Damian Hinds

The Events Research Programme aims to examine the risk of transmission of Covid-19 from attendance at events and explore ways to enable people to attend a range of events safely. To achieve this, the programme will explore how a combination of testing and non-pharmaceutical interventions (actions that people can take to mitigate the spread of coronavirus) can inform decisions on safely lifting restrictions at events from Step 4. The initial research pilots have already started and are taking place throughout May.

At Step 4, which will be no earlier than 21 June, the Government aims to remove all limits on weddings, civil partnership ceremonies and receptions, subject to the outcome of the Events Research Programme and the Social Distancing Review. Further guidance will be issued ahead of Step 4.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.

We welcome the Centre for Social Justice’s report, which highlights that progress has been made in government debt management and suggests further areas for improvement. The Centre for Social Justice report notes the work of the government Fairness Group, the Breathing Space policy and reduction in the rate of benefit deductions as recent advances.

The Government Debt Management Function will be launching a Call for Evidence in due course to gather views on the current debt management approach.

I would encourage the Centre for Social Justice, along with other interested parties to also submit evidence through the Call for Evidence.

Government is currently investing up to £108m in a range of innovation programmes to explore and develop the potential of low carbon hydrogen. This includes:

• Up to £20m to develop novel clean hydrogen supply methods,
• Up to £20m to test the potential for switching to hydrogen (and other low carbon fuels) across a range of industrial sectors,
• £25m to develop the safety of using 100% hydrogen in the home;
• £23m to support deployment of hydrogen vehicles and growth of refuelling infrastructure.

Government also announced the £100m Low Carbon Hydrogen Production Fund in August 2019. The Fund aims to help deploy low carbon hydrogen production capacity to enable its greater use as a decarbonisation option across the energy system.

The UK Safer Internet Centre plays an important role in improving online safety in the UK, particularly for children.

The Centre has been successful in its bid for further funding from the European Commission’s Connecting Europe Facility programme for the calendar year of 2021, for which the government provided a letter of support. Officials are in regular engagement with the Centre on its future funding position.

The Global Travel Taskforce last year committed the Government to publish a Tourism Recovery Plan in support of the sector, which will include plans for a marketing campaign to welcome visitors back to the UK as soon as it is safe to do so. We will publish this document in the Spring.

When holidays are permitted again, we will work with VisitBritain, VisitEngland and local partners to champion the UK’s diverse tourism offer once again - just as we did with last year’s Enjoy Summer Safely and Escape The Everyday campaigns.

A successor to the Global Travel Taskforce will report by 12 April with recommendations aimed at facilitating a return to international travel as soon as possible, while still managing the risk from imported cases and variants of concern. Following that, the Government will determine when international travel should resume, which will be no earlier than 17 May. The Government will align the timing and details of its marketing plans with the outcome of the report.

The UK Government will publish a Tourism Recovery Plan in the Spring. Given the significant impact of COVID-19 on the tourism sector, we now face different challenges to when the Tourism Sector Deal was published. The Recovery Plan will build on the foundations of the Sector Deal.

We are continuing to engage with stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support tourism’s long term recovery.

The department does not hold this information. The BBC may hold more information on this topic.

Page 115 of the BBC’s Annual Report for 2019-20 sets out some information on how the BBC has performed on its public purpose to support learning for people of all ages. The report also states that the BBC offered 14 weeks of educational programmes and lessons during the summer term and that, by the end of the term, the BBC had published nearly 2,000 curriculum-led ‘Bitesize Daily Lessons’ online.

Further, on 5 January 2021, the BBC also announced its education offering for the UK’s third national lockdown. The announcement included three hours of primary school programming each week day on CBBC, and at least two hours of secondary school content each day on BBC 2. It also included an expansion of BBC bitesize online content for primary and secondary school pupils. The full announcement can be found on the BBC website here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2020/bbc-launches-biggest-education-offer-ever

I also refer the Hon Member to my answer to PQs 136489 and 136491 where I set out Ofcom’s figures for the education provision by Public Service Broadcasters collectively.

The department does not hold this information.

Ofcom data indicates that in 2018, public service broadcasters (PSBs, in this context the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5) collectively broadcast 125 hours of content in 2018 meeting the description of “formal education”. Of this, 65 hours were considered original content.

This output was supplemented by content available on-demand, online, on podcasts and radio, as well as less formal educational content such as documentaries and broader children’s content.

Between 2010 and 2018, the total amount of educational content broadcast by PSBs fell considerably (2010: 725 hours). Over the same period, the amount of original educational content broadcast by PSBs remained relatively constant (2010: 70 hours), albeit with considerable year-to-year fluctuation. Data covering 2019 and 2020 is not yet available.

Ofcom data suggests that commercial multi channels broadcast 40 hours of original content classified as ‘other’ in 2018 (2014: 0 hours). This classification includes formal education.

Further information can be found on Ofcom’s website.

In July 2020, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education took the decision to halt development of the T Level in Cultural Heritage and Visitor Attractions (CHVA). The Institute consulted extensively before making this decision, both with organisations from the sector as well as employers involved in the creation of relevant occupational standards.

The Institute concluded that a T Level in CHVA would have limited employer demand and insufficient interest from students, and that the needs of the sector could be met through other T Levels. For example, feedback from employers suggested that T Levels in business and administration were well placed to develop the skills that are relevant to many occupations within the Cultural Heritage and Visitor Attraction sector. Students would then be able to tailor their programme by taking their industry placement with a relevant employer in the sector.

The Department does not have data or estimates of the availability of printers in pupils’ homes.

Schools can provide printed resources, such as textbooks and workbooks, to structure learning. We expect schools to work to overcome any barriers experienced by pupils in accessing remote education. This could include distributing school owned laptops or supplementing digital provision with different forms of remote education such as printed resources or textbooks. This should be supplemented with other forms of communication to keep pupils and students on track or answer questions about work.

The Government is supporting access to remote education and online social care services, through an investment of over £400 million that includes securing 1.3 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people who do not have access to their own device. Over 800,000 laptops and tablets have been delivered to schools, academy trusts and local authorities by 17 January.

We have also partnered with the UK’s leading mobile operators to provide free data to help disadvantaged children get online as well as delivering 4G wireless routers for pupils without connection at home.

Support is available for schools to get set up on Google or Microsoft platforms. These platforms bring together the school community, pool resources and give pupils the opportunity to work with their peers remotely. As of 5 January 2021, 6,900 schools have applied for a digital education platform.

To support the hard work of schools in delivering remote education, Oak National Academy was very quickly brought together by over 40 teachers, their schools and other education organisations. The Department has made £4.84 million available for Oak both for the summer term of the academic year 2019-20, and then for the 2020-21 academic year, to provide video lessons in a broad range of subjects for Reception up to Year 11. Specialist content for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is also available.

The number of users to have visited the Oak National Academy platform (correct as of 12 January 2021) can be found in the following table:

Oak will remain a free optional resource for 2020-21.

Given the critical importance of ensuring that all children and young people continue to learn during the national lockdown, we have updated the remote education guidance for schools and colleges to clarify and strengthen expectations while on-site attendance is restricted, drawing on our evolving understanding of best practice in remote education.

Schools are expected to provide a set number of hours of remote education for pupils – increased from the government’s previous minimum expectations – that includes time for independent study and also either recorded or live direct teaching. Pupils will be set between three and five hours per day of remote education depending on their age, with daily check-ins on their engagement, and involving the effective use of digital education platforms.

To help schools and colleges meet the remote education expectations set out in guidance, the Government is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care services. A comprehensive package of support is available to help schools meet these expectations which can be accessed through the Get Help with Remote Education page on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-with-remote-education.

The Department has made £4.84 million available for Oak both for the summer term of the academic year 2019-20, and then for the 2020-21 academic year, to provide video lessons in a broad range of subjects for Reception up to Year 11. Since the start of the autumn term, 2,280,706 users have visited the Oak National Academy platform and 12,998,483 lessons have been viewed (as of 4 January 2021). For schools that do not already have a full remote education curriculum or resources in place or where staffing capacity is challenging, we strongly recommend that they consider using Oak National Academy or other high-quality resource providers. We have also published guidance on accessing and buying remote education resources, available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-with-accessing-and-buying-resources-for-remote-education.

Support is also available for schools to get set up on Google or Microsoft platforms. These platforms bring together the school community, pool resources and give pupils the opportunity to work with their peers remotely. As of 5 January 2021, 6900 schools have applied to the DfE Digital Platforms programme that forms part of the Get Help With Technology programme.

In addition, the BBC has adapted their education support for the spring term 2021 and will be making educational content available on the television. Bitesize Daily primary and secondary will also air every day on BBC Red Button as well as episodes being available on demand on BBC iPlayer. This TV offer is in addition to the BBC’s online offer, which parents, children, and teachers can access when and where they need it.

The Department for Education does not collect this data. This data is currently captured by Ofsted.

Ofsted have seen an increase in enquires to independent fostering agencies (IFA) between the financial year 2015-2019, but in the same period enquiries have decreased for local authorities. At the end of March 2020, we have seen an increase in applications compared to 2015. However, application rates have remained fairly static over the past 2 years.

Ofsted estimate that there were around 137,200 initial enquiries from prospective fostering households in the year ending 31 March 2020. This was an increase of around 7% compared to the financial year 2018 to 2019. The reported figure of 135,075, from the data provided by 94% of all eligible agencies, was itself an increase on the previous year (127,850).

Ofsted estimate that around 76% enquiries received were within the IFA sector, up from 72% in 2018 to 2019. This results from a 14% increase in enquiries to the IFA sector, and a 10% decrease for local authorities, compared with last year.

A breakdown of enquiries received over the past 5 years are as follows:

In relation to applications approved, across the sectors, the conversion rate of applications received to applications approved was very similar. Around 1 in 4 applications were approved in both sectors. However, IFAs accounted for both more applications and approvals than local authorities.

A breakdown of applications received and approved by local authorities are as follows:

A breakdown of applications received and approved by IFAs are as follows:

Among local authorities, 43% of completed applications were approved, while 35% were approved among IFAs. The difference is mostly accounted for by a higher proportion of withdrawals by applicants among IFAs (49% compared to 36% for local authorities).

We intend to publish the findings from the first year of the Seasonal Workers Pilot scheme in the coming months.

The Government is working closely with the equine sector to ensure owners are aware of the risks and are taking the necessary precautions to keep their animals safe. Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) is not a notifiable disease and isolation of sick animals is the best protection against infection. There is no public health risk. Horse owners are advised to contact their private vet if they observe any respiratory illness, abortion or neurological signs in horses or ponies in their care or would like to discuss options for vaccination against the disease.

All horses imported into the UK are required to be certified as being fit to travel and not to have originated from premises where disease is known to be present. Any horses imported into the UK should be placed in isolation for at least ten days before allowing them to mix with other equines.

Comprehensive industry advice and guidance on biosecurity and vaccination is available online and the Animal and Plant Health Agency international trade team is, on behalf of Defra, writing to anyone wishing to import any equine from Europe to remind them of this guidance and strongly recommend that it is followed.

Current biosecurity protocols and guidance are known to be effective at controlling the spread of EHV-1 and have been successful in preventing its spread into the UK during the current outbreak. We continue to work with and support the industry in containing the threat to the UK horse population.

Natural England (NE) has a statutory duty to produce and promote the Countryside Code which provides three levels of information: short and long versions for the public plus additional information for land managers and owners for areas of open country. NE is currently undertaking a review and refresh of the Code.

The launch of the refreshed version of the Countryside Code at Easter will be the first step in a much longer campaign both to promote the Code and begin an associated campaign running throughout 2021. This will include a broader conversation with stakeholders about what a ‘post-Covid’ Code for the 21^st century would look like and how we can, as a sector, promote more positive behaviours and awareness. The aim is that it can be used flexibly across multiple platforms to reach a much greater diversity of audiences and NE will be setting out more about this work in due course.

Alongside this development work an updated video has been produced to promote the Code and respecting the countryside. This has been posted across Defra’s and Natural England’s social media channels as well as being available to stakeholders to use on their social channels with a complementary package of additional content. We also plan to publicise the video on the Government’s ‘Nextdoor’ channel and on our Instagram accounts this week.

We are continuing to work on a wider communications plan and will be developing additional social media content to respond to potential upcoming issues over the coming months.

Natural England (NE) has a statutory duty to produce and promote the Countryside Code which provides three levels of information: short and long versions for the public plus additional information for land managers and owners for areas of open country. NE is currently undertaking a review and refresh of the Code.

The launch of the refreshed version of the Countryside Code at Easter will be the first step in a much longer campaign both to promote the Code and begin an associated campaign running throughout 2021. This will include a broader conversation with stakeholders about what a ‘post-Covid’ Code for the 21^st century would look like and how we can, as a sector, promote more positive behaviours and awareness. The aim is that it can be used flexibly across multiple platforms to reach a much greater diversity of audiences and NE will be setting out more about this work in due course.

Alongside this development work an updated video has been produced to promote the Code and respecting the countryside. This has been posted across Defra’s and Natural England’s social media channels as well as being available to stakeholders to use on their social channels with a complementary package of additional content. We also plan to publicise the video on the Government’s ‘Nextdoor’ channel and on our Instagram accounts this week.

We are continuing to work on a wider communications plan and will be developing additional social media content to respond to potential upcoming issues over the coming months.

My department takes the issue of livestock worrying very seriously, recognising the distress this can cause farmers and animals, as well as the financial implications.

All reported crimes should be taken seriously, investigated and, where appropriate, taken through the courts and met with tough sentences.

The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 provides a specific offence of allowing a dog to worry livestock with a maximum fine of £1,000. In addition, the police can and do take action under the Dogs Act 1871 where there are dogs that are out of control and dangerous to other animals. Section 2 of the 1871 Act allows a complaint to be made to a Magistrate’s court by any individual, the police or local authorities, where a dog is “dangerous and not kept under proper control”. The court may make any Order it considers appropriate to require the owner to keep the dog under proper control, or if necessary, that it be destroyed. The court may specify measures to be taken for keeping the dog under proper control, such as muzzling and remaining on a lead when in public.

Guidance is available to educate owners about handling their dogs responsibly in the vicinity of livestock, in order to prevent the occurrence of attacks or chasing.

The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs provides owners with information on how to provide for their dog’s natural needs as required by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The Code of Practice clearly sets out that all dogs need to be trained to behave well, ideally from a very young age and should be introduced gradually and positively to different environments, people and animals. If owners become aware of changes in behaviour, or their dog is fearful of, or aggressive, towards other dogs and people, they should avoid the situations which lead to this and seek veterinary advice. The Code asks owners to ensure that they prevent their dogs from chasing or attacking any other animals, including livestock and horses; for example, through use of a lead or avoidance of such situations.

Recent reports on livestock worrying, including by the National Chiefs’ Police Council, have recommended reforming the 1953 Act to address current enforcement challenges and ensure it remains fit for purpose. We are currently engaging closely with key stakeholders to improve our understanding of the scale of the issue and the views of both livestock keepers and dog owners.

The Government has no current plans to publish such regular analysis. The monthly cost of electric vehicle ownership will depend on the vehicle type, the driver’s recharging pattern and usage.

We will continue to support industry and motorists to make the switch to zero emission vehicles. Phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030 will put the UK on course to be the G7 country that will decarbonise cars and vans fastest. We expect total cost of ownership to reach price parity during the 2020s, compared to petrol and diesel cars.

Due to the pressures on the Department arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the necessity to temporarily redeploy staff, consideration of the research on the initial trials of a prototype acoustic camera has been re-phased.

The Government anticipates the results will be published in the summer.

The Department does not hold data on trends and patterns in vehicle noise measurements, but commissioned research in 2018 to better understand the prevalence of excessive vehicle noise and the options for reducing it.

The Department has seen an increase in the number of enquiries about vehicle noise over the past three years. It should be noted that this trend cannot be reliably linked to a change in individual vehicle noise levels or to the prevalence of excessively noisy vehicles due to the subjective nature of vehicle noise complaints.

This Government is going further and faster to decarbonise transport by phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, and, from 2035, all new cars and vans must be zero emissions at the tailpipe. We want people across the country to have the opportunity to make the move to electric vehicles. The Government had already committed £1.5 billion to support the early market and remove barriers to electric vehicle ownership. Alongside the new phase out dates we have pledged a further £2.8 billion package of measures to support industry and consumers to make the switch to cleaner vehicles. This support is available in both urban and rural areas across the UK

Today, a driver is never more than 25 miles away from a rapid?chargepoint?anywhere along England’s motorways and major A roads. Local authorities in rural areas are able to take advantage of the On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS), which assists them with the cost of installing chargepoints on residential streets. The Government will continue to monitor market developments to determine whether any significant gaps in charging infrastructure provision emerge where there may be a case for further measures.

The Air Navigation Directions 2017 are kept under review but there are no immediate plans to amend them.

When undertaking the post-implementation review of the Farnborough Airport airspace change, the Civil Aviation Authority will consider the safety and operational characteristics of this proposal, including available flight data, and then determine whether the proposal has met its regulatory requirements.

The Government has made significant investment to improve work incentives including: the reduction in the Universal Credit taper rate from 65% to 63% in 2017, and an extra £1.7 billion a year put into work allowances for working parents and disabled claimants to increase them by £1,000 a year from April 2019. This is providing a boost to the incomes of the lowest paid and result in 2.4 million families keeping an extra £630 per year of what they earn.

Over the last five years, the ratio between the Alternative Claimant Count (ACC) measure of claimant unemployment[1], and the ONS official measure of unemployment (based on the International Labour Organisation’s definition of unemployment)[2], has increased. This is shown in the table below and chart attached.

The two measures of unemployment should not be expected to match:

• Some individuals who are unemployed according to the ACC measure of claimant unemployment may be working but with low earnings (and thus would continue to receive support). They would then be included in the ACC measure of claimant unemployment but not the ONS official measure of unemployment.
• Some individuals who are unemployed according to the ONS official measure may not be eligible for means-tested support, or may not wish to claim the support available. They would then be included in the ONS official measure of unemployment but not the ACC measure of claimant unemployment.

The tables below show how the ratio between the two measures of unemployment has varied over the last five years, for different ages, genders and regions. The variation by previous occupation is not available.

For nearly all of the categories (with the exception of East Midlands), the ratio of ‘ACC claimant unemployment’ to ‘ONS official unemployment’ has increased between 2014 and 2019. This is predominantly due to a decrease in the ONS official measure of unemployment.

[1] Alterative Claimant Count: Provides a consistent measure of claimant unemployed by modelling what the Claimant Count would have been had Universal Credit been fully rolled-out.

[2] ILO-definition of unemployment: Individuals without a job who have been actively seeking work within the last four weeks, and are available to start work within the next two weeks.

Over the last five years, the ratio between the Alternative Claimant Count (ACC) measure of claimant unemployment[1], and the ONS official measure of unemployment (based on the International Labour Organisation’s definition of unemployment)[2], has increased. This is shown in the table below and chart attached.

The two measures of unemployment should not be expected to match:

• Some individuals who are unemployed according to the ACC measure of claimant unemployment may be working but with low earnings (and thus would continue to receive support). They would then be included in the ACC measure of claimant unemployment but not the ONS official measure of unemployment.
• Some individuals who are unemployed according to the ONS official measure may not be eligible for means-tested support, or may not wish to claim the support available. They would then be included in the ONS official measure of unemployment but not the ACC measure of claimant unemployment.

The tables below show how the ratio between the two measures of unemployment has varied over the last five years, for different ages, genders and regions. The variation by previous occupation is not available.

For nearly all of the categories (with the exception of East Midlands), the ratio of ‘ACC claimant unemployment’ to ‘ONS official unemployment’ has increased between 2014 and 2019. This is predominantly due to a decrease in the ONS official measure of unemployment.

[1] Alterative Claimant Count: Provides a consistent measure of claimant unemployed by modelling what the Claimant Count would have been had Universal Credit been fully rolled-out.

[2] ILO-definition of unemployment: Individuals without a job who have been actively seeking work within the last four weeks, and are available to start work within the next two weeks.

Universal Credit is now available in every Jobcentre across the country, with a caseload of 2.7 million claimants, growing every month. This means more claimants than ever accessing the additional support and flexibilities it offers.

Currently, most people move to Universal Credit because they have had a significant change in their circumstances which would previously have led them to make a new claim to a legacy benefit. Claimant circumstances within the legacy benefit system are diverse and interact with a range of benefits in different ways. Eligibility for Universal Credit is dependent on individuals’ circumstances, the specific nature of the change and rules for access to legacy benefits.

The Move to Universal Credit pilot commenced, as scheduled, in the area served by Harrogate Jobcentre in July 2019.

The Department has already committed to updating Parliament and stakeholders on progress. We expect to provide our first update in the Spring. We will also set out an evaluation strategy, developed in consultation with stakeholders, before coming to Parliament in the Autumn with the findings and our proposals for the next phase of the delivery of Universal Credit.

The Department has asked the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to consider the need for and timing of additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines. The JCVI will consider available evidence from a range of sources in its deliberations but is not able to confirm which studies will be available at this stage. The JCVI’s deliberations will be published in due course.

To ensure ongoing protection for the United Kingdom population, particularly the most vulnerable, we are preparing for a potential booster vaccination programme. While we are planning for several potential scenarios, final decisions on the timing and scope of the booster programme will not be taken until later this year, in line with results from key clinical studies. This includes the OCTAVE study, which will examine the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in clinically at-risk groups, including patients with certain immunocompromised conditions. Any decision on a booster vaccination programme will be informed by independent advice from the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation.

The Government currently has no plans to reduce the length of time between the provision of first and second vaccine doses for people deemed to be clinically immunocompromised as a group.

However, there are a small number of patients who are about to receive planned immunosuppressive therapy and where clinically appropriate, should be considered for vaccination at least two weeks prior to commencing therapy, when their immune system is better able to respond. Where possible, it is also preferable for both first and second doses to be completed prior to commencing immunosuppression. Therefore, to provide maximum benefit, this may entail offering such patients the second dose at the recommended minimum for that vaccine.

On 14 May 2021, the Government accepted new advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and announced that appointments for a second dose of a vaccine would be brought forward from 12 to eight weeks for the remaining people in the top nine priority groups who have yet to receive their second dose. This is to ensure people across the United Kingdom have the strongest possible protection in response to the B1.617.2 variant of concern. As a result, immunosuppressed patients waiting for their second dose may be invited for to book an appointment within this revised timeframe.

Guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence advises that antibiotic treatments for community acquired pneumonia are ineffective for COVID-19 related viral pneumonia unless there is a bacterial co-infection though the guidance allows for antibiotic prescription in certain circumstances, accommodating local antimicrobial prescribing preferences.

The Government continues to hold stockpiles of medicines, including those used in the treatment of community acquired pneumonia, to cope in a range of scenarios, and robust contingency planning continues to ensure that the country is prepared for a possible second peak of COVID-19 infections.

NHS England and NHS Improvement are working with local areas to support implementation of the social prescribing link worker model, including how they work with emerging roles like work coaches. Social prescribing link workers will work with local partners (such as local public and Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise agencies) to develop substantial support offers which address people’s health and wellbeing needs, including access to employment support.

As local social prescribing schemes develop, we would expect to see link workers establishing important relationships with local health and care professionals and a wide range of community groups and services to maximise the impact of social prescribing. Further information is outlined in the summary best practice guided published by NHS England and NHS Improvement in January 2019 at the following link:

www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/social-prescribing-community-based-support-summary-guide.pdf