Fay Jones

English students eligible for the doctoral degree loan can access one loan up to the maximum amount that was available when they started their course. There is no discretion within the regulations to increase the entitlement where a student extends their study but those who have not accessed the maximum can apply for an additional amount of loan. If a student has withdrawn from their PhD due to compelling personal reasons they may nonetheless be eligible for a further loan for a second full course. Withdrawal as a result of reasons connected to COVID-19 is usually considered to be one such compelling personal reason.

UK Research and Innovation has made over £62 million of financial support available to PhD students in receipt of research council funding most impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. It is estimated that this funding is available for up to 12,000 students.

We are aware of the enormous pressures that the COVID-19 outbreak has had on doctoral students and their ability to conduct their research and recognise that some students may face financial hardship. The department has worked with the Office for Students (OfS) to clarify that English providers are able to use existing funds, worth around £256 million for academic year 2020/21, towards hardship support.

In addition, we are currently making available up to a further £20 million on a one-off basis to support those that need it most, particularly disadvantaged students. The funding is being distributed by the OfS to approved fee cap providers, who will have flexibility in how they distribute the funding to students in a way that will best prioritise those in greatest need. The funding can be distributed to a wide population of students, including postgraduates research students.

The government plays no role in the provision of student residential accommodation. Universities and private accommodation providers are autonomous and are responsible for setting their own rent agreements. Whether a student is entitled to a refund or to an early release from their contract will depend on the specific contractual arrangements between them and their provider.

This has been a very difficult time for students, and we encourage universities and private landlords to review their accommodation policies to ensure they are fair, clear and have the interests of students at heart.

Officials speak regularly with representatives of private and university owned accommodation, as well as sector bodies. The government worked closely with universities to ensure they were well prepared for the return of students in the autumn term, and we have published updated guidance to help them keep students and staff as safe as possible.

If students have concerns about their accommodation fees, they should first raise their concerns with their accommodation provider. If their concerns remain unresolved, and their higher education (HE) provider is involved in the provision of the accommodation, students at providers in England or Wales can ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for HE to consider their complaint.

If a student thinks their accommodation provider is treating them unfairly, they can raise a complaint under the accommodation codes of practice, as long as their provider is a code member. The codes can be found at: https://www.thesac.org.uk/, https://www.unipol.org.uk/the-code/how-to-complain and https://www.rla.org.uk/about/nrla-code-of-practice.shtml.

We recognise that in these exceptional circumstances some students may face financial hardship. The Department for Education has worked with the Office for Students (OfS) to clarify that providers are able to use existing funds, worth around £256 million for academic year 2020/21, towards hardship support. The government is currently making available up to a further £20 million on a one-off basis to support those that need it most, particularly disadvantaged students. The funding is being distributed by the OfS to approved fee cap providers, who will have flexibility in how they distribute the funding to students in a way that will best prioritise those in greatest need. The funding can be distributed to a wide population of students, including postgraduates (whether taught or research) and international students.

This has been a very difficult time for students, and the government is working with the sector to make sure that all reasonable efforts are being made to enable students to continue their studies. The government’s clear and stated expectation is that universities should maintain the quality and quantity of tuition, and seek to ensure that all students regardless of their background have the resources to study remotely. This is more important than ever at the moment, with the vast majority of students studying solely online.

We continue to regularly engage the sector in discussion on this issue, including universities, and have met with other groups across the sector only last week. I wrote to the Office for Students (OfS) on 13 January, outlining the government’s expectations of the higher education sector following the new national lockdown. Following this, the OfS wrote to provider Accountable Officers, setting out the actions that they are taking in connection with providers’ compliance to existing regulatory requirements. Both letters are available here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/928ddbfc-7d48-4a7b-853e-411c34d6202f/ao-letter-regulation-during-the-current-phase-of-pandemic-14-jan-2021.pdf. We expect providers to ensure that continuing and prospective students receive the clear, accurate and timely information needed to make informed decisions.

Universities are autonomous and responsible for setting their own fees, up to a maximum of £9,250 for approved (fee cap) institutions. The Office for Students (OfS), as regulator for higher education (HE) providers in England, has made it clear that HE providers must continue to comply with registration conditions relating to quality and academic standards, which set out requirements to ensure that courses are high-quality, that students are supported and achieve good outcomes and that standards are protected, regardless of whether a provider is delivering its courses through face-to-face teaching, remote online learning, or a combination of both.

Whether or not an individual student is entitled to a refund of fees will depend on the specific contractual arrangements between the provider and student. If students have concerns, there is a process in place. They should first raise their concerns with their university. If their concerns remain unresolved, students at providers in England or Wales can ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) for Higher Education to consider their complaint.

The OIA website is available via the following link: https://www.oiahe.org.uk/.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published guidance on consumer contracts, cancellation and refunds affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. This sets out the CMA’s view on how the law operates to help consumers understand their rights and help businesses treat their customers fairly. This is available via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/consumer-protection-review-of-higher-education.

The OfS has also published guidance on student consumer protection during the COVID-19 outbreak, which is available via the following link: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/student-wellbeing-and-protection/student-protection/consumer-benefit-forum/.

My counterpart in the Welsh Government, the Noble Baroness Morgan of Ely, the Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language, recently wrote to me that ‘For a small nation, Wales enjoys a reputation which stretches far beyond its borders’. She is right. Wales was my second visit as a Minister as we see the opportunities to help promote Wales abroad. Indeed I recall pushing the cause of Welsh Lamb quite recently in Vietnam. I hope we may continue those conversations today when I Chair the inaugural Ministerial Forum for Trade with Ministers from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) places a strong focus on accessibility when developing its services, ensuring that they work for those who have specific needs or use assistive technology. The DVLA’s user research team conducts usability testing of new services and ensures that 20 per cent of participants with an accessibility need or a medical condition take part in the usability testing to ensure the service meets the needs of all users.

The DVLA also uses a third-party supplier to provide independent usability/user testing and technology audits of live and prototype DVLA web services against the relevant accessibility guidelines. The DVLA aims for each service to be tested at least once during the development cycle to ensure recommendations can be assessed and implemented.

The most recent assessments we have made about Traffic Regulation Orders are in two reports. The first discovery research report was published in 2019 and laid the foundations for the second report available here:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/traffic-regulation-orders-identifying-improvements-to-the-legislative-process-in-england.

Each of these reports considered the impacts on different groups of potential improvements to the legislative process.

The Department plans to consult on proposed reforms to Traffic Regulation Orders more generally later in 2021. An Impact Assessment will accompany this consultation.

On 22 February, there were three cases of Covid across the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s workforce of more than 6,000 staff.

Since January, more than 5,000 lateral flow tests have been carried out with DVLA contact centre staff, with no positive results identified. This scheme is currently being extended to other DVLA staff working across its estate undertaking work which cannot be done from home.

All staff whose jobs can be done remotely are working from home, with now more than 2,000 staff doing so exclusively. Extensive safety measures have been put in place across the DVLA’s sites. These include enhanced cleaning, social distancing leasing an additional building, perspex screens installed, floors divided into zones with no mixing within zones, one-way systems introduced, and communal areas closed.

The DVLA has made significant investment in making its estate Covid-secure, working closely with Public Health Wales, Swansea Council’s Environmental Health team and the trade union. Swansea Bay University Health Board has confirmed a high level of compliance with control measures and did not identify any additional concerns over the control regime in place.

Throughout the pandemic, the DVLA has implemented Welsh Government legislative requirements and advice fully, including the workplace guidance for offices and contact centres. The organisations mentioned work closely with the DVLA and regularly review the measures in place. When advice is revised, it is acted upon and changes made quickly.

Research studies in the UK, notably those conducted by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), have separately proven that both on-road experience and hazard perception skills reduce crash risk. They also evidence that hazard perception is related to experience.

Other TRL research on independent driving also highlights the assumption that the learner driver is exposed to tasks that are typical of post-test driving as part of their pre-test learning.

Those with theory test certificates expiring may have taken their test in early 2019. Since then, their on road practical experience will have been significantly curtailed during recent lockdowns. Therefore, whilst a short extension would allow more on-road experience it does not ensure that the learner will have had sufficient experience, or been sufficiently exposed to driving tasks, to be able to drive safely at the critical point that they drive independently for the first time.

The maximum duration of two years between passing the theory test and a subsequent practical test is in place for road safety reasons; to ensure that a candidate’s knowledge is current. This validity period is set in legislation and the Government has no current plans to lay further legislation to extend it.

It is important that road safety knowledge and hazard perception skills are up to date at the critical point that they drive unsupervised for the first time. Those with theory test certificates expiring may have taken their test in early 2019. Since then, their lessons and practice sessions will have been significantly curtailed during recent lockdowns and it is likely that their knowledge base will have diminished. Research suggests that this would be particularly harmful for hazard perception skills, a key factor in road safety.

Ensuring new drivers have current relevant knowledge and skills is a vital part of the training of new drivers, who are disproportionality represented in casualty statistics. Taking all this into consideration, the decision has been made not to extend theory test certificates and learners will need to pass another theory test if their certificate expires.

We welcome applications from all employers regardless of structure. Small businesses and organisations which are not registered on Companies House or do not have PAYE systems can now apply to the Kickstart Scheme through an organisation offering a ‘Gateway Plus’ model. This model enables Kickstart young people to be placed on the gateway’s PAYE system for the duration of their placement.

Universal Credit (UC) will be paid to eligible adults and the entitlement calculation will be based on their family circumstances.

For the purposes of UC, a person trading through a company as a company director in a position analogous to a sole trader or partner, is treated in the same way as a person who has not set up a company to conduct their business.

Companies not registered with Companies House are still able to access the Department for Work and Pensions’ Kickstart Scheme by applying through a Gateway which can place the Kickstart participant on the Gateway’s PAYE scheme - such as the one set up in partnership between the Federation of Small Business and Adecco Working Ventures.

The Department has not awarded grant funding to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). In 2018, the Department for Education agreed grant funding for the HCPC to support the transfer of regulatory functions for social workers in England from the HCPC to Social Work England. A total of £3.3 million was paid in 2018/19 and 2019/20. The Department does not have legal powers to award grant funding to individuals registering with the HCPC.

The total cost of clinical negligence claims in England managed by NHS Resolution in 2020/21 was £2.2 billion, which represents approximately 1.5% of the National Health Service resource budget.

In January 2022, the Department published a consultation on the introduction of fixed recoverable costs for lower value clinical negligence claims. The proposals aim to address high legal costs and streamline the claims-handling process. The consultation closes on 24 April 2022.

Slate-grey naevi are a benign skin condition present from birth, which are most common on babies with darker skin. They can be mistaken for bruising but do not require treatment, will usually disappear by the age of four years old and are not a sign of a health condition.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical knowledge summary on bruising, last revised in 2016, contains guidance for healthcare professionals, in the diagnosis of bruising. It contains recommendations that they also consider other skin conditions that could be mistaken for bruising, including Slate-grey naevi. Healthcare professionals should make diagnostic decisions in line with this guidance. The guidance is available at the following link:

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/bruising/

Medical waste is being disposed of in line with local clinical waste disposal arrangements. Through Local Resilience Forums, health and care leaders with managers of vaccine sites and other vaccines delivery facilities are working collaboratively with local authorities to ensure there is sufficient capacity for this essential function. All staff involved in vaccinating patients in all types of vaccination facility are fully trained in the vaccination process including the disposal of medical waste.

The Government is committed to a proportionate system of safeguards for the professionals who work in the health and care system. The Government considered introducing statutory regulation for counsellors and psychotherapists in 2012 but concluded that this was not proportionate to the risks to patients and the public, opting instead for a system of accredited voluntary registration by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) for health and social care.

The PSA currently accredits 10 voluntary registers relating to therapists which can be used by service users to choose a practitioner to meet their needs and be assured they are safe, trustworthy and competent to practise.

The Approved Mileage Allowance Payment (AMAP) rates aim to reflect running costs including fuel, servicing and depreciation.

Most domiciliary care staff are employed by private providers who decide their mileage reimbursement rate. Employers, including those of care staff, are not required to use AMAPs. Instead, they can agree to reimburse the actual cost incurred, where individuals can provide evidence of the expenditure, without an Income Tax or National Insurance charge arising.

If an employee is paid less than the approved amount, they are entitled to claim tax relief (Mileage Allowance Relief) on the shortfall. The maximum MAR claim is set to the same level as the AMAP rates.

As with all taxes and allowances, the Government keeps AMAP rates under review and any changes are considered by the Chancellor.

The Government is providing support worth over £20 billion across this financial year and next that will help families with the cost of living. This includes cutting the Universal Credit taper rate and increasing work allowances to make sure work pays, freezing alcohol and fuel duties to keep costs down, and the £9.1 billion package announced in February 2022 to help households with rising energy bills.

The Government’s Plan for Jobs is also helping people into work and giving them the skills they need to progress – the best approach to managing the cost of living in the long term. We are building on the success of the Plan for Jobs, investing more than £6 billion on labour market support over three years. In addition to this, we are increasing the National Living Wage (NLW) by 6.6% to £9.50 in April 2022 for those aged 23 and over, which will mean a full-time worker on the NLW will see an increase in their earnings of over £1,000 a year.

The Government has provided a comprehensive economic response that is one of the most generous globally, including very substantial steps to protect jobs. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has helped to pay the wages of people in 9.9 million jobs across the country, providing £46.4bn worth of support as of 13 December. The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) has received claims from 2.7 million self-employed workers, amounting to £13.7bn as of 13 December.

The Government will set out the next phase of the plan to tackle the virus and support jobs at Budget 2021.

Approximately 600,000 payments were deferred to the value of £34 billion through the VAT payments deferral scheme, which ended on 30 June 2020. As part of the Winter Economy Plan, the Government announced further support for those with deferred VAT. Instead of paying the full deferred VAT outstanding by 31 March 2021, businesses can spread what they owe over up to 11 smaller monthly payments. More information is available at www.gov.uk/hmrc/vat-deferral.

Alcohol duties are kept under review and the merits of a change to beer duty is considered at each fiscal event. Announcements about any changes to beer duty will be made in the usual way at the next Budget.

Ahead of unrestricted international travel returning, HM Passport Office prepared extensively to serve an unprecedented number of customers, with 9.5 million British passport applications forecasted throughout 2022.

These preparations, which include the recruitment of 500 additional staff since April 2021 and with plans in place to recruit a further 700 by this summer, have ensured that passport applications can be processed in higher numbers than ever before. This was demonstrated in March and April 2022 when HM Passport Office achieved a record monthly high by completing the processing of approximately two million applications.

Ministers continue to meet regularly with officials to monitor performance, and to explore further options that will help to ensure that people receive their passports in good time.

The AIRE (Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility) service provided for the Home Office by Migrant Help offers support and guidance to vulnerable migrants.

AIRE asylum services provide free independent advice, guidance and information on the asylum process, accommodation, financial support, finding legal representation and any other asylum related matters. AIRE run a national helpline that is free and accessible to all asylum seekers in the UK.

Excess speed is still a major cause of death and serious injury on our roads. Anyone who breaks the speed limit should expect to face proper sanction.

Enforcement of speeding offences and the deployment of resources in rural areas, is an operational matter for local chief officers of police, taking into account the specific local problems and demands with which they are faced.

The intent remains to dispose of The Barracks, Brecon subject to further assessment work. Units currently based at the barracks, including Headquarters 160th (Welsh) Brigade, will be relocated within Wales. The MOD will work closely with Local Authorities to determine the impact of any decisions on local communities.