Lord Stunell

DECC sponsored the National Non-Food Crops Centre (NNFCC) to undertake the Renewable House Programme in partnership with several other organisations. The NNFCC is planning to publish the final report by Leading Energy on their website this week.

A public consultation was carried out between 22 July and 2 September 2014 to seek views on the detailed proposals for a minimum energy efficiency standard in the private rented sector. The Government will issue its response in due course.

The Cabinet Office does not centrally hold commercial information on Government-funded construction projects. Individual departments manage and procure their own contracts. The Cabinet Office can confirm that no contracts with Caledonian Modular were held with the Cabinet Office prior to its collapse in March 2022.

The Clearing House function does not have full time members of staff, and its work is done by a small team of people in the FOI team, including the Deputy Director of Freedom of Information and Transparency, alongside their other day to day responsibilities. There is no separate budget for the Clearing House.

The Cabinet Office does not routinely capture data on the number of requests which are referred to the Clearing House. However, in 2020, Clearing House gave advice on 516 aggregated ‘round robins’ (requests made to more than one department and that have repeat characteristics); a small proportion of over 30,000 requests received by government departments in the same time period.

The Cabinet Office has referred requests to the Clearing House where appropriate and in line with the published criteria, which is available on gov.uk here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-and-freedom-of-information.

Information on Freedom of Information statistics is also published on gov.uk here - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics.

The timetable for the independent public Inquiry is a matter for the Chair, Sir Martin Moore-Bick. Work on Phase 2 has been going on for several months. Sir Martin has said that he would like to start the Phase 2 hearings as soon as possible, but there is still much work to do. The issues to be considered in Phase 2 are complex and detailed, and involve a huge number of documents, which must be reviewed and digested. The investigation must be thorough, but careful and detailed preparation should make it possible to ensure the hearings, once begun, are completed within a reasonable time

Before the phase 2 hearings, the Inquiry will produce its report on phase 1, and carry out, as far as it properly can, an investigation into the deaths caused by the fire, and make findings that will meet the coroner’s requirements. Sir Martin has made clear that some steps can and should be taken immediately in the interests of public safety, and he has put in place a procedure for considering proposals from core participants. Government is committed to providing the Inquiry with all the resources it needs to complete its important task.

The Cabinet Office tracks the financial status of all of HMG’s Strategic Suppliers and manages risks accordingly. Carillion plc is a Strategic Supplier to Her Majesty’s Government, publicly listed company and is required to comply with all rules and regulations of the London Stock Exchange. We are expecting the company to be publishing its half-year results on the 29th September.

The Government Construction Strategy, as set out by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA), does not mandate the use of Project Bank Accounts (PBAs) in England for public infrastructure projects. However, the policy states they are recognised as an effective mechanism for facilitating fair payment to the construction supply chain and that departments have committed to use them unless there are compelling reasons not to do so. The use of PBA’s can be found in the Government Construction Strategy, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-construction-strategy-2016-2020.

Removing the insulation requirements from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme will reduce barriers to scheme participation and increase the number of property owners moving from polluting fossil fuel heating systems to low carbon heating systems.

Whilst we are empowering consumers to decide what is right for them, it remains government guidance that properties should be well insulated to save money on bills.

In addition, we will continue to mandate that installers on the scheme are MCS certified to ensure systems are appropriately designed and sized for the property and customers are provided with advice on bills.

The Government response to the consultation on amendments to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme sets out the responses received by industry stakeholders, including evidence to support the removal of the legal requirement to have no outstanding recommendations for cavity and loft insulation which was determined a barrier to access the scheme.

The Government published how the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s current year budget has been allocated in the 2023-24 Main Estimate. The Government will publish the equivalent information for the 2024-25 financial year in the forthcoming 2024-25 Main Estimate. Departmental headcount figures are published each year in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts.

Nuclear power stations in Great Britain must comply with our stringent nuclear safety laws, overseen by a robust and independent regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR). The ONR would not allow a reactor to be built or to operate if it judged that it was not safe to do so.

The ONR are already engaged with relevant contacts, including its international regulatory partners, to fully understand the issues at Taishan, and any associated learning will form part of their ongoing scrutiny of the Hinkley Point C (HPC) project.

As of 8th February, 22,165 vouchers have already been issued with more being issued each day.

The value of these vouchers is currently £94.1 million.

Official scheme statistics will be published in due course.

As of 8th February, 22,165 vouchers have already been issued with more being issued each day.

Applications will continue to be processed by the scheme administrator in line with the rules of the scheme. Official scheme statistics will be published in due course.

As of 11 February, 22,953 vouchers have been issued under the scheme. These, given by region, are as follows (reporting 2.55pm, 11th February 2021):

• North East: 979
• Yorkshire and the Humber: 2,879
• North West: 3,455
• East Midlands: 2,273
• West Midlands: 2,736
• London: 2,358
• East of England: 2,845
• South East: 3,149
• South West: 2,239

The overall number of vouchers issued (22,953) and the sum of the total number of vouchers by region above (22,913) differ by 40 vouchers. This is because these vouchers do not list an English region on their application.

Official scheme statistics will be published in due course. BEIS will continue to monitor application data as the scheme progresses.

The National Citizen Service (NCS) Bill and accompanying Royal Charter are designed to give the NCS Trust a new legal framework. Under the charter, the NCS Trust will have the freedom to determine its own contracting arrangements with delivery partners to achieve its objectives. Government will hold the NCS Trust to account for the outcomes it delivers.

The review of the Treasure Act 1996 (the Act) and Treasure Code of Practice will take the form of a public consultation. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is working with the British Museum and other stakeholders in preparation of this. DCMS will confirm the timetable for the review at consultation. Any new Code of Practice must be laid before Parliament and changes to the definition of treasure in the Act remain subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.

The department takes into account all legislation and government guidance in its construction procurements, including procurement policy notes and the Construction Playbook. Its approach to contractual payment mechanisms balances the efficient operation of its construction contracts and management of public money against the expectations of the construction sector. The use of retentions in construction contracts is subject to ongoing consultation across government, and the industry and the department are keen to be part of this debate.

The Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA) is the independent body with responsibility for the development and approval of apprenticeship standards.

At the time of writing, the IfA’s website shows that, of the 390 apprenticeship standards now approved for delivery, 66 are within the construction sector. A further 32 standards are in development and there are 6 proposals within that sector that have been submitted but are still awaiting approval.

The IfA’s website can be found here: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/.

To stimulate apprenticeship growth across all sectors, we are first and foremost making sure that apprenticeships are a quality product recognised by individuals and employers, setting individuals on a path to a good career and providing employers with the home-grown skills they need to grow their businesses and increase productivity.

These standards are being developed by employer groups, including groups in the construction, planning and built environment sector. Apprenticeships now available in the sector include Construction Site Engineering Technician, Installation Electrician and Civil Engineering Site Management.

The Construction Sector Deal commits the industry to the provision of 25,000 apprenticeship starts by 2025. We are supporting industry to take advantage of our reforms by making sure that there are relevant apprenticeship standards in place. For example, the Construction Sector Deal target is 50, and 66 new high quality standards are available.

The department has committed £24 million to deliver the Construction Skills Fund, which is supporting and incentivising innovative and employer-led approaches to construction training by funding on-site training hubs across England. The fund is being administered by the Construction Industry Training Board on behalf of the department.

Although apprenticeships are a major recruitment method for this sector, we are also supporting the delivery of classroom-based learning which is sector-specific. Construction is one of the first T level routes to launch, with the first pathway available from 2020. Through the Construction Sector Deal, the industry committed to making sure that 1000 work placements for T level students would be available at launch, and the industry sees the work experience element of the T level as crucial in making sure that students are ‘site-ready’ on completion of their qualification.

We cannot predict the proportion of future apprenticeships investment in a specific sector because spending on the apprenticeship programme is demand-led. Therefore, employers choose the type, level and quantity of apprenticeships they offer as well as the level of these apprenticeships.

Individual employers have control over where apprenticeship funds are spent to meet their current and future skills needs. Employers who pay the levy can transfer up to 10% of their annual funds to other employers and this proportion will increase to 25% from April 2019.

This is one way in which we are supporting local skills needs and helping sectors, such as the construction, planning and built environment sector, to build sustainable capability for the future.

Foie gras using force feeding gives rise to serious welfare concerns, which is why its production is banned in the UK under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The EU has already introduced controls on the production of foie gras and, therefore, as a matter of EU law, any further action must be taken at an EU level, and not individually by Member States. Additionally we have to be mindful of our obligations under the EU Treaty in relation to the free movement of goods. Ultimately, it is for the consumer to decide whether or not to purchase foie gras.

Detailed six monthly epidemiology reports on TB in the Edge of High Risk Area (which includes Cheshire) and also the Low Risk Area of England will be published from this summer. This positive development will give cattle keepers and their vets a fuller and more detailed picture of the TB risks in these areas.

Applications for the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme, which offers support for privately-led vaccination campaigns in the Edge Area of England (including parts of Cheshire) closed on 27 February. All applications received are being considered in line with the published criteria and decisions on successful applications will be announced in due course.

In addition, we are initiating a one-off additional skin test of all cattle herds in the Stockport area. This test will be paid for by Defra and its purpose will be to identify whether there has been any spread of the disease among the local herds and to help detect any infected herds early in order to limit the number of affected animals within these herds.

Northern Trains Ltd (NTL) had been rolling out a major driver training programme for its new trains prior to the Covid -19 lockdown, however in line with the rest of the rail industry, driver training was suspended due to the epidemic. The operator is trialling a process to ensure the safety of the driver and a trainer in a cab, and is using technology to support training outside of the cab including use of Virtual Reality simulations. NTL has also been working with health advisors to enable those previously classed as shielded or vulnerable to return to work where appropriate and it has put together a driver recruitment plan.

Following the Minister of State for Rail’s meeting with the operator on 4 September, and after reviewing its options, Northern is introducing two trains in the morning, Monday to Friday, for Rose Hill-Marple from 14 September, which will help school children and morning commuters. There will be an additional afternoon service, arriving at Rose Hill-Marple at 1514 and arriving Manchester Piccadilly half an hour later. From the 26 October schools’ half-term, Northern will provide a regular service every 90 minutes during the day between Manchester Piccadilly and Rose Hill Marple.

I can advise that the Department for Transport has not had any discussions with either HS2 Ltd or Carillion regarding the use of discrete project bank accounts in relation to HS2 contracts.

Customers claiming Universal Credit, New Style JSA and ESA already do so online. Many parts of the verification process, which is essential to check an individual’s eligibility to claim, is also carried out online. To protect Universal Credit from the risk of fraud, in some cases we require face to face verification activity in a COVID secure environment.

Key workers will continue to deliver essential services, including in jobcentres, across the UK. Anyone who needs to get support or other vital services from our jobcentres will be able to continue to do so in an environment that is safe and compliant with COVID regulations. Telephone appointments can be arranged for customers who prefer to receive support virtually. We ask customers who do come in-person to take a lateral flow test and follow all the safety measures to help reduce the spread of COVID.

NHS England will publish its planning guidance and funding allocations for 2023/24 in due course.

NHS England asked dental practices to return to full delivery of contracted activity from July 2022. In September, we announced how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care. This includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. We will also streamline processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is also reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals.

In England, National Health Service organisations are locally responsible for planning their transport requirements for patients, visitors and staff. This includes working with their local authorities to promote sustainable transport and provide a safe and integrated transport network via identified initiatives.

Guidance on transport planning is provided to the NHS in Health Technical Memorandum 07-03 NHS car-parking management: environment and sustainability 2015 edition. A copy is attached. There are currently no plans to update this with regards to sustainability transport plans.

The additional £3 billion funding for the NHS next year, on top of the long-term settlement, will be used to support the NHS recovery from the impact of COVID-19. There are currently no plans to use this funding to support trusts with implementation of integrated transport plans.

In England, National Health Service organisations are locally responsible for planning their transport requirements for patients, visitors and staff. This includes working with their local authorities to promote sustainable transport and provide a safe and integrated transport network via identified initiatives.

Guidance on transport planning is provided to the NHS in Health Technical Memorandum 07-03 NHS car-parking management: environment and sustainability 2015 edition. A copy is attached. There are currently no plans to update this with regards to sustainability transport plans.

The additional £3 billion funding for the NHS next year, on top of the long-term settlement, will be used to support the NHS recovery from the impact of COVID-19. There are currently no plans to use this funding to support trusts with implementation of integrated transport plans.

The Department’s priority is to ensure that the 167,000 European Union staff currently working in the health and social care sectors are not only able to stay, but feel welcomed and encouraged to stay in the United Kingdom.

As part of this work, the public testing phase of the EU Settlement Scheme opened on 21 January 2019. Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 21 January 2019, from 30 March 2019 onwards, EU nationals will not have to pay a charge to make an application. Any application made before that date, including those that have already been made, will be reimbursed.

We have also introduced a range of measures to support increased recruitment and retention across the health and care system, including national recruitment campaigns that illustrate the diverse and fulfilling career opportunities available in the National Health Service and social care.

‘Preferred contractor status’ is not a recognised procurement term. Private sector companies bidding for individual National Health Service contracts have to follow a well-established procurement process which identifies and selects a shortlist of bidders and then a preferred bidder, which is awarded the contract after final due diligence. NHS England have advised that information on NHS contracts entered into by local commissioners is not held centrally.

It will be for the individual NHS organisations to assess the finances of any potential providers. During the procurement process, the finances of potential providers should be tested by finance professionals to assess the financial stability and ability to undertake the services to the required level of the contract. The Department recommends the use of a Standard Selection Questionnaire (first published in September 2016). Under the ‘Grounds for Mandatory Exclusion’, it states that the procuring authority reserves the right to use its discretion to exclude a provider where it can demonstrate by any appropriate means that the provider is in breach of its obligations relating to the non-payment of taxes or social security contributions.

After a contract is awarded to a provider the NHS organisation is under an obligation to oversee the delivery of services and assuming there are no concerns then the contractor will be paid as agreed under the contract. How the contractor manages their financial affairs is a matter for the contractor not the NHS commissioner, unless the commissioner becomes aware that the contractor is acting illegally, not paying taxes as an example, in which case there may be a duty to report this and act appropriately under the terms of the contract.