Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Lord Moynihan, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Lord Moynihan has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Lord Moynihan has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
A Bill to make provision about the governance and regulation of sport and public health; safety for cyclists; members’ clubs; and for connected purposes.
Lord Moynihan has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
On 14 March, my rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister hosted a roundtable of leaders in the UK’s offshore oil and gas industry to discuss domestic energy security, increasing investment in the North Sea oil and gas industry and boosting supply of domestic gas.
The North Sea Transition Authority plans to launch another licensing round in the autumn, taking into account the forthcoming climate compatibility checkpoint.
The UK and EU have now agreed the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) which came into force on 31st December 2020.
As part of the TCA, the UK and EU have agreed a framework under which both parties may agree arrangements on the recognition of professional qualifications (such as mutual recognition agreements) covering the UK and all 27 EU Member States. The first step towards such an arrangement is for professional bodies or authorities to submit a joint recommendation to the UK-EU Partnership Council. Once an arrangement is adopted under the TCA, UK professionals will be able to use the terms outlined in the arrangement to secure recognition of their professional qualifications, helping them to provide services within EU Member States.
In due course, professionals will be able to take advantage of any profession-specific EU-wide arrangements agreed under the TCA framework. Until this point, UK-qualified professionals who wish to supply services in the EU should seek recognition of their qualifications according to the local laws and regulations of the relevant EU Member State. It is up to appropriate local regulators within alpine nations to determine whether UK-qualified professionals are permitted to practise in their territories.
The Simple Energy Advice Service (SEA) was launched in 2018, in response to the Government-commissioned Each Home Counts Review, as a digital and phone line service to provide homeowners with impartial and tailored advice on how to cut their energy bills and make their homes greener. Since the launch of SEA, over 1 million unique users have accessed the site. We are committed to improving the SEA website, based on user needs and user research.
At a local level, the Government has provided £4.7 million to six local supply chain demonstration pilots, which are testing new approaches to supporting home energy retrofit in the able-to-pay sector in England. We are also working with Local Authorities through the Local Energy Programme to develop support for local retrofit programmes by addressing local barriers to clean growth activity.
There are several government-funded schemes available to help support the installation of energy efficiency measures for fuel poor households. The low-income element of the £1.5bn Green Homes Grant vouchers scheme is open to homeowners in receipt of certain benefits. Installation of measures under the scheme will be covered up to a maximum of £10,000. This extra support for low-income households, is likely to help those who are unable to keep their homes warm at a reasonable cost, and who are unable to cover the cost of energy efficiency upgrades to their home.
The Green Home Grant Local Authority Delivery (LAD) Scheme provides an additional £500 million focused on owner occupiers, those in the private and social rented sector, with a household income of under £30,000. The primary purpose of LAD is to raise the energy efficiency rating of low income and low EPC rated homes (rated D, E, F or G), including those living in the worst quality off-gas grid homes.
In addition, the current Energy Company Obligation continues until March 2022. It requires large energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to fuel poor domestic households. Homeowners on low incomes are eligible under the scheme and low-income private renters living in the least energy efficient homes can also be eligible for solid wall insulation and renewable heating.
The Common Training Test (CTT) for ski instructors was established by the European Commission Delegated Regulation 2019/907, and only applies to citizens of EU Member States. Now the Transition Period is over, the CTT no longer applies in the UK and UK ski instructors do not have access to the CTT.
Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, in common with other professionals, UK snow sports instructors who have had their qualifications recognised before the end of the Transition Period, or who applied for recognition before the end of the Transition Period and subsequently have that recognition granted, and who are resident or frontier workers in the EU Member State that recognised them at the end of the Transition Period, will have that recognition protected and will be able to continue to rely upon it.
Following the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, if UK professionals wish to provide services in the EU, the recognition of their professional qualifications across all industries (including snow sports instructors) is subject to the local laws and regulations of individual Member States. Over time, the UK-EU Partnership Council may enter into, and adopt, profession-by-profession mutual recognition agreements.
The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 protect consumers who have bought package holidays. Under existing consumer law consumers are able to choose a voucher or credit note should they wish. We are engaging with the package travel sector and others to assess the impact of the covid-19 outbreak.
Under consumer law consumers are entitled to a refund within 14 days, depending on the nature of the contract in place. Many businesses are also offering consumers vouchers or alternative dates, which consumers are able to choose should they wish. The Government is engaging with the package travel sector and consumer advocacy bodies to assess the impact of cancellations made in light of the covid-19 outbreak. We recognise the extremely difficult circumstances travel agents are currently facing, which is why on 17 March the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a wide range of support for businesses, in addition to the £30bn support announced in the budget.
We have announced £30 million for PE teacher training and to open up school facilities to provide access to the wider community. At the recent Spending Review, we announced £205 million to build or transform up to 8,000 state-of-the-art community football pitches and multi-use sports facilities across the UK. This was in addition to a £30 million package to renovate park tennis courts across the country.
Please the staff figures below for DCMS teams that work on sport and recreation policy. Data based on staff in post on the 26/07/2021.
Team | Headcount |
Commonwealth Games | 42 |
Major Sporting Events | 8 |
Sport Policy | 25 |
Grand Total | 75 |
The Government is aware of the concerns which have been raised about the potential challenge of securing insurance for live events, including those in the sporting and entertainment sectors. We have been working closely with the affected sectors over the last few months to understand the challenges and to keep the situation under review.
Understandably, the bar for considering Government intervention is set extremely high, especially in light of the furlough scheme and local business support, so the evidence of market failure specific to DCMS sectors must be clearly demonstrated and robust.
Sports and physical activity including golf are incredibly important for our physical and mental health, and are a vital weapon against coronavirus.
On Monday 4 January the Prime Minister announced a national lockdown and instructed people to stay at home to control the virus, protect the NHS and save lives. The National Restrictions are designed to get the R rate under control through limiting social contact and reducing transmissions. All decisions made by the Government relating to the pandemic and sport have been based on advice and guidance from health and scientific experts. We have no plans to publish the evidence for individual decisions relating to specific sports.
You can continue to exercise alone, with one other person or with your household or support bubble. This should be limited to once per day, in a public outdoor place and you should not travel outside your local area. You should maintain social distancing. Indoor and outdoor sports facilities, including golf courses, must close.
It is the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) role to approve new testing processes. WADA has not yet developed a test for gene editing due to the complexities in identifying gene doping. To mitigate the threat of gene doping, WADA has a Gene and Cell Doping Expert Group which provides direction to its Health, Medical and Research Committee. The Committee develops strategies to prevent and detect non-therapeutic manipulation of gene/protein in sport.
WADA has approved tests for RNA, but these are only being used in experimental environments for research, and not yet by anti-doping organisations (including UK Anti-Doping).
UK Anti-Doping split the samples they collect from each athlete into “A” samples which are analysed, and “B” samples which are stored securely for potential future tests. Samples can be stored for up to 10 years.
UK Anti-Doping defines a test as any attempt to test a single athlete in a single Sample Collection Session. During the periods:
January to March 2019, it conducted 3,803 tests
April to June 2019, it conducted 2,212 tests
July to September 2019, it conducted 2,943 tests
October to December 2019, it conducted 2,789 tests
January to March 2020, it conducted 2,512 tests
April to June 2020, it conducted 126 tests. The drop in testing during this period was due to UK Anti-Doping’s decision in March 2020 to significantly reduce its testing programme due to Covid-19.
July to September 2020. The testing statistics for this period have not yet been released.
All testing in the first quarter of 2020-2021 (April-June 2020) conducted in the UK was done in England. However, this does not mean that athletes from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales were not tested during this time. UK Anti-Doping publishes its testing figures on a quarterly basis and combines the figures for blood and urine samples. This ensures transparency of its testing activity, while protecting the confidential methodology which goes into planning a testing programme.
If attempting testing at an athlete’s home, Doping Control Personnel or “Testers” will check whether anyone present at the athlete’s residence is self-isolating, quarantining or shielding. If so, then this would provide sufficient grounds for UK Anti-Doping not to continue with testing. If testing outside of an athlete’s home, Doping Control Personnel will check the athlete does not have Covid-19, Covid-19 symptoms, or is in an at risk-group before proceeding. UK Anti-Doping has developed a protocol which its Doping Control Personnel are required to follow to determine whether an athlete can be tested. This procedure is in line with the World Anti-Doping Agency’s guidance for resuming testing, and is fully outlined on UK Anti-Doping’s website.
Doping Control Personnel also warn the athlete that if they (or anyone else on their behalf) provide any information which is later found to be false, misleading, inaccurate or incomplete they may be committing the Anti-Doping Rule Violation of ‘Tampering or Attempted Tampering’ which could result in sanctions.
So far, there have not been any cases where testing has not proceeded due to self-isolation, quarantining or shielding.
The government does not hold the data to answer this question. The samples collected during the London Olympic Games in 2012 were done so under the jurisdiction of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), rather than UK Anti-Doping (the UK’s national anti-doping organisation). As LOCOG no longer exists, it is therefore the IOC that has the ability to reanalyse the samples collected at the Games. UK Anti-Doping has welcomed the reanalysis of samples from previous Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Any information which UK Anti-Doping receives is handled with the strictest data protection compliance. Therefore, it is not always possible for UK Anti-Doping to share information or samples from British athletes with third parties when this breaches data handling requirements.
UK Anti-Doping has already publicly set out its position on sending samples related to the investigation of Alberto Salazar to the United States Anti-Doping Agency. To date, the World Anti-Doping Agency has not requested to reanalyse any of UK Anti-Doping’s samples of British athletes overseen at any time by Alberto Salazar.
UK Anti-Doping has always supported the work of other anti-doping organisations and the World Anti-Doping Agency. When UK Anti-Doping cannot share information or samples, it always works for a constructive outcome to progress cases where there is a joint interest.
Any information which UK Anti-Doping receives is handled with the strictest data protection compliance. Therefore, it is not always possible for UK Anti-Doping to share information or samples from British athletes with third parties when this breaches data handling requirements.
UK Anti-Doping has already publicly set out its position on sending samples related to the investigation of Alberto Salazar to the United States Anti-Doping Agency. To date, the World Anti-Doping Agency has not requested to reanalyse any of UK Anti-Doping’s samples of British athletes overseen at any time by Alberto Salazar.
UK Anti-Doping has always supported the work of other anti-doping organisations and the World Anti-Doping Agency. When UK Anti-Doping cannot share information or samples, it always works for a constructive outcome to progress cases where there is a joint interest.
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) publishes its doping test figures on a quarterly basis to preserve the integrity of the test allocation process and ensure the “no advance notice” testing principle is protected. Therefore, UKAD’s figures for the in- and out-of-competition tests it has carried out since 17 March 2020 are only partially available.
Testing figures for Q4 of 2019/20, which covers January-March 2020, have been published on UKAD’s website. According to this report, the domestic and international Anti-Doping Testing Programme carried out 2,512 tests during this period. Testing figures for Q1 of 2020/21, which covers April-June 2020, will be published after the period is complete.
Athletes are not required to declare in advance of tests if they, or anyone they are living with, are at higher risk from, or clinically extremely vulnerable to, COVID-19. UKAD has asked athletes and National Governing Bodies to provide this information to help their planning, however does not have plans to make this publicly available.
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) publishes its doping test figures on a quarterly basis to preserve the integrity of the test allocation process and ensure the “no advance notice” testing principle is protected. Therefore, UKAD’s figures for the in- and out-of-competition tests it has carried out since 17 March 2020 are only partially available.
Testing figures for Q4 of 2019/20, which covers January-March 2020, have been published on UKAD’s website. According to this report, the domestic and international Anti-Doping Testing Programme carried out 2,512 tests during this period. Testing figures for Q1 of 2020/21, which covers April-June 2020, will be published after the period is complete.
Athletes are not required to declare in advance of tests if they, or anyone they are living with, are at higher risk from, or clinically extremely vulnerable to, COVID-19. UKAD has asked athletes and National Governing Bodies to provide this information to help their planning, however does not have plans to make this publicly available.
There are currently 561 athletes registered on UKAD’s National Registered Testing Pool and Domestic Testing Pool, with an approximate 50/50% split between the two pools. These athletes are required to provide their Whereabouts via the Anti-Doping Administration Management System to enable out-of-competition testing.
Whereabouts Failures for the current period will be reported in the next Quarterly Testing Reports, likely to be published in mid-July on UKAD’s website.
There are currently 561 athletes registered on UKAD’s National Registered Testing Pool and Domestic Testing Pool, with an approximate 50/50% split between the two pools. These athletes are required to provide their Whereabouts via the Anti-Doping Administration Management System to enable out-of-competition testing.
Whereabouts Failures for the current period will be reported in the next Quarterly Testing Reports, likely to be published in mid-July on UKAD’s website.
The National Anti-Doping Panel has heard three cases of Anti-Doping Rule Violations via videoconference since 17 March 2020, which is in line with what the Panel usually hears.
Camelot is the current operator of the National Lottery. They release sales information under a timetable and format agreed with its regulator, the Gambling Commission. Data on sales is published on the Camelot website three months in arrears and this can be found at; http://www.camelotgroup.co.uk/about-us/reporting
Sales for the months of January and February were as follows:
Month | Sales (£m) |
January | 614.8 |
February | 594.3 |
The March 2020 sales data will be published alongside Camelot's 2019/20 year-end sales announcement in early June and the April 2020 sales data will be published later in June.
We know this is a challenging period for all sports and we continue to work closely with the whole sector to understand the issues they face and how we can best support them through this difficult time.
The Comprehensive Spending Review has been delayed from July to later this year to ensure that HM Treasury and departments can remain focused on responding to the immediate public health and economic emergency.
Further details about the next spending review will be set out in due course. It will follow significant investment the government announced through both Budget 2020 and Spending Round 2019, and will take into account the government’s response to COVID-19.
We remain committed to supporting our elite athletes and the current UK Sport settlement goes through till April 2021. My department is working to ensure that we have a strong evidence-base with which to support the Chancellor ahead of the Spending Review.
We recognise the impact that covid-19 is having on the sport sector, and we are continuing to engage with sporting organisations to understand how it is affecting them and provide support. Sport England, the arms-length body of government who invest in and provide a range of services to national governing bodies have been involved in these discussions.
The Chancellor has already announced a host of measures to help businesses, with £330 billion worth of government backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses across the UK. In addition, our national sports council, Sport England, has also announced £195 million of funding to help sport and physical activity organisations deal with the short and long term effects of the pandemic.
The government is holding weekly meetings with senior medical officials and sport representatives to discuss key issues around COVID-19, and is communicating regularly with stakeholders across the sporting sector to share the latest advice. We will maintain these discussions as plans to restart training and competition within elite sport are developed.
Olympic and Paralympic sport is not immune from the impact of Covid-19 and we will continue to work with UK Sport in ensuring that our athletes are well supported in this difficult period.
We have now published step one guidance on the return to training for elite sport which sets out the minimum operating expectations of an elite training environment, and has been developed in close consultation with the Deputy Chief Medical Officers of England, Public Health England and medical representatives across Olympic, Paralympic and professional sports governing bodies.
The proposal from the National Rifle Association of India is with the Commonwealth Games Federation for consideration, and any decision on the proposal or the format of the competition will be subject to their governance process. The Government welcomes the proposal, and hopes that a solution can be found to enable shooters from the UK and around the Commonwealth to compete at the highest level.
Whilst discussions are still at an early stage, and subject to further consideration, the Government understands that the costs of hosting an event would be borne by India as the host nation.
Subsequent to USADA’s ban of Alberto Salazar being issued, UK Sport’s discussions with UK Athletics on this issue have focused on ensuring there is an effective independent review as to whether UK Athletics took the appropriate decisions in respect of its relationship with Mr Salazar and the Nike Oregon Project.
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has offered support to the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) during its investigations. However, UKAD has not received any request for information from UK Athletics in relation to Mr Salazar’s ban.
Across the Games partnership we are developing an evaluation methodology for Games legacy, and this will be published in due course. This legacy work will be informed by lessons from previous Games, including London 2012 and Glasgow 2014. It will also draw on the evidence from Sport England’s £10m Local Delivery Pilot investment to promote physical activity in hard to reach groups in Birmingham and Solihull.
Improving health and wellbeing, including tackling physical inactivity, is a legacy ambition for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. This will include how we maximise the impact of the new sporting facilities being delivered for the Games, such as the redevelopment of athletics facilities at Alexander Stadium, creation of a brand new aquatics centre in Sandwell and the addition of new cycle lanes across the city. A number of partners are involved in this work including Sport England, Sport Birmingham, local and regional authorities and the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee.
UK Sport supported UK Athletics in commissioning an independent review into its decision-making in respect of its relationship with Mr Salazar and the Nike Oregon Project. Both UK Sport and DCMS will await the outcomes of that review before drawing any further conclusions.
It is absolutely right that all athletes should be able to compete on a level playing field.
Clean sport is a shared responsibility; one in which sport and government should work together.
The department continues to work closely with schools and stakeholders to remain abreast of developments in the provision of physical education (PE) in schools. In March 2022, Ofsted published a research review into PE. Ofsted will use this understanding of subject quality to examine how PE is taught in England’s schools. Ofsted will then publish a subject report to share its findings.
In October 2021, the government announced nearly £30 million a year towards improving the teaching of PE at primary school and opening school sport facilities in England.
A series of approaches are currently being considered as to how the department can bring together the evidence on what constitutes good PE, how this can be practically delivered, and how to support schools to identify and take the steps they need to make their provision as good as it can be. Further information on this will be published as part of the update to the school sport and activity action plan.
This year, the government is investing over £200 million in its holiday activities and food (HAF) programme.
All 152 local authorities in England are delivering the programme in the Easter, summer, and Christmas holidays. The HAF provides heathy meals, enriching activities, and free childcare places to children from low-income families. This benefits their heath, wellbeing and learning.
The holiday clubs on this programme must provide physical activities daily. Children take part in moderate to vigorous activities for up to 60 minutes at each session.
The department is also exploring a summer activity challenge to provide more opportunities for children to be physically active during the summer holidays.
The department continues to encourage new partnerships to form between independent and state-funded schools. Whilst partnerships can cover a wide range of activities, many independent schools collaborate with local state schools and their communities by hosting joint events or sharing facilities. The 2020 Census by the Independent Schools Council (ISC), covering the period immediately before the COVID-19 pandemic, found that 87% of its member schools were involved in partnerships with local state schools. 30% of these reported sharing sports fields, 28% swimming pools, and 22% a concert hall or theatre.
As we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the department encourages more schools to experience the opportunities of working in partnership in areas including, but not limited to, sharing facilities. For example, across teacher and curriculum development, governance and leadership, and other targeted forms of school improvement.
The department’s joint understanding with the ISC is designed to expand the participation of independent schools across other areas which help to demonstrate that sector’s commitment to its local communities, such as by encouraging schools to offer support targeted at children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The department welcomes the ISC’s efforts to increase participation, alongside charities such as the Royal National Children's SpringBoard Foundation and the School Partnerships Alliance. The department will continue to work together with these organisations to ensure that even more children benefit, irrespective of their backgrounds or the schools they attend.
The register of apprenticeship training providers is open to applicants now, but only where the training they offer meets the definition of ‘critical workers’ in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak, with a linked employer endorsement to verify that any new training responds to an identified training gap. We will keep this approach to targeted entry to the register under review subject to the course of the COVID-19 outbreak, which will include any changes to the definition of ‘critical workers’ that may arise.
That approach reflects the government’s plan to raise the quality of delivery across the apprenticeship training market, and to progressively introduce more stringent entry criteria for entry to the register. On that basis, we have also been recently inviting all current, active providers on the register to reapply.
As set out in the response given by My Rt Hon Friend, Lord Goldsmith, the Government recognises the current evidence demonstrating the benefits of engaging with nature for people’s physical and mental health and the benefits a long-term target would have.
However, further evidence is needed to support the establishment of any such target. Initial scoping work has already been undertaken on possible metrics, but further development is needed. This work is ongoing.
Natural England’s England-wide map of green infrastructure will be launched in December as part of the emerging National Framework of Green Infrastructure Standards. This includes mapping of accessible natural greenspace which will help identify priorities for creation and enhancement, including to address inequalities in access to greenspace.
Public access is of high importance when considering how people can enjoy treasured landscapes and water bodies.
The Agricultural Transition Plan was published in November 2020 and the Government published an update in June 2021. Further information on the Environmental Land Management Schemes will be published later this year.
Public access is of high importance when considering how people can enjoy treasured landscapes and water bodies.
The Agricultural Transition Plan was published in November 2020 and the Government published an update in June 2021. Further information on the Environmental Land Management Schemes will be published later this year.
As a third country, Great Britain no longer has access to the Tripartite Agreement, however, Northern Ireland remains part of the Agreement under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol. The Government is working closely with representatives of the equine industry to support the continued movement of all horses, including thoroughbreds, to and from the European Union. This has included clarifying the specific requirements of individual EU Border Control Posts to avoid unnecessary delays at the ports and ensuring the European Commission and EU Member States are fully aware of the detail of GB import arrangements.
The European Commission has made clear that, as a third country, Great Britain will no longer have access to the Tripartite Agreement from 1 January 2021. Northern Ireland will remain part of it under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol. The Government is therefore continuing to work closely with industry to facilitate the continued movement of equines following the Transition Period, recognising the value of the equine sector to the entire UK economy.?This will include allowing horses from the European Union that pose a low disease risk, including from France and Ireland, to continue to enter Great Britain with only necessary animal health controls.
No specific assessment for wine or spirit labelling has been undertaken. However, Parliament has already passed the EU Withdrawal Act. Consistent with the Act, the changes that the secondary legislation stemming from it will make to labelling rules are necessary to correct deficiencies in retained EU law, including in relation to the information provided to consumers about the products they buy.
Currently, EU wine imported into the UK needs to show the bottler or, in the case of sparkling wine, the name of the producer or vendor. From 1 January 2021 (subject to any period that is allowed for adoption of the new requirements), wine imported into Great Britain will in addition need to show the importer or, in the case of bulk shipments, the bottler.
The UK is negotiating an equivalence arrangement with the EU as part of the Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. In addition, the six UK organic control bodies have applied to the Commission for recognition as equivalent. We are confident that through one of these routes we will be able to export organic food, drinks, feed and ingredients to the EU.
There are no plans to issue specific guidance for business travel as part of the wine trade. As I mentioned in my response to the Noble Lord’s Question, HL7378, the exemptions for VI-1 certification include consignments of less than 100 litres and wine intended for trade shows.
The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 retains the existing requirements for consignments of third country wine, consisting of 100 litres and over, to be accompanied by a VI-1 document. This will apply to wine from EU Member States from 1 January 2021. Along with consignments of less than 100 litres, other exemptions include personal imports or wine intended for trade shows.
It is the responsibility of the exporting country to provide the details of its designated competent authority and authorised laboratories.
As VI-1 analysis is required to be carried out by the country of origin prior to wine entering Great Britain, we have not made any estimated cost for this analysis.
The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 retains the existing requirements for consignments of third country wine, consisting of 100 litres and over, to be accompanied by a VI-1 document. This will apply to wine from EU Member States from 1 January 2021. Along with consignments of less than 100 litres, other exemptions include personal imports or wine intended for trade shows.
It is the responsibility of the exporting country to provide the details of its designated competent authority and authorised laboratories.
As VI-1 analysis is required to be carried out by the country of origin prior to wine entering Great Britain, we have not made any estimated cost for this analysis.
The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 retains the existing requirements for consignments of third country wine, consisting of 100 litres and over, to be accompanied by a VI-1 document. This will apply to wine from EU Member States from 1 January 2021. Along with consignments of less than 100 litres, other exemptions include personal imports or wine intended for trade shows.
It is the responsibility of the exporting country to provide the details of its designated competent authority and authorised laboratories.
As VI-1 analysis is required to be carried out by the country of origin prior to wine entering Great Britain, we have not made any estimated cost for this analysis.
From 1 January 2021, EU labelling and marketing standards for wine will apply in Northern Ireland under the NI Protocol. Her Majesty’s Government intends to achieve a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the EU by December 2020 that will clarify the situation for tariffs and reimbursements. The Political Declaration aims for the agreement to be a zero tariff and zero quota FTA and we are working hard to achieve this.
The Cycle City Ambition Programme was completed in 2018.
On 7 February 2020, the Department published a detailed breakdown of annual investment in cycling and walking from 2016/17 to 2018/19 alongside the first report on progress made towards delivering the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS). This included information on how much funding each local authority received over that period for active travel schemes.
The Department will publish a further report to Parliament shortly which will include a breakdown of annual investment in cycling and walking over 2019/20 and 2020/21 from a wide range of funding sources. It will also make an announcement shortly on the capital funding that was allocated to local authorities in 2021/22.
Copies of the previous report to Parliament and funding breakdowns by local authority covering the years up to 2018/19 are available in the House Libraries.
A summary of the capital funding provided to each local authority in 2020/21 under the Active Travel Fund is set out in table 1 attached. A summary of the revenue funding provided to each local authority in 2021/22 under the Capability Fund is set out in Table 2 attached.
Over the last five years, the Government has awarded Sustrans £77 million in grant funding to improve the safety and accessibility of the National Cycle Network (NCN). As custodians of the Network, Sustrans works with local authorities and other partners such as the Canal and River Trust to identify priorities for investment in the NCN, and channels funding to partners to deliver these upgrades. The table below lists the 10 local authority areas which have received, or are forecast to receive, the greatest level of investment in NCN routes from the overall £77 million.
| Local Authority Area | Total value of projects |
1 | Warwickshire County Council | £5,676,163.00 |
2 | West Midlands Combined Authority | £3,151,051.97 |
3 | South Yorkshire Combined Authority | £2,677,552.00 |
4 | The West of England Combined Authority | £2,215,047.82 |
6 | Buckinghamshire Council | £2,084,000.00 |
7 | Durham County Council | £2,000,181.50 |
8 | Staffordshire County Council, | £1,677,215.94 |
9 | Derbyshire County Council | £1,650,680.00 |
10 | Dorset County Council | £1,520,811.00 |
Over and above the funding provided to Sustrans, the Government has also provided local authorities with significant amounts of capital funding to support active travel. It is for authorities to determine how best to use this in their areas, including whether or not to spend any of it to improve routes which include stretches of the NCN, and the Department does not therefore hold an aggregate figure for total spend on the NCN over this period.
National Highways is committed to supporting active travel and making the Strategic Road Network (SRN), comprising our motorways and principal A-Roads, accessible and safer for cyclists, by delivering 200 new cycling facilities and improved crossing points between 2016 and 2021. A total number of 160 cycling schemes and 438 new or upgraded crossings for cyclists, pedestrians and/or horse-riders (211 new and 227 upgraded) have been delivered up to March 2020.
Whilst not targeted in the second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2) (2020 to 2025), National Highways is committed to improving the SRN’s impact on cyclists, walkers and other vulnerable users. Designated Funds form a part of National Highways’ contribution to this, through the Walkers Cyclists and Horse riders’ theme within its User and Community fund.
Through Designated Funds, National Highways is providing new infrastructure for road users, and enhancing existing facilities, through targeted local investment. National Highways has invested £45.3 million since April 2020 and has a further £24 million of approved projects for delivery.
Between 2017/18 and 2020/21 a total of 1,376,657 Bikeability training places were delivered using DfT funding, in England outside London. Cycle training in London is a matter for the Mayor of London and the Department does not hold figures for the number of training places delivered there.
Figures for 2021/22 will be published in Summer 2022 and will be available on the Bikeability website at https://www.bikeability.org.uk/about/funding-and-delivery.
Sulphur levels in marine fuels are monitored by carrying out sulphur inspections and sulphur sampling on board ships which call at UK ports. Fuel samples are drawn from ships and sent for testing to ensure that the sulphur levels are in compliance with EU and international requirements.
The Heath Promotion Taskforce is a Cabinet Committee. It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its Committees and how often they have met, is not shared publicly.
The Government is currently refreshing the School Sport and Activity Action Plan and developing a new cross-government sport strategy. Government Departments are collaborating to embed evidence-based approaches to address inactivity and support health. This includes enabling national and local action to create increase physical activity, supporting health and addressing inequalities. Options for coordination across these strategies are currently being considered by the Departments involved.
We expect to complete recruitment for senior posts in the Office for Health Promotion by this autumn.
Alongside the creation of the Office for Health Promotion, we will establish a new ministerial board on prevention to co-ordinate cross-Government action to improve accountability on the wider determinants of health.
The Office for Health Promotion (OHP) will work with teams across the Department, the health system and wider partners to support action on physical activity. We will present more detail on our plans and ambitions for the OHP in due course.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) consists of independent experts who advise the Government on which vaccine/s the United Kingdom should use, including prioritisation at a population level. The JCVI has stated that phase one of a COVID-19 vaccine programme will have the prevention of mortality at the forefront of its objectives, as well as the support of the National Health Service and social care system.
For the first phase, the JVCI has advised that the vaccine should be given to care home residents and staff, as well as frontline health and social care workers and the rest of the population in order of age and clinical risk factors. Included are those with underlying health conditions, which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality.
The execution of Navik Afkari by the Iranian authorities was deplorable. The UK Government made clear its public condemnation of the action on 12 September. The UK Government is firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, as a matter of principle, and we unreservedly support the right to peaceful protest. Iran's human rights record is of serious and longstanding concern to the UK. The continued use of the death penalty, weak rule of law and restrictions on freedoms of expression remain deeply worrying. We share the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran's concerns that death sentences were handed down and/or implemented following proceedings that did not comply with fair trial and due process safeguards. The UK is committed to holding Iran to account on a wide range of human rights issues, including the right to a fair trial. We will continue to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor record on all human rights issues.
The execution of Navik Afkari by the Iranian authorities was deplorable. The UK Government made clear its public condemnation of the action on 12 September. The UK Government is firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, as a matter of principle, and we unreservedly support the right to peaceful protest. Iran's human rights record is of serious and longstanding concern to the UK. The continued use of the death penalty, weak rule of law and restrictions on freedoms of expression remain deeply worrying. We share the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran's concerns that death sentences were handed down and/or implemented following proceedings that did not comply with fair trial and due process safeguards. The UK is committed to holding Iran to account on a wide range of human rights issues, including the right to a fair trial. We will continue to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor record on all human rights issues.
The execution of Navik Afkari by the Iranian authorities was deplorable. The UK Government made clear its public condemnation of the action on 12 September. The UK Government is firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, as a matter of principle, and we unreservedly support the right to peaceful protest. Iran's human rights record is of serious and longstanding concern to the UK. The continued use of the death penalty, weak rule of law and restrictions on freedoms of expression remain deeply worrying. We share the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran's concerns that death sentences were handed down and/or implemented following proceedings that did not comply with fair trial and due process safeguards. The UK is committed to holding Iran to account on a wide range of human rights issues, including the right to a fair trial. We will continue to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor record on all human rights issues.
On 19 May, the Secretary of State for International Trade announced the UK Global Tariff[[1]] which will take effect on 1 January 2021. It set out the UK’s Most Favoured Nation (MFN) import tariffs, including for wine and spirits, on GOV.UK. These are the tariffs that will apply to all imports unless there is a preferential trading arrangement in place.
Under the UK Global Tariff, import tariffs on wines and spirits will range from 0% to 40%, depending on the type of product. Within the 0-40% range, the average tariff will be around 8% on wine and approximately 1% on spirits. However, where a preferential trading arrangement is in place, for example a Free Trade Agreement, the tariffs will be lower and often 0%.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/check-tariffs-1-january-2021
HMRC’s IT delivery of the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) is expected to be ready from January 2021.
The government is committed to ensuring that the UK has a robust framework for regulating financial services and that consumers are treated fairly.
Financial services firms are required to treat customers fairly under rules set by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and the FCA is responsible for overseeing the conduct standards of financial services firms. There are a range of FCA rules governing the timeliness of payments to consumers in relation to client money and investments.
Where investments are held in funds, FCA rules specify that an authorised fund manager must pay the proceeds of a redemption to the registered holder of the fund units within four business days. Where firms hold client assets, in general FCA rules require firms to pay money to clients within one business day after it becomes due and payable.
Where an investor holds fund units through a regulated platform provider, their interactions are determined by the terms and conditions of the platform provider’s client agreement with the investor. However, regulated platform providers are subject to FCA rules on treating customers fairly with regard to these terms and conditions, and any money held under the client money rules would be paid to the client within one business day as set out above.
It would not be possible for an investor to withdraw their assets from a fund if the fund has suspended dealing. FCA rules permit suspensions, which may last only for as long as is necessary to protect the interests of the investors in the fund. Suspensions can be a necessary safety feature which protects investors where the value of a fund’s assets cannot be known with sufficient certainty or where the fund would otherwise have to make sales at distressed market prices to service withdrawals.
Further to the written answer of 26 October 2021, of the group of sixteen children with UK based relatives evacuated to Qatar from Afghanistan, none are now in Qatar. Seven children have been settled with their families in the US and of the remaining children, they are either being settled in the US as they have no family able to safely accommodate them in the UK or are awaiting further assessment from either US or UK local authorities ahead of a final decision on where they will stay permanently.
The Home Office is aware of a group of unaccompanied Afghan minors with family links to the UK in Qatar and officials are working closely with UNICEF and the US State Department to ensure the most appropriate outcomes for these children.
Our priority is to ensure that the children will be safe and well cared for and to ensure any outcome is in the best interests of the children. Where it is deemed to be in the best interest of a child to come to the UK, suitable support arrangements will be made available.
The provisions within the Immigration Rules for both Tier 2 (Sportsperson) and Tier 5 (Creative and Sporting) will continue in the future immigration system. These routes will be amended to accommodate applications from elite sportspersons and coaches from the European Economic Area and Switzerland, along with those from the rest of the world, from 1 January 2021.
The UK Government does not have any plans to include clergy, sportspersons, coaches, instructors or officials under the new Skilled Worker route. The current provisions of Tier 2 (Ministers of Religion) and Tier 5 (Religious Workers) for clergy, and Tier 2 (Sportsperson) and Tier 5 (Creative and Sporting) for sportspeople, are dedicated routes for such activities.
The UK’s immigration arrangements for professional sportspersons seek to strike a balance between ensuring that UK sports can access top-end talent that will enhance sport in the UK, whilst at the same time protecting opportunities for resident players and supporting grassroots sport. The Government works with Sports Governing Bodies to set bespoke criteria, with every sport’s criteria reviewed annually, ensuring that it continues to meet the changing needs of the individual sport. The success of UK sports clearly demonstrates that this system is one which works well.
The system of endorsement is operated by the Sports Governing Bodies to ensure that an objective assessment is made of each individual sportsperson. Individual clubs are asked to fulfil their sponsorship duties, in a dual-level of assurance.
The provisions within the Immigration Rules for both Tier 2 (Sportsperson) and Tier 5 (Creative and Sporting) will continue in the future immigration system. These routes will be amended to accommodate applications from elite sportspersons and coaches from the European Economic Area and Switzerland, along with those from the rest of the world, from 1 January 2021.
The UK Government does not have any plans to include clergy, sportspersons, coaches, instructors or officials under the new Skilled Worker route. The current provisions of Tier 2 (Ministers of Religion) and Tier 5 (Religious Workers) for clergy, and Tier 2 (Sportsperson) and Tier 5 (Creative and Sporting) for sportspeople, are dedicated routes for such activities.
The UK’s immigration arrangements for professional sportspersons seek to strike a balance between ensuring that UK sports can access top-end talent that will enhance sport in the UK, whilst at the same time protecting opportunities for resident players and supporting grassroots sport. The Government works with Sports Governing Bodies to set bespoke criteria, with every sport’s criteria reviewed annually, ensuring that it continues to meet the changing needs of the individual sport. The success of UK sports clearly demonstrates that this system is one which works well.
The system of endorsement is operated by the Sports Governing Bodies to ensure that an objective assessment is made of each individual sportsperson. Individual clubs are asked to fulfil their sponsorship duties, in a dual-level of assurance.
The provisions within the Immigration Rules for both Tier 2 (Sportsperson) and Tier 5 (Creative and Sporting) will continue in the future immigration system. These routes will be amended to accommodate applications from elite sportspersons and coaches from the European Economic Area and Switzerland, along with those from the rest of the world, from 1 January 2021.
The UK Government does not have any plans to include clergy, sportspersons, coaches, instructors or officials under the new Skilled Worker route. The current provisions of Tier 2 (Ministers of Religion) and Tier 5 (Religious Workers) for clergy, and Tier 2 (Sportsperson) and Tier 5 (Creative and Sporting) for sportspeople, are dedicated routes for such activities.
The UK’s immigration arrangements for professional sportspersons seek to strike a balance between ensuring that UK sports can access top-end talent that will enhance sport in the UK, whilst at the same time protecting opportunities for resident players and supporting grassroots sport. The Government works with Sports Governing Bodies to set bespoke criteria, with every sport’s criteria reviewed annually, ensuring that it continues to meet the changing needs of the individual sport. The success of UK sports clearly demonstrates that this system is one which works well.
The system of endorsement is operated by the Sports Governing Bodies to ensure that an objective assessment is made of each individual sportsperson. Individual clubs are asked to fulfil their sponsorship duties, in a dual-level of assurance.
The provisions within the Immigration Rules for both Tier 2 (Sportsperson) and Tier 5 (Creative and Sporting) will continue in the future immigration system. These routes will be amended to accommodate applications from elite sportspersons and coaches from the European Economic Area and Switzerland, along with those from the rest of the world, from 1 January 2021.
The UK Government does not have any plans to include clergy, sportspersons, coaches, instructors or officials under the new Skilled Worker route. The current provisions of Tier 2 (Ministers of Religion) and Tier 5 (Religious Workers) for clergy, and Tier 2 (Sportsperson) and Tier 5 (Creative and Sporting) for sportspeople, are dedicated routes for such activities.
The UK’s immigration arrangements for professional sportspersons seek to strike a balance between ensuring that UK sports can access top-end talent that will enhance sport in the UK, whilst at the same time protecting opportunities for resident players and supporting grassroots sport. The Government works with Sports Governing Bodies to set bespoke criteria, with every sport’s criteria reviewed annually, ensuring that it continues to meet the changing needs of the individual sport. The success of UK sports clearly demonstrates that this system is one which works well.
The system of endorsement is operated by the Sports Governing Bodies to ensure that an objective assessment is made of each individual sportsperson. Individual clubs are asked to fulfil their sponsorship duties, in a dual-level of assurance.
The Government has published a range of immigration information for those affected by COVID, including those sponsored to work in the UK. COVID immigration information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-immigration-and-borders.
The Government will not penalise individuals affected by issues relating to COVID which are beyond their control. Whilst cases will need to be considered on a case by case basis, we will not penalise people who have been outside of the UK for longer than normally permitted where the absence is as a result of COVID travel restrictions, at the point at which they come to apply for a new visa or indefinite leave to remain.
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) is a no-fault scheme and is therefore different from awards for damages paid through the courts. If an individual believes they have been injured as a result of negligence, having an AFCS award does not prevent them from bringing a claim through the common law damages route, although an AFCS award would be taken into account in the damages payment (or vice versa). This is in keeping with the longstanding principle that an individual should not be compensated twice for the same injury.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) works closely with the NHS to ensure smooth transition in medical care when leaving service. In the majority of cases, the NHS are able to meet the need for successful rehabilitation. In cases where more specialist support is needed, bespoke MOD funding packages may be available.
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) is a no-fault scheme and is therefore different from awards for damages paid through the courts. If an individual believes they have been injured as a result of negligence, having an AFCS award does not prevent them from bringing a claim through the common law damages route, although an AFCS award would be taken into account in the damages payment (or vice versa). This is in keeping with the longstanding principle that an individual should not be compensated twice for the same injury.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) works closely with the NHS to ensure smooth transition in medical care when leaving service. In the majority of cases, the NHS are able to meet the need for successful rehabilitation. In cases where more specialist support is needed, bespoke MOD funding packages may be available.
Where an individual has a lasting injury received as a result of service which has an ongoing impact on the amount they are able to earn over their lifetime in terms of both salary and pension, financial security is provided through a lifelong, tax-free, inflation-proof, income known as a Guaranteed Income Payment (GIP).
The GIP calculation takes account of both salary and age in determining the lifelong loss of earnings the individual is likely to face, both salary and pension, as a result of their service-caused injury or injuries. It also includes an enhancement for lost future military promotions. This calculation enables the Department to provide a payment that not only recognises final salary but also loss of future potential earnings.
An online Armed Forces Compensation and War Pension Scheme application service has been developed and is currently being tested in a beta phase. The service will be presented for a Government Digital Service (GDS) assessment on 31 March 2022 when the GDS will assess the quality, suitability and security of the service. During this assessment further opportunities to improve the service may be identified, prompting a further phase of improvements before a second assessment - likely to be scheduled for early summer 2022.
Launch of the service to the public will follow attainment of a successful Beta assessment.
The Transformation Programme to digitise existing paper based processes and create a single customer portal for Veterans is underway. This complex and detailed programme is being managed by contractors in collaboration with Defence Business Services and the Discovery phase for the three schemes (Armed Forces Pension Scheme, Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and War Pensions Scheme) is nearing completion. The programme aims to introduce automation, processing improvements and significantly reduce paper holdings. The first release of the new system is expected in late 2023. This will underpin the customer portal, which is being developed concurrently. This will enable members to provide and retrieve information electronically and allow them to securely access details of their entitlement and payments.