Esther McVey

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

A response to the Rt hon. Member'sParliamentary Questions of 10 June is attached.

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

A response to the Rt hon. Member'sParliamentary Questions of 10 June is attached.

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

A response to the Rt hon. Member's Parliamentary Questions of 14 April is attached.

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

A response to the Rt hon. Member's Parliamentary Questions of 14 April is attached.

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

A response to the Rt hon. Member's Parliamentary Questions of 14 April is attached.

I refer the Rt hon. Member to my answer to PQ 144893 on 28 March.

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

A response to the Rt hon. Member's Parliamentary Question of 22 March is attached.

Departments are responsible for their individual operating model decisions.

The Government has committed to ensuring that the administration of Government is less London-centric by relocating 22,000 Civil Service roles out of central London and into the regions and nations of the United Kingdom by the end of the decade.

The Government continues to work closely with stakeholders in the wedding industry, to enable weddings and civil partnerships to continue to take place.

We recognise that the limit on attendees may be disappointing for those planning such events. By their nature, weddings and civil partnership ceremonies are events that bring families and friends together from across the country and sometimes across the world, making them particularly vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19. We do not wish to keep restrictions in place for any longer than we have to, and it will be kept under review in line with the changing situation. For further information, please refer to the guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-small-marriages-and-civil-partnerships/covid-19-guidance-for-small-marriages-and-civil-partnerships

The Government has not made an assessment of whether the Energy Price Guarantee will impact electricity storage on the grid.

The Government is facilitating the deployment of electricity storage at all scales through the joint 2021 BEIS and Ofgem Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan.

The Energy Price Guarantee scheme, which the Government implemented on the 1^st October, reduces the cost of electricity and gas meaning that consumers can expect to pay well below the price cap figure of £3,549 for a typical dual fuel household.

The EPG does not incentivise increased energy use. Even with the EPG in place energy prices remain significantly above historic levels, incentivising consumers to use energy prudently. The Department will closely monitor the impact of prices on consumption over the months ahead and is actively considering how storage heaters are affected by the guarantee.

The Government is supporting industry to deliver community trials of 100% hydrogen heating. BEIS and Ofgem received Gas Distribution Network Operators’ outline proposals for the village trial in December 2021. The Government expects that one or more of these will be selected to be developed into detailed proposals. The final decision on where the village trial will take place is expected in 2023 ahead of a trial start date of 2025.

Assessing the environmental benefits of remote working is complex. Account needs to be taken of issues beyond commuter transport – for instance, the energy efficiency of our housing compared with that of commercial buildings and the increase in local travel which home-working can bring. Overall, the evidence on the net environmental benefits is mixed.

The policy opportunities associated with homeworking from a climate perspective are more likely to concern how we promote low carbon actions and behaviours when people are working from home, rather than simply asking people to work remotely.

The Government is committed to safeguarding the Post Office network and protecting existing rural services as we recognise the important role post offices play in serving their communities. The Government promotes access to rural post offices by setting accessibility criteria which the Post Office must meet. This ensures that in rural areas over 95% of people are within 3 miles of their nearest post office service. In remote and rural areas where it is difficult to deliver services to consumers via a permanent site, Post Office Limited use outreach services, such as a mobile van, or a village hall. These offer the same products and services as bricks-and-mortar branches. Within the Tatton constituency, there is one outreach service in Chelford.

The Government recognises how important access to post is for all, especially for those that are homeless or without stable abode. Government is working with a wide range of stakeholders to consider how to support these vulnerable groups. The universal postal service is intended to provide an accessible postal service for all.

Royal Mail operates two services to help vulnerable customers access their post. The first is its redirection service, which can be specially accessed by people with personal safety concerns. The second is its PO Box service, which provides options for vulnerable customers and is designed to meet specific circumstances and preferences.

The Government will continue to work with a wide range of stakeholder to find the best ways to support vulnerable people.

In the most recent Spending Review for 2021/2022, the Government announced Post Office investment funding of £177 million. This reflects the Government’s commitment to the role that post offices play in our communities. This funding will allow Post Office Ltd to invest for the future and to ensure the Post Office remains a vital force on our high streets.

The management of the Post Office network is an operational matter for the Company.

The Government is committed to improving the provision of support to SMEs across the country. Following the completion of the programme, the Help to Grow: Management Programme will provide participants with further direct business-to-business support, through the alumni network.

Participants will also be signposted to other leadership programmes on the market if they wish to progress with further learning. This programme is one of range of opportunities that the Government provides to businesses to support their growth.

We are currently developing the mentoring element for the Help to Grow Management programme. We are looking at how mentors are onboarded and matched to participants. Our aim is to develop a high quality mentoring offer, which will support SMEs to boost their business performance, resilience and long term growth.

The Help to Grow: Management Programme will be delivered by Business Schools who have obtained the Small Business Charter (SBC) accreditation.

A list of the SBC schools can be found here: https://smallbusinesscharter.org/find-business-school/.

We are currently in the process of determining the criteria for eligible providers for the Help to Grow Digital scheme. These will be published in due course.

The Government’s new ‘Help to Grow’ scheme will help small businesses across the UK learn new skills, reach new customers, and boost profits. We have consulted with key stakeholders from industry when designing this scheme including those who represent the breadth of UK SMEs.

Businesses across all sectors are welcome to apply for the Help to Grow Scheme so long as they meet the eligibility criteria as follows:

- Size of 5 to 249 employees​

- More than a year old​

- Attendee should be a decision-maker within the business e.g. CEO, Finance Director​​

- Must have at least one line of management in business employment structure

Those interested in participating can find further details about the Help to Grow Scheme by visiting: https://helptogrow.campaign.gov.uk/.

Throughout the national restrictions, we have sought to keep as much of the retail sector open as possible, whilst balancing the need to reduce our day-to-day contact. All along we have taken evidence from SAGE into account when making decisions.

Click-and-collect services allow goods to be pre-ordered and collected without customers entering the premises. Customers thus remain in well ventilated spaces - which are, by definition, safer environments and where transmission is less likely to occur.

All retailers, both essential and non-essential, can offer click-and-collect services during the current national restrictions.

We have published safer workplace guidance which provides information to help employers make their workplaces COVID-Secure for their employees, visitors, and customers. The guidance does not replace existing employment, health and safety or equalities legislation. It provides information to employers on how best to meet these responsibilities in the context of COVID-19.

Each individual business should complete a risk assessment which should be shared with their employees.

Throughout the national restrictions, we have sought to keep as much of the retail sector open as possible, whilst balancing the need to reduce our day-to-day contact. Throughout this we have taken evidence from SAGE into account when making decisions.

It is also important that consumers have access to food and essential items that they need.

Restrictions have been brought in because we have to limit social contact. That is why the decision to close non-essential retail is part of a wider package of measures to make clear that people should stay at home except for a limited set of exemptions – allowing non-essential retail to remain open would run contrary to that aim.

On 22 February, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister published the Government’s COVID-19 Response-Spring 2021. The roadmap is a step-by-step plan to ease restrictions in England gradually , starting with education. Across the four steps, the roadmap sets out the sequencing and indicative timing for easing restrictions, including those on the wedding sector.

A breakdown on the number of loans provided through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, as of 24 January 2021, are provided in the table below.

The figures reported under the heading Total Number of Applications includes: approved applications; applications that are still to be processed; applications that have been declined; and applications that may turn out not to be eligible or cases where customers will decide not to proceed.

Decisions on whether to specifically capture information relating to declined loans are at the discretion of the lender.

We are not able to disclose details of commercially sensitive contracts between the Government and vaccine manufacturers while negotiations are ongoing.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has met the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s robust standards of safety, quality, and effectiveness, and the safety data from the trials has set out how the COVID-19 vaccine works in different types of people. A robust and proactive safety monitoring strategy for COVID-19 vaccines is in place, which allows for rapid, real-time safety monitoring at population level.

The latest data shows that, in 2018, an estimated 6.0 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) were emitted from waste incineration in the energy supply sector and 0.3 MtCO2e from waste incineration in the waste sector.

The UK’s climate change framework enables the Government to determine how best to balance emissions reductions across the economy. Emissions are managed within the Government’s overall strategy for meeting carbon budgets and the 2050 net zero target, as part of an economy-wide transition.

The UK Government has reduced carbon emissions by over 40% since 1990.

The Government Response to the Future of UK Carbon Pricing set out that the scope of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme will provide continuity and a smooth transition for participants. Most consultation respondents agreed with this approach. Energy from waste plants will not be in scope of the UK ETS for the period of 2021 to 2025. We do recognise the case for expanding carbon pricing and we committed to considering the option of expanding the scope of the UK ETS in the 2023 review.

UKRI have acted to support PhD students during the pandemic. In March, UKRI worked to ensure that all the students it funds would continue to receive their maintenance stipend during the lockdown and would not have to suspend their studies; UKRI-funded students in receipt of a costed extension will continue to receive this stipend during their extension period. In April it was announced that UKRI-funded PhD students in the final year, whose studies have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic would be provided with additional support.

A review of the initial UKRI COVID-19 extension policy was published, bringing together evidence from students, grant holders and university management teams. On the 11th November, UKRI provided a further £19.1 million of funding, which particularly aims to support students who have recently gone into their final year of study (funding end date before or on 30 September 2021) and those with ongoing support needs. Students with ongoing support needs include disabled students, students with a long-term illness, those who are neurodivergent or those with caring responsibilities.

Combined, these two interventions have meant that UKRI has made over £60 million of financial support available to students most impacted by the pandemic. It is estimated that this funding is available for up to 12,000 students (over half of the students that UKRI funds). We are encouraging all PhD students to discuss with their supervisors how projects can be adjusted to complete their doctoral education within their funded period. We will continue to monitor how the pandemic is affecting PhD students and the wider research system.

In regard to the long term research environment, all UKRI funded PhD students are guaranteed their funding within their funded period. The support noted above should ensure the vast majority of students are able to complete their studies on time, or later with support, and able to embark on the next step of their research career.

My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has laid out the Government’s Winter Economy Plan. This includes measures to support all businesses, such as extending the current government-backed loan schemes and introducing the Pay as You Grow and Job Support Schemes. There are also specific measures to support the self-employed, such as the SEISS Grant Extension.

The Government has put in place a package of support to help employees and businesses through these exceptional times. These include business support grants for qualifying businesses, extended government-backed loans and the Job Support Scheme.

My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has laid out the Government’s Winter Economy Plan. This includes measures to support all businesses, such as extending the current government-backed loan schemes and introducing the Pay as You Grow and Job Support Schemes. There are also specific measures to support the self-employed, such as the SEISS Grant Extension.

Celebrations such as wedding receptions pose increased risks for transmission of COVID-19 as they involve people from multiple households meeting and spending extended periods of time together. They are by their nature events which bring people closely together. Wedding receptions and celebrations are one of the few exceptions to the gatherings limit of 6 people, which has applied from 14 September 2020.

We have now provided close contact services like Soft Tissue Therapists in England, except Leicester, with the certainty they need to reopen from Monday 13 July, subject to them following the COVID-secure guidelines.

We appreciate that this has been difficult for some businesses. Our approach is guided by the scientific and medical advice, and every step is weighed against the evidence, remembering that the more we open up the more vigilant we will need to be.