John McDonnell

The Shared Services Strategy for Government was published on 9 March 2021. The Strategy sets the framework for groups of departments to form Shared Service Centres to implement the Strategy. Part of Cabinet Office, Government Business Services is responsible for coordinating delivery of the Strategy.

The Strategy will deliver better, streamlined services and lower costs, to offer better value for money for the taxpayer. Each group of departments forming a Shared Service Centre will develop its own business case for implementing the strategy.

The final specification and all bidding documents for the Outsourced Contact Centre and Business Services (RM6181) framework agreement were published on the government’s Contracts Finder website in April 2021.

It is for Departments to determine their approach to consulting with Civil Service unions. Cabinet Office officials have had two constructive meetings with the National Trade Union Congress since publication of the Strategy, and welcome continuing dialogue.

The Shared Services Strategy for Government was published on 9 March 2021. The Strategy sets the framework for groups of departments to form Shared Service Centres to implement the Strategy. Part of Cabinet Office, Government Business Services is responsible for coordinating delivery of the Strategy.

The Strategy will deliver better, streamlined services and lower costs, to offer better value for money for the taxpayer. Each group of departments forming a Shared Service Centre will develop its own business case for implementing the strategy.

The final specification and all bidding documents for the Outsourced Contact Centre and Business Services (RM6181) framework agreement were published on the government’s Contracts Finder website in April 2021.

It is for Departments to determine their approach to consulting with Civil Service unions. Cabinet Office officials have had two constructive meetings with the National Trade Union Congress since publication of the Strategy, and welcome continuing dialogue.

The Shared Services Strategy for Government was published on 9 March 2021. The Strategy sets the framework for groups of departments to form Shared Service Centres to implement the Strategy. Part of Cabinet Office, Government Business Services is responsible for coordinating delivery of the Strategy.

The Strategy will deliver better, streamlined services and lower costs, to offer better value for money for the taxpayer. Each group of departments forming a Shared Service Centre will develop its own business case for implementing the strategy.

The final specification and all bidding documents for the Outsourced Contact Centre and Business Services (RM6181) framework agreement were published on the government’s Contracts Finder website in April 2021.

It is for Departments to determine their approach to consulting with Civil Service unions. Cabinet Office officials have had two constructive meetings with the National Trade Union Congress since publication of the Strategy, and welcome continuing dialogue.

The Shared Services Strategy for Government was published on 9 March 2021. The Strategy sets the framework for groups of departments to form Shared Service Centres to implement the Strategy. Part of Cabinet Office, Government Business Services is responsible for coordinating delivery of the Strategy.

The Strategy will deliver better, streamlined services and lower costs, to offer better value for money for the taxpayer. Each group of departments forming a Shared Service Centre will develop its own business case for implementing the strategy.

The final specification and all bidding documents for the Outsourced Contact Centre and Business Services (RM6181) framework agreement were published on the government’s Contracts Finder website in April 2021.

It is for Departments to determine their approach to consulting with Civil Service unions. Cabinet Office officials have had two constructive meetings with the National Trade Union Congress since publication of the Strategy, and welcome continuing dialogue.

The government will publish an update regarding the call for evidence in due course and will make further announcements in the usual way.

Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk.

The government will publish an update regarding the call for evidence in due course and will make further announcements in the usual way.

Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk.

As has been the case under successive administrations, ministers routinely review their departments to ensure they are delivering the Government’s agenda in the most effective and efficient way. Significant changes are communicated to the House in the usual way.

As the Government moves into the next phase of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the supplier relief provisions set out in PPN 02/20 may still be appropriate and contracting authorities have the final decision on whether they deem a supplier at risk and the form of any relief.

PPN 04/20 allows Contracting Authorities to continue paying in full for services if suppliers are deemed at risk.

Where appropriate, the Department works closely with contractors on health and safety matters, including reviewing health and safety practices, such as risk assessments, reviewing training information and protocols for staff working within the BEIS demise of buildings. The Department would work closely with enforcement agencies where relevant.

The CMA is unable to provide requested data for the Non-Senior Civil Service (‘non-SCS’) performance ratings for the 2019 - 2020 performance year for BAME staff over the age of 55 (a, i) and BAME staff under the age of 24 (a, ii) as the CMA does not disclose data for groups with fewer than 5 staff under a given protected characteristic (or combination of protected characteristics) for data protection and privacy reasons. The staff groups in the categories requested have small populations (7 and 12, respectively) which are further broken down to fewer than 5 when considered by each performance rating

The performance management outcomes for female staff for the 2019 - 2020 performance year are set out below. Male staff performance outcomes have been included for completeness. The table sets out the proportion of each performance rating that were awarded to staff of each gender

(b) Female staff

The CMA follows the guidance set out by Civil Service HR for the performance management of Senior Civil Servants (SCS).

It comprises individual performance planning and assessment together with personal development. The performance of job holders is assessed by taking account of both ‘what’ they have achieved, and ‘how’ they have achieved it. In the 2019 – 2020 performance year, the CMA had no SCS BAME staff over the age of 55, or under the age of 24. The data relating to the distribution of ratings for male and female members of the SCS is summarised below.

The BAME Performance Ratings Review was produced to allow a deeper analysis of the reasons and/or factors which could influence the distribution of performance ratings amongst BAME non-SCS staff. This work supports the CMA’s commitment to fully embed a diverse and inclusive culture within the CMA as detailed within the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2020 – 2024, and reinforces the work of the Race Action Plan 2020 – 2021. The Equality Reporting Principles set out the principles used for reporting performance rating distribution and CMA Staff Recognition Scheme outcomes for the purposes of the 2020 – 2021 non-SCS pay negotiation process. The CMA does not publish these documents externally as they were produced for internal purposes.

It is recognised that there are differences in SCS performance management outcomes for men and women. As detailed within the 2019 – 2020 Gender Pay Gap Report the CMA has already made progress in reducing its gender pay gap through a range of initiatives, and this continues to be an area of focus for the CMA.

The proportion of BAME and non-BAME staff that were eligible to receive a performance related pay bonus for performance in the 2019 - 2020 financial year is as follows.

It should be noted that staff in receipt of ‘Partially Exceeding’ and ‘Consistently Exceeding’ performance ratings were considered eligible to receive a performance related pay bonus.

¹ Not Reportable refers to staff that have not disclosed information for a given diversity characteristic.

The number of CMA staff that hold Senior Civil Servants positions (grade five or above) as at 19 February 2021 is as follows. This has been broken down by protected characteristic¹:

It should be noted that CMA staff of all contract types have been included in the tables listed above. This includes permanent staff, fixed-term contracts and those on loan from other government departments.

¹ The CMA does not currently report on gender reassignment or pregnancy and maternity protected characteristics, as defined under the Equality Act (2020), due to the small number of staff.

² Not Reportable refers to staff that have not disclosed information for a given diversity characteristic.

³ For groups with less than 5 staff under a given protected characteristic, these groups have been combined with larger groups and / or recorded as ‘

The average (mean) value of performance related bonuses to non-SCS staff by protected characteristic¹ for the financial years 2015/16 to 2020/21 is as follows. It should be noted that payments made in a given financial year are attributable to performance in the previous financial year.

Since the 2018/19 financial year, the CMA has calculated performance related bonuses as a flat rate payment which is tiered based on grade. Prior to the 2018/19 financial year, payments were made as a fixed percentage of a qualifying staff member’s base salary. In both approaches, it is noted that some groups of protected characteristics (e.g. younger staff between 25 - 34) received lower average performance related bonuses as they historically have primarily occupied more junior grades with lower base salaries.

¹ The CMA does not currently report on gender reassignment or pregnancy and maternity protected characteristics, as defined under the Equality Act (2020), due to the small number of staff

² Not Reportable refers to staff that have not disclosed information for a given diversity characteristic.

The proportion of BAME and non-BAME staff in receipt of ‘Partially Achieving’ or ‘Needs to Improve’ ratings for the performance year 2019 – 2020 is as follows:

It should be noted that only a small number of ‘Partially Achieving’ (52) and ‘Needs to Improve’ (4) were issued across 736 overall ratings. In addition, the ‘Prefer not to say’ cohort for ethnicity is only comprised of 16 staff

¹ Not Reportable refers to staff that have not disclosed information for a given diversity characteristic.

The number of staff by protected characteristic¹ and part-time working that will receive a performance related payment for performance in the 2019 - 2020 financial year is as follows:

(a) Ethnicity

(b) Age

(c) Gender

(d) Part-time working

(e) Other protected characteristics

¹ The CMA does not currently report on gender reassignment or pregnancy and maternity protected characteristics, as defined under the Equality Act (2020), due to the small number of staff.

² Not Reportable refers to staff that have not disclosed information for a given diversity characteristic.

³ For groups with less than 5 staff under a given protected characteristic, these groups have been combined with larger groups and / or recorded as ‘

There is no Government plan to reduce workers’ rights.

In our manifesto the government promised to maintain existing levels of protections for workers provided by our laws and regulations as we left the EU. In any case, our high standards were never dependent on our membership of the EU. The UK has one of the best employment rights records in the world and it is well known that in many areas the UK goes further than the EU on worker protections.

We have also committed to enhancing workers’ rights now that we have left the EU. We have already set out plans to bring forward legislation which will make workplaces fairer, provide better support for working families and new protections for those in low-paid work.

Our manifesto contains commitments to create a new, single enforcement body for labour market abuses, to give greater protections for workers, as well as plans to encourage greater flexible working.

There is no Government plan to reduce workers’ rights.

In our manifesto the government promised to maintain existing levels of protections for workers provided by our laws and regulations as we left the EU. In any case, our high standards were never dependent on our membership of the EU. The UK has one of the best employment rights records in the world and it is well known that in many areas the UK goes further than the EU on worker protections.

We have also committed to enhancing workers’ rights now that we have left the EU. We have already set out plans to bring forward legislation which will make workplaces fairer, provide better support for working families and new protections for those in low-paid work.

Our manifesto contains commitments to create a new, single enforcement body for labour market abuses, to give greater protections for workers, as well as plans to encourage greater flexible working.

We recognise that the death of a close family member, friend, or colleague can be deeply upsetting. The Government believes that individuals are best placed to understand their own specific needs and we encourage their employers to respond in an appropriate and sensitive way.

Recognising that the death of a child is particularly tragic, in April 2020 we introduced a new statutory entitlement to Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay for parents who lose a child under the age of 18. Although there is no statutory entitlement to bereavement leave for employees who lose a close relative who is not a child, all employees have a ‘day 1’ right to take unpaid time off work for an emergency involving a dependant.

The UK’s climate change framework enables the Government to determine how best to balance emissions reductions across the economy. Any net emissions increase or decrease from infrastructure projects is managed within the Government’s overall strategy for meeting carbon budgets and the 2050 net zero target.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s ambitious Ten Point Plan will ensure that our recovery from coronavirus will be green, generate jobs, and bolster the economy, whilst continuing to drive down emissions both now and in the future. Covering clean energy, transport, nature, and innovative technologies, this plan will enable the UK to forge ahead on delivering its net zero target – and to build back better.

In the coming year, the Government will set out further plans for reducing emissions across the economy and delivering net zero. As part of this, the Government is committed to building a Britain with world class infrastructure. Spring Budget 2020 set out that the public sector will invest £640 billion over five years in our future prosperity. The Government will publish a National Infrastructure Strategy in due course, setting out further details on its long-term ambitions.

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

The Summer Economic Update announced £50m to demonstrate innovative approaches to retrofitting social housing at scale, accelerating the delivery of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund envisaged by the manifesto. This will mean warmer and more energy efficient homes and could reduce annual energy bills by hundreds of pounds for some of the poorest households in society, as well as lowering carbon emissions.

Further details on the Social Housing Demonstrator, including eligibility, will be announced in in due course before the full launch in the Autumn.

In his Summer Economic Update, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a £2bn Green Home Grant scheme that will support homeowners and landlords in England to improve the energy efficiency of their properties, reducing energy bills and carbon emissions, and supporting a green economic recovery.

The funding will be spent on paying for accredited tradespeople to install a range of measures, for example insulation, to improve the energy performance of their homes.

Further detail on eligibility will be announced in due course, before the full launch of the scheme. Low income households will receive a higher rate of subsidy of up to 100% of the cost of measures.

In his Summer Economic Update, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a £2bn Green Home Grant scheme that will support homeowners and landlords in England to improve the energy efficiency of their properties, reducing energy bills and carbon emissions, and supporting a green economic recovery.

The funding will be spent on paying for accredited tradespeople to install a range of measures, for example insulation, to improve the energy performance of their homes.

Further detail on eligibility will be announced in due course, before the full launch of the scheme.

The British Business Bank (BBB) operates the BBLS via its group of accredited delivery partners.

In order to become an accredited delivery partner, lenders must provide a detailed submission, providing information on the applicant’s organisation and its intended use of the BBLS. The BBB then conducts due diligence, assessing the applicant’s business, governance, risk management and compliance frameworks.

Before being able to commence lending via the Scheme, a Lender will then be required to complete a number of preparatory steps. Firstly, the BBLS Guarantee Agreement must be signed by the Lender. This is a standard agreement, with limited scope to negotiate changes. The BBB will then provide the Lender with training on use of the BBB Reporting System, as well as general training and communications materials on how the Scheme works.

Accredited lenders must provide records of all eligible transactions on the BBB Reporting System in a timely and accurate manner in accordance with the guidance issued. The BBB Reporting System records details, the amount and terms of the lending, any extension of the terms of the lending, borrower default and claims against the guarantee of all BBLS-supported facilities. Lenders are also subject to periodic audits, whereby samples of transactions will be analysed during the audit to check that Scheme eligibility rules and processes have been followed.

This reporting, alongside other information on the performance of the Scheme and accredited lenders is fed into various governance fora including BBB, BEIS and HMT officials, as well as regular briefings to BEIS and HMT Ministers. Statistics showing the take up of the BBLS are published weekly by HM Treasury.

The British Business Bank (BBB) operates the BBLS via its group of accredited delivery partners.

In order to become an accredited delivery partner, lenders must provide a detailed submission, providing information on the applicant’s organisation and its intended use of the BBLS. The BBB then conducts due diligence, assessing the applicant’s business, governance, risk management and compliance frameworks.

Before being able to commence lending via the Scheme, a Lender will then be required to complete a number of preparatory steps. Firstly, the BBLS Guarantee Agreement must be signed by the Lender. This is a standard agreement, with limited scope to negotiate changes. The BBB will then provide the Lender with training on use of the BBB Reporting System, as well as general training and communications materials on how the Scheme works.

Accredited lenders must provide records of all eligible transactions on the BBB Reporting System in a timely and accurate manner in accordance with the guidance issued. The BBB Reporting System records details, the amount and terms of the lending, any extension of the terms of the lending, borrower default and claims against the guarantee of all BBLS-supported facilities. Lenders are also subject to periodic audits, whereby samples of transactions will be analysed during the audit to check that Scheme eligibility rules and processes have been followed.

This reporting, alongside other information on the performance of the Scheme and accredited lenders is fed into various governance fora including BBB, BEIS and HMT officials, as well as regular briefings to BEIS and HMT Ministers. Statistics showing the take up of the BBLS are published weekly by HM Treasury.

The British Business Bank (BBB) operates the BBLS via its group of accredited delivery partners.

In order to become an accredited delivery partner, lenders must provide a detailed submission, providing information on the applicant’s organisation and its intended use of the BBLS. The BBB then conducts due diligence, assessing the applicant’s business, governance, risk management and compliance frameworks.

Before being able to commence lending via the Scheme, a Lender will then be required to complete a number of preparatory steps. Firstly, the BBLS Guarantee Agreement must be signed by the Lender. This is a standard agreement, with limited scope to negotiate changes. The BBB will then provide the Lender with training on use of the BBB Reporting System, as well as general training and communications materials on how the Scheme works.

Accredited lenders must provide records of all eligible transactions on the BBB Reporting System in a timely and accurate manner in accordance with the guidance issued. The BBB Reporting System records details, the amount and terms of the lending, any extension of the terms of the lending, borrower default and claims against the guarantee of all BBLS-supported facilities. Lenders are also subject to periodic audits, whereby samples of transactions will be analysed during the audit to check that Scheme eligibility rules and processes have been followed.

This reporting, alongside other information on the performance of the Scheme and accredited lenders is fed into various governance fora including BBB, BEIS and HMT officials, as well as regular briefings to BEIS and HMT Ministers. Statistics showing the take up of the BBLS are published weekly by HM Treasury.

At this time, we are unable to provide a breakdown of the turnover and number of employees at companies awarded loans under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS). We are working with HM Treasury and the British Business Bank to consider what further data can be made available in the future.

The Government takes the threat of fraud very seriously and a range of measures have been put in place to mitigate fraud and error risk for the loan schemes, including data and intelligence sharing arrangements, enabling us to work together and target known fraud threats.

At scheme design level, the rules of the scheme set out minimum standards in relation to fraud which highlight action lenders are expected to take to identify fraudulent applications. The British Business Bank’s (BBB) audit function enables BBB to sample portfolios of lending to assess regularity and take action if required.

For the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS), we continue to work extensively with BBB and the lenders to strengthen the anti-fraud systems in place. For obvious reasons, I cannot go into specific detail about measures either in place or in development. For the same reason, it is not possible to release the number of fraudulent applications or associated investigations.

The Government takes the threat of fraud very seriously and a range of measures have been put in place to mitigate fraud and error risk for the loan schemes, including data and intelligence sharing arrangements, enabling us to work together and target known fraud threats.

At scheme design level, the rules of the scheme set out minimum standards in relation to fraud which highlight action lenders are expected to take to identify fraudulent applications. The British Business Bank’s (BBB) audit function enables BBB to sample portfolios of lending to assess regularity and take action if required.

For the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS), we continue to work extensively with BBB and the lenders to strengthen the anti-fraud systems in place. For obvious reasons, I cannot go into specific detail about measures either in place or in development. For the same reason, it is not possible to release the number of fraudulent applications or associated investigations.

The Government takes the threat of fraud very seriously and a range of measures have been put in place to mitigate fraud and error risk for the loan schemes, including data and intelligence sharing arrangements, enabling us to work together and target known fraud threats.

At scheme design level, the rules of the scheme set out minimum standards in relation to fraud which highlight action lenders are expected to take to identify fraudulent applications. The British Business Bank’s (BBB) audit function enables BBB to sample portfolios of lending to assess regularity and take action if required.

For the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS), we continue to work extensively with BBB and the lenders to strengthen the anti-fraud systems in place. For obvious reasons, I cannot go into specific detail about measures either in place or in development. For the same reason, it is not possible to release the number of fraudulent applications or associated investigations.

The Government takes the threat of fraud very seriously and a range of measures have been put in place to mitigate fraud and error risk for the loan schemes, including data and intelligence sharing arrangements, enabling us to work together and target known fraud threats.

At scheme design level, the rules of the scheme set out minimum standards in relation to fraud which highlight action lenders are expected to take to identify fraudulent applications. The British Business Bank’s (BBB) audit function enables BBB to sample portfolios of lending to assess regularity and take action if required.

For the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS), we continue to work extensively with BBB and the lenders to strengthen the anti-fraud systems in place. For obvious reasons, I cannot go into specific detail about measures either in place or in development. For the same reason, it is not possible to release the number of fraudulent applications or associated investigations.

The Government takes the threat of fraud very seriously and a range of measures have been put in place to mitigate fraud and error risk for the loan schemes, including data and intelligence sharing arrangements, enabling us to work together and target known fraud threats.

At scheme design level, the rules of the scheme set out minimum standards in relation to fraud which highlight action lenders are expected to take to identify fraudulent applications. The British Business Bank’s (BBB) audit function enables BBB to sample portfolios of lending to assess regularity and take action if required.

For the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS), we continue to work extensively with BBB and the lenders to strengthen the anti-fraud systems in place. For obvious reasons, I cannot go into specific detail about measures either in place or in development. For the same reason, it is not possible to release the number of fraudulent applications or associated investigations.

As of 5 July, over 1 million loans have been issued under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS), with a total value of £31 billion.

We are currently unable to provide a breakdown on the number of companies in receipt of a Bounce Back Loan that have ceased trading and entered into administration.

A single business will not be eligible for multiple Bounce Back Loans; however, an individual who owns a number of separate businesses which do not fall under the same group, may apply for a Bounce Back Loan for each separate business entity. Business owners are required to self-certify that their business meets the eligibility criteria for the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS). Any individual that knowingly provides false information is at risk of criminal prosecution for fraud.

Applications from eligible borrowers will also be subject to customer fraud, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) checks.

The Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) has been introduced to help small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2000 and £50,000.

As of 5 July, 1,013,410 loans have been approved under the BBLS, with a total value of £30.93 billion. Banks are reporting that the average loan is around £30,000.

The Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) has been introduced to help small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2000 and £50,000.

As of 5 July, 1,013,410 loans have been approved under the BBLS, with a total value of £30.93 billion. Banks are reporting that the average loan is around £30,000.

The Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) has been introduced to help small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2000 and £50,000.

As of 5 July, 1,013,410 loans have been approved under the BBLS, with a total value of £30.93 billion. Banks are reporting that the average loan is around £30,000.

As of 5 July, 1,013,410 loans have been approved under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS), with a total value of £30.93 billion.

At this time, we are unable to provide a breakdown of lending or number of applications by region or sector. The BBLS has been designed to be accessible across the UK and lenders have been accredited across the UK’s nations and regions.

The Department will continue to provide contractual relief to suppliers where it is appropriate and in line with Procurement Policy Note 02/20** and 04/20*. We will continue to work constructively with each supplier on a case by case basis to determine the future of each contract, ensuring they are sustainable and achieving value for money.

We continue to review this process in line with the guidance issued in Procurement Policy Note 04/20*. Conversations with suppliers regarding the nature and extent of specific financial relief are ongoing. We consider company names and work areas to constitute commercially sensitive information which we cannot disclose.

*https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-policy-note-0420-recovery-and-transition-from-covid-19

**https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-policy-note-0220-supplier-relief-due-to-covid-19

The Department regularly reviews advice from Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), Public Health England, the Office for National Statistics and other sources to ensure our policies are guided by the most up to date scientific evidence. SAGE have committed to publishing minutes and papers following meetings on a regular basis and we will continue to work closely with them, keeping the guidance under review as we continue to monitor the situation over the winter. The Department will adjust and adapt our approach as necessary if more evidence becomes available.

The Department collects daily data on the open status of schools, the number of schools that have indicated they have sent children home due to COVID-19 containment, the number of pupils absent because they have suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, and the number of pupils asked to isolate due to contact with a potential case.

The data from this collection is published at a national level as part of the official statistics series. The publication can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

Public Health England also collects data on infection, incidence, and COVID-19 cases overall and publishes weekly data on COVID-19 incidents by institution, including educational settings. This can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/936672/Weekly_COVID-19_and_Influenza_Surveillance_Graphs_w47.pdf. It shows COVID-19 clusters or outbreaks by educational setting, including colleges and universities. Age-range data is also available from the Office for National Statistics here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveypilot/20november2020. This shows age-range positive test rates, including for academic school Year 12 to age 24.

The department intends to publish school workforce attendance data from the new year. This data will be included as part of the publication ‘Attendance in education and early years settings during the coronavirus (Covid 19) outbreak’.

The Department is continuing to review what we publish in our weekly dataset, alongside the quality of data we collect.

Keeping schools and colleges open is one of the Government’s highest priorities. Being at school is vital for the education of children, and for their wellbeing. Time spent out of school is detrimental to the cognitive and academic development of children, particularly for disadvantaged children. It continues to be the Department’s aim that all pupils, in all year groups, remain in school full-time.

Those who have COVID-19 symptoms, or have someone in their household who does, must not attend school. All staff and students who are attending a school or college have access to a test if they display symptoms of COVID-19 and are encouraged to get tested. Guidance on how schools should respond to COVID-19 cases is available through the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

Testing capacity is the highest it has ever been. The UK’s daily COVID-19 testing capacity passed the 500,000 mark on 31 October and continues to expand. In order to support schools further, the Department is also supplying COVID-19 test kits directly to them for both staff and students who develop the symptoms of COVID-19 and face significant barriers to accessing a test through existing routes.

Schools are playing a vital role in supporting the test and trace system. Where someone who has attended tests positive for COVID-19, schools are taking swift action to send home close contacts of the positive case, advising them to self-isolate for 14 days since they were last in close contact with that person when they were infectious. There is a dedicated advice line to help schools, colleges or early years settings to implement the most appropriate public health measures once a case is confirmed. If, following triage, further expert advice is required, the adviser will escalate the school’s call to the Public Health England local health protection team.

The Government is committed to introducing mass asymptomatic testing using new technologies to minimise the risk of infection spread in our communities, and pilots are already underway for using them in schools and colleges. Establishing this testing capability will enable students to continue their studies safely, and ensure staff are able to continue to deliver education and support.

COVID-19 related Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) use is very limited for staff in education, childcare and children’s social care settings, and relates only to:

• when caring for a child or individual who develops symptoms while attending their setting (and only then if a distance of two metres cannot be maintained),
• when a child or individual already has routine intimate care needs that involve the use of PPE, for example when undertaking aerosol generating procedures.

Further guidance on the use of PPE in education and childcare settings is available through the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care/safe-working-in-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings-including-the-use-of-personal-protective-equipment-ppe.

We continue to give schools and others in the education and childcare sectors information about our guidance, and any changes to it, through regular Departmental communications.

As part of over £195 million invested to support remote education and access to online social care, over half a million laptops and tablets are being made available this year to support disadvantaged children in Years 3 to 11 whose face-to-face education may be disrupted.

Since September 2020, over 100,000 of these devices have already been delivered to schools. This supplements over 220,000 laptops and tablets and over 50,000 4G wireless routers, which have already been delivered during the summer term.

The Department is also working with mobile network operators to provide temporary access to free additional data, offering families flexibility to access the resources that they need the most. As part of a pilot, disadvantaged families have been able to access a free mobile data uplift for this term.

The Department is now working with mobile operators to provide a national service until the end of the 2020-21 academic year. We will continue to invite a range of mobile providers to support the offer.

These laptops and tablets are the property of the trust, local authority or school, and so will benefit children’s education long after we come out of the measures required to combat the COVID-19 outbreak.

More information on deliveries in this term can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/929064/Ad-hoc_stats_note_shipped_data_231020_FINAL.pdf.

From the week commencing 1 June, at the earliest, we will be asking primary schools to welcome back children in nursery, reception, year 1 and year 6, alongside priority groups (vulnerable children and children of critical workers). We will only do this provided that the five key tests set by government justify the changes at the time.

By returning pupils gradually, settings can initially reduce the number of children and young people in classrooms compared to usual and put protective measures in place to reduce risks.

Eligible children – including priority groups - are strongly encouraged to attend their education setting, unless they are self-isolating or they are clinically vulnerable. Parents will not be fined for non-attendance at this time and schools will not be held to account for attendance levels.

Further guidance for parents and carers can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers.

These are matters for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have asked its Chief Regulator, Sally Collier, to write the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced on 27th April a life assurance scheme where families of eligible NHS and care workers, who die from coronavirus in the course of their frontline work, will receive a £60,000 payment.

Payments in respect of transport workers who die from Covid-19, or for any other reason, vary depending on the terms of death in service benefits of each person, with specific arrangements varying across modes and employers. For example, many members of the Railways Pension Scheme may have a death in service benefit of four times their final average pay.

Support provided in respect of key workers on the frontline will continue to be reviewed across government.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced on 27th April a life assurance scheme where families of eligible NHS and care workers, who die from coronavirus in the course of their frontline work, will receive a £60,000 payment.

Payments in respect of transport workers who die from Covid-19, or for any other reason, vary depending on the terms of death in service benefits of each person, with specific arrangements varying across modes and employers. For example, many members of the Railways Pension Scheme may have a death in service benefit of four times their final average pay.

Support provided in respect of key workers on the frontline will continue to be reviewed across government.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced on 27th April a life assurance scheme where families of eligible NHS and care workers, who die from coronavirus in the course of their frontline work, will receive a £60,000 payment.

Payments in respect of transport workers who die from Covid-19, or for any other reason, vary depending on the terms of death in service benefits of each person, with specific arrangements varying across modes and employers. For example, many members of the Railways Pension Scheme may have a death in service benefit of four times their final average pay.

Support provided in respect of key workers on the frontline will continue to be reviewed across government.

Much of the detail of the agreement was outlined in the Written Ministerial Statement laid by the Secretary of State for Transport on Monday 18 May. As is usual with funding letters between the Mayor of London and the Secretary of State for Transport, the letter is not published on the Department for Transport website.

Government messaging is clear that public transport should only be used when necessary and that social distancing should be followed in stations and on trains. Transport for London, in conjunction with Network Rail where appropriate, have developed station plans and implemented them across the network to manage travel demand. The funding agreement reached with the Mayor of London includes increasing service levels as soon as possible to ensure people can follow social distancing guidelines while on the network, making sure those who have no alternative to public transport can travel safely. As part of the funding agreement reached with the Mayor of London, there will be a broad ranging government-led review of TfL's future financial position and future financial structure.

The Government has reached agreement with the Mayor of London on a package of support which will allow Transport for London (TfL) to continue to operate essential services during the COVID 19 outbreak. This funding agreement includes increasing service levels as soon as possible to ensure people can follow social distancing guidelines while on the network, making sure those who have no alternative to public transport can travel safely. As part of this agreement, there will be a broad ranging Government-led review of TfL's future financial position and future financial structure.

The Government has published transport guidance on the safe provision of transport services during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are separate guidance documents for transport providers and for passengers. Both guidance documents cover all modes. The guidance sets out Government recommendations on who should be traveling and under what circumstances, and how social distancing rules should be interpreted. It also includes information about cleaning practices. In addition, we have been in contact with industry bodies to support interpretation of the guidance for the taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) sector.

We are aware of the issues being faced by the taxi sector and are working with industry to understand the particular pressures they are facing. The Self-employment Income Support Scheme allows taxi and PHV drivers to claim a taxable grant worth 80% of their trading profits up to a maximum of £2,500 per month for the 3 months from April to June. This is a temporary scheme, but it may be extended.

We recognise that this will be very distressing news for British Airways employees and their families.

The aviation sector is essential to the UK economy, and we encourage firms to draw on the unprecedented package of measures we have made available to support them through this time. This includes schemes to raise capital, flexibilities with tax bills, and financial support for employees.

Sanctions statistics on those people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment Support Allowance (Work Related Activity Group), Income Support and Universal Credit are published quarterly and can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/jobseekers-allowance-sanctions

Additional breakdowns of the figures can be found at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

Guidance for users is available at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html

The statistics for May to July 2020 will be published in November 2020.

The Secretary of State will make no such assessment.

We have no plans to reverse changes to State Pension age. Changes to State Pension age were made over a series of Acts by successive governments from 1995 onwards, following public consultations and extensive debates in both Houses of Parliament.

Procurement Policy Notice 04/20 came in to force on the 1^st of July effectively replacing PPN 02/20 which provided for payment of suppliers to ensure service continuity during and after the current coronavirus, COVID-19, outbreak. Following publication of PPN 02/20 the commercial team acted immediately to review the Department’s supply chain and, on a case-by-case basis, identify suppliers at risk and agreed a number of payments under this PPN, to ensure suppliers identified as at risk would be in a position to resume normal contract delivery once the outbreak is over.

PPN 04/20 enables payments made under PPN 02/20 to continue until the 31^st of October 2020 as well as for new relief payments to be made where a new need to provide support to at risk suppliers is identified and enables the Department to make alternative relief arrangements such as easing of certain service levels. It also requires the Department to work transparently in partnership with suppliers to plan an eventual exit from these relief measures. As such, the commercial team continue to work with colleagues throughout the Department to monitor individual suppliers within our supply chain, understand the changing position of those suppliers in receipt of relief payments and identify any additional suppliers who may require support. Again, the assessment of relief is made on a case-by-case basis depending on the particular circumstances of each supplier impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Whenever a relief payment has been considered under PPN 02/20, or will be considered under PPN 04/20, this follows a rigorous approval process assessing the particular circumstances of the supplier, the market and the need, and is subject to both commercial and Departmental approval prior to any payment being made. This ensures that the merits of making or continuing the relief payments or easing of service levels are considered at all stages of the process

As we move in to the effective period of PPN 04/20 we do not anticipate the immediate cessation of any relief payments but the existing relief provided (as detailed below) will be monitored closely and we will proactively discuss and make appropriate arrangements with each of the suppliers in receipt of relief to move towards a sustainable position by the end of October 2020. This will involve an assessment of the new or continuing circumstances and challenges that the supplier might be facing, which may in fact be exacerbated by the resumption of some services, and the mutual agreement of appropriate relief measures as well as a plan to transition to steady state.

In cases where a return to a pre-COVID state might not be viable, discussions with the supplier will extend to agreeing appropriate contractual arrangements for a new, sustainable position.

The tables below provide the generalist pay ranges, which cover the vast majority of DWP employees.

DWP Generalist pay scales

As at December 2019, there were 1,433 hospitals in England. In March 2020, the most recent data available showed that there were 1,433 hospitals.

NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) workforce statistics. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups, but not staff working in social care, primary care, local authorities or private sector providers commissioned by the National Health Service.

The following table shows the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) nurses by Agenda for Change grade in the NHS in England in December 2019 and January 2021, the latest data available.

Source: NHS Digital, NHS HCHS workforce statistics.

Staffing changes will be impacted by the cyclical nature of annual recruitment and training cycles.

001 Doctor is not listed as a provider of quarantine testing.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before prorogation.

As set out in the 2020 Spending Review, the Government is committed to the reform of the adult social care system and will bring forward proposals later this year, the form of which is to be confirmed.

We offered a first vaccine to everyone in the first four priority groups, including domiciliary care staff by 15 February. We are working with NHS England to publish data on the vaccination of domiciliary care staff shortly.

We offered the first dose of vaccine to everyone in the first four priority groups, including all staff in care homes for older adults by 15 February. Everyone will receive the second dose within 12 weeks of their first. The second dose completes the course and is important for longer term protection.

NHS England now publish weekly data on the vaccination of staff in older adult care homes, which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-vaccinations/

No specific assessment has been made of increasing awareness of chronic fatigue syndrome.

On 15 November 2020, the National Health Service launched a new taskforce with patients, charities, researchers and clinicians to help manage the NHS approach to ‘long COVID’. The taskforce will produce information and support materials for patients and healthcare professionals to develop a wider understanding of the condition. The full announcement is available via the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2020/11/nhs-launches-40-long-covid-clinics-to-tackle-persistent-symptoms/

We have not made a formal assessment. We continue to explore ways of improving the quality and timeliness of suicide data to allow both national and local partners to continue to monitor rates, identify trends and develop effective prevention plans.

We know that there are certain groups that may be exposed to more risk factors for suicide, and we expect local agencies to work together to ensure that their plans are tailored to meet the needs of these groups. These groups include people from minority ethnic groups, such as Romany Gypsies or Irish Travellers.

Guidance has been issued to the NHS on the process of starting to restore urgent non-COVID-19 services, as well as encouraging the public to access the care they need when they need it. The most urgent treatments should be brought back first, and this will be driven by local demands with infection prevention and control as a guiding principle. The approach is being locally tailored according to capacity and demand in different parts of the country, but the reset will be gradual. The guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/07/Phase-3-letter-July-31-2020.pdf

Guidance has been issued to National Health Service providers and commissioning trusts on resetting non-COVID-19 services, including elective surgery. Decisions on how this is done, including apportionment of the workforce, will be taken at local level, based on local demand and local capacity. Infection control will be a guiding principle in the safe resumption of services.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, qualified staff who have previously left the NHS have been encouraged to return to the NHS to increase the available workforce. Additionally, an unprecedented deal with the independent sector will support the NHS in delivering elective surgery whilst maintaining capacity to deal with a potential second surge in COVID-19 cases.

The flu vaccination programme will be a critical part of preparing the United Kingdom for winter and as part of our planning should we see co-circulation of flu and COVID-19.

On 14 May we published the Annual Flu letter 2020/21 which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/national-flu-immunisation-programme-2020-2021.pdf

This indicated the main groups who are eligible for free flu vaccination. Further details will be published on our plans for the flu season soon.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Luton South (Rachel Hopkins MP) on 14 July 2020 to Question 68461.

The UK continues to follow closely the situations in northern Iraq and Syria. We reiterate the importance of dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to combat terrorism, ensure regional security and protect civilians. The UK respects Iraqi sovereignty and acknowledges Turkey's security concerns regarding the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), a proscribed terrorist group. We believe Turkey has a legitimate right to defend itself against the PKK, whose attacks we condemn as we condemn all terrorism. In Turkey, we continue to urge an end to PKK violence and a return to a peace process. As in any conflict, civilian casualties should be avoided and human rights fully protected. In Syria, we welcome the fact that the ceasefires in north-east and north-west Syria broadly continue to hold, and we continue to call on all sides in the Syrian conflict to abide by their obligations under international law.

The murder in July of seven members of the Dedeoğulları family was shocking and deeply saddening. I understand that there were several arrests in the days following the murders, and that police investigations are continuing. We also note claims in the Turkish media that the attack was racially motivated. We expect the Turkish authorities to conduct a rigorous investigation into the killings.

We assess that the ceasefire in north east Syria is broadly holding, but we are not complacent and will continue to call for all actors to meet their obligations under international law. We are aware of the recent reports of increased violence in the region and I called for de-escalation on the 1st September.

The UK continues to follow the situation in northern Iraq closely. The Foreign Secretary met Iraqi President Saleh, Prime Minister Kadhimi and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq's President Nechirvan to discuss the stability of Iraq and the KRI during his visit to Iraq on 8-9 June. We welcome discussions between Iraqi and Turkish Defence Ministers regarding Ankara's military operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a proscribed terrorist group, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. We continue to reiterate the importance of dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to combat terrorism, ensure regional security, and protect civilians.

We regularly discuss the challenges of managing Covid-19 in prisons with senior members of the Bahraini Government and continue to engage with the Government of Bahrain to support its reform agenda. 70% of prisoners are vaccinated and, since February, visits from vaccinated family members have been allowed in person.

We regularly discuss the challenges of managing Covid-19 in prisons with senior members of the Bahraini Government and continue to engage with the Government of Bahrain to support its reform agenda. 70% of prisoners are vaccinated and, since February, visits from vaccinated family members have been allowed in person.

We regularly discuss the challenge of managing the covid-19 pandemic in prisons with senior members of the Bahraini government. We also continue to discuss with the Ombudsman, the NIHR (National Institute for Human Rights) and the PDRC (Prisoners and Detainees Rights Commission), who actively monitor the covid-19 situation through inspection visits (NIHR and PDRC) and investigations (Ombudsman) into prison conditions.

A full equalities impact assessment (EIA) was conducted to fully understand the potential impacts on protected characteristics.

The FCDO is a new organisation which undertakes a diverse range of responsibilities. That remains the case despite the temporary ODA reduction and there will be no compulsory redundancies. We have begun the process of integrating the development and diplomatic functions of the FCDO and determining the mix of skills which will best meet its needs. We expect that process to deliver a more effective organisation better able to meet the UK's international ambitions. We maintain our status as one of the leading countries in the world in terms of our ODA spend and remain firmly committed to helping the world's poorest people.

The FCDO is a new organisation which undertakes a diverse range of responsibilities. That remains the case despite the temporary ODA reduction and there will be no compulsory redundancies. We have begun the process of integrating the development and diplomatic functions of the FCDO and determining the mix of skills which will best meet its needs. We expect that process to deliver a more effective organisation which will meet the reasonable career aspirations of its staff.

The most appropriate approach is the chosen one: reserving new recruitment into the FCDO to UK Nationals, while allowing flexibility for existing valued staff, who are non-UK nationals, to continue their careers within the FCDO. Many factors, including nationality, were considered in drawing up this approach.

This has been a uniquely challenging time for the British Council and its finances, and HMG have worked hard to provide additional financial support in a time of strain on public finances. The FCDO has provided an additional £26 million Grant in Aid in 2019-20 and a £60 million loan in June 2020, with further financial support to be provided in the New Year.

The UK will participate in the G20 Summit, which is likely to focus on health, the global economic recovery and wider global challenges (including climate change, trade and development). It is a key part of international planning for a sustainable recovery from coronavirus. As current G20 President, Saudi Arabia will play a vital role in coordinating the global health and economic response. We hope that the international platform provided by the G20 Presidency encourages continued progress on domestic reforms.

Our close relationship with Saudi Arabia allows us to raise our concerns about human rights, including on political detainees, in private and in public. We have expressed significant concerns about reports of continuing arrests and arbitrary detentions in Saudi Arabia. We raise concerns about individual cases regularly, using a range of Ministerial and diplomatic channels, including our Embassy in Riyadh. The UK signed a statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 15 September. It noted our human rights concerns in Saudi Arabia, regretted the continued detention of at least five women's human rights defenders, arrested in 2018, and called for the release of all political detainees. We continue to raise concerns at all levels and are monitoring the situation closely.

The UK will participate in the G20 Summit, which is likely to focus on health, the global economic recovery and wider global challenges (including climate change, trade and development). It is a key part of international planning for a sustainable recovery from coronavirus. As current G20 President, Saudi Arabia will play a vital role in coordinating the global health and economic response. We hope that the international platform provided by the G20 Presidency encourages continued progress on domestic reforms.

Our close relationship with Saudi Arabia allows us to raise our concerns about human rights, including on political detainees, in private and in public. We have expressed significant concerns about reports of continuing arrests and arbitrary detentions in Saudi Arabia. We raise concerns about individual cases regularly, using a range of Ministerial and diplomatic channels, including our Embassy in Riyadh. The UK signed a statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 15 September. It noted our human rights concerns in Saudi Arabia, regretted the continued detention of at least five women's human rights defenders, arrested in 2018, and called for the release of all political detainees. We continue to raise concerns at all levels and are monitoring the situation closely.

It is not appropriate to speculate on who may be designated under the Global Human Rights sanctions regime. We don't comment in relation to individuals who have not been sanctioned under the regime.

The UK Government's position on human rights is firm: they are universal and must apply equally to all people. We condemn all human rights violations or abuses in Nigeria and encourage all parties to work together to enable the people of Nigeria to exercise their rights safely, peacefully and in line with the rule of law. The UK Government works closely with the Nigerian Government and international and civil society partners on improving the human rights compliance and accountability of the Nigerian authorities. We are also committed to helping Nigeria tackle the terrorist threat from groups, including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa, who commit human rights abuses in North East Nigeria. We will continue to make clear to the Nigerian authorities at the highest levels the importance of protecting human rights for all.

The education of over 1.3 billion children in over 150 countries has been disrupted since COVID-19 struck, including many across Sub-Saharan Africa. It is estimated that 10 million children may never return to school, and past evidence suggests the majority will be girls.

The effects of school closures go beyond the millions of hours of lost learning. School-based nutrition programmes provide a key safety net for many children and families and help keep children - particularly girls - in school. School closures also increase the risk of child labour, neglect, violence and sexual abuse.

In response, the UK has taken decisive action. We have adapted our bilateral education programmes in 18 countries to provide child protection, learning continuity, safe reopening of schools. As the largest donor to the Global Partnership for Education we have helped establish a dedicated $500 million COVID-19 accelerated funding window to maintain basic education. We have topped up our contribution to the global fund for Education in Emergencies to which we are also the largest donor, which includes support for school feeding programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa including in Burkina Faso, Niger, DRC, Mali, Uganda and Somalia.

Sexual exploitation is completely unacceptable. That is why the UK is a vocal advocate for safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment (SEAH). We remain firmly committed to raising safeguarding standards across the aid sector and we continue to have zero tolerance to any form of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

FCDO launched a new UK Strategy on Safeguarding Against SEAH last month that applies to all UK Official Development Assistance. Partners undergo our enhanced safeguarding due diligence to ensure they meet our high standards.

The current food security situation in sub-Saharan Africa places adolescent girls at increased risk of sexual exploitation. All humanitarian programmes, including those addressing chronic hunger and its broader underlying drivers, undertake a robust gender analysis of SEAH risks. This informs programme design, interventions and monitoring. The UK is also a leading donor on gender-responsive social protection. This protects and builds the resilience of poor and vulnerable families to reduce negative coping mechanisms such as exchanging sex for food or marrying daughters in exchange for assets or cash.

The UK Government, along with partners in the international community, has taken every opportunity to voice our concern about arbitrary arrests and detentions in Eritrea, and has called for the release of those arrested and detained in this way. We have done so directly with the Government of Eritrea and publicly at the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, most recently on 30 June at the 44th Session. Over the past year, our Ambassador in Asmara has raised the cases of journalists detained without trial, as well as members of non-registered religious groups. We do not have a regular dialogue but we will continue to seek opportunities to raise these cases in our engagements.

On 26 February, the UK's International Ambassador for Human Rights, Rita French, delivered a statement during the 43rd Session of the HRC, expressing concern at continuing human rights abuses and said that the UK would continue to press for the release of arbitrarily detained individuals. Eritrea remains a priority country for the FCO under our annual human rights reporting, and we will continue to monitor the situation there.

The UK has not been able to verify reports that the Government of Eritrea is targeting the Southern Red Sea Afar people and denying them access to the Red Sea. The UK is informed by reporting from the UN Special Rapporteur on Eritrea, who regularly monitors the human rights situation in the country, but she has not been allowed to visit herself. We note that her latest report refers to the reported marginalization of the Afar people. We will maintain contact with her office as we seek to establish the facts. The UK strongly supports the important work that she does in challenging the Government of Eritrea to improve its human rights record. This was reiterated by the UK in our statement at the Human Rights Council (HRC) on 30 June. Eritrea remains a priority country for the FCO under our annual human rights reporting, and we will continue to monitor the situation there.

The UK continues to call for reform of Eritrea's use of a system of indefinite national service. Whilst the Government of Eritrea has justified this service on grounds of the security threat posed by Ethiopia and has talked about the need for reform, we have yet to see any concrete proposal following the July 2018 peace agreement. At the 44th session of the Human Rights Council in July 2020, the UK renewed calls for Eritrea to reform the national service system. The Home Office International Director raised national service reform with Eritrean ministers during her visit in February 2020.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office previously considered and applied Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 02/20 from end of March 2020 onwards. All Relief measures agreed under PPN02/20 ended by 30th June 2020. Throughout the aforementioned period any suppliers seeking financial relief have been risk assessed by a dedicated team within the Commercial Directorate. Where relief has been considered we have applied contract change practices to ensure measures are time limited, offer transparency of costs and are able to transition to a new operational approach for that contract. All relief measures sought under PPN04/20 are to be re-assessed to test necessity and proportionality of relief to ensure maintenance of critical services.

We are working in partnership with our suppliers to develop transition plans to exit from any relief arrangements as soon as reasonably possible, including the agreement of contract variations. By the end of Oct 2020 we expect suppliers to have resumed services in line with new operational requirements and all associated relief should end by this date. This is in addition to working with all our key suppliers to review Business Continuity Plans in line with the impacts of COVID-19, potential future waves, ensuring rapid payment of invoices to maintain cash flow and protect services.

The NEOM City is part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme for socio-economic reform. We are aware of the reports of evictions in the area. We welcome the Saudi announcement on 20 June to grant plots of land, housing, compensation and provide job opportunities to residents within the project area. Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign and Commonwealth Office human rights priority country, and we regularly raise areas of concern with the Saudi authorities at all levels.

We remain concerned about the continued detention of women's rights activists in Saudi Arabia. The Foreign Secretary raised our concerns about the ongoing detention of political detainees, including women's rights defenders with Saudi Ministers during his visit this year to Riyadh on 4 and 5 March. We regularly raise areas of concern with the Saudi authorities at all levels, through Ministers, our Ambassador and the Embassy in Riyadh. We consistently underline the importance of political freedoms globally. This includes respect for the right to peaceful protest, the rule of law, and freedom of speech, the press, and assembly. We continue to raise concerns about individual cases regularly and monitor the situation closely.

The UK's relationship with Saudi Arabia is one of great importance, covering a broad range of UK national security and economic interests. Our most recent assessment of Saudi Arabia's human rights record was published in our latest Human Rights and Democracy Report. This was published in June 2019. Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign and Commonwealth Office human rights priority country, particularly because of death penalty use, restrictions on women's rights, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion or belief. The Foreign Secretary raised our human rights concerns with Saudi Arabia during his visit in March. We regularly raise areas of concern with the Saudi authorities at all levels, through Ministers, our Ambassador and the Embassy in Riyadh.

Publication of HMRC’s next Equal Pay Audit was delayed from its originally scheduled publication date of 2019 while the department was working with trade unions last year to negotiate a set of reforms to its pay and working arrangements. The department took the decision to delay publication as this programme of work and the changes proposed to its pay system were likely to have a significant impact on the report’s results. Following agreement by HMRC union members of a final pay and contract offer put forward at a members’ ballot in January 2021, HMRC are now in the process of implementing these workforce reforms and HMRC expect to publish their next Equal Pay Audit before the end of 2021.

HMRC have continued to meet their statutory obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and in January 2021 also published equality objectives until 2024 that describe HMRC’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-equality-objectives-2020-to-2024. HMRC have embedded pay gap reduction actions into the work already being undertaken to review and improve policies and processes, and HMRC’s analyses show that they reduced their gender pay gap (ordinary and bonus) from 2019 to 2020. HMRC continue to take an evidence-based approach, using quantitative and qualitative insight to inform action taken.

This directorate report is based on the most recent organisational structure. The average working days lost for civil servants working in Debt Management was as follows:

April 2019 – March 2020 = 8.77 days average

April 2018 – March 2019 = 8.69 days average

April 2017 – March 2018 = 7.58 days average

This directorate report is based on the most recent organisational structure. The average working days lost for civil servants working in Benefits and Credits was as follows:

April 2019 – March 2020 = 10.62 days average

April 2018 – March 2019 = 8.15 days average

April 2017 – March 2018 = 8.19 days average

This directorate report is based on the most recent organisational structure. The average working days lost for civil servants working in Personal Tax Operations was as follows:

April 2019 – March 2020 = 8.90 days average

April 2018 – March 2019 = 8.68 days average

April 2017 – March 2018 = 8.13 days average

Campaigns and Projects is a sub-directorate within Individuals and Small Business Compliance (ISBC) directorate; HMRC are unable to break down data further than directorate level. This directorate report is based on the most recent organisational structure for ISBC. The average working days lost for civil servants working in ISBC was as follows:

April 2019 – March 2020 = 7.34 days average

April 2018 – March 2019 = 6.53 days average

April 2017 – March 2018 = 7.11 days average

This report is based on the most recent organisational structure. Customer Service Group (CSG) is a collective of individual directorates.

The average working days lost for civil servants working in CSG was as follows:

April 2019 – March 2020 = 8.90 days average

April 2018 – March 2019 = 8.68 days average

April 2017 – March 2018 = 8.13 days average

This directorate report is based on the most recent organisational structure. The average working days lost for civil servants working in Business Tax and Customs was as follows:

April 2019 – March 2020 = 9.84 days average

April 2018 – March 2019 = 8.30 days average

April 2017 – March 2018 = 8.17 days average

For claims from 1 November, employers must have made a PAYE Real Time Information (RTI) submission to HMRC between 20 March 2020 and 30 October 2020 notifying a payment of earnings for that employee to be able to claim under the CJRS. This does mean that some annually paid employees such as directors, who were not paid between these dates will not be eligible for CJRS.

The Government has balanced a number of risks by aligning the start of the eligibility period for the CJRS extension with the cut-off date for the original scheme, meaning anyone who has been furloughed previously and paid in line with the rules of the scheme can be furloughed again.

This ensures that individuals paid annually towards and following the end of the previous tax year who were not eligible for the original scheme can now benefit from the extension. Those paid annually are eligible to claim, as long as they meet the relevant conditions.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has seen 1.2 million employers apply to help to pay the wages of 9.6 million furloughed jobs. In light of the path of the virus, the CJRS has been extended until the end of March 2021 for all parts of the UK.

Those paid annually are eligible to claim, as long as they meet the relevant conditions including being notified to HMRC on an RTI real-time information submission between 20 March and 30 October. These cut-off dates allow as many people as possible to be included by going right up to the day before the announcement, balancing the risk of fraud that existed as soon as the scheme became public.

PAYE schemes that pay their employees annually all in the same tax month may register as an ‘annual scheme’. Further information can be found on gov.uk at the following link (see section: Annual payroll scheme for PAYE): https://www.gov.uk/running-payroll/changing-paydays.

Information on which PAYE schemes are operated by small companies and which are operated by other types of employer such as sole traders and partnerships is not readily available for all PAYE schemes.

Among all PAYE schemes, not just those that are operated by small companies, the number of registered PAYE schemes that were live on 8 October 2020 (the date this information was extracted) and were registered as an ‘annual scheme’ was 33,300.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has seen 1.2 million employers apply to help to pay the wages of 9.6 million furloughed jobs. In light of the path of the virus, the CJRS has been extended until the end of March 2021 for all parts of the UK.

Those paid annually are eligible to claim, as long as they meet the relevant conditions including being notified to HMRC on an RTI real-time information submission between 20 March and 30 October. These cut-off dates allow as many people as possible to be included by going right up to the day before the announcement, balancing the risk of fraud that existed as soon as the scheme became public.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has seen 1.2 million employers apply to help to pay the wages of 9.6 million furloughed jobs. In light of the path of the virus, the CJRS has been extended until the end of March 2021 for all parts of the UK.

Those paid annually are eligible to claim, as long as they meet the relevant conditions including being notified to HMRC on an RTI real-time information submission between 20 March and 30 October. These cut-off dates allow as many people as possible to be included by going right up to the day before the announcement, balancing the risk of fraud that existed as soon as the scheme became public.

The Government appreciates this is a challenging time for many sectors and individuals, including taxi and private hire drivers. With the resurgence of the virus and tightening of restrictions to protect people's health, we have taken further steps to protect jobs and businesses.

The Chancellor announced on 5 November the next income support grant which covers the period November to January, will now increase to 80% of average profits, up to £7,500. This will provide vital financial support to the roughly 80% of taxi and private hire drivers who are self-employed.

Drivers who are employed will benefit from an extension of the furlough scheme to the end of March. The government will continue to help pay people’s wages, up to 80% of the normal amount.

The Government has acted to support those that are self-employed and have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak across all sectors of the economy. The overwhelming majority of taxi and private hire vehicle drivers are self-employed and can therefore apply for a grant through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS).

The overall level of the third SEISS grant has been increased to 80 per cent of average trading profits, meaning that the maximum grant available has now increased to £7,500. This will provide an estimated £7.3bn of support to the self-employed through November to January alone, with a further grant to follow covering February to April. This places the SEISS among the most generous schemes for the self-employed in the world.

Those ineligible for financial support under the SEISS may still be eligible for other elements of the unprecedented financial support available. The Government has temporarily increased the Universal Credit standard allowance for 2020-21 and relaxed the Minimum Income Floor for the duration of the crisis meaning that where self-employed claimants' earnings have significantly reduced, their Universal Credit award will have increased to reflect their lower earnings. In addition to this they may also be able to access other elements of the package, including Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support, mortgage holidays, self-isolation support payments and other business support grants.

HM Treasury is working collaboratively with its suppliers using the procurement policy guidance so that contracts continue to remain relevant and sustainable and deliver value for money.

HM Treasury will continue working with its suppliers using the procurement policy guidance referred to.

The Government recognises that this is a very challenging time for businesses in a wide variety of sectors. Small businesses occupying properties for retail, hospitality or leisure purposes are likely to be particularly affected by COVID-19 due to their reliance on customer footfall, and the fact that they are less likely than larger businesses to have sufficient cash reserves to meet their high fixed property-related costs. The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF) is intended to help small businesses in this situation.

Local Authorities (LAs) can choose to make discretionary grants to businesses in other supply chains, like the wholesale food and drink sector, if they feel there is a particular local economic need. The Government has allocated up to an additional £617 million to LAs to enable them to give discretionary grants to businesses in this situation. LAs may choose to focus payments on those priority groups which are most relevant to their local areas or to businesses outside of these priority groups, so long as the business was trading on 11th March, and has not received any other cash grant funded by central Government.

Small businesses which are not eligible for business grants should still be able to benefit from other elements of the Government’s unprecedented package of support for business. The Business Support website provides further information about how businesses can access the support that has been made available, who is eligible, when the schemes open and how to apply - https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder.

The Government has provided enhanced support to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors through business rates relief given the direct and acute impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on those sectors. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has published guidance for local authorities on eligible properties.

A range of further measures to support all businesses, including those not eligible for the business rates holiday, such as wholesalers, has also been made available. For example, the Government has launched the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help firms keep people in employment, and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

Treasury’s pay ranges as of 1^st August 2019 are as follows: