 1.3 million Carer’s Allowance claimants, around 470,000 (36%) are also

receiving one means-tested benefit and around 280,000 (22%) are also receiving

more than one means-tested benefit.

Child Maintenance Service

Jess Phillips: [62443]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking with the

Child Maintenance Service to ensure that victims of domestic abuse are protected from

financial control.

Mims Davies:

[Holding answer 25 June 2020]: The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed

to ensuring that victims and survivors of domestic abuse get the support they need to

use the CMS safely.

Parents who have experienced domestic abuse are exempt from paying the

application fee. There are no ongoing charges for using Direct Pay, which is designed

to be a safe service for victims of domestic abuse.

The CMS provides advice and support to help parents use the Service, without

needing to have contact with an abusive ex-partner. This includes acting as an

intermediary and providing information to parents about how to set up non-traceable

payment methods. In addition, all CMS caseworkers have received specific training,

developed with input from Women’s Aid, on domestic abuse so they can quickly

identify parents who need additional support.

Those found to be abusing the system are subject to the full extent of our

enforcement powers and the Child Maintenance Service will pursue these, where

appropriate.

Children: Maintenance

Marion Fellows: [61536]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when and under what conditions

her Department plans to re-start enforcing actions to collect maintenance under the Child

Maintenance Service.

Mims Davies:

The purpose of the Child Maintenance Service is to facilitate the payment of child

maintenance between separated parents. Paying parents are still expected to pay

child maintenance. This was the case during the COVID-19 public health emergency

and it remains the expectation as the UK gradually transitions into a post-COVID

lockdown phase.

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 are

updating cases with notified changes. Where payments have been missed the

Service is taking action to re-establish compliance and collect any unpaid amounts

that may have accrued.

Those found to be abusing the system are subject to the full extent of our

enforcement powers and the Child Maintenance Service will pursue these, where

appropriate.

Social Security Benefits

Chi Onwurah: [72898]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which open banking models have

allowed people in financial need to share their income with HMRC in order to fast-track

their applications for new welfare entitlements; and when were those models trialled.

Mims Davies:

The department does not use open banking, nor is it aware of information about open

banking models that have allowed people in financial need to share their income with

HMRC.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: [72773]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims for financial

redress have been made to her Department by people who claimed universal credit after

lockdown restrictions came into effect and are worse off than on their previous benefits.

Stephen Timms: [72774]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many payments of financial

redress her Department has made since March 2019 to claimants who moved from

legacy benefits to universal credit on her Department's advice and became worse off.

Will Quince:

The information requested can only be provided at a disproportionate cost.

Universal Credit: Coronavirus

Gill Furniss: [73027]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made on

the preparedness of her Department to (a) process a potential increase in the number of

universal credit applications and (b) provide support to those applicants in an adequate

time frame in the event of an increase in unemployment as a result of the covid-19

outbreak.

Mims Davies:

The Department continues to keep the services it provides to customers and the

resources to support that service under review: this includes our response to the

effect of COVID-19 on the labour market.

We are rapidly making provision, in line with public health guidance, for jobseekers to

be offered face-to-face appointments with our work coaches, as we re-open our

jobcentres across the country.

We have already committed to the doubling of the number of work coaches, the

majority of these [13500] roles will be new posts.

The ‘Job Finding Support’ online service will provide tailored support for those who

have lost their job to improve their employability, as well as skill-matching them with

employers.

Universal Credit: Northern Ireland

Tonia Antoniazzi: [73049]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people claiming

universal credit are in work in Northern Ireland.

Will Quince:

Universal Credit statistics for Northern Ireland are published by the Department for

Communities here:

https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/articles/universal-credit-statistics

Universal Credit: Wales

Tonia Antoniazzi: [73046]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people claiming

universal credit are in work in Wales.

Tonia Antoniazzi: [73047]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people claiming

universal credit are in work in England.

Tonia Antoniazzi: [73048]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people claiming

universal credit are in work in Scotland.

Will Quince:

The latest available information on the number of people on Universal Credit who are

in employment in Great Britain, by country, 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

MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Seabed: Bomb Disposal

Sir Edward Davey: [26129]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his

Department has issued to the Marine Management Organisation on removal of

unexploded ordnance from the seabed using low order disposal technology; and if he will

make a statement.

An error has been identified in the written answer given on 13 March 2020. The

correct answer should have been:

Rebecca Pow:

Defra recognises the significant impact underwater noise from ordnance clearance

and other activities can have on vulnerable marine species. We are working closely

with the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), other Government departments

including the Ministry of Defence, statutory nature conservation bodies and marine

industries to manage and reduce underwater noise.

The underwater noise impact of using low order deflagration techniques for

unexploded ordnance detonations is currently being researched by Hartley Anderson

on behalf of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Defra

Group. The MMO is an active member of the Steering Group which is helping to

progress this research. Closed water trials took place in 2019 and sea trials of the

technology are planned for 2020. Defra does not expect to issue formal guidance on

the use of low-order deflagration techniques until this research has been completed.

HOME OFFICE

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Carol Monaghan: [72227]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment

of the potential merits of granting a further extension for people on a Tier 4 General

Student visa due to the covid-19 pandemic.

An error has been identified in the written answer given on 15 July 2020. The

correct answer should have been:

Kevin Foster:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an

assessment of the potential merits of granting a further extension for people on a

temporary visa due to the covid-19 pandemic, particularly where those people have

underlying health conditions that may make international travel more hazardous.

72226

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an

assessment of the potential merits of granting a further extension for people on a Tier

4 General Student visa due to the covid-19 pandemic.

The latest information in respect of advice for visa holders can be found on

GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-

applicants-and-temporary-uk-residents. This is kept under review.

The Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those

affected by the covid-19 outbreak. We recognise that further adjustments are

likely to be required to cater for all scenarios, and we are working through

these, to ensure people are not unduly affected by circumstances beyond their

control.

Travel Restrictions: Coronavirus

Carol Monaghan: [72226]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment

of the potential merits of granting a further extension for people on a temporary visa due

to the covid-19 pandemic, particularly where those people have underlying health

conditions that may make international travel more hazardous.

An error has been identified in the written answer given on 15 July 2020. The

correct answer should have been:

Kevin Foster:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an

assessment of the potential merits of granting a further extension for people on a

temporary visa due to the covid-19 pandemic, particularly where those people have

underlying health conditions that may make international travel more hazardous.

72226

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an

assessment of the potential merits of granting a further extension for people on a Tier

4 General Student visa due to the covid-19 pandemic.

The latest information in respect of advice for visa holders can be found on

GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-

applicants-and-temporary-uk-residents. This is kept under review.

The Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those

affected by the covid-19 outbreak. We recognise that further adjustments are

likely to be required to cater for all scenarios, and we are working through

these, to ensure people are not unduly affected by circumstances beyond their

control.

WRITTEN STATEMENTS

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

A Call for Views on Proposals for Regulating Consumer Smart Product Security

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Digital Infrastructure (Matt Warman):

[HCWS375]

This government has ambitious plans to ensure the UK’s smart technology, products and

services are more secure by having cyber security designed into them by default.

From January 2017 to February 2018, my department conducted a review, in

collaboration with the National Cyber Security Centre, to identify proposals for improving

the cyber security of consumer smart products and associated services. This led to the

creation of our Code of Practice for Consumer Internet of Things (IoT) Security, which

was published on 14 October 2018.

The Government initially encouraged industry to adopt the guidelines in the Code of

Practice for Consumer IoT Security voluntarily. However, in many cases, poor security

practices remain commonplace.

In a consultation held in 2019, we found widespread support for the introduction of a

mandatory cyber security baseline for consumer smart products sold in the UK. As part of

the Government response to the 2019 consultation, in January 2020 I announced the

Government’s intention to implement regulation to ensure that stronger security is built

into consumer smart products, aligned with the top three security requirements of the

Code of Practice for Consumer IoT Security.

Since then, my officials have been working with the National Cyber Security Centre,

industry leaders and cyber security experts to develop world-leading legislation in this

space. Today I am pleased to inform members that we are launching a public Call for

Views on the Government’s proposed regulatory approach to consumer smart products

on the 16th of July. This will run until 6 September 2020, and represents an important

opportunity for us to test our proposed approach, and for industry to input and build a

regulatory framework that is world-leading, promotes innovation, and protects consumers.

Our proposed regulation will set a cyber security baseline for consumer smart products

sold in the UK. The Call for Views will detail the scope of products the legislation would

apply to, security requirements that we are proposing to mandate, obligations on

producers and distributors, and a proposed enforcement approach. Following the

conclusion of this call for views, we will develop our regulation approach further, before

introducing legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.

As a reserved matter, these proposed amendments will apply across the UK. The safety

of consumer smart products is a priority across the whole of the UK, and my officials will

continue to work closely with the Devolved Administrations on this policy.

EDUCATION

COVID-19 Higher Education Restructuring Regime

The Secretary of State for Education (Gavin Williamson): [HCWS382]

The establishment of the Higher Education Restructuring Regime in response to COVID-

19 has been announced today.

On 4 May, I put forward a higher education (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.

Many providers may continue to be affected by income losses across teaching, research,

commercial and other activities resulting from COVID-19. There remains significant

uncertainty around the extent of financial challenge providers will face and the full picture

of this will not become clear until the autumn term.

I recognised at the time of my announcement in May that there may be a case for

government intervention to support an otherwise sustainable provider’s efforts to

restructure its business and overcome ongoing financial threats caused by COVID-19.

That is why I am announcing today the establishment of the Higher Education

Restructuring Regime to support, in the right circumstances, individual HE providers in

England at risk of market exit as a result of COVID-19 and to intervene where there is a

case to do so.

Providers in scope for consideration for support through this regime are those on the

Office for Students register in the approved (fee cap) category.

Government’s intention is not to provide a blanket bail-out to the sector. It is not a

guarantee that no organisation will fail. Instead, the Government will consider supporting

restructuring of providers as a last resort and provided there is an economic case to do

so. Restructuring plans will need to combine financial rigour and business efficiency with

a strong focus on emerging from the challenges of COVID-19 to deliver higher quality

provision to meet the needs of our economy and society.

The regime will take into account the following overarching policy objectives which will

guide my department’s assessment of cases:

1. Protecting the welfare of current students

2. Preserving the sector’s internationally outstanding science base

3. Supporting the role that HE providers play in regional and local economies through

the provision of high-quality courses aligned with economic and societal needs.

Providers facing financial difficulties should continue to engage with the Office for

Students as the regulator for HE in England. They may choose to approach the new DfE

Restructuring Unit to begin discussion about potentially becoming engaged in the HE

Restructuring Regime.

I will receive advice to support my decision on whether the government should intervene

in the case of an individual provider and the nature of the intervention from an

independent Restructuring Regime Board. This board will include experts on restructuring

and the HE sector. Any financial support will be in the form of a repayable loan with clear

conditions that support government objectives. An assessment of the individual provider’s

business model and restructuring plan will determine the precise terms and conditions to

be attached to any public funding.

I have deposited a copy of the announcement document in the Libraries of both Houses.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report 2019

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Dominic Raab):

[HCWS379]

I have today laid before Parliament a copy of the 2019 Foreign and Commonwealth

Office (FCO) Report on Human Rights and Democracy (CP number 273).

The report analyses human rights developments overseas in 2019 and illustrates how the

government works to promote and defend human rights globally.

The report assesses the situation in 30 countries, which the FCO has designated as its

Human Rights Priority Countries. These are Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burma,

Burundi, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Democratic People’s Republic of

Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Occupied

Palestinian Territories, Libya, Maldives, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South

Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Yemen, and

Zimbabwe.

Almost 75 years ago, the UN Charter established the three pillars of the UN’s work:

maintaining international peace and security; promoting and protecting human rights; and

fostering development. As we mark the UN’s 75 th anniversary, the UK’s commitment to

these three pillars remains steadfast. This report details the UK’s partnerships with

human rights defenders, our leadership on promoting media freedom and gender

equality, our work to eradicate modern slavery, and our commitment to deliver change for

those who are abused, targeted, or killed for their religion or beliefs.

Cyber Security: Update

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Dominic Raab):

[HCWS384]

I am today updating Parliament on the ongoing investigations into the leak of the UK-US

Free Trade Agreement documents ahead of the General Election in 2019. The Chair of

the Intelligence and Security Committee has been briefed on the details of this incident.

The Government has robust systems in place to protect the UK against foreign malign

influence. These bring together government, civil society and private sector organisations

to monitor and respond to interference, to ensure our democracy stays open, transparent

and resilient. During the 2019 General Election a cross-Government election security cell

was stood up to coordinate responses to threats and hazards relating to the election.

On the basis of extensive analysis, the Government has concluded that it is almost

certain that Russian actors sought to interfere in the 2019 General Election through the

online amplification of illicitly acquired and leaked Government documents.

Sensitive Government documents relating to the UK-US Free Trade Agreement were

illicitly acquired before the 2019 General Election and disseminated online via the social

media platform Reddit. When these gained no traction, further attempts were made to

promote the illicitly acquired material online in the run up to the General Election.

Whilst there is no evidence of a broad spectrum Russian campaign against the General

Election, any attempt to interfere in our democratic processes is completely

unacceptable. It is, and will always be, an absolute priority to protect our democracy and

elections.

There is an ongoing criminal investigation and it would be inappropriate for us to say

anything further at this point.

The Government reserves the right to respond with appropriate measures in the future.

The UK will continue to call out and respond to malign activity, including any attempts to

interfere in our democratic processes, alongside our international partners. We fully

support the recent action taken by our German partners who exposed Russian

responsibility for the hack of their Parliament in 2015 as well as their intention to act

against those responsible under the cyber sanctions regime. The UK Government laid the

statutory instrument for our own cyber sanctions regime on 17 June.

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

Implementation of Liberty Protection Safeguards

Minister of State (Minister for Care) (Helen Whately): [HCWS377]

This statement provides an update on the implementation of Liberty Protection

Safeguards (LPS). The Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019, which received Royal

Assent in May 2019, introduced LPS to replace Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards

(DoLS).

LPS will authorise deprivation of liberty in order to provide care or treatment to an

individual who lacks capacity to consent to their arrangements, in England and Wales. It

will replace a system that many agree is overly bureaucratic and complicated.

It is paramount that implementation of LPS is successful so that the new system provides

the safeguards needed. The intention to date, subject to the Department for Health and

Social Care’s work with stakeholders and delivery partners, was for LPS to come into

force on 1 October 2020.

It is now clear that successful implementation is not possible by this October. We now

aim for full implementation of LPS by April 2022. Some provisions, covering new roles

and training, will come into force ahead of that date. I will continue to update the sector

and stakeholders on timings.

The Government will undertake a public consultation on the draft regulations and Code of

Practice for LPS. That will run for 12 weeks, allowing sufficient time for those that are

affected, including those with learning disabilities, to engage properly.

The sector will need time following the publication of the final Code to prepare for

implementation. We will give the sector sufficient time to prepare for the new system to

ensure successful implementation. I am considering a period of approximately six months

for this.

After we have considered responses to the consultation, the updated Code and

regulations will need to be laid in Parliament to allow for proper scrutiny. This needs to

happen well in advance of the target implementation date, first to allow for that scrutiny

and second because some of the regulations need to come into force earlier.

Health and social care has been at the frontline of the nation’s response to COVID-19,

with social care providers looking after many of the most vulnerable in society. We have

received representations from public and private bodies from across the sector over the

last few months, outlining the pressures they face if they were to implement by October

2020.

My overall objective remains to ensure implementation of an effective system in particular

for those whose lives will be most affected by this legislation.

The forthcoming draft Code of Practice and regulations will also offer more detailed

information about how LPS will operate in practice. I will provide a further update on the

progress of implementation in due course. I hope that the additional time announced

today provides reassurance to the sector.

Independent Investigation of Patient Safety Incidents and Deaths at Liverpool

Community Health NHS Trust Terms Of Reference

Minister of State (Minister for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health)

(Ms Nadine Dorries): [HCWS376]

Following questions raised about the management of the Liverpool Community Health

NHS Trust an Independent Review chaired by Dr Bill Kirkup CBE was established. The

Review Report, published on 8 February 2018, found that there were significant failings in

the Trust from November 2010 to December 2014.

It is important that these failings are investigated, and lessons learnt to improve. services.

In response to these serious patient safety incidents described in the Report the

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care commissioned Dr Bill Kirkup to conduct an

Independent Investigation into patient safety incidents at the Trust.

These Terms of Reference cover patient safety incidents that occurred in the same

period as the initial Independent Review addressed, namely November 2010 to

December 2014.

This Independent Investigation is being conducted over three stages. Stage 1 which

identified individual serious patient safety incidents that had not been reported or

adequately investigated by the Trust and Stage 2 an examination of a series of historic

mortality reviews.

We are now entering Stage 3 which will fully investigate those individual serious patient

safety incidents identified from the previous stages to determine the scale of deaths and

patient harm and identify local and national learning.

The work of the Independent Investigation Panel is expected to complete by the end of

2021 and arrangements will be made for publication of its Report to Parliament.

A copy of the Terms of Reference will be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.

The fourth annual report of the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review Programme

Minister of State (Minister for Care) (Helen Whately): [HCWS378]

I am announcing today the publication of the fourth annual report of the Learning

Disabilities Mortality Review Programme (LeDeR). A copy will be deposited in the

Libraries of both Houses.

Addressing the persistent health inequalities faced by people with learning disabilities is a

priority for this government and this report is an important contribution towards that.

The LeDeR programme was established in June 2015 to help reduce early deaths and

health inequalities for people with a learning disability by supporting local areas in

England to review the deaths of people with a learning disability and to ensure that the

learning from these reviews lead to improved health and care services. The programme

is led by the University of Bristol and commissioned by NHS England and NHS

Improvement.

As in previous years, the report makes a number of recommendations for Government

and its system partners to improve the care of people with a learning disability which

does not always meet the high standard we would expect for each and every individual.

We must carefully consider these recommendations to better support those who need

care and take the right action as soon as possible.

Earlier this year, we provided an update on action being taken in response to the third

LeDeR report and any ongoing actions highlighted in previous years’ reports. This week,

NHS England has also published its Action from Learning Report alongside the fourth

LeDeR report, which sets out a range of work taking place to improve the safety and

quality of care to reduce early deaths and health inequalities.

The fourth annual LeDeR report covers the period 1 July 2016 up to the 31st December

2019, with a particular focus on deaths in 2019. This means the report will not include

reference to deaths from Covid-19, as the reviews it includes, and the analysis of them,

were completed before the pandemic. From 1st July 2016 – 31st December 2019, 7145

deaths were notified to the LeDeR programme. 3450 of these were notified in 2019. In

122 of the cases reviewed, people received care that fell so far short of expected good

practice that it significantly impacted on their well-being or directly contributed to their

cause of death.

Based on the evidence from completed LeDeR reviews, the Report makes ten

recommendations for the health and care system, as follows:

1. A continued focus on the deaths of adults and children from BAME groups is

required.

2. For the Department of Health and Social Care to work with the Chief Coroner to

identify the proportion of deaths of people with learning disabilities referred to a

coroner in England and Wales.

3. The standards against which the Care Quality Commission inspects should

explicitly incorporate compliance with the Mental Capacity Act as a core

requirement.

4. Establish and agree a programme of work to implement the from the ‘Best practice

in care coordination for people with a learning disability and long term conditions’

(March 2019) report and liaise with the National Institute for Health Research

regarding the importance of commissioning a programme of work that develops,

pilots and evaluates different models of care coordination for adults and children

with learning disabilities.

5. Adapt (and then adopt) the National Early Warning Score 2 regionally to ensure it

captures baseline and soft signs of acute deterioration in physical health for people

with learning disabilities.

6. Consider developing, piloting and introducing: Specialist physicians for people with

learning disabilities who would work within the specialist multi-disciplinary teams; a

Diploma in Learning Disabilities Medicine; and making ‘learning disabilities’ a

physician speciality of the Royal College of Physicians.

7. Consider the need for timely, NICE evidence-based guidance that is inclusive of

prevention, diagnosis and management of aspiration pneumonia.

8. Right Care to provide a toolkit to support systems to improve outcomes for adults

and children at risk of aspiration pneumonia.

9. Safety of people with epilepsy to be prioritised. The forthcoming revision of the

NICE Guideline ‘Epilepsies in children, young people and adults’ to include

guidance on the safety of people with epilepsy, and safety measures to be verified

in Care Quality Commission inspections.

10. For a national clinical audit of adults and children admitted to hospital for a

condition related to chronic constipation.

The inappropriate use of Do Not Attempt Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR)

decisions is highlighted in this fourth report, as it has been previously. DNACPRs should

never be used in a blanket way and this has been reiterated during the Covid-19 crisis

through letters from the NHSE, including the NHSE Medical Director on 7 April 2020, and

by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on 15 April 2020.

I am clear that we must tackle the issues raised in the LeDeR report to ensure the care

that each individual deserves is provided. We will consider the report and its

recommendations in more detail in the coming weeks, in order to determine the action

that must be taken.

HOME OFFICE

Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (1 March 2020 to 31 May 2020)

The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Priti Patel): [HCWS374]

Section 19(1) of the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act 2011 (the Act)

requires the Secretary of State to report to Parliament as soon as reasonably practicable

after the end of every relevant three-month period on the exercise of her TPIM powers

under the Act during that period.

The level of information provided will always be subject to slight variations based on

operational advice.

TPIM NOTICES IN FORCE (AS OF 31 MAY 2020) 6

Number of new TPIM notices served (during

this period)

0

TPIM notices in respect of British citizens (as

of 31 May 2020)

6

TPIM notices extended (during the reporting

period)

1

TPIM notices revoked (during the reporting

period)

0

TPIM notices revived (during the reporting

period)

1

Variations made to measures specified in

TPIM notices (during the reporting period)

0

Applications to vary measures specified in

TPIM notices refused (during the reporting

period)

2

The number of subjects relocated under TPIM

legislation (during this the reporting period)

3

The TPIM Review Group (TRG) keeps every TPIM notice under regular and formal

review. Second quarter TRG meetings took place on 31 May 2020.

One individual has been charged with two counts of breaching their TPIM notice. The

criminal trial has been listed to be heard in January 2021.

JUSTICE

Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme Review 2020

The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Robert Buckland):

[HCWS381]

Today I have laid before parliament a public consultation on proposals following a review

of the statutory Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (the Scheme).

No amount of compensation can ever make up for the harm and suffering caused to

victims and families by violent crime. However, compensation, alongside victims’ services

and other practical and emotional support, can help victims of violent crime to start to

rebuild their lives.

In 2018, in the first-ever cross-government Victims Strategy, we made two commitments;

to abolish the pre-1979 “same roof rule” which denied compensation for some victims

who lived with their attacker prior to 1979, and to undertake a comprehensive review of

the Scheme, the last having been undertaken in 2012.

We met the first commitment in June 2019 when an amended 2012 Scheme came into

force. Victims who have never applied for compensation, perhaps because of the

existence of the rule, can now do so. And we have also made provision for victims whose

applications had previously been refused under this rule to reapply. I am pleased to

announce today that over £10m has been made available to hundreds of victims who

applied under the amended Scheme in the period to 5 April 2020. Under the amended

Scheme, victims can continue to apply up to 13 June 2021.

The review of the Scheme has been thorough. We have looked at how the Scheme takes

account of trends in violent crime and attitudes within society, and have examined the

impact of the Scheme’s rules on particular victim groups who might apply for

compensation. We have considered carefully the scope of the Scheme, eligibility rules,

requirements in relation to decision-making, the value and composition of awards, and

the affordability and financial sustainability of the Scheme.

The review has taken into account recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into

Child Sexual Abuse, and the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, and

examined topical issues. We have listened to concerns and feedback, and tested

criticisms and perceptions. Analysis of a three-year period of caseload data has given us

a detailed picture of the operation of the Scheme and the impacts of different rules on

victims. We have found that for the vast majority of applicants the Scheme is working well

and as intended, but we recognise there are areas where it may not be serving victims as

effectively as it might.

Underlying the proposals in this consultation are key principles that have been woven into

the fabric of the Scheme and which I believe must be retained: that it is a universal

scheme that exists to support all eligible victims of violent crime who have suffered the

most serious injuries, and that compensation is an important and public recognition of

their suffering.

I want to make it easier for victims to understand and engage with the Scheme. We have

identified changes that I believe will improve the experience of victims applying to the

Scheme, by making it simpler and easier to navigate, and more transparent. We are

asking for views on proposals including on:

• Ways to simplify the tariff of injuries and to update provisions for disabling mental

injury;

• Reducing burdens in cases where a loved one is lost, by moving to a single

bereavement payment for all qualifying relatives and to a flat rate funeral payment;

and

• Removing the remaining “same roof rule” that has applied since 1979.

We are also consulting on the merits of a separate scheme for victims of terrorism, both

domestic and international, and for views on legislating to make provision for families

bereaved by homicide that occurs outside Great Britain.

The consultation is available in full at: https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-

communications/criminal-injuries-compensation-scheme-review-2020

Judicial update

The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Robert Buckland):

[HCWS386]

I am today launching three government consultations on proposals for judicial pensions

and the judicial mandatory retirement age.

The independent judiciary is a pillar of our democracy and plays a unique role in ensuring

our freedoms and prosperity. Every day, judges take decisions on critically important

issues that directly impact on people’s lives.

The importance and influence of our judiciary also reaches beyond our shores. Its

reputation for integrity and impartiality helps attract international business to the UK,

contributing to a legal services industry worth around £25 billion a year to our economy.

As Lord Chancellor, I have a duty to ensure that we have enough judges and that we

continue to attract the very best legal practitioners to the bench. In its Major Review of the

Judicial Salary Structure, presented to this House on 26 October 2018, the Senior

Salaries Review Body identified clear evidence of growing recruitment and retention

issues at all tiers of the judiciary and pointed to pension-related changes as the main

cause. The Government response to the Major Review, published on 5 June 2019,

included a commitment to provide a long-term solution to these problems by making

changes to judicial pensions.

Proposals for reforming the judicial pension scheme

The first consultation being published today sets out our proposals for reforming the

judicial pension scheme to address the significant problems of recruitment and retention

that we continue to experience. If we fail to tackle this issue, we put at risk the effective

functioning of our justice system and its reputation. Without enough judges, cases will

take longer, seriously affecting all jurisdictions. It will also undermine our ability to

compete internationally for legal services, which are of such importance to the UK

economy.

The proposed approach to pension reform offers a remuneration package which is both

fair to the taxpayer and attractive to potential candidates for judicial office. I am confident

that it will enable us to attract and retain high-calibre judges, ensuring the proper

functioning of our justice system and supporting the UK’s wider prosperity. The aim is that

the reformed scheme will come into operation from April 2022.

This consultation document is available online at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-a-reformed-judicial-

pension-scheme.

Proposals for responding to the McCloud litigation

Alongside the consultation on future reform of the judicial pension scheme, we are

consulting on proposals for addressing the unlawful age discrimination identified in the

case of McCloud in respect of the 2015 reforms of the judicial pension scheme.

The consultation proposes that the Ministry of Justice will run a single options exercise,

which will give judges in scope of the McCloud judgment the choice of whether to have

retrospectively accrued benefits in the 2015 pension scheme or the legacy scheme from

1 April 2015. Membership of the chosen scheme would continue until 31 March 2022,

following which the reformed pension scheme is scheduled to come into operation.

Owing to the unique characteristics of the judicial pension schemes, the Ministry of

Justice proposals are distinct from the approach being taken to most other public service

pension schemes, as set out in HM Treasury’s McCloud consultation which was also

published today.

The consultation document relating to the judicial scheme is available online at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-the-proposed-response-to-

mccloud.

Proposals for increasing the judicial mandatory retirement age

Finally, we are also publishing a consultation on proposals for changing the mandatory

retirement age for judges. The make-up of our judiciary has changed significantly in

recent years and so have the resourcing needs of our courts and tribunals. We have

responded to this change by increasing our recruitment programmes, but challenges

remain. At the same time, life expectancy has increased. We are therefore consulting on

whether to raise the mandatory retirement age for judicial office holders.

The proposals in this consultation would allow judges, coroners and magistrates to sit for

longer and continue to contribute to the justice system. These proposals only relate to

those judicial offices for which the UK Parliament has sole competence to legislate. The

Ministry of Justice will continue to engage the Devolved Administrations of Scotland,

Northern Ireland and Wales on approaches to the mandatory retirement age for judicial

office holders across the UK.

This consultation document is available online at: https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-

communications/judicial-mandatory-retirement-age.

The consultations close on 16 October 2020 and the Government will publish its

response to each in early 2021.

The three consultation documents have been placed in the Library of the House.

PRIME MINISTER

Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities

Prime Minister (Boris Johnson): [HCWS383]

Today I am establishing an independent Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities.

This cross-government Commission will review inequality in the UK, across the whole

population.

The Commission’s work will touch upon many areas of public policy. It will make

recommendations for action across Government, public bodies and the private sector,

and will inform a national conversation about race, led by the evidence.

I have assembled a group of ten talented and ethnically diverse commissioners. They

bring a wealth of experience from across a range of important sectors. In order to

understand why disparities exist, what works and what does not, they will consider

detailed quantitative data and qualitative evidence. They will also commission new

research and invite submissions where necessary.

The Commission will set out a new, positive agenda for change - balancing the needs of

individuals, communities and society, maximising opportunities and ensuring fairness for

all.

I have placed the list of commissioners and the Commission’s ambitious Terms of

Reference, in the library of both Houses. Commissioners will be supported by a

secretariat in the Cabinet Office Race Disparities Unit and will submit their report by the

end of the year.

TRANSPORT

Transport Update

Minister of State for Transport (Andrew Stephenson): [HCWS385]

I have been asked by my Right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State, to make this

Written Ministerial Statement. This statement concerns the application made under the

Planning Act 2008 for the proposed construction by Highways England of a new two-lane

dual carriageway for the A303 between Amesbury and Berwick Down in Wiltshire (also

known as the “A303 Stonehenge” application).

Under sub-section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State must make his

decision within 3 months of receipt of the Examining Authority’s report unless exercising

the power under sub-section 107(3) to extend the deadline and make a Statement to the

House of Parliament announcing the new deadline. The Secretary of State received the

Examining Authority’s report on the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down Development

Consent Order application on 2 January 2020 and the deadline for a decision was

previously extended from 2 April 2020 to 17 July 2020 to allow for further work to be

carried out.

Following notification of a recent archaeological find within the World Heritage Site, the

deadline for the decision is to be further extended to 13 November 2020 (an extension of

4 months) to enable further consultation on and consideration of this matter before

determination of the application by the Secretary of State.

The decision to set a new deadline is without prejudice to the decision on whether to give

development consent.

TREASURY

Public Service Pensions Consultation and Update

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Steve Barclay): [HCWS380]

Today I have laid in Parliament the consultation document ‘Public service pension

schemes: changes to the transitional arrangements to the 2015 schemes’ (CP No. 253)

detailing proposals regarding public service pensions. In December 2018, the Court of

Appeal identified that transitional protection arrangements provided to older judges and

firefighters in 2015 gave rise to unlawful discrimination. The consultation sets out options

to deliver the government’s commitments, made in July 2019 (HCWS1725) and March

2020 (HCWS187), to address the discrimination across the public service pension

schemes and for all affected members. It also sets out the government’s intention to

move all affected public servants to the 2015 reformed pension schemes from 1 April

2022. The consultation will run from 16 July to 11 October 2020. Furthermore, the

government is today announcing that the pause of the cost control mechanism, which

was implemented in 2019 (HCWS1286), will be lifted. The government will also proceed

with the previously announced review by the Government Actuary as to whether the

mechanism is working in line with original objectives.

Proposals for addressing discrimination

The consultation published today sets out proposals to address the unlawful

discrimination arising from the transitional arrangements introduced when public service

schemes were reformed in 2015. There are two possible mechanisms for achieving this:

an immediate choice exercise or a deferred choice underpin. Both will enable all affected

members, whether they originally received transitional protection or not, to decide

whether to take the legacy or reformed scheme benefits for the period 1 April 2015 to 31

March 2022. These options differ in the point at which the member makes the decision;

the immediate choice exercise would be held in the years after the point of legal

implementation in 2022, whereas under the deferred choice underpin the decision would

be deferred until the point at which a member takes their pension benefits. Until that

deferred choice is made, all members would be treated as having been in their legacy

scheme between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022. Where members are already in receipt

of their pension, they would get the choice as soon as practicable after the policy is

implemented.

These proposals apply to all members who were in a relevant public service pension

scheme on or before 31 March 2012 and remained in a relevant pension scheme on or

after 1 April 2015. The public service schemes affected by this announcement are the

main public service pension schemes managed by the UK Government, Welsh

Government and Scottish Government. Changes to the Local Government Pension

Scheme in England and Wales, and the equivalent scheme in Scotland, as well as the

UK-wide judicial pension scheme and the public service pension schemes in Northern

Ireland will be consulted on separately.

Future pension provision

From 1 April 2022, all members who are not already in the reformed schemes and who

are still accruing benefits in legacy schemes will be placed into the 2015 reformed

pension schemes. The reformed schemes are important in ensuring that the cost of

public service pensions is affordable and sustainable, whilst providing vital public

servants with a generous, inflation-protected income in retirement. The reformed

schemes are also fairer to those who do not see their earnings increase greatly during

their careers such as many lower and middle earners.

Cost control mechanism update

The 2015 reforms also introduced a mechanism to control the cost of public service

pensions. This assesses the value of schemes to members and is designed to ensure

members receive fair entitlement whilst ensuring costs remain sustainable. It has both a

ceiling and a floor – when costs increase above the ceiling or fall below the floor, member

benefits are adjusted to meet the target cost.

Following the Court of Appeal’s judgment, the government announced a pause to the

‘cost control’ element of the 2016 scheme valuations, as the judgment led to significant

uncertainty about benefit entitlements, meaning that at the time there was not enough

certainty to assess the value of benefits to members.

Progress has now been made in the Employment Tribunals to determine a remedy for

claimants, and the government is now setting out its proposals for consultation. As the

uncertainties about the current level of benefits have receded, I can therefore announce

that the pause to the cost control mechanism will now be lifted, and the government has

started the process to complete the cost control element of the 2016 valuations.

When the mechanism was established, it was agreed that it would consider ‘member

costs’: i.e. costs that affect the value of schemes to members. As the proposals in the

consultation published today will increase the value of schemes to members, this falls

into the ‘member cost’ category. As a ‘member cost’, this will be considered as part of the

completion of the cost control element of the 2016 valuations process. Current employer

contribution rates will not be affected. The government has published an ‘Update on the

Cost Control Element of the 2016 Valuations’ today, providing additional details.

In September 2018, the government announced its intention to ask the Government

Actuary to review the cost control mechanism to assess whether it is working in line with

original objectives. The review has been on hold, but I can today announce that it will

proceed and report ahead of the completion of the 2020 valuations.

The government remains committed to public service pensions which are fair to public

servants and fair to other taxpayers.

Copies of the consultation document (CP No. 253) are available in the Vote Office and

Printed Paper Office, and it is published on gov.uk.