Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Limit the Sale and Use of Fireworks to Organisers of Licensed Displays Only
Gov Responded - 13 Aug 2020 Debated on - 8 Nov 2021 View 's petition debate contributionsCurrent legislation allows for public use of fireworks 16 hours a day, every day, making it impossible for vulnerable groups to take precautions against the distress they can cause. Better enforcement of existing law is insufficient; limiting their sale & use to licensed displays only is necessary.
UK Government to formally recognise the State of Palestine
Gov Responded - 8 Jun 2021 Debated on - 14 Jun 2021 View 's petition debate contributionsRecognise the state of Palestine to help stop the conflict from Israel. Not recognising the Palestinian state allows Israel to continue their persecution of the Palestinians.
Introduce sanctions against Israel
Gov Responded - 8 Jun 2021 Debated on - 14 Jun 2021 View 's petition debate contributionsThe Government should introduce sanctions against Israel, including blocking all trade, and in particular arms.
End child food poverty – no child should be going hungry
Gov Responded - 11 Nov 2020 Debated on - 24 May 2021 View 's petition debate contributionsGovernment should support vulnerable children & #endchildfoodpoverty by implementing 3 recommendations from the National Food Strategy to expand access to Free School Meals, provide meals & activities during holidays to stop holiday hunger & increase the value of and expand the Healthy Start scheme
Improve Maternal Mortality Rates and Health Care for Black Women in the U.K.
Gov Responded - 25 Jun 2020 Debated on - 19 Apr 2021 View 's petition debate contributionsBlack Women in the U.K. are 5 times more likely to die during pregnancy and after childbirth compared to White Women (MBRRACE, 2019). We need more research done into why this is happening and recommendations to improve health care for Black Women as urgent action is needed to address this disparity.
Urge the Indian Government to ensure safety of protestors & press freedom
Gov Responded - 15 Feb 2021 Debated on - 8 Mar 2021 View 's petition debate contributionsThe Government must make a public statement on the #kissanprotests & press freedoms.
India is the worlds largest democracy & democratic engagement and freedom of the press are fundamental rights and a positive step towards creating a India that works for all.
Impose sanctions on China over its treatment of Uyghur Muslims
Gov Responded - 28 Jul 2020 Debated on - 12 Oct 2020 View 's petition debate contributionsThe UK Government plans to introduce “Magnitsky law”, a law which targets people who commit gross human rights violations. Through this law or alternative means, this petition urges the UK Government to impose sanctions on China for their human rights violations on the Uyghur people.
These initiatives were driven by Naz Shah, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Naz Shah has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Naz Shah has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
Naz Shah has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Quad Bikes Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Judith Cummins (LAB)
Tyres (Buses and Coaches) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Maria Eagle (LAB)
Crime (Aggravated Murder of and Violence Against Women) Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - None ()
The recommendations of the 2017 Equality and Human Rights Commission's report refer to action in the areas of employment, education, house, health and criminal justice. That same year the Government launched The Race Disparity Audit (RDA) to drive change by publishing authoritative data and analysis about the variances in treatment or outcome affecting people of different ethnicities in those areas and others.
Since October 2017, the Government has used RDU data and analysis to support and launch a number of initiatives including:
Department of Health and Social Care’s independent review of mental health legislation and practice to tackle the issue of mental health detention.
New powers for the Office for Students to hold Universities to account for how well their students do; and independent university league tables agreed to highlight progress made on reducing student disparities. The Sunday Times Good University Guide is now including ethnic minority attainment gaps as part of theirs.
The allocation of £90m of dormant assets to the creation of a new, independent organisation - Youth Futures Foundation (YFF). YFF aims to overcome the barriers to training and employment opportunities that young people from an ethnic minority background experience.
Established a new Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities to examine all aspects of continuing racial and ethnic inequalities in Britain. It will build on the work of the Race Disparity Unit. The Commission will carry out a deeper examination of what the causes of these disparities are, and seek to establish what works to address them effectively.
Implemented 16 recommendations from the Lammy Review, to improve the treatment and outcomes of BAME people in the criminal justice system, and have committed to enacting a further 17.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
The Government is currently considering responses to a Call for Evidence on public sector debt management, which closed in September 2020. The government will publish an update in due course and make further announcements in the usual way.
I refer the Hon. member to the answers given to PQ 55066 on 10 June 2020, PQ 46692 on 29 May 2020 and to PQ 45460 on 11 May 2020.
The Government is working with specialist multicultural marketing agencies, addressing barriers by targeting audiences with bespoke COVID communications. Core marketing materials are translated into multiple languages nationally and on request from Local Authorities and external stakeholder groups. We are also utilising trusted voices, relevant channels, and translated messages to reach a wide range of audiences across the country. This helps the Government to maximise the impact of its ongoing multichannel communications strategy.
I refer the Hon. member to the answers given to PQ 55066 on 10 June 2020, PQ 46692 on 29 May 2020 and to PQ 45460 on 11 May 2020.
The Government is working with specialist multicultural marketing agencies, addressing barriers by targeting audiences with bespoke COVID communications. Core marketing materials are translated into multiple languages nationally and on request from Local Authorities and external stakeholder groups. We are also utilising trusted voices, relevant channels, and translated messages to reach a wide range of audiences across the country. This helps the Government to maximise the impact of its ongoing multichannel communications strategy.
I refer the Hon. member to the answers given to PQ 55066 on 10 June 2020, PQ 46692 on 29 May 2020 and to PQ 45460 on 11 May 2020.
The Government is working with specialist multicultural marketing agencies, addressing barriers by targeting audiences with bespoke COVID communications. Core marketing materials are translated into multiple languages nationally and on request from Local Authorities and external stakeholder groups. We are also utilising trusted voices, relevant channels, and translated messages to reach a wide range of audiences across the country. This helps the Government to maximise the impact of its ongoing multichannel communications strategy.
As has been the case under successive administrations, Government establishes a range of statutory and non-statutory commissions, with different functions. Where a commission’s work is long term it may be listed on the public appointments Order in Council and appointments will be made by ministers in line with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. If the work of a commission is short-term, members may be appointed in line with the long standing practice that ministers can directly appoint individuals to undertake short-term pieces of work.
I refer the Hon. member to the response given to PQ 23397 on 5 March 2020.
The Government is aware that homeowners have leased their roof space to receive free solar panels under commercial “rent a roof” schemes. Under these arrangements, the panel providers remain owners of the equipment and receive the Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) payments from the energy supplier, while the homeowner benefits from the savings they make on their electricity bills.
The FIT scheme allowed for such assignment of rights to FIT payments, but it did not prescribe how such arrangements should work: it was for the parties involved to arrive at a mutually beneficial agreement. While the FIT was a government scheme which provided the framework for an investment opportunity, the various marketing approaches and offers that commercial ‘rent a roof’ companies employed were not government schemes.
The Government takes the issues associated with the sale and use of fireworks seriously. That is why there is a comprehensive regulatory framework already in place for fireworks that controls the sale, availability and use.
We have no current plans to place further restrictions on the sale of fireworks to the public but we continue to monitor the situation. We are committed to promoting the safe and considerate use of fireworks through our programme of action, including through education and awareness raising.
The UK Government announced on 30 October that it will donate all 20 million Janssen doses it has ordered to COVAX. Eighty percent of the adult population in the UK is now double vaccinated and a winter boost campaign is well underway. Given the maturity of our vaccination programme and strength of existing supplies to meet domestic requirements, we have been able to identify these as doses we are able to reallocate to COVAX to distribute to those most in need.
Janssen aim to prioritise deliveries to countries based on need, so COVAX will receive the much-needed vaccines as soon as they come off the production line.
The Government has provided an unprecedented package of financial support to help businesses across the country during the COVID-19 outbreak, including those in the weddings industry.
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister has announced that from 1 August celebratory meals or receptions of up to 30 people for weddings and civil partnerships will be allowed to take place. Over time, we will assess whether gatherings of this type for other purposes can be made possible and when larger wedding receptions can take place.
We continue to advise against live entertainment performances at weddings, due to the risks of people singing or shouting over loud music, which create risks of transmission.
Government has published a list of business types that fall under the close contact services guidance. All businesses that provide cosmetic procedures or treatments for aesthetic and beauty purposes fall into the definition of a beauty salon.
We have now provided close contact services in England, except Leicester, with the certainty they need to reopen from Monday 13 July, subject to them following the COVID-secure guidelines.
All three and four-year-olds are eligible for 15 hours of free early education, regardless of parental income or working status.
Families are entitled to 30 hours free childcare if the sole parent in a single parent family, or both parents in a two-parent household, are working at least 16 hours a week at national minimum wage or living wage, but earns under £100,000 per year. Approximately 72% of eligible families were registered to take up a 30 hours free childcare place in January 2021.
The number of children eligible for 30 hours changes each year due to changing cohort size and parental employment changes. An estimated 460,000 children may have been eligible in January 2021, although this estimate does not account for the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on parental employment.
In 2019, the childcare and early years survey of parents found that of those not taking up the 30 hour entitlement offer, 52% gave reasons relating to eligibility, such as being unable to meet the income thresholds by either working too little or earning above £100,000 per year. The remaining 48% gave reasons unrelated to eligibility, mostly relating to not requiring the free childcare. However, 7% of parents surveyed said their provider did not offer the 30 hours of free childcare. Further statistics from the survey can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents-2019.
All three and four-year-olds are eligible for 15 hours free early education, regardless of parental income or working status. An additional 15 hours is available to parents who are working at least 16 hours a week at national minimum wage or living wage, but earn under £100,000 per year. This applies to single-parent households as well as both parents in a two-parent household, unless one partner is in receipt of certain benefits (Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance or contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance).
The department holds some data on parental income levels from the 2019 Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents, but not the relevant data to be able to assess against eligibility for the 30 hours entitlements. We are currently collecting our next set of data through the 2021 Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents, scheduled for release in July 2022.
The Workforce Development Fund is funding from the Department of Health and Social Care to support the continuing professional development (CPD) of staff across the adult social care sector. There are no plans to extend it to maintained nursery schools or early years settings.
Separately, the Department for Education is investing up to £180 million to build a stronger, more expert workforce in the early years sector, where we know that the COVID-19 outbreak has exacerbated the outcomes gap and set back children’s learning and development, particularly in language and maths, hitting those from disadvantaged backgrounds the hardest. This funding comprises the Early Years Education Recovery Programme, the Nuffield Early Language Programme and a further investment in the Professional Development Programme.
These initiatives complement our reforms to the Early Years Foundation Stage to accelerate and embed real change for young children, which is more important than ever in light of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. This recovery package aims to target disadvantaged areas and will largely be available to maintained nursery schools and childminders.
The Government recognises the COVID-19 outbreak and associated education restrictions have had an impact on children and young people’s education.
The Government has appointed Sir Kevan Collins as Education Recovery Commissioner to oversee the long-term plan. Sir Kevan will engage with parents, pupils and teachers to develop this proposal and review how evidence-based interventions can be used to address the impact the COVID-19 outbreak has had on education. We are considering all options to address lost education to ensure the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak is addressed as comprehensively as possible.
Term dates for the current and next academic year have already been set and published by local authorities, governing bodies, and academy trusts, but schools are free to offer summer activities to pupils should they so wish. We are making £200 million available to secondary schools to fund a short summer school, offering a blend of academic teaching and enrichment activities. We are recommending a focus on incoming Year 7 pupils, but schools are free to target those most in need of support.
The Government recognises the COVID-19 outbreak and associated education restrictions have had an impact on children and young people’s education.
The Government has appointed Sir Kevan Collins as Education Recovery Commissioner to oversee the long-term plan. Sir Kevan will engage with parents, pupils and teachers to develop this proposal and review how evidence-based interventions can be used to address the impact the COVID-19 outbreak has had on education. We are considering all options to address lost education to ensure the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak is addressed as comprehensively as possible.
Term dates for the current and next academic year have already been set and published by local authorities, governing bodies, and academy trusts, but schools are free to offer summer activities to pupils should they so wish. We are making £200 million available to secondary schools to fund a short summer school, offering a blend of academic teaching and enrichment activities. We are recommending a focus on incoming Year 7 pupils, but schools are free to target those most in need of support.
The Government is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care services, including securing 1.3 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people.
This includes over 700,000 laptops and tablets that were delivered to local authority maintained schools, trusts and local authorities by 11 January. Support through this programme does not cover schools that are not state funded.
The Department has delivered 1,980 laptops and tablets directly to Bradford local authority. We have also delivered devices to academy trusts that include schools in Bradford, which are not included in this figure. Data on the number of laptops delivered by parliamentary constituency is not available. This is because most laptops have been delivered to academy trusts and local authorities, which are responsible for distributing them to schools, usually in multiple constituencies.
The Government is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care services, including securing 1.3 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people.
This includes over 700,000 laptops and tablets that were delivered to local authority maintained schools, trusts and local authorities by 11 January. Support through this programme does not cover schools that are not state funded.
The Department has delivered 1,980 laptops and tablets directly to Bradford local authority. We have also delivered devices to academy trusts that include schools in Bradford, which are not included in this figure. Data on the number of laptops delivered by parliamentary constituency is not available. This is because most laptops have been delivered to academy trusts and local authorities, which are responsible for distributing them to schools, usually in multiple constituencies.
In light of the increase in COVID-19 rates, the Government has made the decision to limit attendance at schools and colleges to reduce the number of contacts between households. As a result, examinations will not go ahead in the summer as planned.
The Department and Ofqual have launched a two week consultation on how to fairly award all pupils a grade that supports them to progress to the next stage of their lives. The consultation can be accessed from the Ofqual website and will be open until 29 January 2021. We strongly encourage all our stakeholders, including students and their parents, to respond.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has confirmed he wishes teachers to assess the standard at which pupils are performing and thus the grade they should receive. The consultation proposes that teachers will be supported in doing so through training, guidance, and papers to inform assessments. Guidance materials will be made available after the consultation has closed and the detail of the approach is agreed. The consultation also proposes and seeks views on approaches to assessment which will allow teachers to assess pupils’ performance on content they have had an opportunity to study, despite the disruption, whilst continuing to ensure they have sufficient breadth of knowledge to enable them to successfully progress.
The Department recognises the challenges faced by schools, teachers, and pupils, and knows that disruption has been felt differently across the country and between schools and colleges in the same area, and between pupils within individual institutions. In order to support schools to make up for lost learning, the Government has provided a £1 billion catch-up programme. This includes a £650 million catch-up premium for all schools in recognition of the fact that all pupils will have been impacted by disruption to their education. Additionally, the £350 million National Tutoring Programme is an ambitious scheme that will provide additional, targeted tuition support for disadvantaged pupils who need the most help to catch up.
In light of the increase in COVID-19 rates, the Government has made the decision to limit attendance at schools and colleges to reduce the number of contacts between households. As a result, examinations will not go ahead in the summer as planned.
The Department and Ofqual have launched a two week consultation on how to fairly award all pupils a grade that supports them to progress to the next stage of their lives. The consultation can be accessed from the Ofqual website and will be open until 29 January 2021. We strongly encourage all our stakeholders, including students and their parents, to respond.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has confirmed he wishes teachers to assess the standard at which pupils are performing and thus the grade they should receive. The consultation proposes that teachers will be supported in doing so through training, guidance, and papers to inform assessments. Guidance materials will be made available after the consultation has closed and the detail of the approach is agreed. The consultation also proposes and seeks views on approaches to assessment which will allow teachers to assess pupils’ performance on content they have had an opportunity to study, despite the disruption, whilst continuing to ensure they have sufficient breadth of knowledge to enable them to successfully progress.
The Department recognises the challenges faced by schools, teachers, and pupils, and knows that disruption has been felt differently across the country and between schools and colleges in the same area, and between pupils within individual institutions. In order to support schools to make up for lost learning, the Government has provided a £1 billion catch-up programme. This includes a £650 million catch-up premium for all schools in recognition of the fact that all pupils will have been impacted by disruption to their education. Additionally, the £350 million National Tutoring Programme is an ambitious scheme that will provide additional, targeted tuition support for disadvantaged pupils who need the most help to catch up.
All evidence suggests that the new variant of concern is more transmissible than previous cases and is now the dominant strain across the country.
However, the data suggests that this effect is broadly uniform across age groups. The new variant does not appear disproportionately more transmissible among children than adults, nor is there any evidence that the new variant is more transmissible in schools than elsewhere in society.
Previous Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) advice has been clear that the measures that reduced transmission of the older variant all continue to apply for the new variant, including those in schools. Those measures are now all the more important.
The Government has successfully secured the agreement of supermarkets to continue to provide support to the clinically extremely vulnerable.
Supermarkets continue to provide support to their vulnerable customers through offers such as priority access to delivery slots, in-store shopping assistance, and home delivery of food boxes which can be purchased over the phone for customers without internet access.
Additionally, there are a number of options available for individuals who identify as vulnerable and want help accessing food. Vulnerable individuals can contact their local authority, or one of Defra’s charity partners (AgeUK, Scope or RNIB), to be referred for the Priority Food Delivery Scheme. Through this scheme, vulnerable individuals or their carers can shop online with priority access to Tesco or Iceland delivery slots.
Vulnerable individuals can also request help from an NHS volunteer responder in gaining access to food, prescriptions and other essential items by calling the phone line or visiting the Royal Voluntary Service website.
We have provided unprecedented support for local transport during the pandemic. For bus, operators and local authorities have received funding through the £1.5bn Coronavirus Bus Service Support Grant, and the ongoing £226.5m Bus Recovery Grant.
The Government is committed to seeing the bus sector return to financial self- sufficiency. Discussions are ongoing regarding the costs and benefits of measures to support the sector beyond April, and we are working closely with stakeholders to understand the potential challenges and possible mitigations once recovery funding ends. Recognising the need for further support, an additional £29m uplift will be provided to recipients of the Bus Recovery Grant this financial year.
The Department carried out a public consultation on possible solutions to the complex pavement parking problem, which ran from 31 August 2020 to 22 November 2020. The consultation received over 15,000 responses. The Department has been carefully analysing the consultation responses and the consultation results will inform our policy decision. We will publish the outcomes as soon as possible.
The government continues to work with the travel industry and private testing providers to further reduce testing costs, while ensuring travel is as safe as possible. The cost of PCR tests has fallen since the introduction of post-arrival lateral flow testing for eligible vaccinated passengers. Testing requirements for unvaccinated passengers are also regularly reviewed.
Testing costs are minimal for fully vaccinated passengers and under 18s. Eligible fully vaccinated passengers and under 18s arriving into the UK now just need to take a lateral flow test post arrival, with a free confirmatory PCR test if they receive a positive result. The rule changes make testing on arrival simpler and cheaper for people across the country.
The Department plans to release a further batch of vouchers very shortly. The release of vouchers has been staggered in order to prevent repairers from being overwhelmed. The first release was a small pilot to allow the Department to monitor the scheme’s impact and adapt it as necessary. There were 65 vouchers issued to addresses in the Bradford West constituency, out of the 62,101 total vouchers originally allocated.
DWP and HMRC currently have no plans to suspend benefit debt deductions.
There are established support processes in place for any claimants who may be experiencing financial difficulty.
Anyone unable to afford a rate of recovery proposed by DWP is encouraged to contact them so an affordable rate of repayment can be negotiated.
Anyone unable to afford a rate of recovery proposed by HMRC is encouraged to check the HMRC webpages, or contact them to see what support they can offer.
The recent welfare changes ensure people receive the support they need in these difficult times. But we know that a child in a household where every adult is working is about 4 times less likely to be in poverty than a child in a household where nobody works. That is why we are focusing on how to support people back into work, following the outbreak.
Pharmacies have been advised to distribute all their remaining stock before the end of the service on the 31 March 2022 to minimise the amount of surplus stock. There will be no process in place for collecting unused kits from pharmacies at the end of the service and the UK Health Security Agency are discouraging the destruction of test kits. Pharmacy teams can use their knowledge of their local communities to proactively distribute test kits. This may include distribution to people who are National Health Service staff, carers, the clinically vulnerable, digitally excluded or anyone who in the professional opinion of the pharmacist would benefit.
Pharmacies have been advised to distribute all their remaining stock before the end of the service on the 31 March 2022 to minimise the amount of surplus stock. There will be no process in place for collecting unused kits from pharmacies at the end of the service and the UK Health Security Agency are discouraging the destruction of test kits. Pharmacy teams can use their knowledge of their local communities to proactively distribute test kits. This may include distribution to people who are National Health Service staff, carers, the clinically vulnerable, digitally excluded or anyone who in the professional opinion of the pharmacist would benefit.
We welcome the Committee’s report. In our response to the Health and Social Care Committee’s report, we set out where we agreed with its recommendations or where we are taking forward the recommendations in part or in full. We will be considering the recommendations in full during the development of a new long term cross-Government plan for mental health. We are launching a wide-ranging discussion paper and call for evidence to support development of the plan. The Committee’s inquiry and evidence from witnesses will be considered during this process.
The testing regimes for adult social care from 1 April 2022 are currently under review. Further details will be provided in due course.
COVID-19 recovery certificates for United Kingdom citizens can be obtained 10 days after a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test demonstrating recovery from infection within the previous 180 days. The certificates are already available for those aged 16 years old and over in the digital NHS COVID Pass for travel via the NHS App and NHS.UK. A digital solution to allow those aged 12 years old and over access to recovery certificates will be made available shortly.
There is a legal requirement for in-scope businesses, including shops, to display signage to inform the public that face coverings are mandated in their premises, unless they are exempt from wearing them or have a reasonable excuse. Staff should remind people of the requirement to wear a face covering, but this should not result in anyone having to prove that they have an exemption or reasonable excuse. If necessary, police and police community support officers can issue a fixed penalty notice to anyone who does not comply without a valid exemption or reasonable excuse.
There are very limited exemptions to the requirement to book, enter or leave managed quarantine if an individual has been in a ‘red list’ country at any point in the 10 days prior to their arrival into England. These exemptions are available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/exemptions-from-managed-quarantine-for-medical-and-compassionate-reasons
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before prorogation.
Doctors cannot refuse to register individuals whose immigration status is yet to be decided, for a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccination against COVID-19 is offered to every adult living in the United Kingdom free of charge, regardless of immigration status. Entitlement to free National Health Service treatment is generally based on ordinary residence in the UK. A person who can show they have taken up ordinary residence in the UK can access all NHS services immediately, including COVID-19 vaccinations, based on clinical need. No immigration checks are needed to receive these services and the NHS is not required to report undocumented migrants to the Home Office.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before prorogation.
We take parliamentary scrutiny incredibly seriously and it is fundamentally important that hon. Members are provided with accurate and timely information to enable them to hold the Government to account. We are working rapidly to provide all Members with accurate answers to their questions, as well as supporting the Government’s response to the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The hon. Member’s questions will be answered as soon as possible.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before prorogation.
The Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC) produces risk assessments of the spread of variants of concern internationally. These risk assessments cover a range of factors for each country including assessment of surveillance and sequencing capability, available surveillance and genome sequencing data, evidence of in-country community transmission of COVID-19 variants, evidence of exportation of new variants to the United Kingdom or other countries and travel connectivity with the UK.
Decisions on the risk assessment are taken by Ministers and are informed by evidence including JBC’s analysis as well as other relevant information about the risk of the spread of variants.
Public Health England publishes the weekly incidence of COVID-19 cases by ethnicity in the weekly National Flu and COVID-19 Surveillance report, which is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports
Public Health England (PHE) reports weekly numbers of deaths in England in people with a laboratory-confirmed positive COVID-19 test, who died within 28 days of the first positive specimen date. This data is reported in the weekly National Flu and COVID-19 Surveillance report, which is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports
PHE also reports the weekly proportion of these deaths by ethnic group. This is available in the weekly surveillance reports.
Public Health England (PHE) reports weekly numbers of deaths in England in people with a laboratory-confirmed positive COVID-19 test, who died within 28 days of the first positive specimen date. This data is reported in the weekly National Flu and COVID-19 Surveillance report, which is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports
PHE also reports the weekly proportion of these deaths by ethnic group. This is available in the weekly surveillance reports.
Staff or residents within retirement complexes and sheltered accommodation who are symptomatic are eligible for testing through the self-referral portal. We are expanding our testing capacity all the time and we now have capacity to test over 500,000 people a day. We have prioritised people who are most at risk from the effects of Covid-19, and we will continue to review our social care testing strategy for adult social care in light of the latest evidence and available capacity.
Decisions on the need to take COVID-19 tests are based on scientific evidence, the stage of the epidemic and the expert clinical judgement of the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers. Current evidence has not identified a need to take a COVID-19 test once a self-isolation period has concluded. We constantly review the data and make changes when we are confident it is appropriate to do so.
The Department with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has established a single United Kingdom-wide process which labels COVID-19 research with the most potential with Urgent Public Health (UPH) status. Any trials evaluating the effectiveness of inhaled treatments are subject to this same process.
National and international trials are monitored by the RAPID-C19 initiative, which aims to get treatments for COVID-19 to National Health Service patients quickly and safely. This process begins with scanning all trials for COVID-19 treatments. Any promising drugs will be identified for further review.
Synairgen have been requested to submit a formal submission to UK-CTAP and NIHR UPH for review, where the inhaled interferon beta-1, SGN001 will be reviewed by a panel of independent experts to assess if it will be suitable to be incorporated into the RECOVERY+ trial or an independent trial, for Phase III.
UK-CTAP is an independent COVID-19 Therapeutics Advisory Panel, which will advise on what treatments should be proposed for testing through RECOVERY+. As with all other therapeutic compounds in trial, progress of the effectiveness will continue to be monitored by the Chief Medical Officer, NIHR UPH and RAPID C-19.
The Foreign Secretary has not received recent representations on nuclear theft in India. The UK discusses nuclear issues, including nuclear security, with India at an annual senior official dialogue. Working level engagement on nuclear security takes place through a UK-India Joint Working Group.
The UK remains committed to the highest standards of nuclear security at home and around the world. We strongly support the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) role in coordinating global efforts and assisting Member States implement effective nuclear security. We are a leading contributor to the IAEA's Nuclear Security Fund (NSF), which helps Member States to enhance their security.
We stand side by side with India as a friend and partner in the fight against COVID-19, and send our solidarity and condolences to the Indian people at this difficult time. Working closely with the Indian Government, the UK has put together a package focusing on India's most urgent needs, including oxygen concentrators, ventilators, and oxygen generating units. The first shipment was delivered on 27 April. On 2 May, the Prime Minister announced that the UK would send a further 1,000 ventilators to support India's response, these arrived in Delhi on 9 May bringing the total package of equipment to 495 oxygen concentrators, 1,200 ventilators and three oxygen generating units.
There is also extensive scientific and medical collaboration underway. Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance have spoken to their Indian counterparts to provide advice, insight and expertise to the Indian healthcare system as it deals with the surge in Covid-19 cases. NHS England and NHS Improvement are establishing a clinic advisory group, led by Chief People Officer Prerana Issar, to support India's Covid-19 response.
The Commonwealth places a high priority on being a community of peaceful, democratic countries which promote and protect shared values, including the rule of law and human rights. The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) - of which the UK is a current member, is the custodian of these fundamental values.
Rwanda has made huge strides over the past two decades. It has a strong track record of equality of women in Rwanda's cabinet and parliament, and there have been significant improvements in healthcare, reconciliation, development and prosperity. However, the UK remains concerned by Rwanda's overall human rights record and regularly raises specific cases of concern with the Rwandan Government. We continue to encourage Rwanda to model Commonwealth values of respect for human rights and rule of law as enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter, and to match its impressive development progress with gains in civil and political rights.
Rwanda was selected at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018 (CHOGM18) as the host of the 26th CHOGM. The summit, re-scheduled to take place in Kigali, Rwanda in June 2021 presents a valuable opportunity for Heads to meet and for the Commonwealth family to demonstrate how, by upholding and promoting the principles of the Commonwealth, a bright common future can be built for all. The UK plans to attend in our capacity as Chair-in-Office.
We are monitoring the situation in Kashmir closely. We welcome reports that some restrictions have been relaxed and some of the detained have been released. However, we remain concerned at the ongoing detentions and continued restrictions in some areas. We call for these to be lifted as soon as possible and we have raised our concerns with the Indian Government. Most recently, Lord Ahmad, the Minister for South Asia, discussed the situation in Kashmir and our concerns with Indian Minister of State for External and Parliamentary Affairs Mr Muraleedharan and, separately, the Indian High Commissioner. The British High Commission in New Delhi also regularly raise our concerns with the Indian Government at senior levels.
The £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element is specifically aimed at providing significant temporary support to low income families who have seen their income fall as a result of the immediate impact of the crisis, and will run until March. It is right that we wait for more clarity on the economic and health context before making any further decisions, particularly given how quickly things can move, as demonstrated by recent developments on a vaccine.
The increase is just one part of wide-ranging Government measures to support people through the Covid-19 crisis, which are worth £280bn this year. Low income families are also benefiting from higher Local Housing Allowance rates, mortgage holidays, a temporary suspension of the UC Minimum Income Floor, a £500m local authority Hardship Fund, a £170m local authority Covid Winter Grant scheme, and £500 payments to help people self-isolate under NHS Test and Trace.
In recent years the Government has invested significantly in UC, including by raising work allowances by £1,000 from April 2019, benefitting working parents and people with disabilities by up to £630 per year.
Neither the employer nor the employee needs to have previously claimed or have been claimed for under CJRS to make a claim under the extended CJRS (if other eligibility criteria are met). Furloughed employees must have been employed and on an employer’s PAYE payroll on 30 October 2020. This means a Real Time Information (RTI) submission notifying payment for that employee to HMRC must have been made on or before 30 October 2020. If employees were on payroll as of 23 September 2020 (i.e. notified to HMRC on an RTI submission on or before 23 September) and were made redundant or stopped working for their employer afterwards, they can also qualify for the scheme if their employer re-employs them.
On 17 March the Chancellor announced a business rates holiday for businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, irrespective of rateable value, so that all eligible businesses will pay no business rates for 12 months. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has published guidance for local authorities on eligibility of the business rates holiday for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, which included supermarkets.
On 17 March the Chancellor announced a business rates holiday for businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, irrespective of rateable value, so that all eligible businesses will pay no business rates for 12 months. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has published guidance for local authorities on eligibility. Business rates are administered by local authorities and any information on ratepayers will be collected and held by the relevant local authority.
The Government’s current support measures are well-targeted at the businesses and individuals who most need support, including foreign companies with businesses and property who employ people in the UK.
The retention rules for the Police National Computer are set by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), and are currently under review.
The NPCC, working closely with criminal justice partners, the Home Office, the Information Commissioner’s Office as well as key stakeholders, are exploring as part of this review whether any changes should be made.
In doing so, the review team will consider the implications of the five chief constables case and the more recent Broadfoot judgment (2021 PNC retention judgment).
Data concerning the number of people deprived of their British citizenship is published by the Government in its Transparency Report on Disruptive Powers.
The Government is committed to publishing the annual Transparency Report on Disruptive Powers. The 2020 report will be published in due course.
Figures for numbers of conducive deprivation orders, which are made under Section 40(2) of the 1981 British Nationality Act, have been published as part of the HM Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Four reports have been published to date in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2020 which provide the number of deprivation of citizenship orders made up until the end of 2018.
The Home Office also intends to publish the figures of those deprived under Section 40(2) of the 1981 British Nationality Act in 2019 and 2020 in due course.
The Home Office publishes data relating to those deprived of British Citizenship. Statistics are available from May 2010.
Figures for conducive deprivation orders, which are made under Section 40(2) of the 1981 British Nationality Act, have been published as part of the HM Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Four reports have been published to date in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2020:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transparency-report-disruptive-powers-2018-to-2019
Section 40(3) of the 1981 British Nationality Act, allows for deprivation of citizenship where fraud, false representation or concealment of material facts have been used to obtain British citizenship. Since February 2020 these figures have been published via the Transparency report on asylum data, which can be found using the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-transparency-data-february-2020
The Home Office publishes data relating to those deprived of British Citizenship. Statistics are available from May 2010.
Figures for conducive deprivation orders, which are made under Section 40(2) of the 1981 British Nationality Act, have been published as part of the HM Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Four reports have been published to date in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2020:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transparency-report-disruptive-powers-2018-to-2019
Section 40(3) of the 1981 British Nationality Act, allows for deprivation of citizenship where fraud, false representation or concealment of material facts have been used to obtain British citizenship. Since February 2020 these figures have been published via the Transparency report on asylum data, which can be found using the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-transparency-data-february-2020
The Government already provides a safe and legal route to bring families together through its family reunion policy. This allows a partner and children under 18 of those granted protection in the UK to join them here, if they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country. Refugees may apply to sponsor family via this route free of charge.
Our policy makes clear there is discretion to grant visas outside the Immigration Rules, which caters for extended family members in exceptional circumstances – including young adult sons or daughters who are dependent on family here and living in dangerous situations.
There are separate provisions in the Rules to allow extended family to sponsor children to come here where there are serious and compelling circumstances.
Refugees can also sponsor adult dependent relatives living overseas to join them where, due to age, illness or disability, the person requires long-term personal care which can only be provided by relatives in the UK.
Refugees who have since gained British citizenship may sponsor family under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules.
The Minimum Income Requirement is set at the level which prevents burdens on the taxpayer and promotes integration. We remain committed to those aims.
We recognised the economic impacts of COVID-19 on earnings and made relevant concessionary adjustments in order to support those affected between 1 March 2020 and 31 October 2021. There are, however, no plans to change the minimum income and adequate maintenance requirement at this time.
The Minimum Income Requirement is set at the level which prevents burdens on the taxpayer and promotes integration. We remain committed to those aims.
We recognised the economic impacts of COVID-19 on earnings and made relevant concessionary adjustments in order to support those affected between 1 March 2020 and 31 October 2021. There are, however, no plans to change the minimum income and adequate maintenance requirement at this time.
Visa demand has significantly increased as travel restrictions relating to the pandemic have eased both in the UK and across the globe.
To tackle this the Home Office are pursuing a wide range of programmes to transform systems and processes across a number of immigration routes, alongside a number of business improvement initiatives to speed up decision making, reduce the time people spend in the system and reduce the numbers who are awaiting an interview were required or a decision.
, In response to the raising number of asylum claims and delays in processing them, we are taking forward our New Plan for Immigration which aims to transform our broken asylum system. This includes almost double the number of decision makers r to c.1,000, plus providing improved training and career progression opportunities to aid retention of staff. This investment in our people will speed up processing times and increase the throughput of asylum decisions.
We are continuing to develop existing and new technology to help build on recent improvements such as digital interviewing and move away from a paper-based system. We are streamlining and digitalising the case working process to enable more effective workflow, appointment booking and decision-making.
The Minimum Income Requirement is set at the level which prevents burdens on the taxpayer and promotes integration. We remain committed to those aims.
We recognised the economic impacts of COVID-19 on earnings and made relevant adjustments in order to support those affected between 1 March 2020 and 31 October 2021.
We are carefully considering the impacts of COVID-19 on meeting the Minimum Income Requirement for spouse/partner visa applicants. We are also considering the exceptional circumstances related to the pandemic we will take into account in future for applications made under the family Immigration Rules. We will set out our future policy in updated guidance in due course.
The Minimum Income Requirement is set at the level which prevents burdens on the taxpayer and promotes integration. We remain committed to those aims.
We recognised the economic impacts of COVID-19 on earnings and made relevant adjustments in order to support those affected between 1 March 2020 and 31 October 2021.
We are carefully considering the impacts of COVID-19 on meeting the Minimum Income Requirement for spouse/partner visa applicants. We are also considering the exceptional circumstances related to the pandemic we will take into account in future for applications made under the family Immigration Rules. We will set out our future policy in updated guidance in due course.
The Minimum Income Requirement is set at the level which prevents burdens on the taxpayer and promotes integration. We remain committed to those aims.
We recognised the economic impacts of COVID-19 on earnings and made relevant adjustments in order to support those affected between 1 March 2020 and 31 October 2021.
We are carefully considering the impacts of COVID-19 on meeting the Minimum Income Requirement for spouse/partner visa applicants. We are also considering the exceptional circumstances related to the pandemic we will take into account in future for applications made under the family Immigration Rules. We will set out our future policy in updated guidance in due course.
The Minimum Income Requirement is set at the level which prevents burdens on the taxpayer and promotes integration. We remain committed to those aims.
We recognised the economic impacts of COVID-19 on earnings and made relevant adjustments in order to support those affected between 1 March 2020 and 31 October 2021.
We are carefully considering the impacts of COVID-19 on meeting the Minimum Income Requirement for spouse/partner visa applicants. We are also considering the exceptional circumstances related to the pandemic we will take into account in future for applications made under the family Immigration Rules. We will set out our future policy in updated guidance in due course.
The Minimum Income Requirement is set at the level which prevents burdens on the taxpayer and promotes integration. We remain committed to those aims.
We recognised the economic impacts of COVID-19 on earnings and made relevant adjustments in order to support those affected between 1 March 2020 and 31 October 2021.
We are carefully considering the impacts of COVID-19 on meeting the Minimum Income Requirement for spouse/partner visa applicants. We are also considering the exceptional circumstances related to the pandemic we will take into account in future for applications made under the family Immigration Rules. We will set out our future policy in updated guidance in due course.
The Biometrics Services Gateway (BSG) is a technological solution implemented by the Home Office Biometrics (HOB) Programme to provide a “common front door” into the legacy biometric systems and services.
The BSG facilitates the exchange of data between biometric systems and in doing so, supports a range of biometric business processes, such as visa enrolments, asylum applications and criminal police searches, by routing biometric data between and on behalf of the systems. The BSG 'front door' to HOB services:
The BSG is one component of the HOB technical architecture and only sends data to the biometrics systems; it does not make decisions based on the biometric data.
We welcome the views of any civil society organisation which wants to contribute to the development of the new Terms of Reference for the Independent Review of Prevent. They can contribute by contacting the team which will support the new Independent Reviewer at indpreventreview@homeoffice.gov.uk.
The Review team has approached some of the organisations with which they had been in contact during earlier stages of the Review to invite their comments and which represent a broad range of views on Prevent, including those critical of the current approach. But the views of all organisations are welcome.
Any views provided to the Review Team will be shared with the Independent Reviewer once appointed and before the Terms of Reference are agreed.
Interviews for the role of Independent Reviewer are taking place later this month, following which there will be an announcement in due course. There were 35 applicants for the role; we cannot comment further on an ongoing recruitment process.
The aim is for the Independent Review to be completed by August 2021.
We welcome the views of any civil society organisation which wants to contribute to the development of the new Terms of Reference for the Independent Review of Prevent. They can contribute by contacting the team which will support the new Independent Reviewer at indpreventreview@homeoffice.gov.uk.
The Review team has approached some of the organisations with which they had been in contact during earlier stages of the Review to invite their comments and which represent a broad range of views on Prevent, including those critical of the current approach. But the views of all organisations are welcome.
Any views provided to the Review Team will be shared with the Independent Reviewer once appointed and before the Terms of Reference are agreed.
Interviews for the role of Independent Reviewer are taking place later this month, following which there will be an announcement in due course. There were 35 applicants for the role; we cannot comment further on an ongoing recruitment process.
The aim is for the Independent Review to be completed by August 2021.
We welcome the views of any civil society organisation which wants to contribute to the development of the new Terms of Reference for the Independent Review of Prevent. They can contribute by contacting the team which will support the new Independent Reviewer at indpreventreview@homeoffice.gov.uk.
The Review team has approached some of the organisations with which they had been in contact during earlier stages of the Review to invite their comments and which represent a broad range of views on Prevent, including those critical of the current approach. But the views of all organisations are welcome.
Any views provided to the Review Team will be shared with the Independent Reviewer once appointed and before the Terms of Reference are agreed.
Interviews for the role of Independent Reviewer are taking place later this month, following which there will be an announcement in due course. There were 35 applicants for the role; we cannot comment further on an ongoing recruitment process.
The aim is for the Independent Review to be completed by August 2021.
We welcome the views of any civil society organisation which wants to contribute to the development of the new Terms of Reference for the Independent Review of Prevent. They can contribute by contacting the team which will support the new Independent Reviewer at indpreventreview@homeoffice.gov.uk.
The Review team has approached some of the organisations with which they had been in contact during earlier stages of the Review to invite their comments and which represent a broad range of views on Prevent, including those critical of the current approach. But the views of all organisations are welcome.
Any views provided to the Review Team will be shared with the Independent Reviewer once appointed and before the Terms of Reference are agreed.
Interviews for the role of Independent Reviewer are taking place later this month, following which there will be an announcement in due course. There were 35 applicants for the role; we cannot comment further on an ongoing recruitment process.
The aim is for the Independent Review to be completed by August 2021.
We welcome the views of any civil society organisation which wants to contribute to the development of the new Terms of Reference for the Independent Review of Prevent. They can contribute by contacting the team which will support the new Independent Reviewer at indpreventreview@homeoffice.gov.uk.
The Review team has approached some of the organisations with which they had been in contact during earlier stages of the Review to invite their comments and which represent a broad range of views on Prevent, including those critical of the current approach. But the views of all organisations are welcome.
Any views provided to the Review Team will be shared with the Independent Reviewer once appointed and before the Terms of Reference are agreed.
Interviews for the role of Independent Reviewer are taking place later this month, following which there will be an announcement in due course. There were 35 applicants for the role; we cannot comment further on an ongoing recruitment process.
The aim is for the Independent Review to be completed by August 2021.
Foreign national offenders should be in no doubt of our determination to remove them. Since 2010 we have removed more than 53,000 FNOs.
It would be inappropriate to comment on this case while legal proceedings are ongoing
Under House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) legislation, rooms in licensable HMOs that are under 6.51 square metres cannot be used as sleeping accommodation by one person. Local housing authorities have discretion to consider local circumstances and require higher standards within HMO licence conditions, but must not set lower standards.
The purpose of this legislation is to reduce overcrowding in HMOs. The Government consulted extensively on the changes to HMO licensing at the time and there was broad support for the extension of scope of mandatory HMO licensing.
The Department does not hold information on the number of domestic abuse safe accommodation providers, including refuges, that own their own property.
My Department is working with local authorities to raise standards across the private rented sector, to protect vulnerable tenants, including those living in HMOs.
Under House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) legislation, rooms in licensable HMOs that are under 6.51 square metres cannot be used as sleeping accommodation by one person. Local housing authorities have discretion to consider local circumstances and require higher standards within HMO licence conditions, but must not set lower standards.
The purpose of this legislation is to reduce overcrowding in HMOs. The Government consulted extensively on the changes to HMO licensing at the time and there was broad support for the extension of scope of mandatory HMO licensing.
The Department does not hold information on the number of domestic abuse safe accommodation providers, including refuges, that own their own property.
My Department is working with local authorities to raise standards across the private rented sector, to protect vulnerable tenants, including those living in HMOs.
Under House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) legislation, rooms in licensable HMOs that are under 6.51 square metres cannot be used as sleeping accommodation by one person. Local housing authorities have discretion to consider local circumstances and require higher standards within HMO licence conditions, but must not set lower standards.
The purpose of this legislation is to reduce overcrowding in HMOs. The Government consulted extensively on the changes to HMO licensing at the time and there was broad support for the extension of scope of mandatory HMO licensing.
The Department does not hold information on the number of domestic abuse safe accommodation providers, including refuges, that own their own property.
My Department is working with local authorities to raise standards across the private rented sector, to protect vulnerable tenants, including those living in HMOs.
Under House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) legislation, rooms in licensable HMOs that are under 6.51 square metres cannot be used as sleeping accommodation by one person. Local housing authorities have discretion to consider local circumstances and require higher standards within HMO licence conditions, but must not set lower standards.
The purpose of this legislation is to reduce overcrowding in HMOs. The Government consulted extensively on the changes to HMO licensing at the time and there was broad support for the extension of scope of mandatory HMO licensing.
The Department does not hold information on the number of domestic abuse safe accommodation providers, including refuges, that own their own property.
My Department is working with local authorities to raise standards across the private rented sector, to protect vulnerable tenants, including those living in HMOs.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is leading the Government's work on welcoming Hong Kong BN(O)s into the UK. While the Department has run integration programmes such as the Controlling Migration Fund and the Integration Area Programme, these were not tailored to BN(O) communities.
The new BN(O) route and access to public services is an unprecedented offer following China’s passing of the National Security Law. This new law significantly impacts the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong and since the situation that BN(O) status holders find themselves in has changed, it is right that their rights and entitlements in the UK change too.
The visa route reflects the historic and moral commitment to the people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up BN(O) status at the point of Hong Kong’s handover to China in 1997.
For some people, places and communities, the benefits and opportunities of our society are not felt equally. No community should suffer poorer outcomes simply because of the school they went to, the faith they hold, or the area that they live in.
That is why the Government published the Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper in 2018 and followed this up with a cross-Government Action Plan in 2019. Since then, significant progress has been made, including providing over 18,000 learner places through new English Language programmes, delivering a new Integration Action Plan covering all relevant Whitehall departments, and setting up an innovative new Integration Area Programme, to identify what works and share this learning nationally
This progress continues today. For example, Government continues to work with the first wave of Integration Areas, as they deliver interventions and build stronger communities and places in Blackburn with Darwen, Waltham Forest, Peterborough, Walsall and Bradford. An evaluation of the Integration Area Programme is scheduled to be published later this year, which will provide further evidence on the impact of this work and help to inform future Government integration policy and programmes.
This Government is proud to continue to ensure that local voices are heard, valued and produce change - so that no community is left behind and that we strengthen work to recognise and value those common themes which bind us all together - not least as we begin to vital process of helping people, places and communities across the whole of the United Kingdom to build back better from the coronavirus pandemic.
All forms of hate crime are completely unacceptable. The Government takes hate crime very seriously which is why we are clear that victims should be supported and the individuals who carry out hateful attacks must be brought to justice. This Department has, since 2015, supplied over £8,130,000 to combat all forms of hate crime and prejudices.
The names of recipients of funding from the Faith, Race and Hate Crime Grant Scheme 2020- 2021 will be publicly available in due course.
All towns selected for Town Deals are in the more deprived half of towns in the UK, and the 40 highest priority towns were selected. Of those in the lower priority groups, there were specific reasons for inclusion based on local intelligence about both the challenges in those towns and the opportunity for transformational change. The different reasons for selecting Brighouse, Morley, Stocksbridge and Todmorden are listed in the NAO Review of the Town Deals Selection Process (July 2020).
a The £5.1 million ESOL for Integration Fund is supporting 30 local authorities in 2020 / 21 to deliver English language sessions for residents with little or no English helping them to integrate more widely with the people, places and amenities in their local area.
Through the Integration Area Programme we continue to fund Integration Areas to deliver English language classes in innovative ways to address local integration challenges – this is supporting communities to better integrate, participate fully in society and access the opportunities that life in modern Britain provides.
Additionally, MHCLG funded resources to support organisations and individuals seeking to provide volunteer led English language clubs were recently published via the Learning and Work Institute website.
b Subject to the Department’s future funding settlement we will explore how MHCLG funds ESOL provision beyond 20/21 at that point.
My Department has so far allocated £890,000 for hate crime reporting and support of victims for the financial year 2020/21. We are also considering applications to our £2,000,000 Faith, Race and Hate Crime Grant Scheme which closed to applications in May and is to support projects seeking to tackle religiously and racially motivated hate crime as well as social integration.
This Government remains committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for all and continues to provide funding to help build strong, integrated communities.
We have launched the new ESOL for Integration Fund that will take a localised approach to boosting the English language skills of those residents with little or no English language, who may also be isolated or disconnected from services and the wider area. Up to £6.5 million has been made available in 2020/21 to support successful local authority proposals.
We have also launched the Faith, Race and Hate Crime grant scheme, which will support organisations that are working to bring different faith and ethnic groups together and tackle racially and religiously motivated hate crime to create integrated communities. Up to £2 million has been made available to support this work.
Our 16 trailblazing projects funded through the Integrated Communities Innovation Fund have engaged 70,000 people in a range of settings to stimulate and test innovative approaches to integration.
A national evaluator is currently compiling evidence on the effectiveness of each intervention. Although the coronavirus outbreak has meant that some of our funded projects have had to temporarily pause activity, our findings will be shared in due course and used to inform future policy.
Applications for projects tackling religiously and racially motivated hate crime are currently being considered under the Faith, Race and Hate Crime Grant Scheme. Proposals are expected to demonstrate how successful projects will work towards one or both of the following aims: i. To promote shared values among people of all backgrounds through sustainable social integration and meaningful civic participation and/or ii. To effectively tackle and prevent religiously and racially discriminatory behaviour and those acting against others because of their faith or race. Further detail on the application and assessment criteria has been set out in guidance for applicants which was published in April 2020.
We set out an ambitious programme of actions in our Integrated Communities Action Plan to support the education sector to drive forward integration, as part of a cross-government commitment to building strong integrated communities
We recognise the important role that young people play in this agenda and the significance of forging meaningful connections and relationships with people from different backgrounds.
As part of this, we committed to working with the National Citizen Service Trust and DCMS to support social mixing opportunities for young people in areas of high segregation. We are also continuing to work with DfE to support the National Schools Linking Programme.
The Government is committed to preventing and tackling hate crime and with the participation of our civil society partners we are considering a range of options to tackle hate crime beyond the current action plan. In the interim we have ensured that key hate crime projects remain funded and we have launched a competitive grant scheme for 2020-21 to support projects related to our hate crime objectives with funds worth up to £2 million.
We know that the causes of poor integration are complex and we have to admit that it will take generational change to truly deliver the well-integrated communities that we want to see. But first we need to know what works.
The Integrated Communities Innovation Fund (2019/20) supported 16 projects to test innovative approaches to integration and generate important learning on how to bridge divides and bring communities together.
The purpose of the Innovation Fund was to trial new approaches and address this evidence gap. In order to understand which interventions have been effective, we now need to review the findings. A national evaluator will compile this evidence, which will be shared widely and used to inform future policy.
All forms of hate crime are completely unacceptable and tackling racially motivated hate crime remains a priority for this government.
MHCLG paid approximately £219,00 to projects specifically to target racism in the financial year 19/20. These include Show Racism the Red Card and the Anne Frank Trust who work with young people across the country to challenge prejudice and discrimination. We are also supporting Kick It Out to tackle racism in sport and have confirmed funding for the Kingston Race Equality Council to improve support for victims of racially motivated hatred nationally.
In addition to this, 2019 saw the first provision of an annual £500,000 grant to support Windrush Day celebrations. This annual grant will be providing £500,000 to a further 49 projects this year. Government has also committed to spending a total of £1 million on the Windrush monument, which will be placed in London Waterloo Station.
We are committed to continue promoting shared values among people of all backgrounds through sustainable social integration and meaningful civic participation, whilst tackling and preventing religiously and racially discriminatory behaviour. To support this, we have launched a competitive grant scheme for 2020-21 to support projects in this space, with a budget of up to £2 million.
This Government remains committed to stamping out anti-Muslim hatred and all forms of hate crime. It is unacceptable for anyone to feel unsafe while practising their religion and we continue to take a zero-tolerance approach to Islamophobia.
The definition of Islamophobia proposed by the APPG is not in line with the Equality Act 2010 and could have consequences for freedom of speech. We recognise he importance of this matter and will interrogate it in further detail.
John Mann was appointed as an independent adviser on Antisemitism by the Prime Minister in July 2019. The Department has not allocated staff or funding to John Mann.
We continue to take a zero-tolerance approach to anti-Muslim hatred and recognise the importance of this matter. We will continue to explore and interrogate the issue of publishing a definition of Islamophobia in further detail.