Greg Knight

The effect on electricity prices of deploying 40GW of offshore wind by 2030 will depend on a number of factors including the relative costs between different technologies and how they evolve, particularly in offshore wind, the outcome of our upcoming Contract for Difference Auction rounds, network costs, how costs will be spread across different consumer groups, the roll out of flexible technologies like storage and the overall profile of electricity demand.

Offshore wind projects have low operating costs and so can supply electricity cheaply, putting downward pressure on wholesale electricity prices. Wholesale prices are one of many factors that influence consumer costs and the net impact will depend on how changes in these factors are passed on to consumers.

Accelerating the deployment of offshore wind will make a key contribution to our 2050 net zero target.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy made a Written Ministerial Statement about the announcement to increase our ambition to delivering 40GW of offshore wind by 2030 in the House on Tuesday 6 October.

The Government believes that the current daylight-saving arrangements represent the optimal use of the available daylight across the UK. We do not believe there is sufficient evidence to support changing the current system of clock changes, including for travel, tourism and energy usage.

The Government monitors the national average retail prices of fuels. These are published at: www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/oil-and-petroleum-products-weekly-statistics.

BEIS analysis shows that changes in the global price of crude oil is the primary driver of movements in the national average retail prices of fuels such as petrol and diesel. Other factors include currency exchange rates and the balance of supply and demand for these fuels in the wholesale petroleum products markets. Changes in the price of crude oil feed through to retail prices over the course of about 6 weeks. Since March, retail prices have broadly moved in line with movements in crude oil and wholesale product prices – falling initially as crude oil prices fell and then rising as oil prices recovered through June and July.

The UK has some of the lowest pre-tax prices in Europe for both petrol and diesel, and our evidence suggests that the?UK road fuels sector as a whole is competitive and ensures that consumers get a fair deal.

The Government believe that a competitive market is the best way to keep prices low. Retail fuel markets are subject to UK competition law under the Competition and Markets Authority.

Government has committed to launching an Independent Review to consider whether the Post Office has learned the necessary lessons from the Horizon dispute and to assess its work to rebuild its relationship with its postmasters.

The findings outlined throughout the Horizon judgments provided an extensive insight as to what went wrong at the Post Office, including an independent view of the facts all sides have been looking for.

Government wants to be fully assured that the right lessons are learned for the future and concrete changes have taken place at Post Office Ltd to ensure that this situation will never be repeated. This is the purpose of the independent review we are in the process of setting up.

Full details of the Terms of Reference for the independent review have been set out in a Written Ministerial Statement that Minister Scully made on Wednesday 10^th June. An independent chair will be announced in due course

The Government has no plans to bring into force the provisions of the Easter Act 1928 to fix the date of Easter.

We are determined to continue our efforts to prevent illegal hare coursing. In consultation with stakeholders and others we are exploring a number of options for additional measures and will continue to keep these under review.

As an independent coastal state the UK is able to make its own regulatory changes to bass management measures. We will update on those changes on the conclusion of annual negotiations with the EU.

We know that people’s health, wellbeing and resilience can be improved by spending time in the natural environment and there has been an encouraging increase in the number of visitors accessing the countryside. We are clear, however, that everyone should follow the recently updated Countryside Code, which is available on gov.uk. A key part of the Government’s strategy is to get clear and consistent messages to the media, which promote better behaviour in the countryside and encourage a partnership response.

We continue to campaign to raise awareness of the impacts of littering.

In response to Covid-19, Defra developed a ‘Respect the Outdoors’ campaign to encourage people to follow the Countryside Code and to highlight the impacts of littering. This has been promoted both online and in locations across the country near to urban parks, beaches and national parks. We also supported, and provided funding for, Keep Britain Tidy’s Love Parks campaign, which encouraged people to treat our parks with respect.

I recently spoke at the launch of Keep Britain Tidy’s 2021 Great British Spring Clean, encouraging everyone to get involved. By doing so, we are setting the tone for the summer ahead, by showing that litter is not acceptable, and that people care deeply about protecting their local environment.

It is an offence to drop litter, and councils have legal powers to take enforcement action against offenders. Anyone caught littering may be prosecuted in a magistrates’ court, which can lead to a criminal record and a fine of up to £2,500 on conviction. Instead of prosecuting, councils may decide to issue a fixed penalty (on-the-spot fine) of between £65 and £150.

To support councils to meet their duties in keeping land clear of litter and refuse and maintaining public bins, the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has recently published guidance on the provision of litter bins, available at https://wrap.org.uk/content/binfrastructure-right-bin-right-place.

In support of this guidance, WRAP has recently run a grant competition, funded by Defra, for local authorities in England to apply for grants of between £10,000 and £25,000 to purchase new litter bins. In total, 44 applications were approved, worth almost a million pounds.

We are fully committed to meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 target, which seeks to halve global food waste at consumer and retail levels by 2030.

In December 2018, the Government launched its Resources and Waste Strategy which sets out our approach to address food waste.

Government grant funding of nearly £3m is supporting the Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to reduce food waste across the supply chain and in the home.

Consumer campaign initiatives including Food Waste Action Week in March and the Love Food Hate Waste programme aim to help consumers tackle waste in the home.

This is supported by the Courtauld 2025 Commitment, a collaboration across the supply chain which aims to help the industry become more resource efficient including a target to reduce UK food waste by 20% per capita by 2025. We also work closely with WRAP on its work with the hospitality industry and the provision of resources such as Guardians of Grub to embed food waste management at the centre of business operations.

In addition to the WRAP funding, a £15m Food Waste Fund was announced in 2018 to help tackle food waste. Over £11m has been awarded to help food surplus redistributors to get more surplus from the supply chain to those in need. Awards have also been made to behaviour change projects and support for a field force for the Food Waste Roadmap that helps businesses become more resource efficient through a Target, Measure, Act approach to food waste.

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. Data available shows that on average 36 livestock worrying cases faced prosecution per annum from 2015 to 2019.

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. That includes considering the effectiveness of this law and opportunities to improve it.

In addition to the 1953 Act, 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 explains how to handle dogs responsibly in the vicinity of other animals, including livestock, in order to prevent the occurrence of attacks or chasing. It also 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.

Natural England is currently working with a broad range of stakeholders to review and refresh the Countryside Code. This work will be in two phases: the refresh of the detail of the Code in time for Easter and an associated campaign running from then throughout 2021 which will include a broader conversation with stakeholders about what a ‘post Covid’ Code for the 21st century would look like and how to promote more awareness and positive behaviour. Both the short and long versions of the Code make specific reference to keeping dogs under control.

We published the Litter Strategy for England in April 2017, setting out our aim to deliver a substantial reduction in litter and littering within a generation. The Litter Strategy brings together communities, businesses, charities and schools to bring about real change by focusing on three key themes: education and awareness; improving enforcement; and better cleaning and access to bins. A copy of the Litter Strategy can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/litter-strategy-for-england.

Littering is a criminal offence, with a maximum penalty on conviction of a fine of up to £2,500, although most enforcement is carried out by local authorities using fixed penalties.

Following consultation, with effect from April 2018, we increased the maximum fixed penalty for littering from £80 to £150, and from April 2019, the minimum fixed penalty was also raised from £50 to £65. We have also given councils in England (outside London) new civil penalty powers to tackle littering from vehicles. We have no plans to make further changes to the level of fixed penalties or fines for littering at this stage.

It is up to local councils to decide how they use their enforcement powers. We have published improved guidance to councils and others on the use of their fixed penalty powers for littering and related offences. We are also seeking powers in the Environment Bill to ensure that enforcement powers are always used with a high degree of professionalism.

Enforcement action should only be taken when it is in the public interest to do so. Enforcement action should always be proportionate, and penalties should not be issued for trivial offences or accidental littering.

We published the Litter Strategy for England in April 2017, setting out our aim to deliver a substantial reduction in litter and littering within a generation. The Litter Strategy brings together communities, businesses, charities and schools to bring about real change by focusing on three key themes: education and awareness; improving enforcement; and better cleaning and access to bins. A copy of the Litter Strategy can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/litter-strategy-for-england.

Littering is a criminal offence, with a maximum penalty on conviction of a fine of up to £2,500, although most enforcement is carried out by local authorities using fixed penalties.

Following consultation, with effect from April 2018, we increased the maximum fixed penalty for littering from £80 to £150, and from April 2019, the minimum fixed penalty was also raised from £50 to £65. We have also given councils in England (outside London) new civil penalty powers to tackle littering from vehicles. We have no plans to make further changes to the level of fixed penalties or fines for littering at this stage.

It is up to local councils to decide how they use their enforcement powers. We have published improved guidance to councils and others on the use of their fixed penalty powers for littering and related offences. We are also seeking powers in the Environment Bill to ensure that enforcement powers are always used with a high degree of professionalism.

Enforcement action should only be taken when it is in the public interest to do so. Enforcement action should always be proportionate, and penalties should not be issued for trivial offences or accidental littering.

The practice of mutilating dogs’ ears is abhorrent and has rightly been banned in the UK for 15 years.

We already have some of the world’s highest animal welfare standards. The end of the transition period has opened up new opportunities for managing our own pet travel and commercial importation rules. We are actively listening to the concerns of stakeholders and the Government is considering options regarding the importation and commercial movements of dogs with cropped ears into Great Britain in line with World Trade Organization rules.

Importers of animals must adhere to welfare standards as set out in Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport and in domestic legislation, The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006 (WATEO). This legislation aims to protect the health and welfare of animals during transportation and applies to dogs that are suffering injury as a result of non-exempted mutilations including cropped ears.

The maximum penalty for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal or cropping a dog’s ears in England is six months’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. However, the Government is committed to increasing the maximum custodial penalty for both of these offences from six months to five years. The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill, currently before Parliament, which will implement this increase, will continue to receive Government support as it completes its passage through Parliament.

The Government also continues to raise awareness regarding the improper selling of pets by deceitful sellers in the UK and abroad through our ‘Petfished’ campaign. This seeks to educate prospective pet buyers on common tricks and tactics used by deceitful sellers which may result in the purchase of a mistreated or unwell pet, including those that have been subject to cropping. The campaign urges buyers to mitigate risks, for example by buying from trusted sellers such as those under the Kennel Club’s Assured Breeder scheme, viewing puppies with their mothers and siblings, asking questions of the seller and following the Animal Welfare Foundation and RSPCA Puppy Contract to ensure that puppies are in good health when purchased.

The statutory responsibility in England to appraise the designation of new or extended National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty is held with Natural England.

In his Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution the Prime Minister announced that this Government will start the process this year for designating more of England’s beautiful and iconic landscapes as National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, safeguarding these areas for future generations and bringing more people within closer reach of nature.

These new Protected Landscapes will play a key role in meeting the Government’s commitment to protect and improve 30% of UK land by 2030.

The Government takes the issues of puppy farming, puppy smuggling and other illegal importations of pets, including rescue animals, very seriously. These are abhorrent trades which cause suffering to animals and put the health of pets and people in the UK at risk.

In 2018, the laws on dog breeding and selling were updated and improved. Now, under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the 2018 Regulations) , anyone who is breeding dogs and advertising a business of selling dogs and/or who breeds three or more litters in a twelve month period needs a licence from their local authority. All licensees must adhere to strict minimum animal welfare standards. Local authorities are responsible for enforcing the 2018 Regulations and have powers to grant, refuse or revoke a licence.

Commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens were banned in England from 6 April 2020. The ban was introduced as amendment to the 2018 Regulations. This prevents pet shops, pet dealers and other commercial outlets from selling these animals in England unless they themselves have bred them and is an integral step towards disrupting the low welfare trade that supports unscrupulous puppy farming.

Anyone who has concerns about the welfare of a dog being sold should report the matter to the relevant local authority which has powers to investigate such matters.

Under the 2018 Regulations the Secretary of State must carry out a review of the regulatory provision contained in these Regulations, and publish a report setting out the conclusions of the review. The first report must be published before 1 October 2023. Meanwhile we remain committed to working with the sector, enforcement agencies and other interested parties to improve the traceability of puppy sales in England and potential solutions to address this.

At present, there has been no substantive change to the pet travel requirements for pets entering Great Britain (GB) from the EU. However, now the transition period has ended, we have the opportunity to manage our own pet travel and commercial importation rules. We are actively listening to the concerns of stakeholders and the Government is considering options to strengthen our efforts to tackle puppy smuggling. These options will take into consideration the results from our latest disease risk assessments for GB, the recommendations of stakeholders such as the British Veterinary Association and Dogs Trust, and recent Parliamentary work from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee.

I would encourage anyone who has suspicions or evidence of illegal activity relating to the importation of animals to contact the APHA Intelligence Unit or by contacting their local authority's Trading Standards officer.

Defra is working with other government departments, industry and EU authorities to ensure smooth trade flow and minimise disruption at the border. To do so, we have established a twice-weekly seafood exports working group to identify issues and resolve across government, as well as a Scottish Seafood Exports Task Force to consider medium to longer term issues, with the aim of increasing confidence in the seafood and aquaculture supply chains.

To further support businesses, Defra has developed a support package of guidance and training with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC), including an online journey that guides fish exporters through each step of the export journey. The £23 million Seafood Disruption Support Scheme opened for applications for support towards the costs of disruption of exports to the EU during January, whilst expanded eligibility criteria were announced on 21 February to target catching and shellfish aquaculture businesses which have been affected by a reduction in demand from the hospitality sector in the UK and abroad.

We are also conducting a series of sector-specific workshops in cooperation with HMRC and other partners to provide technical support to exporters, including a dedicated session for crab and lobster exporters. A joint Defra/HMRC support package of online guidance and training has also been issued to exporters,

The UK has developed the Fish Export Service to provide catch certificates for UK fish exporters for free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We are also looking at improvements to the Export Health Certificate Online system to simplify the process for exporters and certifiers and we continue to work closely with the European Commission and EU Member States to address issues in interpretation of Export Health Certificates where they arise at the EU Border.

This country leads the way in animal welfare, including setting standards for horse welfare. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, all owners and keepers of horses must provide for the welfare needs of their animals.

The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses, Ponies, Donkeys and Their Hybrids provides owners and keepers with general welfare information, including a specific section on the correct way to tether a horse. Whilst it is not an offence to breach the Code, if proceedings are brought against someone for a welfare offence under the 2006 Act, it could be used as evidence in support of those proceedings.

In addition, the equine welfare sector promotes good welfare practice through their respective websites and via social media e.g. National Equine Welfare Council’s compendium: http://www.newc.co.uk/advice/ .

Yes we do. Reaching our Net Zero target is one of this government's top priorities. This will mean changes to the way land is managed to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. We will support the sector to make these changes through the schemes set out in our Agricultural Transition Plan, which was published in November using the powers in the Agriculture Act 2020.

Specifically, our new environmental land management schemes, the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery, will all help support farming and land management to contribute to Net Zero. The Agricultural Transition Plan set out examples of the types of actions that we envisage paying for under the schemes and the timetable for those schemes opening to applicants.

We are also offering new agreements and extensions to existing agreements under the legacy Countryside Stewardship scheme. This scheme continues to help farmers manage their land sustainably and contribute to Net Zero whilst we test and roll out our future environmental land management schemes.

Dredging is an important part of the Environment Agency’s (EA) annual river maintenance programme. The Environment Agency assesses each situation individually and will dredge when it is the right solution to reduce flood risk and provides long-term value for money.

The Environment Agency carried out a comprehensive series of trials in 2010 to review and update evidence on the benefits and effectiveness of dredging as one method for keeping rivers flowing freely. The trials showed that dredging can reduce flood risk, but its effectiveness and value-for-money varies significantly depending upon the location.

In many cases, dredging isn’t the best long-term solution because rivers can quickly silt-up again and other measures such as building walls or storage upstream may be more effective. It can even increase flood risk and erosion and alter the ecosystem and wildlife. Dredging is unlikely to be effective in isolation but it can be part of a solution involving multiple interventions.

The NAO report on Managing Flood Risk was published on Friday 27 November and follows on from a 2014 study on the same subject. Following the Public Accounts Committee hearing on this report, the Government will respond later this year in the usual way by publishing a Treasury Minute.

The report confirms that the Government’s current investment programme of £2.6 billion of capital investment which will conclude on 31 March 2021 is on track to deliver 300,000 homes better protected, to time and budget, which represents strong performance for a major infrastructure programme.

The Government has committed to invest a record £5.2 billion in a further six-year capital investment programme which will commence in April 2021. This investment will better protect 336,000 properties including 290,000 homes from flooding and coastal erosion by 2027. This will enable long-term planning. The Government also provided an additional £170 million in economic recovery funding to accelerate 22 shovel ready schemes that better protect businesses and jobs.

Given the significant increase in Government investment in the flood defences and the changes already made to our partnership funding rules, the new six-year flood defence programme will require less in wider partnership contributions compared to the current programme. We are confident that the scale of the remaining contributions can be found and this will help deliver more schemes and therefore better protect more properties.

Veterinary medicines manufacturers and suppliers have prepared for the end of the transition period by establishing appropriate stock levels and working with delivery partners so they are ready to meet the new customs and border requirements. Many veterinary medicines transit into the UK from manufacturing sites in the EU and do so via the short straits. This ferry crossing is vulnerable to disruption and as such pharmaceutical companies have been considering alternative logistics options. Veterinary medicines are classified as Category 1 goods and can access Government secured freight capacity. These contingencies provide assurance that there are ways to facilitate the ongoing flow of veterinary medicines into the UK.

In addition, veterinary surgeons will continue to be able to use the Special Import Scheme to apply for alternative medicines to be imported where there is no suitable UK authorised medicine available in the UK.

Defra has well-established mechanisms for dealing with supply issues as and when they arise and works closely with the veterinary pharmaceutical industry to detect potential problems at the earliest point.

On and after 1 January 2021, farmers and animal keepers will continue to have a duty of care to their animals, which includes ensuring that they have access to a sufficient quantity of quality feed and food to maintain animal health and welfare.

Publications and datasets for animal feed will continue to be published by the Agricultural and Horticulture Development Board so that farmers and animal keepers have the most up to date statistics and predictions to enable them to make informed decisions on obtaining feed for their animals.

We are committed to having in place a robust and effective regulatory regime which will mean businesses can continue to operate as normal and therefore there are no changes in terms of imports of animal feed to the UK. The majority of feed imported into the UK will not be subject to import checks and this will continue to be the case at the end of the Transition Period. The UK will retain EU legislation that is applicable at the end of the Transition Period to ensure animal feed is safe and our high standards of food and feed safety and consumer protection will be maintained.

In the UK we maintain high standards on the information that is provided to consumers, including on food labels, through our legislation on the provision of food information to consumers. The fundamental principles of our food labelling rules are that information provided to the consumer must not mislead, must enable consumers to make informed decisions and must enable the safe use of food.

The rules lay out what information must be given to consumers and how it must be provided, including that all ingredients present in food must be indicated in the food's list of ingredients. This means that, other than in very limited circumstances such as unprocessed cheese, the presence of salt as an ingredient in a food must be indicated on a foods list of ingredients. It is also required that the amount of salt in a food is declared in the mandatory nutrition declaration.

In addition to these mandatory requirements indication of salt content is also given on the voluntary front of pack nutritional information panel where one is provided.

After the Transition Period we will also have an opportunity to review food labelling so that consumers have the information they need to have full confidence in the food they buy.

The consultation on reducing ammonia emissions from solid urea fertilisers was published on the GOV.UK website on 3 November 2020 and runs until 26 January 2021.

Defra issued a press release announcing the consultation launch to national, trade and regional media and covered the news on the Defra in the Media blog. The news was covered in key farming trade journals in early November - Farmers Guardian and Farmers Weekly. I was also interviewed on Farming Today on 23 November to further encourage participation in the consultation.

We also posted an explainer video across Defra's Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Our content to launch the consultation gained a total of 80,200 impressions, 24,500 video views, and 2,400 engagements, which included 350 clicks to the consultation webpage.

Further communications activity is planned for January ahead of the consultation closing to remind would-be respondents the deadline is approaching. Finally, we will be holding a series of stakeholder workshops over December and January to ensure we get responses to our consultation on urea fertilisers from those that might be affected most. This will include a separate workshop with farmers, agronomists and other users of solid urea fertilisers planned for later this month.

The Government will be issuing a public consultation on compulsory cat microchipping shortly.

It is a requirement of the Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015 to report adverse reactions to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). Adverse reactions include microchip migration and any negative health reaction the veterinarian considers to be adverse. Adverse reactions to dog microchipping are relatively rare. In 2019, it was reported that out of around 540,000 dogs microchipped that year, around 0.07% of dogs experienced adverse reactions, of which approximately 98% were due to microchip migration and failure of the microchip.

The Environment Agency (EA) prioritises maintenance, improvement or construction work on main rivers that pose the greatest flood risk for people, homes and businesses. The EA maintains 36,000 km of main rivers in England for flood risk management purposes.

The EA uses its own assessments and modelling to identify required maintenance and publishes this in a programme each year. The published 5 year maintenance programme shows what work is intended to maintain, repair or refurbish assets, which includes work on main rivers. This is available through a postcode search on gov.uk at https://environment.data.gov.uk/asset-management/index.html. The maintenance requirement varies each year often as a result of weather conditions.

Maintenance activities on main rivers to manage flood risk appropriately includes clearing overgrown vegetation, dredging, controlling populations of rabbits on embankments, maintaining pumps, repointing brick walls and repairs to culverts. The EA’s annual river maintenance programme is timetabled using information from inspections, maintenance standards, levels of flood risk and from legal and statutory obligations.

Between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2020, the EA invested over £180 million on maintenance for flood and coastal risk management to ensure communities continue to be protected.

The Mandatory Use of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) in Slaughterhouses (England) Regulations 2018 came into force on 4 May 2018. In order to allow slaughterhouses in England time to install a suitable CCTV system a six-month transition period was included so that enforcement powers came into force in November 2018. Guidance and support on implementation was provided to slaughterhouse operators during the transition period.

CCTV compliance is monitored and enforced in all approved slaughterhouses in England by Official Veterinarians of the Food Standards Agency. They also ensure that all animal welfare requirements are met and CCTV complements this.

In many areas we have seen significant improvements in air quality as a result of the reduction in traffic caused by the Covid-19 outbreak, allowing people to breathe cleaner air than they have done in years. However, traffic levels are increasing in many areas. As my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has said, we do not believe that the temporary drops in traffic levels should be used as a reason for not progressing actions to clean up our air. For this reason, we remain fully committed to working with local authorities on the introduction of Clean Air Zones in those areas where they have been identified as necessary.

While we accepted delays to the implementation of Clean Air Zones following the initial outbreak of Covid-19, we are now working with local authorities to introduce them as soon as possible where evidence shows they are still required.

Local authorities can continue to access support from the Clean Air Fund to help businesses impacted by Clean Air Zones, which forms part of the £880 million funding to deliver nitrogen dioxide reductions.

Such labelling is already required under Annex VI (1) of the Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the provision of food information to consumers.

The annex requires that in all cases where omission of such information could mislead the purchaser, the name of a food shall include, or be accompanied by, particulars as to the physical condition of the food or the specific treatment which it has undergone.

This requirement will continue to apply when the Transition Period ends, at which point the Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 will be retained in UK law.

The Government's ambition is to raise our already high animal welfare standards still further, as new research and evidence emerges and we are currently reviewing priorities for farm animal welfare reform.

The welfare of ducks is currently provided for in the general provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007. Defra also has a statutory duck welfare code which encourages high standards of husbandry for the keeping and breeding of farmed ducks, including requirements for suitable housing, stocking rates and the provision of feed and water.

In addition to legislation, the main farm assurance schemes have standards in place which their members must also comply with, which set requirements to ensure the health and welfare of commercially produced ducks.

Defra does not provide any direct support to local authorities specifically in regard to giant hogweed. Local authorities have a suite of powers at their disposal to deal with landowners that allow giant hogweed to become a problem and spread outside of their land. Defra is happy to provide advice to local authorities as and when it is needed.

The Reducing and Preventing Invasive Alien Species Dispersal (RAPID) LIFE Project, co-funded by the EU, has received a six-month extension due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We anticipate the end of project report to be completed in the coming months. This report will include an assessment of the efficacy of the project. In addition to this an assessment of the socio-economic impact of the project and contribution to ecosystem function will be produced.

The project is on track to meet four of its five goals, which include helping the invasive non-native species management of local action groups (LAGs) become more coordinated both regionally and nationally. Uptake and engagement has had varying success, often depending on geography and density of LAGs. This will be covered in both reports.

Plastic pollution is one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world today. The UK is a world leader in tackling plastic pollution, including microplastics.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been monitoring the scientific literature concerning the occurrence and effects of microplastics in food. On the basis of current evidence, the FSA considers it is unlikely that the presence of microplastics particles that have been reported to occur in certain types of food, especially seafood, would cause harm to consumers.

The FSA will continue to monitor and assess emerging information concerning microplastics in food including further consideration of this issue by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) later this year.

Despite research findings that show the presence of low levels of microplastics in a few types of food or drink, microplastics analysis is very challenging and there are still no practical fully validated methods that would allow reliable routine analysis for microplastics in food and therefore to assess trends.

Our priority is preventing plastic from entering the environment in the first place. The Government’s landmark Resources and Waste Strategy sets out our plans to eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042.

Plastic pollution is one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world today. The UK is a world leader in tackling plastic pollution, including microplastics.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been monitoring the scientific literature concerning the occurrence and effects of microplastics in food. On the basis of current evidence, the FSA considers it is unlikely that the presence of microplastics particles that have been reported to occur in certain types of food, especially seafood, would cause harm to consumers.

The FSA will continue to monitor and assess emerging information concerning microplastics in food including further consideration of this issue by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) later this year.

Despite research findings that show the presence of low levels of microplastics in a few types of food or drink, microplastics analysis is very challenging and there are still no practical fully validated methods that would allow reliable routine analysis for microplastics in food and therefore to assess trends.

Our priority is preventing plastic from entering the environment in the first place. The Government’s landmark Resources and Waste Strategy sets out our plans to eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042.

Defra supports industry led growth in aquaculture. We are actively involved in developing the English Aquaculture Growth Strategy through the Aquaculture Leadership Group set up by Seafish under the Seafood 2040 strategic framework. The strategy, to be published this autumn, will include growth targets and a short to long-term delivery plan.

Recognising the adverse impact of Covid-19 on the aquaculture sector as export and domestic markets have fallen away, Defra has provided some £725,000 to 79 aquaculture businesses as part of the Fisheries Response Fund.

The Secretary of State has today announced that six general licences for the control of wild birds will be reissued on a temporary basis from 1 August to 31 December. New general licences will come into force on 1 January 2021.

Defra is committed to achieving a general licensing regime for wild birds which is both robust and workable for users, ensuring that longer-term licensing arrangements are informed by the best available evidence. The review of general licences launched in June 2019 by the then Secretary of State has made significant progress. However, additional time is needed to thoroughly analyse scientific and practitioner evidence for which species can be controlled under the licences for which purposes, and to fully develop a general licensing solution for protected sites.

No action is required by general licence users, beyond the ongoing requirement to act in accordance with the licence conditions. There is no application or renewal process involved.

Defra intends to publish new licences in November to allow user groups to become acquainted with the changes before they officially come into force on 1 January.

Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is an invasive non-native species with established populations in the UK. If the sap of giant hogweed comes into contact with human skin it causes blistering if exposed to sunlight. This toxic sap complicates eradication efforts.

Giant hogweed is listed in England and Wales, under the Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019 (the Order). As such, it must not be imported, kept, bred, transported, sold, used or exchanged, allowed to reproduce, grown, cultivated, or released into the environment. Under the Order, the Government has recently published a set of management measures for widespread listed species and advises the control and safe removal of giant hogweed, where possible.

Local Authorities may use Community Protection Notices made under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to tackle the impact to their communities of invasive non-native species including giant hogweed. The Home Office guidance on using community protection notices to tackle invasive non-native plants can be found at:

www.nonnativespecies.org//downloadDocument.cfm?id=1176.

Local Action Groups, with support from the Government, are actively involved in reducing and eradicating giant hogweed. They are supported by a project led by the Animal and Plant Health Agency which has published a good practice management guide for giant hogweed that provides health and safety advice relevant to the species. The guidance can be found by following the link below.

http://www.nonnativespecies.org/index.cfm?pageid=624

The UK is a leading global voice in ensuring appropriate management and protection is in place for vulnerable marine species globally. We recognise that bycatch in fisheries is one of the most significant threats to many marine species. The UK continues to press for the establishment of strong bycatch measures of vulnerable species within international Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs).

RFMOs that manage tuna fisheries have already adopted several conservation measures aimed at minimising the risk of dolphin and turtle bycatch. These measures include for example compulsory reporting of bycatch and safe handling practices, such as the disentangling and releasing of turtles, the use of line cutters and the use of dehooking devices for turtles. It is also prohibited within the Indian Ocean Tuna Convention (IOTC) waters to set a purse seine net around a cetacean if the animal is sighted prior to the setting of the net.

The UK will shortly become a member of RFMOs in its own right. This will provide us with an enhanced opportunity to press for stronger and more effective bycatch measures for vulnerable species to be adopted at an international level. We will work with stakeholders, international partners and international organisations to consider the effectiveness of measures in place and further measures we should support to provide for effective protection of these iconic species.

Red Tractor is an independent and voluntary UK-based whole-chain food assurance scheme overseen by Assured Food Standards. Such schemes can help to build consumer confidence in producers who can comply with specific health, welfare or environmental standards. Red Tractor regularly promotes its work and achievements through TV and radio campaigns, as well as a strong presence on social media.

While we encourage membership of food assurance schemes among farmers, the Government is not, however, responsible for Red Tractor or any other independent and private scheme.

As a nation, we should be proud of our high quality produce, high standards of food safety, traceability, animal welfare and sustainability. Our farmers and growers are doing a fantastic job of feeding the nation during this challenging time.

In addition, we are working closely with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), Dairy UK and Seafish as they develop consumer-facing marketing campaigns for the dairy, meat and seafood sectors. Specifically, AHDB and Dairy UK are launching a £1 million campaign, supported financially by Defra and devolved government partners, to encourage consumers to reconnect with milk. Defra and Seafish are working closely on the Sea For Yourself campaign, an initiative to promote seafood species caught in UK waters. The campaign directs consumers to tips and recipes on how to cook these species, as well as to information on online sales to help them find out where to buy local fish and shellfish.

Separately, Quality Meat Scotland, AHDB and Meat Promotion Wales have launched a £1.2 million ‘Make It beef’ campaign, aimed at showing consumers how they can recreate easy to cook restaurant-style meals with high-quality cuts, such as steak. The campaign will use the Red Tractor logo in England.

We will always champion our farmers and producers, supporting them to grow more of our great British food and to provide a reliable and sustainable food supply to the British public.

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 it is an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to an animal or to fail to provide for its welfare and this includes rabbits kept in all respects. The maximum penalty for these offences is six months’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. However, the Government recently announced its support for a Private Members’ Bill which seeks to increase the maximum custodial penalty from six months to five years for the offence of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

The keeping of commercially farmed rabbits is additionally provided for by the Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulations 2007, which contains general provisions under which all farmed animals must be kept and has a specific schedule for rabbits. Defra also has a statutory welfare code for rabbits which provides good husbandry advice and which keepers of rabbits are required by law to be familiar with and have access to. Failure to observe the provisions of a code may be used in support of a prosecution.

The welfare of ducks is provided for in welfare the general provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007. Defra has a duck code which encourages high standards of husbandry for the keeping and breeding of farmed ducks, including requirements for handling; suitable housing; stocking rates; and the provision of feed and water. The industry also has its own farm assurance schemes which represent the commercial duck farming industry and has specific requirements to ensure the welfare of farmed ducks, as well as protecting their health, hygiene and food safety.

Designation of protected landscapes is a devolved matter. The three most recent Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) designated in England are: Tamar Valley AONB in August 1995 (Cornwall and Devon), Nidderdale AONB in February 1994 (North Yorkshire) and Blackdown Hills AONB in June 1991 (Devon and Somerset). In addition, there have been variations to the boundaries of Dedham Vale AONB (Nayland-with-Wissington) in September 1991, Cotswolds AONB in December 1990; and Chilterns AONB in March 1990.

As part of the 25 Year Environment Plan, the Government commissioned a Review of Designated Landscapes, led by Julian Glover – the final report was published in September 2019. The Government welcomes the review and is carefully considering its proposals, including those concerning new designations.

The Environment Agency (EA) takes the lead role in managing flood risk in England under the Flood & Water Management Act (2010). They work with partners to reduce flood risk for people, property and the environment. Local authorities and internal drainage boards manage the smaller watercourses, and the EA manages the larger rivers.

The EA’s 2011 National flood and coastal erosion risk management strategy for England set the direction for all risk management authorities. The EA will be finalising their new national strategy for managing flood and coastal erosion risk during 2020. This new strategy will outline how partner organisations can work better together to create climate resilient places; growth and infrastructure resilient to tomorrow’s climate; and a nation of climate champions.

All risk management authorities and landowners have a role to play in planning for and responding to emergencies. The Civil Contingency Act (2004) sets out the roles and responsibilities of responders.

Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) come together to plan and prepare for localised incidents and catastrophic emergencies. They work to identify potential risks and produce emergency plans to either prevent or mitigate the impact of any incident on their local communities (including homeowners).

It is recommended that each LRF has a Multi-Agency Flood Plan (MAFP) outlining the roles and expectations of all organisations involved at a local level in preparation for, and during a flood. In 2018, a review was carried out of the effectiveness and consistency of MAFPs across the country and government’s response was published in 2019. To support that response, Defra has provided updated guidance for LRFs on what should be included within their MAFP.

The Government expects all airlines to manage the risks of COVID-19 transmission as far as possible and published guidance to provide safer services for passengers. The Safer Transport guidance for operators, which was developed with industry, is clear that robust social distancing, regular cleaning, and good hand and respiratory hygiene are the best ways of protecting against the transmission of coronavirus.

Where social distancing is not possible, airlines are advised to carry out a risk assessment and implement appropriate risk controls. For example, wearing a face covering can play a role in helping us to protect other passengers, which is why it is now mandatory to wear one on board aircraft.

It is also worth noting that passengers are seated facing forwards in the same direction on board aircraft, which avoids the increased transmission risk of being seated face to face.

In addition, air conditioning systems on modern aircraft filter cabin air every few minutes through High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters. These filters are very effective at capturing airborne microbes in the filtered air and, when coupled with the drawn in fresh air, can help to mitigate the longer-range risk of transmission.

Officials continue to engage with the aviation sector to ensure they are supported in implementing best practices.

The full report will be published shortly.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s performance measures and achievements against targets are published in its annual report and accounts along with relevant explanations. The latest report is online at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dvla-annual-reports-and-accounts

The 2019-20 version of the document contains the DVLA’s governance statement. This ensures DVLA is delivering transparency and accountability and providing the best value for money.

The DVLA carries out regular surveys to measure the level of customer satisfaction. The last report, which covers the period October 2020 to January 2021, showed that 93.05% of customers were satisfied with the service provided to them by the DVLA.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s performance measures and achievements against targets are published in its annual report and accounts along with relevant explanations. The latest report is online at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dvla-annual-reports-and-accounts

The 2019-20 version of the document contains the DVLA’s governance statement. This ensures DVLA is delivering transparency and accountability and providing the best value for money.

The DVLA carries out regular surveys to measure the level of customer satisfaction. The last report, which covers the period October 2020 to January 2021, showed that 93.05% of customers were satisfied with the service provided to them by the DVLA.

There are three changes to the regulations governing the display and use of vehicle number plates that will come into force in 2021.

Since 1 January 2021 it is no longer legal to display the European Union symbol on new number plates fitted to vehicles from that date. A GB sticker should be displayed on the rear of the vehicle when travelling abroad, but those vehicles which have both the letters “GB” and the Union Flag on their number plate do not need to display a separate GB sticker when travelling in the EU unless they are travelling to Spain, Malta or Cyprus.

Since 1 January 2021 it is also illegal to display an old style, pre-1973 black and silver number plate on vehicles recorded as historic i.e. vehicles that are 40 years old and over but were manufactured after 1 January 1980.

From 1 September 2021, it will also become mandatory for all new number plates fitted to vehicles to meet the revised technical standards contained in the British Standard for Retroreflective Number Plates (BS AU 145e). The new standard replaces BS AU 145d and introduces significant improvements to both the durability and readability of number plates.

The issue of the Vnuk judgement on motor insurance in the UK is an important one. We understand the implications on motor sports, motorists and other road users, and the concerns raised by the insurance industry. During the transition period, EU law continues to apply to the UK through the EU Withdrawal Act and options for after that period will be for Government to decide.

Today (3 December) the Government announced that it will be deploying a series of measures over the Christmas period to help people travel safely and minimise disruption as far as possible, including:

• clearing 778 miles of roadworks,
• ensuring over 95% of the rail network will be unaffected by engineering works,
• lengthening trains and adding extra rail services,
• and cutting ticket charges to help travellers with their journeys.

All transport operators have been asked to increase the clarity and regularity of communications with passengers/ users to help them plan their journeys, warn of any disruption and offer support.

We have also asked Sir Peter Hendy, Chair of Network Rail, to work alongside operators and officials to provide rigorous scrutiny of these plans.

We have submitted these plans to all colleagues in writing.

I am grateful to the entire transport sector, which has stepped up enormously throughout the course of this pandemic, and once again will rise to the challenge this Christmas

The Department of Transport received 1604 items of correspondence relating to DVLA from October 2019 to October 2020. It is not possible to provide specific figures on how many of these were complaints or other enquiries about individual constituents’ cases.

DVLA’s customer satisfaction figure for 2018/19 was 92.83%. The latest customer satisfaction figure for 2019/20 is 94.02%. Figures are not yet available for this financial year.

Exemptions to the self-isolation requirement are in place primarily to meet the UK’s international obligations, provide for continued security of supply into the UK and so as not to impede work supporting national security or critical infrastructure.

The full list of exemptions is available on gov.uk at the link below: full list here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-travellers-exempt-from-uk-border-rules/coronavirus-covid-19-travellers-exempt-from-uk-border-rules

The list of exemptions is kept under regular review.

These measures are subject to review every 28 days and supported by an Impact Summary, to ensure they are in line with the latest scientific evidence and remain effective and necessary.

On arrival Border Force conduct spot checks on passenger forms which include contact details, passport number and address while in the United Kingdom (UK).

Further compliance checks are carried out by Public Health England’s Isolation Assurance Service (IAS) who attempt to contact randomly sampled arriving passengers to ensure that they are self-isolating. IAS will only contact passengers with a quarantine address in England and Northern Ireland.

If IAS are not satisfied that the individual is self-isolating, their information will be passed to Border Force and the police for potential enforcement action.

Failure to self-isolate if required following international travel already attracts a £1,000 penalty. Anyone who commits a second offence will receive a penalty of £2,000. Further repeat offences will attract penalties of £4,000 and then £10,000 for each repeat offence.

The A15 north of Lincoln is the responsibility of local highway authorities – Lincolnshire County Council and North Lincolnshire Council. It is for those authorities to prioritise areas of their networks for improvements, and to seek funding, if required.

Government announced last month £4.5m towards the A15 (North) Asset Renewal project. This will resurface a section of the existing carriageway, reducing the need for disruptive road repairs and helping to support economic development within the Humber sub-region.

The Civil Aviation Authority are responsible for enforcing European Regulation 261/2004, and have been clear that airlines should not systematically deny consumers their right to a refund. On 1 July 2020 the Civil Aviation Authority provided an update on its website about its review into the refund policies of airlines during the coronavirus pandemic. They are reviewing the refund policies of all UK airlines, as well as a number of international airlines that operate flights to and from the UK. The review is considering how airlines are handling refunds for flight-only bookings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Local authorities need to decide on appropriate parking restrictions to manage a safe and controlled recovery from COVID-19. The British Parking Association, the Local Government Association and London Councils have published co-branded advice for local authorities, which is updated regularly to reflect the latest position in response to Covid-19. It includes recommendations that authorities prioritise parking restrictions at locations of heightened activity where a lack of controls would have a significant detrimental impact on safety and traffic management. The advice also recommends that local authorities consider taking a more flexible approach to their parking charging strategies where possible, within the bounds of statutory processes.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is working closely with the Department for Transport to prepare for a safe return to testing. It will announce details of resumption in due course. The DVSA is committed to resuming testing services for all candidates as soon as it is safe to do so and in line with Government advice.

The DVSA’s Chief Executive issued further guidance on resuming testing to approved driving instructors, motorcycle training schools, and vocational driving instructors on 15 June 2020. This guidance is published on GOV.UK and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-letter-from-dvsa-chief-executive-to-driver-and-rider-trainers-about-restarting-instruction-and-tests?utm_source=69d5d459-d250-4458-9252-9485392b0d13&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

Most farm machinery is diesel powered; our proposals to introduce E10 petrol are therefore expected to have a limited impact on farm operations. The main use of E10 would be in passenger cars, motorbikes and other petrol-powered equipment using fuel sold at filling stations. Any compatibility issues related to E10 are generally not associated with fuel filters or injectors specifically. Vehicles approved for use with E10 are not expected to experience any significant difference in performance when using the new grade.

However, as our recent consultation “Introducing E10 Petrol” set out, any vehicles and equipment not approved for E10 use are advised to continue to use E5 petrol. Vehicle manufacturers have published information on E10 compatibility and information for other equipment may be retrieved from the manual or require the owner to contact the manufacturer. Any introduction of E10 would be accompanied by legislation requiring the continued supply of E5 petrol for those that need it.

Approximately 146,000 heavy goods vehicles (HGV) have been exempt from testing since the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is working to put plans in place to manage test demand and resume HGV testing (heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicles (buses and coaches)) as soon as it is practical to allow safe vehicle testing. These plans are being developed jointly with the trade.

There are no plans to outsource heavy goods vehicle (HGV) testing.

Any future considerations made to the testing delivery model would need to provide assurance that testing is conducted free from the commercial pressures of vehicle maintenance and operation, and provide assurance that vehicle maintenance is done correctly.

It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that they manoeuvre their vehicle safely. Reversing cameras can assist by making it easier for them to see people and hazards around their vehicle, and work is underway internationally to improve direct and indirect vision for drivers. External audible alarms are complementary and are intended to warn people outside a vehicle that it is reversing. There are no plans to assess the phasing out of external audible alarms.

Increasing the share of bioethanol in petrol by blending up to 10 per cent, known as E10, could provide significant carbon savings, helping us meet our climate change commitments. One of the main barriers to introducing E10 has been vehicle compatibility. Currently, around 95% of petrol cars used in the UK can use E10, but around 700,000 are not warranted by their manufacturers to use E10. This number is expected to decrease as vehicles come to the end of their life. However, some classic and cherished vehicles that are not advised to use E10 will remain in use.

The prolonged use of E10 fuel in those older and classic vehicles not under manufacturer warranty can cause corrosion of some rubbers and alloys used in the engine and fuel systems. For those vehicles, the Department remains committed to ensuring that E5 is retained as a protection grade, if E10 is introduced.

We have always made it clear that we oppose any measure which imposes an unreasonable burden on motor sports, motorists and other vehicle users. This is exactly the sort of rule that the UK has the option to opt out of after the Transition Period and Ministers will shortly be making a decision on this issue.

Highways England Inspectors travel the network to carry out weekly safety inspections of the A1. They last inspected the section through Rutland on 25 February 2020 and some carriageway defects were identified.

Any safety critical defects identified are reported with the appropriate instruction to mitigate any immediate safety issues. Permanent repairs are then carried out within a timescale appropriate to the severity and impact of the defect, frequently within 28 days.

The A1 is being considered for future renewal schemes as Highways England develops its forward programme of works for the second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2) period, covering the years 2020 to 2025.

We expect RIS2 to be published before the start of the second Road Period on 1 April 2020. Highways England will then publish its Delivery Plan for the period in response to RIS2.

Passengers between major urban areas across the North will benefit from a comprehensive range of improvements with the introduction of higher-quality services on longer-distance routes which includes the route between Doncaster and Hull. The package of improvements which are still being rolled out, will include better trains, more comfort and reduced journey times on some routes.

Train services between Hull and Doncaster are also provided by Hull Trains which is an open-access operator and is in the process of introducing a new fleet of brand new trains.

The Spittlegate Scheme is being promoted by Lincolnshire County Council and delivered by a private developer under a Section 6 agreement. Highways England is supervising the works, but it is wholly funded and promoted by the County Council. The scheme involves the construction of a new grade separated junction on the A1, referred to as Spittlegate. The works on the A1 will form part of the Grantham Southern Relief Road.

The 50mph temporary speed limit is required for safety reasons, both for road users and the workforce during the construction of the works. Highways England worked closely with the Council to ensure that the works were planned in a way to minimise the impact on road users.

Further information on the status of the scheme, including its timeframe for delivery, can be found on the County Council’s website: https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/major-projects/grantham-southern-relief-road

The A1 south of Newark was last inspected for potholes on 14/01/2020 northbound and on 15/01/20 southbound.

Highways England currently has no plans to resurface the A1 south of Newark this year, however, the A1 will be considered for future schemes as Highways England develops its programme of works for the second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2).

In July 2019 work commenced to determine a vision for a core rapid charger network on England’s strategic road network. This will report in Spring 2020. Government and industry have supported the installation of over 17,000 devices providing over 24,000 publicly available chargepoints. This includes over 2,400 rapid chargepoints – one of the largest networks in Europe. We want all new public rapid chargepoints to offer ‘pay as you go’ card payments from spring 2020.

Highways England has committed £15m to ensure there are chargepoints rapid where possible every 20 miles on 95% of the Strategic Road Network by 2020.

Alongside the private sector, the Government plans to invest £1 billion in charging infrastructure – making sure that everyone is within 30 miles of a rapid charging station for electric vehicles.

The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations require vehicles first used on or after 1^st April 1986 to be fitted only with lamps and light sources that have been approved to established standards, which govern luminous flux, colour and dimensions. The regulations also require vehicle owners to replace light sources with like-for-like approved replacements and ensure that the lamps fitted to their vehicles do not cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other road users.

The Automotive Market Surveillance Unit (MSU), based in the Driver and Vehicles Standards Agency, is responsible for ensuring that vehicle products comply with legal standards and are sold for correct usage. If the MSU discovers evidence of non-compliance in a sector of the market, investigators will take action. This includes warning and potentially prosecuting any company involved in illegal activity.

The Estates Returns Information Collection is collected and published once per year. We also collect data on land which is surplus to clinical requirements, and this is published on a quarterly basis. As set out in the NHS Long Term Plan, we recognise that the National Health Service estate and services in rural areas can face significant challenges. The Long Term Plan confirmed that a standard model of delivery will be developed for use in smaller acute hospitals who serve rural populations.

We have updated our guidance on care home visiting, which came into effect on 17 May. The guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/arrangements-for-visiting-out-of-the-care-home/visits-out-of-care-homes

We will continue to keep the guidance under review, in line with clinical advice, including on the effect of vaccination.

Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are expected to commission fertility services in line with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidelines, to ensure equitable access across England. We are aware that some individual CCGs set additional non-clinical criteria. The Department has undertaken an internal review and is currently considering options to address these variations.

Commissioning social care is a matter for local authorities, who have a duty to make sure there is a range of high-quality services in their area to meet local needs.

As set out in the COVID-19 Mental Health Wellbeing and Recovery Plan published on 27 March 2021, there is an additional £31 million allocated in 2021/22 to improve support in the community for autistic adults and children and for people with a learning disability, with £3 million allocated for respite and short breaks aimed at helping families, including those of autistic children.

The Government recognises the importance of the National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) and its achievements so far in tackling serious and complex food crime. It has developed effective capabilities in intelligence and investigations but its capacity to operate with full autonomy and achieve a maximum return on investment would be enhanced with additional investigative powers. This would relieve the burden on other law enforcement partners who face other competing demands and is fully supported by the police and food industry. Ministers are in dialogue with the NFCU, industry and the police with a view to relieving police forces from some of the application of justice in this area.

The personal protective equipment recommended for use in the National Health Service, including face masks, is dependent upon the setting and procedure being undertaken. These recommendations are set out in the infection prevention and control guidance (IPC), which was updated on 21 January and is available on GOV.UK.

A peer review has been undertaken by an expert group of clinicians to assess the new variant strains. The evidence review has not identified a change in the mode of transmission between the variants and previous circulating strains of COVID-19. Accordingly, there are no changes to the recommendations set out in the IPC guidance at this time. Emerging evidence and data on variant strains will be continually monitored and reviewed, and the guidance amended accordingly if needed.

During the autumn and winter months everyone in the United Kingdom is advised to take a supplement of vitamin D every day to support general health and in particular for bone and muscle health.

A Public Health England marketing campaign ran throughout December 2020 to raise awareness of this advice. The campaign targeted those over 50 years old as well as black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups as two key vulnerable audiences. These groups were reached via advertising on social media and websites, as well as by messages delivered by healthcare professionals on popular BAME radio stations.

In addition, those on the clinically extremely vulnerable list and those in residential and nursing care homes in England have been offered free vitamin D supplements for the winter by the Government.

General practitioner (GP) practices will ensure that all vaccines are received, stored, prepared and subsequently transported, where appropriate, in accordance with the relevant manufacturer, Public Health England and NHS England’s instructions as well as with all associated Standard Operating Procedures.

Where vaccinations are administered away from a designated site, for example, at a care home, the GP practice will ensure that appropriate measures are taken to ensure the integrity of the cold chain, following any guidance issued by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation or Public Health England. Appropriate procedures will be in place to ensure stock rotation, monitoring of expiry dates and appropriate use of multi-dose vials to minimise wastage.

The level of provision of local health services available to patients, including fertility treatment, is, and has been since the 1990s, a matter for local healthcare commissioners. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have a statutory responsibility to commission healthcare services including fertility services that meet the needs of their whole population. Ministers currently have no power to direct individual CCGs in relation to their commissioning functions.

In respect of National Health Service fertility services, the Government have been consistently clear that we expect CCGs to commission fertility services in line with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines, so that there is equal access across England. We also expect CCGs to give fair consideration to all patients who have had fertility treatment delayed so that no one misses out on treatment due to COVID-19, in line with NHS England’s recent statement.

Consumer confidence is critical to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), and confidence in the authenticity of the food people buy or eat currently stands at 76%, verified through its bi-annual Public Attitudes Tracker.

The FSA has invested in a new change programme – Operational Transformation Programme – to effectively modernise its role as a regulator for the meat, wine and dairy industries. At the heart of this programme are seven core principles which underpin the ongoing development and implementation of change. One of these principles is focused on consumer confidence and trust in food safety, which will continue to ensure we can provide assurance on food safety and authenticity.

The total number of successful prosecutions for meat fraud that local authorities reported to the Food Standards Agency or Food Standards Scotland in each of the last five years is provided in the following table. In each case the prosecution was taken by a different local authority.

Data submitted to the UK Food Surveillance System does not provide a comprehensive picture of samples taken by local authorities and the reported results cannot be used to determine the extent of any specific issue across the United Kingdom. This is because some but not all local authorities report results using the system and sampling is used as part of a targeted approach rather than being conducted on a random and representative basis.

We expect the tobacco industry to comply with the requirements of The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR), and this includes the recent ban on the sale of menthol flavoured cigarettes. A breach of the regulations could result in enforcement action taken.

The Government has a commitment to review TRPR as part of its post-implementation review process by May 2021.

The NHS Shielded Patient List is reviewed daily against a national database of patient information known as the Personal Demographics Service which is updated by general practice, hospitals and information from the General Register Office. Patients who have sadly died are removed from the NHS Shielded Patient List at this point.

Sending a letter to the entire list will always carry the risk that some patients may have died before receiving a letter. This is because there are a few days’ delay between the list being generated, the letters being printed, and those letters arriving with patients. We apologise if this has caused distress to any family members.

Remdesivir has been available to National Health Service patients with COVID-19 as part of clinical trials and, most recently, through the Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS). EAMS aims to give patients with life-threatening or seriously debilitating conditions access to medicines that do not yet have a marketing authorisation where there is a clear unmet medical need. Eligible NHS patients will continue to benefit from treatment with remdesivir and the NHS has sufficient stock of remdesivir for patients who need it.

The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises Ministers and the National Health Service in the four UK countries about all aspects of population screening and supports implementation of screening programmes.

The UK NSC last reviewed the evidence for the introduction of an antenatal screening programme for Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV) infection in pregnancy in the UK in 2017 and concluded that the evidence did not support the introduction of screening. The UK NSC’s assessment is published and available at the following link:

https://legacyscreening.phe.org.uk/htlv

Nitrites and nitrates are naturally present in vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, and celery, with only around 5% of dietary exposure coming from food additive use. Nitrates are important preservatives that work against microorganisms that can spoil food and cause foodborne disease, in particular Clostridium Botulinum which causes botulism.

Based on scientific evaluation, legal maximum safe limits for nitrates have been set. These levels are monitored through risk-based compliance checks carried out by local authorities, and any non-compliant products are addressed through a range of interventions, including withdrawal.

The Food Standards Agency works closely with the meat industry to ensure that nitrites and nitrates are used at the lowest possible levels to achieve their technological function, without jeopardising product safety.

The Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Act 2019 introduces a new system of consent for organ and tissue donation in England, known as ‘opt-out' or ‘deemed consent’. The Government aims for the new consent arrangements to be introduced from spring 2020.

NHS Blood and Transplant launched a communication campaign on behalf of the Government in April 2019 to make the public fully aware of the new system of consent. Several platforms have been used since then to raise public awareness of the new system, more recently through TV and radio adverts, as well as public advertising with specific targeting of people with different backgrounds, faith and beliefs. NHS Blood and Transplant will continue to work with general practitioner (GP) practices, schools and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities to address barriers to organ donation.

Stringent rules apply to ensure food and feed safety in the United Kingdom. UK feed law implements European Union legislation to ensure feed is safe for animals, the environment and the public who consume animals and their by-products. Fish are regarded as food producing animals.

There are specific rules prohibiting certain materials from being used in animal feed and maximum levels for certain undesirable substances. Additionally, additives used in feed need to be authorised and used within maximum levels where specified. There are also rules on the hygiene, production and storage of animal feed. These are based on the best available scientific evidence and analysis.

The Government remains committed to ensuring that the high standards of food and feed safety and consumer protection we enjoy in this country are maintained.

The Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Act 2019 introduces a new system of consent for organ and tissue donation in England, known as ‘opt-out' or ‘deemed consent’. The Government aims for the new consent arrangements to be introduced from spring 2020.

NHS Blood and Transplant launched a communication campaign on behalf of the Government in April 2019 to make the public fully aware of the new system of consent. Several platforms have been used since then to raise public awareness of the new system, more recently through TV and radio adverts, as well as public advertising with specific targeting of people with different backgrounds, faith and beliefs. NHS Blood and Transplant will continue to work with general practitioner (GP) practices, schools and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities to address barriers to organ donation.

The management of speed awareness courses is an operational matter for individual police forces and course providers who decide on the format and content of courses. Course providers do provide clear joining instructions for each person attending an online course. If individuals have poor IT skills or IT access providers can work with them via their call centres, to assist course completion on a case by case basis. The police are working with providers to develop alternative delivery methods for special characteristic groups for example a booklet with follow-up consultation.

Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) have a significant role to play in high street regeneration and will be even more important in the recovery from the current crisis.

That is why Government has introduced up to £6.1 million in funding. The funding is intended to cover the equivalent of three months’ of core operational costs and is based on a fair percentage of a BID's levy income from each BID’s operating year ending in 2019/20.

My department undertook a light-touch information gathering exercise to collect information needed from local authorities to prepare and process the section 31 grants. Following this information gathering exercise, the first batch of grant payments to 70 local authorities were paid out early in the week commencing 2 June. Other batches will follow shortly.

All local authorities who have submitted information to us by the initial deadline of 15 May should receive funding this month. We will provide funding to others as soon as possible.

We have encouraged local authorities to be pragmatic in the collection of BID levies while acknowledging that they have a statutory obligation to issue the BID levy invoices. The BIDs support funding will enable authorities to take a more flexible approach to the collection of BID levies at this difficult time for many businesses.

This funding is in addition to passing legislation which enables BIDs to extend the maximum duration of their BID arrangements until 31 March 2021. This allows businesses to focus on recovery from economic shock before deciding whether to participate in BID arrangements for the following 5-year period, and allows BIDs to coordinate their places’ recovery

We?will continue to?work closely with the sector to look at how further we can support BIDs, and the businesses that contribute to them, during this time.

Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) have a significant role to play in high street regeneration and will be even more important in the recovery from the current crisis.

That is why Government has introduced up to £6.1 million in funding. The funding is intended to cover the equivalent of three months’ of core operational costs and is based on a fair percentage of a BID's levy income from each BID’s operating year ending in 2019/20.

My department undertook a light-touch information gathering exercise to collect information needed from local authorities to prepare and process the section 31 grants. Following this information gathering exercise, the first batch of grant payments to 70 local authorities were paid out early in the week commencing 2 June. Other batches will follow shortly.

All local authorities who have submitted information to us by the initial deadline of 15 May should receive funding this month. We will provide funding to others as soon as possible.

We have encouraged local authorities to be pragmatic in the collection of BID levies while acknowledging that they have a statutory obligation to issue the BID levy invoices. The BIDs support funding will enable authorities to take a more flexible approach to the collection of BID levies at this difficult time for many businesses.

This funding is in addition to passing legislation which enables BIDs to extend the maximum duration of their BID arrangements until 31 March 2021. This allows businesses to focus on recovery from economic shock before deciding whether to participate in BID arrangements for the following 5-year period, and allows BIDs to coordinate their places’ recovery

We?will continue to?work closely with the sector to look at how further we can support BIDs, and the businesses that contribute to them, during this time.

The Government intends to legislate to give freeholders on private and mixed tenure estates equivalent rights to leaseholders to challenge the reasonableness of estate rentcharges as well as the right to apply to the First-tier Tribunal to appoint a new manager for the provision of services covered by estate rentcharges. We will bring forward legislation as soon as Parliamentary time allows.