Rachel Reeves

This information is not held centrally.

The UK spends some £290 billion on public procurement every year. This huge amount of government spending must be leveraged to play its part in the UK’s economic recovery, opening up public contracts to more small businesses and social enterprises to innovate in public service delivery, and meeting our net-zero carbon target by 2050. The Government has already reviewed the Green Book to ensure it supports “levelling up” and is taking other steps for example through the National Infrastructure Strategy to ensure vibrant and resilient supply chains. Our ambitious plans for reform, set out in our recently published Green Paper on transforming procurement, aim to create a simpler regime that reduces costs for business and the public sector alike whilst complying with our international obligations.

The Government is committed to working to improve action to tackle modern slavery in supply chains, and has published commercial policy and guidance which advocates a systematic approach to identifying and tackling modern slavery and labour abuses in government supply chains, focussing on areas of the highest risk. We are keeping this matter under close review.

This information is not held centrally.

The UK spends some £290 billion on public procurement every year. This huge amount of government spending must be leveraged to play its part in the UK’s economic recovery, opening up public contracts to more small businesses and social enterprises to innovate in public service delivery, and meeting our net-zero carbon target by 2050. The Government has already reviewed the Green Book to ensure it supports “levelling up” and is taking other steps for example through the National Infrastructure Strategy to ensure vibrant and resilient supply chains. Our ambitious plans for reform, set out in our recently published Green Paper on transforming procurement, aim to create a simpler regime that reduces costs for business and the public sector alike whilst complying with our international obligations.

The Government is committed to working to improve action to tackle modern slavery in supply chains, and has published commercial policy and guidance which advocates a systematic approach to identifying and tackling modern slavery and labour abuses in government supply chains, focussing on areas of the highest risk. We are keeping this matter under close review.

This information is not held centrally.

The UK spends some £290 billion on public procurement every year. This huge amount of government spending must be leveraged to play its part in the UK’s economic recovery, opening up public contracts to more small businesses and social enterprises to innovate in public service delivery, and meeting our net-zero carbon target by 2050. The Government has already reviewed the Green Book to ensure it supports “levelling up” and is taking other steps for example through the National Infrastructure Strategy to ensure vibrant and resilient supply chains. Our ambitious plans for reform, set out in our recently published Green Paper on transforming procurement, aim to create a simpler regime that reduces costs for business and the public sector alike whilst complying with our international obligations.

The Government is committed to working to improve action to tackle modern slavery in supply chains, and has published commercial policy and guidance which advocates a systematic approach to identifying and tackling modern slavery and labour abuses in government supply chains, focussing on areas of the highest risk. We are keeping this matter under close review.

This information is not held centrally.

The UK spends some £290 billion on public procurement every year. This huge amount of government spending must be leveraged to play its part in the UK’s economic recovery, opening up public contracts to more small businesses and social enterprises to innovate in public service delivery, and meeting our net-zero carbon target by 2050. The Government has already reviewed the Green Book to ensure it supports “levelling up” and is taking other steps for example through the National Infrastructure Strategy to ensure vibrant and resilient supply chains. Our ambitious plans for reform, set out in our recently published Green Paper on transforming procurement, aim to create a simpler regime that reduces costs for business and the public sector alike whilst complying with our international obligations.

The Government is committed to working to improve action to tackle modern slavery in supply chains, and has published commercial policy and guidance which advocates a systematic approach to identifying and tackling modern slavery and labour abuses in government supply chains, focussing on areas of the highest risk. We are keeping this matter under close review.

This information is not held centrally.

The UK spends some £290 billion on public procurement every year. This huge amount of government spending must be leveraged to play its part in the UK’s economic recovery, opening up public contracts to more small businesses and social enterprises to innovate in public service delivery, and meeting our net-zero carbon target by 2050. The Government has already reviewed the Green Book to ensure it supports “levelling up” and is taking other steps for example through the National Infrastructure Strategy to ensure vibrant and resilient supply chains. Our ambitious plans for reform, set out in our recently published Green Paper on transforming procurement, aim to create a simpler regime that reduces costs for business and the public sector alike whilst complying with our international obligations.

The Government is committed to working to improve action to tackle modern slavery in supply chains, and has published commercial policy and guidance which advocates a systematic approach to identifying and tackling modern slavery and labour abuses in government supply chains, focussing on areas of the highest risk. We are keeping this matter under close review.

The Government is committed to relocating 22,000 civil service roles from central London to the regions and nations of the UK by the end of the decade. A number of announcements have been made on Places for Growth locations. This includes the Cabinet Office establishing a second headquarters in Glasgow, a joint headquarters for FCDO in East Kilbride, DfT building on its presence in Leeds and Birmingham, and a new economic campus in Darlington. Further announcements for other departments will be made in due course.

Former Prime Ministers are entitled to claim the Public Duty Cost Allowance, which is the reimbursement of incurred expenses for necessary office and secretarial costs arising from the fulfilment of public duties. Amounts claimed each year are set out in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.

Ministers of the Crown are eligible to receive a severance payment of three months of their Ministerial salary, as outlined in the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991 (as amended).

This information is not held centrally.

The dates of the first meetings of the committees established under the UK - EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement have not yet been agreed with the EU. We are carefully considering the establishment of these committees, including the UK chairs and delegations, so that they can begin their formal business after ratification has been completed.

The Downing Street complex is a working building, as well as containing two Ministerial residences. As has been the case under successive administrations, refurbishments and maintenance are made periodically.

Works to the Downing Street estate are overseen by the Cabinet Office. It is not the practice of successive administrations to comment on which officials have been consulted or advised on matters.

Ministers across government have been speaking directly to hundreds of businesses across the country, including through the Business Brexit Task Force, to develop a shared vision and plan for the future. Such engagement has been integral to support businesses in adapting to our new trading relationship with the EU and to continue to successfully compete on the global stage.

The Cabinet Office is consistently tracking and reviewing spend on the UK Transition campaign to ensure our communications to businesses and citizens are efficient. The Cabinet Office is committed to scrutiny and transparency. Details of spend of over £500, including on public information campaigns, are published on a rolling basis on gov.uk - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cabinet-office-spend-data.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 33512.

The cross-government Transition communication campaign is guiding and supporting businesses and citizens to adapt to new arrangements since the end of the Transition Period. The campaign has used national advertising including TV, SMS, Radio, Press, Print, Digital and outdoor advertising across owned, earned and paid for channels.

The Cabinet Office is consistently tracking and reviewing spend on the Transition campaign to ensure our communications are efficient. Campaign spend is proportionate to ensure UK businesses and consumers know what they need to do to make sure they adapt and thrive under the new rules.

Details of spend over £500, including on public information campaigns, is published on a monthly basis on gov.uk - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cabinet-office-spend-data.

The Government has a longstanding commitment to the principle of transparency in procurement.

We have recently launched our Green Paper on transforming the UK’s public procurement regulations. The proposals outline specific measures to strengthen transparency throughout the commercial lifecycle and make sure we can have a choice of direct award and more competitive tendering during crises.

The Crown Commercial Service aims to create a framework which will provide an efficient and compliant route to market for public sector bodies for a broad range of voucher schemes. A Prior Information Notice was issued to the market on 29th January 2021 and stakeholder engagement is ongoing, prior to the issuance of a formal contract notice. The maximum potential value of call offs by the public sector is anticipated to be £3.3bn over the lifecycle of this framework agreement.

The framework agreement will not deliver voucher based reward and recognition schemes to employees but will cover a wide range of voucher types, such as to reward and incentivise the general public (i.e. in response to completing surveys) and to provide support to those in times of need or distress.

The Government has a longstanding commitment to the principle of transparency in procurement.

We have recently launched our Green Paper on transforming the UK’s public procurement regulations. The proposals outline specific measures to strengthen transparency throughout the commercial lifecycle and make sure we can have a choice of direct award and more competitive tendering during crises.

The Crown Commercial Service aims to create a framework which will provide an efficient and compliant route to market for public sector bodies for a broad range of voucher schemes. A Prior Information Notice was issued to the market on 29th January 2021 and stakeholder engagement is ongoing, prior to the issuance of a formal contract notice. The maximum potential value of call offs by the public sector is anticipated to be £3.3bn over the lifecycle of this framework agreement.

The framework agreement will not deliver voucher based reward and recognition schemes to employees but will cover a wide range of voucher types, such as to reward and incentivise the general public (i.e. in response to completing surveys) and to provide support to those in times of need or distress.

Further to my answer to PQ 77727 on 6 October 2020, public sector procurement is subject to a legal framework which encourages fair and open competition and value for money, in line with internationally and nationally agreed obligations and regulations. Public sector procurers are required to assess value for money using criteria linked to the subject matter of the contract, including compliance with the published specification.

Cabinet Office, like all departments, is responsible for the monitoring of its contracts. This research has helped us to understand public attitudes and behaviours to inform our vitally important public health messages and policies during the pandemic.

Further to my answer to PQ 77727 on 6 October 2020, public sector procurement is subject to a legal framework which encourages fair and open competition and value for money, in line with internationally and nationally agreed obligations and regulations. Public sector procurers are required to assess value for money using criteria linked to the subject matter of the contract, including compliance with the published specification.

Cabinet Office, like all departments, is responsible for the monitoring of its contracts. This research has helped us to understand public attitudes and behaviours to inform our vitally important public health messages and policies during the pandemic.

The UK is a founding member of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and is committed to upholding the organisation’s values of transparency, accountability and public participation. Work on the forthcoming National Action Plan will take place throughout 2021, with a model of engagement designed to encourage greater public participation, collaboration, and expert involvement.

I refer the Honourable Member to the letter sent to Vice-President Sefcovic on 2 February.

The letter can be found here.

I refer the Hon. Member both to the letter by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster of 11 February, a copy of which I have asked to be placed in the House of Commons Library and to the response, published on gov.uk, to erroneous claims made by the Road Haulage Association available here - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/response-to-points-raised-in-road-haulage-association-letter-to-the-chancellor-of-the-duchy-of-lancaster

I also refer the Hon. Member to the answers given by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to questions on 11 February.

I refer the Hon. Member both to the letter by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster of 11 February, a copy of which I have asked to be placed in the House of Commons Library and to the response, published on gov.uk, to erroneous claims made by the Road Haulage Association available here - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/response-to-points-raised-in-road-haulage-association-letter-to-the-chancellor-of-the-duchy-of-lancaster

I also refer the Hon. Member to the answers given by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to questions on 11 February.

I refer the Hon. Member both to the letter by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster of 11 February, a copy of which I have asked to be placed in the House of Commons Library and to the response, published on gov.uk, to erroneous claims made by the Road Haulage Association available here - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/response-to-points-raised-in-road-haulage-association-letter-to-the-chancellor-of-the-duchy-of-lancaster

I also refer the Hon. Member to the answers given by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to questions on 11 February.

I refer the Honourable Member to the letter my Right Honourable Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster sent to Vice-President Maros Sefcovic on 2 February 2021.

This Government recognises that outsourcing is an important component in a “mixed economy” of public service provision and that the private sector has played a crucial role in the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including in relation to the development and procurement of the Government’s world-leading vaccine programme. Under the terms of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, departments and other public authorities are able to use various applicable procedures. Public authorities across the United Kingdom including the devolved administrations and local authorities have made use of direct awards - this includes Leeds City Council. Similar approaches were adopted by many other countries, including Japan, Finland and New Zealand. It is unrealistic to suggest that the government ought to have run a full public procurement competition for PPE and other critical contracts at the height of the pandemic. The minimum number of days a competitive award could take place under the current rules is 25 days. This would have hugely slowed down the buying of vital PPE supplies.

Further to the Outsourcing Playbook, available on gov.uk, and as has been the case under successive administrations, public sector contracting authorities are responsible for their own commercial decisions, such as the award and monitoring of contracts. New commercial policy relating to the evaluation and delivery of social value outcomes through central government procurement did not come into force until 1 January 2021. It is therefore unlikely that a formal assessment of social value was made in relation to direct award contracts relating to the covid-19 response. Regarding cyber security, details of the Cyber Essentials scheme is available on gov.uk. The requested information on service credits is not held centrally.

I note that the Hon Member has not yet replied to the letter by my Rt Hon Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster of 20 November 2020. As a courtesy, I will ensure that a further copy of the letter is sent to her office to ensure she has a chance to reply to the points raised.

This Government recognises that outsourcing is an important component in a “mixed economy” of public service provision and that the private sector has played a crucial role in the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including in relation to the development and procurement of the Government’s world-leading vaccine programme. Under the terms of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, departments and other public authorities are able to use various applicable procedures. Public authorities across the United Kingdom including the devolved administrations and local authorities have made use of direct awards - this includes Leeds City Council. Similar approaches were adopted by many other countries, including Japan, Finland and New Zealand. It is unrealistic to suggest that the government ought to have run a full public procurement competition for PPE and other critical contracts at the height of the pandemic. The minimum number of days a competitive award could take place under the current rules is 25 days. This would have hugely slowed down the buying of vital PPE supplies.

Further to the Outsourcing Playbook, available on gov.uk, and as has been the case under successive administrations, public sector contracting authorities are responsible for their own commercial decisions, such as the award and monitoring of contracts. New commercial policy relating to the evaluation and delivery of social value outcomes through central government procurement did not come into force until 1 January 2021. It is therefore unlikely that a formal assessment of social value was made in relation to direct award contracts relating to the covid-19 response. Regarding cyber security, details of the Cyber Essentials scheme is available on gov.uk. The requested information on service credits is not held centrally.

I note that the Hon Member has not yet replied to the letter by my Rt Hon Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster of 20 November 2020. As a courtesy, I will ensure that a further copy of the letter is sent to her office to ensure she has a chance to reply to the points raised.

This Government recognises that outsourcing is an important component in a “mixed economy” of public service provision and that the private sector has played a crucial role in the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including in relation to the development and procurement of the Government’s world-leading vaccine programme. Under the terms of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, departments and other public authorities are able to use various applicable procedures. Public authorities across the United Kingdom including the devolved administrations and local authorities have made use of direct awards - this includes Leeds City Council. Similar approaches were adopted by many other countries, including Japan, Finland and New Zealand. It is unrealistic to suggest that the government ought to have run a full public procurement competition for PPE and other critical contracts at the height of the pandemic. The minimum number of days a competitive award could take place under the current rules is 25 days. This would have hugely slowed down the buying of vital PPE supplies.

Further to the Outsourcing Playbook, available on gov.uk, and as has been the case under successive administrations, public sector contracting authorities are responsible for their own commercial decisions, such as the award and monitoring of contracts. New commercial policy relating to the evaluation and delivery of social value outcomes through central government procurement did not come into force until 1 January 2021. It is therefore unlikely that a formal assessment of social value was made in relation to direct award contracts relating to the covid-19 response. Regarding cyber security, details of the Cyber Essentials scheme is available on gov.uk. The requested information on service credits is not held centrally.

I note that the Hon Member has not yet replied to the letter by my Rt Hon Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster of 20 November 2020. As a courtesy, I will ensure that a further copy of the letter is sent to her office to ensure she has a chance to reply to the points raised.

I refer the Honourable Member to the letter my Right Honourable Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster sent to Vice-President Maros Sefcovic on 2 February 2021.

This Government recognises that outsourcing is an important component in a “mixed economy” of public service provision and that the private sector has played a crucial role in the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including in relation to the development and procurement of the Government’s world-leading vaccine programme. Under the terms of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, departments and other public authorities are able to use various applicable procedures. Public authorities across the United Kingdom including the devolved administrations and local authorities have made use of direct awards - this includes Leeds City Council. Similar approaches were adopted by many other countries, including Japan, Finland and New Zealand. It is unrealistic to suggest that the government ought to have run a full public procurement competition for PPE and other critical contracts at the height of the pandemic. The minimum number of days a competitive award could take place under the current rules is 25 days. This would have hugely slowed down the buying of vital PPE supplies.

Further to the Outsourcing Playbook, available on gov.uk, and as has been the case under successive administrations, public sector contracting authorities are responsible for their own commercial decisions, such as the award and monitoring of contracts. Regarding cyber security, details of the Cyber Essentials scheme is available on gov.uk. The requested information on service credits is not held centrally.

I note that the Hon Member has not yet replied to the letter by my Rt Hon Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster of 20 November 2020. As a courtesy, I will ensure that a further copy of the letter is sent to her office to ensure she has a chance to reply to the points raised.

This Government recognises that outsourcing is an important component in a “mixed economy” of public service provision and that the private sector has played a crucial role in the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including in relation to the development and procurement of the Government’s world-leading vaccine programme. Under the terms of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, departments and other public authorities are able to use various applicable procedures. Public authorities across the United Kingdom including the devolved administrations and local authorities have made use of direct awards - this includes Leeds City Council. Similar approaches were adopted by many other countries, including Japan, Finland and New Zealand. It is unrealistic to suggest that the government ought to have run a full public procurement competition for PPE and other critical contracts at the height of the pandemic. The minimum number of days a competitive award could take place under the current rules is 25 days. This would have hugely slowed down the buying of vital PPE supplies.

Further to the Outsourcing Playbook, available on gov.uk, and as has been the case under successive administrations, public sector contracting authorities are responsible for their own commercial decisions, such as the award and monitoring of contracts. Regarding cyber security, details of the Cyber Essentials scheme is available on gov.uk. The requested information on service credits is not held centrally.

I note that the Hon Member has not yet replied to the letter by my Rt Hon Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster of 20 November 2020. As a courtesy, I will ensure that a further copy of the letter is sent to her office to ensure she has a chance to reply to the points raised.

This Government recognises that outsourcing is an important component in a “mixed economy” of public service provision and that the private sector has played a crucial role in the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including in relation to the development and procurement of the Government’s world-leading vaccine programme. Under the terms of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, departments and other public authorities are able to use various applicable procedures. Public authorities across the United Kingdom including the devolved administrations and local authorities have made use of direct awards - this includes Leeds City Council. Similar approaches were adopted by many other countries, including Japan, Finland and New Zealand. It is unrealistic to suggest that the government ought to have run a full public procurement competition for PPE and other critical contracts at the height of the pandemic. The minimum number of days a competitive award could take place under the current rules is 25 days. This would have hugely slowed down the buying of vital PPE supplies.

Further to the Outsourcing Playbook, available on gov.uk, and as has been the case under successive administrations, public sector contracting authorities are responsible for their own commercial decisions, such as the award and monitoring of contracts. Regarding cyber security, details of the Cyber Essentials scheme is available on gov.uk. The requested information on service credits is not held centrally.

I note that the Hon Member has not yet replied to the letter by my Rt Hon Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster of 20 November 2020. As a courtesy, I will ensure that a further copy of the letter is sent to her office to ensure she has a chance to reply to the points raised.

The Government is monitoring freight flow across UK ports through the Border Operations Centre in the Cabinet Office. November 2020 is not a baseline for 'normal' flow levels but freight levels have been increasing over recent weeks.

The Government has announced a wide range of support for businesses, traders and hauliers - full details are available on gov.uk. Future announcements will be made in the usual way.

The Government is monitoring freight flow across UK ports through the Border Operations Centre in the Cabinet Office. November 2020 is not a baseline for 'normal' flow levels but freight levels have been increasing over recent weeks.

The Government has announced a wide range of support for businesses, traders and hauliers - full details are available on gov.uk. Future announcements will be made in the usual way.

This information is not held centrally.

The UK announced that it would introduce new border controls on imports coming into Great Britain from the EU in three stages up until 1 July 2021, as set out by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancester by Written Ministerial Statement on 15 June 2020. Government is supporting the infrastructure needed for these changes through £470m of investment, including £200 million for the Port Infrastructure Fund (PIF) and a further £270m allocated to the provision of inland facilities. We are keeping progress on infrastructure and wider preparedness continually under review.

Goods are moving effectively between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and there are no significant queues at Northern Ireland ports.

Border Force has put in place additional resource in Northern Ireland to manage any operational requirements following the end of the Transition Period, including under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol. The UK Government is working closely with the Northern Ireland Executive on the implementation of the requirements of the Protocol.

Goods also continue to move effectively between Great Britain and the European Union. Compliance with new border requirements continues to improve. The numbers of HGV freight turned back at the Short Straits, either for lack of border readiness or inability to present a negative COVID test has been low and decreasing over time, with an average of less than 5% over the period from 20-26 January. The Government is working with industry to ensure traders understand the new border requirements.

Goods are moving effectively between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and there are no significant queues at Northern Ireland ports.

Border Force has put in place additional resource in Northern Ireland to manage any operational requirements following the end of the Transition Period, including under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol. The UK Government is working closely with the Northern Ireland Executive on the implementation of the requirements of the Protocol.

Goods also continue to move effectively between Great Britain and the European Union. Compliance with new border requirements continues to improve. The numbers of HGV freight turned back at the Short Straits, either for lack of border readiness or inability to present a negative COVID test has been low and decreasing over time, with an average of less than 5% over the period from 20-26 January. The Government is working with industry to ensure traders understand the new border requirements.

Goods are moving effectively between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and there are no significant queues at Northern Ireland ports.

Border Force has put in place additional resource in Northern Ireland to manage any operational requirements following the end of the Transition Period, including under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol. The UK Government is working closely with the Northern Ireland Executive on the implementation of the requirements of the Protocol.

Goods also continue to move effectively between Great Britain and the European Union. Compliance with new border requirements continues to improve. The numbers of HGV freight turned back at the Short Straits, either for lack of border readiness or inability to present a negative COVID test has been low and decreasing over time, with an average of less than 5% over the period from 20-26 January. The Government is working with industry to ensure traders understand the new border requirements.

Goods are moving effectively between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and there are no significant queues at Northern Ireland ports.

Border Force has put in place additional resource in Northern Ireland to manage any operational requirements following the end of the Transition Period, including under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol. The UK Government is working closely with the Northern Ireland Executive on the implementation of the requirements of the Protocol.

Goods also continue to move effectively between Great Britain and the European Union. Compliance with new border requirements continues to improve. The numbers of HGV freight turned back at the Short Straits, either for lack of border readiness or inability to present a negative COVID test has been low and decreasing over time, with an average of less than 5% over the period from 20-26 January. The Government is working with industry to ensure traders understand the new border requirements.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport leads on the relationship with the UK's creative industries. Where appropriate, officials from Cabinet Office and other departments, participate in discussions. Details of ministerial meetings are published on gov.uk.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ105615 on 22 October.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ105615 on 22 October.

Departmental contracts are not managed centrally. Therefore, the information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. It is Cabinet Office policy that all contract managers have appropriate skills to ensure contracts are managed correctly. Any potential unfulfilled orders would be dealt with in accordance with the contract’s terms and conditions.

In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of security clearance are not normally disclosed.

In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of security clearance are not normally disclosed.

In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of security clearance are not normally disclosed.

Details of expenditure are published on GOV.UK.

Details of expenditure are published on GOV.UK.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to PQ72996 on 21 July 2020.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by Amanda Milling MP on 16 July 2020.

Information about the Crown Commercial Service Dynamic Purchasing System is available online. https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/help-and-support/frameworks/dynamic-purchasing-system/

Regarding feedback, I refer the hon. Member to the guidance on ‘Bid Evaluation’ available on GOV.UK as part of the Outsourcing Playbook.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by Amanda Milling MP on 16 July 2020.

Information about the Crown Commercial Service Dynamic Purchasing System is available online. https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/help-and-support/frameworks/dynamic-purchasing-system/

Regarding feedback, I refer the hon. Member to the guidance on ‘Bid Evaluation’ available on GOV.UK as part of the Outsourcing Playbook.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by Amanda Milling MP on 16 July 2020.

Information about the Crown Commercial Service Dynamic Purchasing System is available online. https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/help-and-support/frameworks/dynamic-purchasing-system/

Regarding feedback, I refer the hon. Member to the guidance on ‘Bid Evaluation’ available on GOV.UK as part of the Outsourcing Playbook.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my Rt. Hon. Friend Amanda Milling MP on 16 July 2020.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to PQ 95015 on 2 October 2020.

Further to the answers given to PQ 40655 on 11 May 2020 and to PQ 46692 on 29 May 2020, no spend on advertising has been withdrawn.

Working with the private sector has been a vital part of the government’s response to tackling the coronavirus crisis, with private sector workers standing alongside those from the public sector on the front line. Collaborative working between the public and private sectors has enabled us to respond to the challenges of Covid, including rapidly manufacturing over 15,000 mechanical ventilators for use by the NHS, sourcing over 32 billion items of PPE and building the capacity to carry out more than 500,000 tests per day. When making decisions on how to deliver public services, departments should consider various possible delivery methods including in-house, joint ventures or via the private sector.

Further to the statement by my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September, details of external ministerial meetings are published on gov.uk

Regarding the 'Check an HGV is ready to cross the border' service (formerly known as 'Smart Freight'), I refer to the answer given to PQ 92707.

It is vital businesses, including those who rely on seasonal work, and workers prepare for the end of the Transition Period. That is why the Government has launched a public information campaign to ensure those affected are ready for the changes this will bring.The campaign uses a range of communication channels and events to help employers understand and prepare. Guidance for businesses is available on gov.uk/transition.

Further to the statement by my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September, details of external ministerial meetings are published on gov.uk

Regarding the 'Check an HGV is ready to cross the border' service (formerly known as 'Smart Freight'), I refer to the answer given to PQ 92707.

It is vital businesses, including those who rely on seasonal work, and workers prepare for the end of the Transition Period. That is why the Government has launched a public information campaign to ensure those affected are ready for the changes this will bring.The campaign uses a range of communication channels and events to help employers understand and prepare. Guidance for businesses is available on gov.uk/transition.

Further to the statement by my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September, details of external ministerial meetings are published on gov.uk

Regarding the 'Check an HGV is ready to cross the border' service (formerly known as 'Smart Freight'), I refer to the answer given to PQ 92707.

It is vital businesses, including those who rely on seasonal work, and workers prepare for the end of the Transition Period. That is why the Government has launched a public information campaign to ensure those affected are ready for the changes this will bring.The campaign uses a range of communication channels and events to help employers understand and prepare. Guidance for businesses is available on gov.uk/transition.

Further to the statement by my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September, details of external ministerial meetings are published on gov.uk

Regarding the 'Check an HGV is ready to cross the border' service (formerly known as 'Smart Freight'), I refer to the answer given to PQ 92707.

It is vital businesses, including those who rely on seasonal work, and workers prepare for the end of the Transition Period. That is why the Government has launched a public information campaign to ensure those affected are ready for the changes this will bring.The campaign uses a range of communication channels and events to help employers understand and prepare. Guidance for businesses is available on gov.uk/transition.

In accordance with standard practice, the Government does not comment on leaked documents. There are a number of new systems that traders and hauliers will need to engage with both in the UK and EU.

Delivery is on track, however as part of standard programme delivery, contingencies are always prepared.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 8 September.

In accordance with standard practice, the Government does not comment on leaked documents. There are a number of new systems that traders and hauliers will need to engage with both in the UK and EU.

Delivery is on track, however as part of standard programme delivery, contingencies are always prepared.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 8 September.

In accordance with standard practice, the Government does not comment on leaked documents. There are a number of new systems that traders and hauliers will need to engage with both in the UK and EU.

Delivery is on track, however as part of standard programme delivery, contingencies are always prepared.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 8 September.

In accordance with standard practice, the Government does not comment on leaked documents. There are a number of new systems that traders and hauliers will need to engage with both in the UK and EU.

Delivery is on track, however as part of standard programme delivery, contingencies are always prepared.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 8 September.

Further to the statement of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 13 July, Government has launched a campaign to communicate the actions businesses and individuals need to take to prepare for the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020. We have established a core set of metrics for measuring the impact of the campaign drawing on our experience of the previous campaign.

The Government has also announced an unprecedented £705 million package of investment for border infrastructure, staff and technology to ensure our border systems are fully operational after the end of the transition period. As set out on 13 July, the Government will provide a breakdown of spend on ports by region and by port in due course. The funding will however include making available up to £470 million to build port and inland infrastructure needed to strengthen the UK’s border facilities and a £235 million investment in staffing and IT systems.

Further to the statement of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 13 July, Government has launched a campaign to communicate the actions businesses and individuals need to take to prepare for the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020. We have established a core set of metrics for measuring the impact of the campaign drawing on our experience of the previous campaign.

The Government has also announced an unprecedented £705 million package of investment for border infrastructure, staff and technology to ensure our border systems are fully operational after the end of the transition period. As set out on 13 July, the Government will provide a breakdown of spend on ports by region and by port in due course. The funding will however include making available up to £470 million to build port and inland infrastructure needed to strengthen the UK’s border facilities and a £235 million investment in staffing and IT systems.

Further to the statement of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 13 July, Government has launched a campaign to communicate the actions businesses and individuals need to take to prepare for the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020. We have established a core set of metrics for measuring the impact of the campaign drawing on our experience of the previous campaign.

The Government has also announced an unprecedented £705 million package of investment for border infrastructure, staff and technology to ensure our border systems are fully operational after the end of the transition period. As set out on 13 July, the Government will provide a breakdown of spend on ports by region and by port in due course. The funding will however include making available up to £470 million to build port and inland infrastructure needed to strengthen the UK’s border facilities and a £235 million investment in staffing and IT systems.

Further to the statement of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 13 July, Government has launched a campaign to communicate the actions businesses and individuals need to take to prepare for the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020. We have established a core set of metrics for measuring the impact of the campaign drawing on our experience of the previous campaign.

The Government has also announced an unprecedented £705 million package of investment for border infrastructure, staff and technology to ensure our border systems are fully operational after the end of the transition period. As set out on 13 July, the Government will provide a breakdown of spend on ports by region and by port in due course. The funding will however include making available up to £470 million to build port and inland infrastructure needed to strengthen the UK’s border facilities and a £235 million investment in staffing and IT systems.

The UK transition period will end on 31 December 2020. The Government's new public information campaign, The UK’s new start: Let’s get going, sets out the actions required by businesses (including traders) and individuals to prepare for the end of the UK transition, including processes related to moving goods through Border Control Posts. Further details are available at gov.uk/transition.

Further to the statement by my RHF the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 13 July 2020, the Government will make further announcements in the usual way.

Further to the answer given by the Paymaster General on 16 July 2020, Public First was engaged by the Cabinet Office to test public opinion and reaction to government messaging including focus groups for COVID-19 research. This work has helped to understand public attitudes and behaviours to inform our vitally important public health messages and policies, and has enabled us to deliver a strong, national, cross-government communications campaign to support the UK’s response and recovery from the pandemic.

In the discharge of this activity it was necessary for Public First to meet with civil servants to report on the findings of the focus groups. Public First also provided on-site resource to support Number 10 communications. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed. Any Government announcements will be made in the usual way.

Cabinet Office publishes expenditure, including on research, on a rolling monthly basis, and details of its contracts on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements. GOV COMMS EU EXIT PROG and EU EXIT COMMS were existing cost codes used to pay invoices relating to COVID-19 research within a reasonable period of time. These payments were subsequently journaled over to the COVID-19 cost centre once that was created.

Further to the answer given by the Paymaster General on 16 July 2020, Public First was engaged by the Cabinet Office to test public opinion and reaction to government messaging including focus groups for COVID-19 research. This work has helped to understand public attitudes and behaviours to inform our vitally important public health messages and policies, and has enabled us to deliver a strong, national, cross-government communications campaign to support the UK’s response and recovery from the pandemic.

In the discharge of this activity it was necessary for Public First to meet with civil servants to report on the findings of the focus groups. Public First also provided on-site resource to support Number 10 communications. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed. Any Government announcements will be made in the usual way.

Cabinet Office publishes expenditure, including on research, on a rolling monthly basis, and details of its contracts on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements. GOV COMMS EU EXIT PROG and EU EXIT COMMS were existing cost codes used to pay invoices relating to COVID-19 research within a reasonable period of time. These payments were subsequently journaled over to the COVID-19 cost centre once that was created.

Further to the answer given by the Paymaster General on 16 July 2020, Public First was engaged by the Cabinet Office to test public opinion and reaction to government messaging including focus groups for COVID-19 research. This work has helped to understand public attitudes and behaviours to inform our vitally important public health messages and policies, and has enabled us to deliver a strong, national, cross-government communications campaign to support the UK’s response and recovery from the pandemic.

In the discharge of this activity it was necessary for Public First to meet with civil servants to report on the findings of the focus groups. Public First also provided on-site resource to support Number 10 communications. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed. Any Government announcements will be made in the usual way.

Cabinet Office publishes expenditure, including on research, on a rolling monthly basis, and details of its contracts on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements. GOV COMMS EU EXIT PROG and EU EXIT COMMS were existing cost codes used to pay invoices relating to COVID-19 research within a reasonable period of time. These payments were subsequently journaled over to the COVID-19 cost centre once that was created.

Further to the answer given by the Paymaster General on 16 July 2020, Public First was engaged by the Cabinet Office to test public opinion and reaction to government messaging including focus groups for COVID-19 research. This work has helped to understand public attitudes and behaviours to inform our vitally important public health messages and policies, and has enabled us to deliver a strong, national, cross-government communications campaign to support the UK’s response and recovery from the pandemic.

In the discharge of this activity it was necessary for Public First to meet with civil servants to report on the findings of the focus groups. Public First also provided on-site resource to support Number 10 communications. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed. Any Government announcements will be made in the usual way.

Cabinet Office publishes expenditure, including on research, on a rolling monthly basis, and details of its contracts on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements. GOV COMMS EU EXIT PROG and EU EXIT COMMS were existing cost codes used to pay invoices relating to COVID-19 research within a reasonable period of time. These payments were subsequently journaled over to the COVID-19 cost centre once that was created.

Further to the answer given by the Paymaster General on 16 July 2020, Public First was engaged by the Cabinet Office to test public opinion and reaction to government messaging including focus groups for COVID-19 research. This work has helped to understand public attitudes and behaviours to inform our vitally important public health messages and policies, and has enabled us to deliver a strong, national, cross-government communications campaign to support the UK’s response and recovery from the pandemic.

In the discharge of this activity it was necessary for Public First to meet with civil servants to report on the findings of the focus groups. Public First also provided on-site resource to support Number 10 communications. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed. Any Government announcements will be made in the usual way.

Cabinet Office publishes expenditure, including on research, on a rolling monthly basis, and details of its contracts on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements. GOV COMMS EU EXIT PROG and EU EXIT COMMS were existing cost codes used to pay invoices relating to COVID-19 research within a reasonable period of time. These payments were subsequently journaled over to the COVID-19 cost centre once that was created.

Further to the answers given to PQs 64368 and 64369 on 6 July 2020, the Government is clear that being able to procure at speed is critical during the covid-19 response. I have taken note of the Hon. member's letter to the Chancellor of Duchy of Lancaster, sent 18 March 2020, in which she referenced the "desperate need for more to be done and faster".

The Hon Member also sent the Cabinet Office a list of companies which the Hon Member asked the Government to contact in relation to the procurement of PPE. I can confirm that the Government conducts diligence before contracting with parties, including when it makes use of exemptions under the Public Contracts Regulations. I note that other administrations, including the Welsh Government, have made use of "specific flexibilities of the procurement rules at this time".

I refer to the oral statement made by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 13 July 2020. Details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed, in line with the practice of successive administrations.

I refer to the oral statement made by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 13 July 2020. Details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed, in line with the practice of successive administrations.

I refer to the oral statement made by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 13 July 2020. Details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed, in line with the practice of successive administrations.

I refer to the oral statement made by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 13 July 2020. Details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed, in line with the practice of successive administrations.

I refer to the oral statement made by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 13 July 2020. Details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed, in line with the practice of successive administrations.

The Ventilator Challenge has been a significant success and has been rapidly producing devices.

Further to the speech by the Prime Minister today, which is available on GOV.UK, there are now well over 9,500 new ventilators. More information will be published in due course.

The answer to PQ 60837 did not mention a peer review into Zuhlke Engineering. GDS peer reviews are not conducted on organisations or companies.

The Ventilator Challenge has been a resounding success, with four designs in production and over 8,500 devices delivered to the NHS. At this stage, there are no plans to award further manufacturing or design contracts through the Ventilator Challenge.

The Government has recently published guidance on staying safe outside the home during the COVID-19 pandemic: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-safe-outside-your-home/staying-safe-outside-your-home.

The guidance recommends that people should aim to wear a face-covering in enclosed spaces where social distancing is not always possible and they come into contact with others that they do not normally meet.

Guidance on wearing and making a face covering is also available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering#wearing-a-face-covering

The Government has recently published guidance on staying safe outside the home during the COVID-19 pandemic: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-safe-outside-your-home/staying-safe-outside-your-home.

The guidance recommends that people should aim to wear a face-covering in enclosed spaces where social distancing is not always possible and they come into contact with others that they do not normally meet.

Guidance on wearing and making a face covering is also available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering#wearing-a-face-covering

The Government has recently published guidance on staying safe outside the home during the COVID-19 pandemic: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-safe-outside-your-home/staying-safe-outside-your-home.

The guidance recommends that people should aim to wear a face-covering in enclosed spaces where social distancing is not always possible and they come into contact with others that they do not normally meet.

Guidance on wearing and making a face covering is also available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering#wearing-a-face-covering

The latest estimates of projected losses for the scheme are available in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2020-2021.

The latest estimates for projected losses from the scheme are available in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2020-2021.

The latest information is available at https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/covid-19-emergency-loan-schemes-repayment-data/”.

As of the end of December 2021, the British Business Bank, on behalf of government, has settled claims by lenders under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme of £70m. Of this, £13m or 19% were flagged by lenders as suspected fraud.

The latest estimates for fraudulent losses in the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme can be found in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2020-2021

The latest estimates for losses in the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme can be found in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2020-2021

The most recent estimates for losses in the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme can be found in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2020-2021.

The latest estimates for losses in the Bounce Back Loan Scheme can be found in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2020-2021.

Since its introduction in 2011, the Warm Home Discount has provided over £3 billion in rebates worth £140 to households, in addition to other forms of support. Around 2.2 million households receive a rebate under the current scheme.

The Warm Home Discount is a key policy in the Government’s strategy to tackle fuel poverty and reduce the energy costs of low-income and vulnerable households, which is why the Government committed to extend the scheme until 2026 in the Energy White Paper last December.

The Government is currently consulting on expanding and reforming the scheme from 2022. Under the plans, households would receive £150 and the total spending will increase to £475 million a year, up from £354 million currently.

For the 2020/21 scheme year of the Warm Home Discount, around 1 million of the approximately 1.2 million Pension Credit Guarantee Credit (PCGC) recipients received the rebate automatically as a result of data matching between the Department for Work and Pensions and participating energy suppliers. A further 50,000 claimed a rebate through calling the helpline, having been sent a letter from Government requesting that they provide further information. There may be a number of reasons why the remainder did not receive a rebate, and some would not have been eligible, for instance if they were not with a participating energy supplier. The Government do not currently have the data for previous scheme years available.

Under the Broader Group, it is up to each energy supplier to set the eligibility criteria they use to decide which customers receive rebates. The Government sets mandatory Broader Group eligibility criteria, of which the potential eligible pool for 2020/21 is estimated to be around 3.1 million households. However, most energy suppliers expand their eligibility criteria, subject to approval from the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, the scheme administrator. This means that the actual eligible pool was larger, and the eligibility criteria tend to vary between energy suppliers and scheme years. The Government therefore do not have data on the total number of households who would have been eligible for Broader Group rebates in each scheme year.

There is no single accepted definition of knowledge economy jobs. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes workforce jobs by region and industry in its JOBS05 dataset, and more detail is available through Nomis official labour market statistics at :https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/.

Separately the ONS publishes a country and region breakdown of business R&D employment in table 18 of the annual release on research and development performed in UK businesses (BERD). The rounded aggregate figures for 2019 were:

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes a country and region breakdown of R&D spending in table 6 of the annual release on UK gross domestic expenditure on research and development (GERD). The aggregate figures for 2018 were:

The ONS does not publish a breakdown of R&D spending by local authority area.

HM Revenue and Customs publish a breakdown of corporate R&D tax credit claims by county and unitary authority area at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/878879/200408-_R_D_Supplementary_final_tables.xlsx, though those numbers are distorted by headquarters reporting effects, since the local and regional allocation is based on the postcode of the company's registered address, which might not correspond to where the R&D activity takes place.

The Government has extensive engagement with businesses of all sizes, trade associations and business representative organisations. Engagement for the transition period supports the Government’s public information campaign to inform businesses and citizens of the actions they need to take now we have left the EU. Since October last year, BEIS has contacted over 4.7 million businesses. This engagement includes letters, meetings, webinars, and email bulletins.

As of 18 October 2020, 73,094 loans totalling £17.16 billion have been approved under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). For commercial confidentiality reasons, the British Business Bank cannot disclose whether businesses are or are not in receipt of support without their approval. As such, we are only aware of businesses that are in receipt of a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan where they have publicly disclosed this information.

The Government will continue to work closely with local authorities, businesses, business representative organisations, and the financial services sector to monitor the implementation of current support and understand whether there is additional need.

The table below shows a breakdown of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme facilities offered as per sector as of 4 October.

CBILS by sector:

Details of individual aid awards under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme will be published where required on the European Commission’s Transparency Aid Module in due course.

The Department has recruited 938 people in the last 12 months (Feb 19 – Jan 20).

8.4% of these appointments have been made outside of London, in areas such as Aberdeen, Billingham, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Ipswich, Manchester, Nottingham, Plymouth and, Swindon.

As of July 2019, the Department’s 40 Partner Organisations employed approximately 30,950 full time staff, of which 84% were based outside London.

The tables below show the gender and ethnicity splits of new employees at my Department over the last 12 months (Feb 19 – Jan 20). As per departmental policy, numbers below 5 have been redacted.

As of 31^st January 2020, 8% of policy roles in the Department were based outside London.

The current distribution of our workforce reflects legacy decisions about office locations and role placements. We are committed to working with the Places for Growth Programme, Beyond Whitehall, and other related initiatives, as part of the Government Estates Strategy.

The Department is working with the Beyond Whitehall programme and wider Government initiatives to create and relocate policy roles outside of London in a managed, sustainable way.

We are reviewing our presence across the UK, as well as increasing inclusivity in policy making, so policy is inclusive of the citizens it represents.

In consultation with the Cabinet Office and trade unions, we will shortly agree a strategy for delivering more job opportunities outside London.

As of 31^st January 2020, the Department employs 4,429 people, of which 4,048 are in London and 381 outside London, excluding contractors and temporary staff.

The current distribution of our workforce reflects legacy decisions about office locations and role placements. The Department is committed to working with the Places for Growth Programme, Beyond Whitehall, and other initiatives as part of the Government Estates Strategy.

This Government is determined to make Britain the best place in the world to work. As announced in the Queens’ Speech, we will be bringing forward an Employment Rights Bill to deliver the greatest reform of workers’ rights in over 20 years. This will include measures to allow parents of children who have been in neonatal care for a prolonged stay to take additional paid leave (subject to qualifying criteria).

This will take forward the proposals which the Government consulted on from July to October last year. The consultation outlined our estimates of the cost of this policy to business and to the Exchequer. This covered a range of options for how many weeks leave and pay the entitlement would cover, as well as the impact of a qualifying ‘minimum stay’ in neonatal care. The consultation document is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/good-work-plan-proposals-to-support-families with provisional costings on p44. The Government will publish a full impact assessment when the Bill is introduced in Parliament.

We look forward to setting out our plans soon with the publication of the Government Response.

This Government is determined to make Britain the best place in the world to work. As announced in the Queens’ Speech, we will be bringing forward an Employment Rights Bill to deliver the greatest reform of workers’ rights in over 20 years. This will include measures to allow parents of children who have been in neonatal care for a prolonged stay to take additional paid leave (subject to qualifying criteria).

This will take forward the proposals which the Government consulted on from July to October last year. The consultation outlined our estimates of the cost of this policy to business and to the Exchequer. This covered a range of options for how many weeks leave and pay the entitlement would cover, as well as the impact of a qualifying ‘minimum stay’ in neonatal care. The consultation document is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/good-work-plan-proposals-to-support-families with provisional costings on p44. The Government will publish a full impact assessment when the Bill is introduced in Parliament.

We look forward to setting out our plans soon with the publication of the Government Response.

This Government is determined to make Britain the best place in the world to work. As announced in the Queens’ Speech, we will be bringing forward an Employment Rights Bill to deliver the greatest reform of workers’ rights in over 20 years. This will include measures to allow parents of children who have been in neonatal care for a prolonged stay to take additional paid leave (subject to qualifying criteria).

This will take forward the proposals which the Government consulted on from July to October last year. The consultation outlined our estimates of the cost of this policy to business and to the Exchequer. This covered a range of options for how many weeks leave and pay the entitlement would cover, as well as the impact of a qualifying ‘minimum stay’ in neonatal care. The consultation document is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/good-work-plan-proposals-to-support-families with provisional costings on p44. The Government will publish a full impact assessment when the Bill is introduced in Parliament.

We look forward to setting out our plans soon with the publication of the Government Response.

This Government is determined to make Britain the best place in the world to work. As announced in the Queens’ Speech, we will be bringing forward an Employment Rights Bill to deliver the greatest reform of workers’ rights in over 20 years. This will include measures to allow parents of children who have been in neonatal care for a prolonged stay to take additional paid leave (subject to qualifying criteria).

This will take forward the proposals which the Government consulted on from July to October last year. The consultation outlined our estimates of the cost of this policy to business and to the Exchequer. This covered a range of options for how many weeks leave and pay the entitlement would cover, as well as the impact of a qualifying ‘minimum stay’ in neonatal care. The consultation document is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/good-work-plan-proposals-to-support-families with provisional costings on p44. The Government will publish a full impact assessment when the Bill is introduced in Parliament.

We look forward to setting out our plans soon with the publication of the Government Response.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy does not currently offer additional parental leave specifically to employees who become parents of premature babies. All employees can apply for paid special leave or unpaid parental leave, both of which are considered on a case-by-case basis.

The Department does offer employees maternity leave, adoption leave, paternity leave, and shared parental leave.

The Government is committed to enhancing workers’ rights and to supporting people to balance their work and caring responsibilities. We have already laid regulations in Parliament that will give grieving parents a right to paid time off work. We will also introduce a new entitlement to carers’ leave as well as entitlement to paid leave for parents of children who spend time in neonatal care.

We are committed to making the UK the best place to work and grow a business. As announced in the Queen’s Speech, we will bring forward an Employment Rights Bill to deliver the greatest reform of workers’ rights in over 20 years.

This Government recognises the importance of the UK’s cultural industries, and that is why we pushed for ambitious arrangements to make it easier for performers and artists to perform across Europe as part of the negotiations on our future relationship with the EU.

During the negotiations with the EU, the UK proposed measures, developed in consultation with the creative industries, that would have allowed creative professionals to travel and perform in the UK and the EU more easily, without needing work-permits. Specifically, we proposed to capture the work done by musicians, artists and entertainers, and their accompanying staff through the list of permitted activities for short-term business visitors. Regrettably, these proposals were rejected by the EU.

There is scope to return to this issue in the future should the EU change its mind. The Government is looking at whether we can work with our partners in EU Member States to find ways to make life easier for those working in the creative industries in our respective countries.

We are also undertaking an extensive programme of engagement with the industry to assess impacts and support these sectors in understanding new requirements. DCMS Secretary of State had a very productive discussion with representatives from across the creative and cultural sectors on the issue on 20 January, and has committed to establish a DCMS-led working group on this issue.

This Government recognises the importance of the UK’s cultural industries, and that is why we pushed for ambitious arrangements to make it easier for performers and artists to perform across Europe as part of the negotiations on our future relationship with the EU.

During the negotiations with the EU, the UK proposed measures, developed in consultation with the creative industries, that would have allowed creative professionals to travel and perform in the UK and the EU more easily, without needing work-permits. Specifically, we proposed to capture the work done by musicians, artists and entertainers, and their accompanying staff through the list of permitted activities for short-term business visitors. Regrettably, these proposals were rejected by the EU.

There is scope to return to this issue in the future should the EU change its mind. The Government is looking at whether we can work with our partners in EU Member States to find ways to make life easier for those working in the creative industries in our respective countries.

We are also undertaking an extensive programme of engagement with the industry to assess impacts and support these sectors in understanding new requirements. DCMS Secretary of State had a very productive discussion with representatives from across the creative and cultural sectors on the issue on 20 January, and has committed to establish a DCMS-led working group on this issue.

During the transition period (until 31 December) there is no change to the current data protection regime, and the GDPR will continue to apply.

At the end of the transition period, the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (EUWA) will retain the GDPR in UK domestic law, while the legislation implementing the Law Enforcement Directive (LED) (Part 3 of the Data Protection Act 2018) will also be preserved.

We have made Regulations under the EUWA to make necessary and appropriate changes to the retained legislation so that the UK’s data protection law continues to function effectively after the transition period. In order for the free flow of data from the EEA to the UK to continue at the end of the transition period, we are seeking adequacy decisions from the EU under both the GDPR and the LED.

As with all policy areas, the UK will control our own data protection laws and regulations in line with our interests, after the end of the transition period. We want our data protection law to remain fit for purpose and to support the future objectives of the UK. The UK intends to operate a high-quality regime that promotes growth and innovation, and underpins the trustworthy use of data as the global economy becomes increasingly digitised and data-enabled.

We have taken steps to reduce our dependence on imported personal protective equipment (PPE) and build sustainable manufacturing of PPE in the United Kingdom. Prior to the pandemic, just 1% of PPE used in the UK was produced domestically. The Government’s PPE strategy stated that by 1 December 2020 UK manufacturers would be able to provide 70% of the PPE we expected to use in England through the winter, for all items except gloves. That commitment was met and exceeded by 1 December. The Department is working to publish official statistics to present fully validated figures showing the position as at 1 December 2020 and we expect to publish those figures during March 2021.

We are working to publish official statistics on the stockpile of personal protective equipment (PPE) as soon as the figures are fully validated.

PPE must be fit for purpose, meeting the necessary essential health and safety requirements of the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2018. We have a robust process in place which ensures that orders are high quality and meet strict safety standards as per the published technical specification for PPE. When faults with PPE are found, immediate action is taken to verify the issue, notify the users and, if necessary, quarantine the stock of the products. Emergency replacements can be ordered or are distributed through the National Supply Disruption Response unit while investigations are undertaken.

The information is not available in the format requested. The operational process to build stockpiles is supported by a range of detailed operational and management information. We are currently working to fully validate this data.

The National Health Service is currently consulting on the proposal for a new provider selection regime. The central requirement of the proposed new regime is that arrangements for the delivery of healthcare services must be made in a transparent way, in the best interests of patients, taxpayers and the population. All other procurement will continue to be subject to Cabinet Office procurement processes.

The Managed Quarantine Service consists of contracts with Corporate Travel Management, G4S, Mitie and Corps Security.

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

In line with the Public Contract Regulations 2015 the Department has published Contract Award Notices including those which were cancelled. In the period April to June 2020 fifteen contracts were either fully or partly cancelled and information on these can be found in the following links on Contracts Finder:

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e691a0b2-234a-4f8c-ae5b-e6fa0a8317bc

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e467b115-7731-4769-a666-a762cb8aa461

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/39c2094c-54b1-434c-a513-c3add39b6bf6?origin=SearchResults&p=1

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e8c51efb-a070-4965-8cd0-61a58f324287

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/0a9a85aa-d5e6-4885-b904-69bed464d6bc

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/a9f380c5-878f-4652-8a61-128fe44be2e2

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/4bd4c3ee-fde6-4a0a-a749-becae79615ac

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/7a53e9bc-c9d2-4b15-a741-580d05797d08

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/844bd97f-8a73-4160-8799-a7fcedfe0e1b

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/382d720b-fe06-4718-8ff0-e8678bb11792

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/934c6776-454e-497f-9b3f-bbdf38ac45f8

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/7d45e537-9eac-4c1d-8d4c-9d846d8909f7

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/7d45e537-9eac-4c1d-8d4c-9d846d8909f7

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/f909783a-e57b-441a-85b2-6ee50e746354

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/346fa88c-62f6-42e1-87da-e82b523a03e9

Information on the reason individual contracts have been cancelled or part cancelled is not published as it is regarded as commercial in confidence.

It is incorrect to say that personal protective equipment (PPE) has been lost. In any industry, it is common practice to undertake a stocktake to update records to reflect the amount and value of stock being held.

This stocktake exercise is being undertaken with support from consultants, to ensure that our accounting records are accurate and updated prior to the end of the financial year.

We have contracted with (Corporate Travel Management) to provide hotels and transport. The security providers are G4S, Mitie and Corps Security.

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.

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

The total value of contracts awarded to Randox in 2020 was £479.5 million.

A range of Government officials conducted the negotiations for the contracts awarded to Randox.

The Department has two contracts with Serco in response to COVID-19. The first is for the provision of facilities management services to support the operation of testing sites around the United Kingdom. The contract was let in March 2020 for an initial term of six months to September for the sum of £57 million. This has now been extended to 30 April 2021 with an allocated budget of £208 million for an expanded service.

The second contract is for call handling services to support the test and trace initiative. The total contract has a maximum value of £410 million to cover the initial period and any and all extension periods undertaken up to a period of 12 months. The contract has recently been extended for its full term to the end of May 2021.

Officials working on the Test and Trace programme from several Government departments negotiated these contracts.

The Department has two contracts with Serco in response to COVID-19. The first is for the provision of facilities management services to support the operation of testing sites around the United Kingdom. The contract was let in March 2020 for an initial term of six months to September for the sum of £57 million. This has now been extended to 30 April 2021 with an allocated budget of £208 million for an expanded service.

The second contract is for call handling services to support the test and trace initiative. The total contract has a maximum value of £410 million to cover the initial period and any and all extension periods undertaken up to a period of 12 months. The contract has recently been extended for its full term to the end of May 2021.

Officials working on the Test and Trace programme from several Government departments negotiated these contracts.

Two contracts have been awarded to PPE MedPro by the Department with a total value of £202 million.

NHS Test and Trace’s primary suppliers and their sub-contractors providing contact tracing services are legally obliged to adhere to the standard data handling conditions of all preferred Government suppliers, alongside terms specified by the Department. Contracts awarded by the Department include break clauses and clauses on managing product and service quality and delivery. These provisions allow us to review contracts and/or reclaim money where a company is deemed to have supplied faulty products, services or failed to deliver key outputs. Activity which could prompt the use of such mechanisms includes failure to meet legal obligations on data handling.

No funding award has been made to the Medical Detection Dogs (MDD). Funding for the COVID-19 Detection Dog studies was provided as a grant in line with Test and Trace grant processes to the London School of Tropical Hygiene and Medicine (LSTHM). The LSTHM is leading a research project including the MDD charity and Durham University to determine whether trained dogs can discriminate pre-symptomatic, asymptomatic and mild cases of COVID-19 from uninfected individuals.

A letter of application was sent from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to the Department.

A letter of application was sent from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to the Department.

The announcement of Government funding the trials can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/covid-19-detection-dogs-trial-launches

The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSTHM) published information relating to the funding award on their website, which specifies the amount awarded to LSTHM to conduct the research, which can be found at the following link: https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2020/uk-government-supports-covid-19-detection-dogs-trial

The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine’s (LSTHM) letter of application states the intended purposes of the research grant. Annex 2 of the Grant Agreement with LSTHM details the activities that funding be directed towards. The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine’s Phase 1 trial report will outline how these funds have been used to determine whether trained dogs can discriminate pre-symptomatic, asymptomatic and mild cases of SARS-CoV-2 from uninfected individuals by their smell, using breath and odour samples.

SureScreen, Global Access Diagnostics and Omega were selected via targeted engagement with the wider United Kingdom testing industry. This engagement was coordinated via the Rapid Antigen Consortium – an open forum bringing together UK companies with applicable experience and expertise. Due diligence and relevant commercial processes were applied prior to the contract award.

Between 9 June and 7 September 2020, the Isolation Assurance Service (IAS) made 149,579 total calls and texts resulting in 66,773 successful contacts to eligible arrivals. The IAS activity includes up to three calls and a text per eligible United Kingdom arrival sampled. This is the most recent data published in the format requested.

Service credits have not been applied to SITEL’s contract to run call centres under NHS Test and Trace.

Service credits have not been applied to Serco’s contract to run call centres under NHS Test and Trace.

In March 2020 the Government issued a public call to action to support the increased requirements of personal protective equipment (PPE). This resulted in over 15,000 suppliers offering their help and support. The cross-government PPE team considered that leads referred by Government officials, Ministers’ offices, Parliamentarians, senior National Health Service staff and other health professionals were likely to be the more credible and needed to be initially reviewed with more urgency. This was commonly referred to as a ‘high priority’ or ‘VIP’ channel.

At the point of being prioritised these offers went into exactly the same due diligence, technical assurance, closing or contract negotiation and contract award process as all the other offers. About one in ten suppliers processed through this channel - 47 out of 493 - obtained contracts.

We do not intend to publish the list of these suppliers as there may be associated commercial implications. The Department has to consider the position of suppliers in terms of the recognition that disclosure of their names may damage the supplier’s reputation, affecting their competitive position and could have a potentially detrimental impact on their revenue and/or their ability to obtain future contracts. Contract Award Notices and the contracts themselves have now been published for all the PPE contracts awarded by the Department which contain the details of the supplier, the value of the contract and the items ordered under the contract.

In March 2020 the Government issued a public call to action to support the increased requirements of personal protective equipment (PPE). This resulted in over 15,000 suppliers offering their help and support. The cross-government PPE team considered that leads referred by Government officials, Ministers’ offices, Parliamentarians, senior National Health Service staff and other health professionals were likely to be the more credible and needed to be initially reviewed with more urgency. This was commonly referred to as a ‘high priority’ or ‘VIP’ channel.

At the point of being prioritised these offers went into exactly the same due diligence, technical assurance, closing or contract negotiation and contract award process as all the other offers. About one in ten suppliers processed through this channel - 47 out of 493 - obtained contracts.

We do not intend to publish the list of these suppliers as there may be associated commercial implications. The Department has to consider the position of suppliers in terms of the recognition that disclosure of their names may damage the supplier’s reputation, affecting their competitive position and could have a potentially detrimental impact on their revenue and/or their ability to obtain future contracts. Contract Award Notices and the contracts themselves have now been published for all the PPE contracts awarded by the Department which contain the details of the supplier, the value of the contract and the items ordered under the contract.

In March 2020 the Government issued a public call to action to support the increased requirements of personal protective equipment (PPE). This resulted in over 15,000 suppliers offering their help and support. The cross-government PPE team considered that leads referred by Government officials, Ministers’ offices, Parliamentarians, senior National Health Service staff and other health professionals were likely to be the more credible and needed to be initially reviewed with more urgency. This was commonly referred to as a ‘high priority’ or ‘VIP’ channel.

At the point of being prioritised these offers went into exactly the same due diligence, technical assurance, closing or contract negotiation and contract award process as all the other offers. About one in ten suppliers processed through this channel - 47 out of 493 - obtained contracts.

We do not intend to publish the list of these suppliers as there may be associated commercial implications. The Department has to consider the position of suppliers in terms of the recognition that disclosure of their names may damage the supplier’s reputation, affecting their competitive position and could have a potentially detrimental impact on their revenue and/or their ability to obtain future contracts. Contract Award Notices and the contracts themselves have now been published for all the PPE contracts awarded by the Department which contain the details of the supplier, the value of the contract and the items ordered under the contract.

In March 2020 the Government issued a public call to action to support the increased requirements of personal protective equipment (PPE). This resulted in over 15,000 suppliers offering their help and support. The cross-government PPE team considered that leads referred by Government officials, Ministers’ offices, Parliamentarians, senior National Health Service staff and other health professionals were likely to be the more credible and needed to be initially reviewed with more urgency. This was commonly referred to as a ‘high priority’ or ‘VIP’ channel.

At the point of being prioritised these offers went into exactly the same due diligence, technical assurance, closing or contract negotiation and contract award process as all the other offers. About one in ten suppliers processed through this channel - 47 out of 493 - obtained contracts.

We do not intend to publish the list of these suppliers as there may be associated commercial implications. The Department has to consider the position of suppliers in terms of the recognition that disclosure of their names may damage the supplier’s reputation, affecting their competitive position and could have a potentially detrimental impact on their revenue and/or their ability to obtain future contracts. Contract Award Notices and the contracts themselves have now been published for all the PPE contracts awarded by the Department which contain the details of the supplier, the value of the contract and the items ordered under the contract.

There have been no service level credits awarded by Public Health England to the contractor working on the Isolation Assurance Service (IAS) and no refunds have been sought. The IAS contractor has met all obligations under the contract to present.

There have been no service level credits awarded by Public Health England to the contractor working on the Isolation Assurance Service (IAS) and no refunds have been sought. The IAS contractor has met all obligations under the contract to present.

Over 32 billion items of personal protective equipment (PPE) have been ordered overall from United Kingdom-based manufacturers and international partners of which over 20 billion is already in the UK. We have a robust process which ensures that orders are of high quality standard, meet commercial due diligence and are checked for risk and fraud. All contracts are monitored for the delivery and safe receipt of the PPE and any compliance issues are followed up, the timings of which will vary according to when the contract was let.

All contracts have clauses in them that allow the Department to seek redress if the company supplies faulty products or misses delivery dates.

Sitel and Serco recruited and trained 18,000 full time equivalent (FTE) staff at the peak of delivery to provide the non-National Health Service call handling services to support the test and trace initiative. There is a standard replacement of staff who leave.

We are unable to provide this information as it is commercially confidential.

Sitel and Serco recruited and trained 18,000 full time equivalent (FTE) staff at the peak of delivery to provide the non-National Health Service call handling services to support the test and trace initiative. There is a standard replacement of staff who leave.

Sitel and Serco recruited and trained 18,000 full time equivalent (FTE) staff at the peak of delivery to provide the non-National Health Service call handling services to support the test and trace initiative. There is a standard replacement of staff who leave.

Sitel and Serco recruited and trained 18,000 full time equivalent (FTE) staff at the peak of delivery to provide the non-National Health Service call handling services to support the test and trace initiative. There is a standard replacement of staff who leave.

Test sites have clear guidance for treating suspected COVID-19 cases to ensure individuals are self-isolating whenever it is necessary to do so. Our commercial partners have their own measures in place to support staff members who are ill or otherwise unable to work. In addition, eligible test site workers who have to self-isolate can apply for the NHS Test and Trace support payment.

Changing facilities have been provided at each regional test site and local test site. Staff members are also provided with a uniform. Service providers have been instructed to advise staff to change into their uniform on arrival and before leaving the test site.

All regional test sites have at least one first aider on site at all times. For regional test sites that operate assisted testing, these tests are conducted by a member of staff who is clinically trained to carry out this procedure. There is not a requirement for other staff to be medically trained, but all staff must complete health and safety training before starting to work on site.

A COVID-19 test is not an aerosol generating procedure, nor is processing of lateral flow devices. We have a number of measures in place to maintain health and safety at sites. These include strict social distancing, sites are cleaned multiple times a day to ensure very high standards of hygiene and the use of personal protective equipment in line with the latest guidance.

We expect our providers to have rigorous recruitment practices to ensure that the staff they recruit to work on test sites are appropriate for the role. Children must be accompanied by their parent or guardian at a test site. Test site staff are not permitted to test children aged under 12 years old. In all test settings other than a National Health Service setting such as in hospital or a general practitioner surgery, children aged under 12 years old must only be tested by their parent or guardian.

Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 are contacted by NHS Test and Trace and asked to provide the details of people who are their recent close contacts, including all other members of their household. The information they are asked to provide about their close contacts includes: their name, phone number, email address, whether they are under 18 years of age or an adult, and how and where the individual came into contact with them. If this was through work, school, college or university, or another activity outside their home, such as a hospital or care home visit, a sports or leisure activity, or a visit to an event or a place of worship, the individual is asked to provide the location name and postcode.

When an individual is required by National Health Service Test and Trace to self-isolate, financial support is available, subject to certain eligibility criteria, through the Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme. This scheme is administered through local authorities, enabling tailoring of messaging and communication to best support and engage local communities. The NHS Test and Trace service also helps signpost people who need support while self-isolating to local authority helplines and to the NHS Volunteers service.

At both the testing and contact tracing stages, there are also services in place to provide real time translation in a range of languages.

Where someone develops symptoms of COVID-19, both they and other household members should self-isolate immediately and should continue to self-isolate if they receive a positive test result. The NHS Test and Trace service asks people who have tested positive for COVID-19 to provide contact details for other members of their household so that they can be formally notified to self-isolate and, if eligible, can claim the Test and Trace Support Payment.

National Health Service Test and Trace has recently introduced changes to its processes so that, where a person who has tested positive confirms they have informed – or will inform – other family members of the requirement to self-isolate, the formal notifications to those other family members are issued by text or email rather than separate telephone calls.

Ministers frequently make appointments to a wide variety of roles governed by a huge variety of arrangements and have done over successive administrations.

There is no set process for these appointments but in making these appointments – which are often of a type referred to as ‘direct appointments’ – general public law principles apply.

Appointees are expected to adhere to the Nolan Principles.

Baroness Harding adheres to the Nolan Principles, the basis of the ethical standards expected of public office holders, in her role as Head of NHS Test and Trace.

The Senior Responsible Officer for NHS Test and Trace is Jonathan Marron, Director General for Prevention, Community and Social Care.

We are currently developing the transition process to support full and formal establishment of the National Institute for Health Protection. The administrative classification of the new body will be determined as part of this process over the coming months.

Lord Deighton is leading the Government effort to unleash the potential of British industry to manufacture personal protective equipment (PPE) for the health and social care sectors. This will maximise opportunities for United Kingdom-based companies to fulfil orders of PPE.

Almost 28 billion items of PPE have been ordered overall from UK-based manufacturers and international partners to provide a continuous supply in the coming months. More than 30 deals have been struck with companies through the Make initiative to manufacture and deliver PPE in the UK. We are also working with over 175 new suppliers to deliver at the scale and pace the UK requires. Around 20% of all PPE will be manufactured in the UK by the end of the year.

The Department has a small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) Action Plan to achieve its SME target of 23% of procurement spend going to SMEs by March 2022. The calculation and validation process for the proportion of spend on SMEs across different procurement categories for each closed financial year is usually undertaken and reported on in August of the following financial year, so information on this spend is not yet available for 2019/20.

The breakdown of how the £10 billion allocation for 2020-21 has been spent will be published as part of the 2020-21 Annual Report.

We can confirm that our internal audit function has not undertaken an audit into reported problems with data collection for testing during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The United Kingdom Government’s Concept of Operations describes how the Government response to civil emergencies will be organised, and the relationship between central, regional and local tiers in England. Following Exercise Cygnus, a cross-Government work programme was established to improve plans for the use of information in a flu pandemic. This work builds upon the current UK Government Concept of Operations, specifically for pandemic influenza.

The lessons learned from Exercise Cygnus continue to be considered by Government, and have been shared with a range of stakeholders, to ensure that the UK remains well-prepared for infectious disease outbreaks.

The management of the pandemic influenza preparedness stockpile was transferred from the Department to Public Health England (PHE) when it was formed on 1 April 2013.

The value of the personal protective equipment stockpile held with PHE in preparedness for an influenza pandemic has been approximately £80 million in each financial year since April 2013.

Exercise Cygnus was a national-level pandemic influenza exercise, which took place from 18 to 20 October 2016. Due to the size and complexity of the exercise, a number of groups were established to assist with its planning.

The Exercise Cygnus Steering Group was accountable for the overall strategic direction of the exercise and included representation from Cabinet Office, the Department of Health, the Department of Communities and Local Government, as well as Public Health England and NHS England.

The National Planning Team had responsibility for managing the development and delivery of the exercise and consisted of representation from some of those who took part in the exercise, including from the Department of Health and 12 other Government departments; the devolved administrations; NHS England, Public Health England, and eight Local Resilience Forums.

Exercise Cygnus was a national-level pandemic influenza exercise, which took place from 18 to 20 October 2016. Due to the size and complexity of the exercise, a number of groups were established to assist with its planning.

The Exercise Cygnus Steering Group was accountable for the overall strategic direction of the exercise and included representation from Cabinet Office, the Department of Health, the Department of Communities and Local Government, as well as Public Health England and NHS England.

The National Planning Team had responsibility for managing the development and delivery of the exercise and consisted of representation from some of those who took part in the exercise, including from the Department of Health and 12 other Government departments; the devolved administrations; NHS England, Public Health England, and eight Local Resilience Forums.

Procurement Regulations require the publication of Contract Award Notices which contain the finalised agreed value of the contract. The Department publishes certain information on Contracts Finder in line with these regulations.

Contracts in the form of licences to occupy have been entered into for the Nightingale hospital sites. However, disclosure of these contracts is likely to harm the legitimate commercial interests of the site owners. Information contained in the contracts has been provided in confidence and in circumstances where disclosure would amount to an actionable breach of confidence. These contracts will not be published.

Each Nightingale hospital has a host trust to provide healthcare services. Host trusts put in place contracts for necessary works/facilities and management matters, and contract award notices should be published in accordance with applicable requirements.

Contracts in the form of licences to occupy have been entered into for the Nightingale hospital sites. However, disclosure of these contracts is likely to harm the legitimate commercial interests of the site owners. Information contained in the contracts has been provided in confidence and in circumstances where disclosure would amount to an actionable breach of confidence. These contracts will not be published.

Each Nightingale hospital has a host trust to provide healthcare services. Host trusts put in place contracts for necessary works/facilities and management matters, and contract award notices should be published in accordance with applicable requirements.

As of 18 June, there were 20,356 mechanical ventilators available to patients across the United Kingdom. This compares to around 9,000 at the start of the pandemic in March. Of the additional stock, 7,778 have been bought from new suppliers via the Prime Minister’s ventilator challenge, 2,283 were bought from established suppliers and 1,156 comprises stock in the private sector which is available in future should it be needed.

As of 18 June, there were 20,356 mechanical ventilators available to patients across the United Kingdom. This compares to around 9,000 at the start of the pandemic in March. Of the additional stock, 7,778 have been bought from new suppliers via the Prime Minister’s ventilator challenge, 2,283 were bought from established suppliers and 1,156 comprises stock in the private sector which is available in future should it be needed.

As of 18 June, of the 10,061 mechanical ventilators bought and delivered since March, 1,286 have been distributed to hospitals across the UK and 8,775 remain in storage ready to be distributed if needed.

We are confident in the stocks and sources of supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) to meet the needs of health and social care over the next seven and 90 days.

The global PPE market remains challenging and we are continuing to sign further deals to make our position more secure.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, in England we held around 50,000 pallets of medicines and consumables, including personal protective equipment (PPE), to enable us to respond to a United Kingdom pandemic, with the devolved administrations holding their own stockpiles. About 25,000 of those pallets held PPE and hygiene products.

Between 25 February and 26 April, we delivered over 997 million items of PPE across the health and social care system in England, with tens of millions more being distributed by the devolved administrations. This figure includes the following: 143 million masks; 163 million aprons; 1.8 million gowns; and 547 million gloves.

Unprecedented efforts are being undertaken to replenish and distribute PPE evenly across the UK, to ensure demand is met and the right equipment reaches our frontline.

As of 15 May, over 13,000 businesses have contacted the Government with offers of help on supplying personal protective equipment (PPE). Many are related to the manufacture of PPE for the National Health Service and care sectors, a vast majority of which we are taking forward, predominantly from United Kingdom based companies but also including multinational companies. Some offers were not progressed due to financial and capability considerations.

The Department engages directly with potential manufacturers to qualify and prioritise the opportunity, based on availability of/access to raw supplies, lead-times to manufacture, and other commercial considerations. Product prototypes are submitted to a Technical Product Review process, to ensure they meet essential health, safety and quality standards for PPE. Financial due diligence and fraud prevention measures are also undertaken, after which the Department can contract with the manufacturer.

Lord Deighton is leading the Government’s efforts to secure sufficient PPE and ensure this gets to where it is needed. He is also driving forward coordination of the end-to-end process design and manufacture of new domestic PPE supplies. As at 15 May, the Department has entered into contract and placed orders with 8 manufacturers to provide millions of items of PPE products to the National Health Service and carers. The volumes will increase in the coming weeks. Details of this work can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/millions-more-items-of-ppe-for-frontline-staff-from-new-business-partnerships

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/70-million-face-masks-for-nhs-and-care-workers-through-new-industry-deal

We are working around the clock to give the social care sector and wider National Health Service the equipment and support they need to tackle this outbreak.

We have made over 68 million items of personal protective equipment (PPE) available to designated wholesalers for onward sale to social care providers and delivered a further 94 million items to local resilience forums (LRFs) between 6 April and 12 May to help them respond to urgent local spikes in need across the adult social care system and some other front-line services, where providers are unable to access PPE through their usual, or dedicated wholesaler routes.

The full weight of the Government is behind this effort and we are working closely with industry, social care providers, the NHS, and the army to ensure the right equipment continues to be delivered.

Information on how much personal protective equipment (PPE) stock was available for social care workers is not available centrally.

Since 25 February 2020 the Department has distributed over 2.7 billion personal protective equipment (PPE) items for use by health and social care services in England.

These deliveries have included masks (types II, IIR, FFP2, FFP3), eye protectors, gloves, gowns, coveralls and aprons.

Though the global market remains challenging, we have procured over 31 billion items of PPE from United Kingdom manufacturers and overseas suppliers.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on United Kingdom imports and exports of goods to and from the UK. HMRC releases this information monthly, as a National Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics.

There is aggregated trade data available for personal protective equipment (PPE) goods and for the periods requested on HMRC’s website, under ‘Build your own data tables’. The site also contains a ‘Help’ function with information on how to extract trade data. This is available at the following link:

uktradeinfo.com

HMRC also maintains a list of COVID-19 products, including PPE goods, and their commodity codes on GOV.UK. Unfortunately, the trade data collected does not allow HMRC to distinguish PPE goods classified under a particular commodity code from any non-PPE goods classified under that same commodity code.

The Government has issued guidance to providers of supported living, and homeless provision, which includes advice on safety, cleaning and isolation, which is available at the following links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-residential-care-supported-living-and-home-care-guidance/covid-19-guidance-for-supported-living-provision

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-services-for-people-experiencing-rough-sleeping/covid-19-guidance-for-hostel-or-day-centre-providers-of-services-for-people-experiencing-rough-sleeping

The Government is in discussion with refuge providers who are engaged in their own contingency planning to keep specialist domestic abuse safe accommodation and associated support services available to victims in line with Public Health England’s advice.

The information requested is not collected at a national level or held centrally by NHS England and NHS Improvement.

The information requested is not collected at a national level or held centrally by NHS England and NHS Improvement.

The information requested is not collected at a national level or held centrally by NHS England and NHS Improvement.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have no current plans to review the process by which patients are given a no evidence of active disease verdict. We would expect clinicians to use their clinical and professional judgement, accompanied by any relevant guidance and supporting evidence, when making such decisions and informing patients of a clinical decision.

We have provided the count of birth episodes with a gestational duration of less than 37 weeks (premature), and a postnatal stay of equal to or greater than 14 days, from 2014-15 to 2018-19.

It should be noted that this data should not be described as a count of people as the same person may have been admitted on one or more occasion.

The sovereign immunity consultation was launched on 4 July and will close on 12 September. As of 15 July, the Government has not received any consultation responses.

The SCAPE discount rate is used in the valuation of unfunded public service pension schemes to set employer contribution rates and is set by HM Treasury following a prescribed methodology. A consultation was published in June 2021 seeking views on the objectives for the SCAPE discount rate and the most appropriate methodology going forward.

Following the consultation’s publication, the Government ran engagement sessions to ensure stakeholders were given the opportunity to express their views. Meetings were also held with members of Scheme Advisory Boards from across the UK relating to each public service workforce, and views were sought from the Government Actuary. Most stakeholders have followed up with formal written responses.

The Government has received 51 responses from a broad range of respondents. These include individuals, trade unions and other member representative bodies, Scheme Advisory Boards, employers and employer representative bodies, actuarial and pensions specialists, and pensions administrators.

All Government consultations and calls for evidence are published on gov.uk, which also provides an update on whether Government has responded to these.

In this Parliament, we have identified 15 calls for evidence or consultations which are closed, but which Government has not yet responded to.

HMRC designed the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), The Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) and the Eat Out To Help Out Scheme (EOTHO) to prevent fraud and error, both in the eligibility criteria and the claim process itself whilst making sure the grant payments reached claimants as quickly as possible. HMRC also put in place a series of checks on claims before they were paid, so they blocked those that were highly indicative of criminal activity.

Anyone who keeps grant money despite knowing they were not entitled to it, faces having to repay up to double the amount they received, plus interest and potentially criminal prosecution.

At Spring Budget 2021 the Government announced a £100m investment into the Taxpayer Protection Taskforce. The taskforce was established to extend HMRC’s work to tackle fraud and error in the COVID support schemes that they administered (CJRS, SEISS and EOTHO). The taskforce does not address compliance risks in schemes that have been administered outside HMRC.

Up to the end of March 2021, over 12,000 compliance checks had been carried out, this was prior to the formation of the Taxpayer Protection Taskforce.

Further information on the number of compliance checks carried out and taskforce performance for 21/22 is covered in HMRC’s Annual Report and Accounts (AR&A) for 21/22 and will be published before recess.

HMRC expects to publish its 2022-23 Annual Report & Accounts in Summer 2023.

HMRC designed the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), The Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) and the Eat Out To Help Out Scheme (EOTHO) to prevent fraud and error, both in the eligibility criteria and the claim process itself whilst making sure the grant payments reached claimants as quickly as possible. HMRC also put in place a series of checks on claims before they were paid, so they blocked those that were highly indicative of criminal activity.

Anyone who keeps grant money despite knowing they were not entitled to it, faces having to repay up to double the amount they received, plus interest and potentially criminal prosecution.

At Spring Budget 2021 the Government announced a £100m investment into the Taxpayer Protection Taskforce. The taskforce was established to extend HMRC’s work to tackle fraud and error in the COVID support schemes that they administered (CJRS, SEISS and EOTHO). The taskforce does not address compliance risks in schemes that have been administered outside HMRC.

Up to the end of March 2021, over 12,000 compliance checks had been carried out, this was prior to the formation of the Taxpayer Protection Taskforce.

Further information on the number of compliance checks carried out and taskforce performance for 21/22 is covered in HMRC’s Annual Report and Accounts (AR&A) for 21/22 and will be published before recess.

HMRC expects to publish its 2022-23 Annual Report & Accounts in Summer 2023.

The legislation for the Energy Profits Levy will be formally introduced in Parliament shortly, and the Government will publish a Tax Information and Impact Note alongside its introduction.

The UK Infrastructure Bank operates within a strategic framework set by government but has operational independence in its day-to-day activity, including investment decisions. UKIB has dual objectives of investing in projects to help mitigate and adapt to climate change, and to support regional economic growth across the UK. The Bank is required to have regard to both of these objectives in setting its investment policies and assessing all transactions, including any that involve investment in third party funds. I have asked the Bank to write to you directly on the approach that it takes in making decisions on investments in third party funds.

• The investment is intended to deliver a positive financial return, in line with the Bank’s financial framework.
• The investment is expected to crowd in significant private capital over time.

These principles help assess what projects should be taken forward in line with UKIB’s objectives to tackle climate change and drive regional and local economic growth. The Bank’s investment team assesses each proposition on a case-by-case basis, working to identify the most appropriate financing structure in the context of the Bank’s mandate. I have asked the Bank to write to you directly on the approach that it takes to its investments in third party funds.

The Department for Work and Pensions will make the payment in two lump sums to those receiving means-tested benefits - the first from July, the second in autumn. Tax credits claimants who also receive an eligible means-tested benefit from DWP will receive their Cost of Living Payment from DWP.

HM Revenue and Customs will then make first payments in autumn, and second payments in winter, to those who claim tax credits but do not receive any eligible means-tested benefits from DWP. This is necessary to allow time for HMRC to carry out de-duplication on data for those who have already received a payment from DWP.

The latest data on Corporation Tax (CT) receipts and liabilities for ring fenced oil and gas companies can be found on GOV.UK. The data is available within Table 3C of the “Corporation Tax statistics tables 2021” publication. [1]

A full costing of the Energy Profits Levy will be certified by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility at the Budget.

[1] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1020005/Corporation_Tax_statistics_data_tables_2021.ods

Public sector compensation for employer costs of the Health and Social Levy was allocated to departments as part of the 2021 Autumn Budget and Spending Review. This specific compensation forms one part of their total DEL budgets.

The Government is mindful of both the domestic and international risks that might affect the UK economy. We monitor these risks closely, including the recent rise in Covid-19 cases in China. The Government remains committed to supporting businesses, people, and jobs.

In its December 2021 record, the Financial Policy Committee of the Bank of England noted that “the interim results of the 2021 Solvency Stress Test indicate that the UK banking system is resilient to the direct effects of a severe downturn in China and Hong Kong, as well as indirect effects through sharp adjustments in global asset prices”.

The size of the tax base for the VAT on energy saving materials measure in 2021-22, and the following years in the forecast horizon, is as follows:

- 0 in 2021-22

- £910 million in 2022-23

- £1,090 million in 2023-24

- £1,310 million in 2024-25

- £1,330 million in 2025-26

- £1,420 million in 2026-27

As part of the 2021 Autumn Budget and Spending review, full supporting documents were published by HM Treasury. These documents can be found here: Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021: documents - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Final figures for apprenticeships in 2021-22 are not yet available. The Cabinet Office, on behalf of the Civil Service, will be publishing a full breakdown of departmental performance on apprenticeships in the Autumn in line with previous years.

Data for all departments between 2017 and 2021 is available on gov.uk and shows the department recruited 84 apprentices, equivalent to 3.2% of headcount during 2020/21.

The Government does not routinely publish estimates of tax liability by income level, as it is dependent on an individual’s circumstances and can vary between people with the same annual incomes.

As announced at Spring Statement 2022, the increase in the starting thresholds of National Insurance contributions (NICs) will benefit almost 30 million working people. This is a tax cut worth over £330 a year, for a typical employee, from July 2022.

From July 2022, around 70 per cent of workers who pay NICs will pay less NICs than they otherwise would have, even after accounting for the introduction of the Health and Social Care Levy.

At Spring Statement 2022, the Office for Budget Responsibility estimated the total amount of tax that will be raised from ‘HMRC: investment in compliance’ to be £3,155 million between 2021-22 and 2026-27.

Further information, including an annual breakdown of the Exchequer impact, can be found on page 13 of the Spring Statement 2022 policy costings document, available here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1062462/Policy_Costings_Document_Spring_Statement_2022.pdf.

The Chancellor’s Spring Statement on 23 March 2022 announced a number of measures to support households and businesses in every region and nation of the UK and to relieve the immediate pressure on our cost of living. This includes cutting National Insurance by aligning the Primary Threshold and Lower Profits Limit with the income tax personal allowance from July 2022 – a tax cut worth over £6 billion – and cutting the duty rate on petrol and diesel by 5p per litre for a year, saving the average UK car driver around £100.

It sets out that taxes are being cut, debt is falling and public spending is increasing, for the benefit of every region and nation in the UK.

At the Spending Review 2021 (SR21), HM Treasury published tables showing departmental Capital (CDEL) budgets, broken down by government department. At the Spring Statement 2022 (SS22), HM Treasury published an updated table of CDEL budgets, also broken down by department.

At SR21, the CDEL table was published as table 1.18 of chapter 1. At SS22, the CDEL table was published as table 1.5 of chapter 1. Both documents are available on the gov.uk website.

HM Treasury distributional analysis published at Spring Statement 2022 shows that in 2024-25, government decisions since Spending Round 2019 will have benefitted the lowest-income households the most, as a proportion of income. Our modelling also shows that:

• the poorest 60% of households receive more in public spending than they contribute in tax.
• Households in the lowest income decile will receive more than £4 in public spending for every £1 they pay in tax, on average.
• The impact of government policy since Spending Round 2019 on the bottom four deciles is expected to be worth more than £1,000 a year, while there will have been a net benefit on average for the poorest 80% of households.
• On average, the combined impact of personal tax and welfare decisions made since Spending Round 2019 is progressive, placing the largest burden on higher-income households as a proportion of income.

With around 1.3 million vacancies across the UK our focus is firmly on supporting people into and to progress in work as we know that work is the best and most sustainable route out of poverty. The government’s Plan for Jobs, Way to Work campaign and £3.8 billion investment over the parliament in skills by 2024-25 is helping do this.

The government is also providing support worth over £22 billion in 2022-23 to help families with the cost of living. This includes providing millions of households with up to £350 to help with rising energy bills, a reduction in the Universal Credit taper rate and freezes to alcohol duty. The Spring Statement went further, with the government announcing an increase to the annual National insurance Primary Threshold and Lower Profits Limit to £12,570, a cut to fuel duty, and an additional £500 million to help with the cost of essentials through the Household Support Fund. In addition, the National Living Wage has increased to £9.50 an hour from April 2022. This means an increase of over £1,000 to the annual earnings of a full-time worker on the NLW.

HM Treasury distributional analysis published at Spring Statement 2022 shows that in 2024-25, government decisions since Spending Round 2019 will have benefitted the lowest-income households the most, as a proportion of income. Our modelling also shows that:

• the poorest 60% of households receive more in public spending than they contribute in tax.
• Households in the lowest income decile will receive more than £4 in public spending for every £1 they pay in tax, on average.
• The impact of government policy since Spending Round 2019 on the bottom four deciles is expected to be worth more than £1,000 a year, while there will have been a net benefit on average for the poorest 80% of households.
• On average, the combined impact of personal tax and welfare decisions made since Spending Round 2019 is progressive, placing the largest burden on higher-income households as a proportion of income.

With around 1.3 million vacancies across the UK our focus is firmly on supporting people into and to progress in work as we know that work is the best and most sustainable route out of poverty. The government’s Plan for Jobs, Way to Work campaign and £3.8 billion investment over the parliament in skills by 2024-25 is helping do this.

The government is also providing support worth over £22 billion in 2022-23 to help families with the cost of living. This includes providing millions of households with up to £350 to help with rising energy bills, a reduction in the Universal Credit taper rate and freezes to alcohol duty. The Spring Statement went further, with the government announcing an increase to the annual National insurance Primary Threshold and Lower Profits Limit to £12,570, a cut to fuel duty, and an additional £500 million to help with the cost of essentials through the Household Support Fund. In addition, the National Living Wage has increased to £9.50 an hour from April 2022. This means an increase of over £1,000 to the annual earnings of a full-time worker on the NLW.

The Government will publish a summary of responses to the Enterprise Management Incentive review once the review has concluded. Any externally commissioned evaluation will be published in the usual way, in line with the Government’s Social Research Publication Protocol.

Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.

Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

In the latest Economy and Fiscal Outlook, the OBR have said that the super-deduction and the easing of global supply bottlenecks means they still expect historically high growth in business investment over 2022. The OBR have revised down the anticipated peak amount of business investment brought forward by the super-deduction to 5 per cent in 2022-23 (from the 10 per cent previously assumed).

A full evaluation of the effectiveness of the super-deduction in stimulating business investment will require HMRC to hold corporate tax returns for the financial years 2021-22 and 2022-23. Any externally commissioned evaluation will be published in the usual way, in line with the Government Social Research Publication Protocol.

In the latest Economy and Fiscal Outlook, the OBR have said that the super-deduction and the easing of global supply bottlenecks means they still expect historically high growth in business investment over 2022. The OBR have revised down the anticipated peak amount of business investment brought forward by the super-deduction to 5 per cent in 2022-23 (from the 10 per cent previously assumed).

A full evaluation of the effectiveness of the super-deduction in stimulating business investment will require HMRC to hold corporate tax returns for the financial years 2021-22 and 2022-23. Any externally commissioned evaluation will be published in the usual way, in line with the Government Social Research Publication Protocol.

The UK Infrastructure Bank launched on 17 June 2021. UKIB has a maximum financial capacity of £22 billion consisting of £12 billion for lending and investment alongside the ability to issue £10 billion of guarantees.

As set out in the Bank’s Framework Document, at an annual level UKIB is able to draw down up to £1.5 billion of equity capital in any given year for the first five years, (up to a £5 billion limit) and is able to borrow up to £1.5 billion a year (up to a £7 billion total borrowing limit). UKIB will also be able to issue up to £10 billion of guarantees overall, with up to £2.5 billion in guarantees in any given year.

The Bank has completed five deals since its launch, totalling £310 million of commitments. Details of deals which have been announced can be found on UKIB’s website. As a new financial institution, and as set out in the UKIB Policy Design paper published at Spring Budget 2021, UKIB will require time to build up and scale up its activity. This will include the publication of a Strategic Plan in June 2022, setting out UKIB’s overall strategy and investment approach within the mandate set by government and including details on investments across the relevant forecast period.

Based on ONS Household projects, the number of domestic energy customers is expected to grow by around 200,000 per year up to 2029.

In recognition of the increase in energy costs and the impact this will have on households, the government is providing significant financial support – up to £350 – to the majority of households. One element of this is the £200 reduction for every electricity customer in Great Britain delivered via their energy bill this autumn.

We expect households will pay this back from 2023 – when energy prices are expected to be lower - through an increase to standing charges on their bills of around £40 per annum over five years.

This approach is fiscally responsible while also helping customers manage the unprecedented increase in energy bills by spreading the increased costs of global prices over time. The policy will provide a significant reduction to bills this year whilst gas prices are at historic highs.

There will be cases where changes in people’s personal circumstances at the time mean they may not directly be the recipient of the reduction, but still see increases in future bills. The government will look at these issues further through a public consultation run by the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in the spring, but to spread the cost of the reduction as widely as possible, all domestic energy consumers are expected to contribute to future repayments.

In recognition of the increase in energy costs and the impact this will have on households, the government is providing significant financial support – up to £350 – to the majority of households. One element of this is the £200 reduction for every electricity customer in Great Britain delivered via their energy bill this autumn.

We expect households will pay this back from 2023 – when energy prices are expected to be lower - through an increase to standing charges on their bills of around £40 per annum over five years.

This approach is fiscally responsible while also helping customers manage the unprecedented increase in energy bills by spreading the increased costs of global prices over time. The policy will provide a significant reduction to bills this year whilst gas prices are at historic highs.

There will be cases where changes in people’s personal circumstances at the time mean they may not directly be the recipient of the reduction, but still see increases in future bills. The government will look at these issues further through a public consultation run by the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in the spring, but to spread the cost of the reduction as widely as possible, all domestic energy consumers are expected to contribute to future repayments.

The government recognises that local authorities are best placed to determine who requires further support – that is why we are giving them the flexibility to determine how to target support within the £144m of discretionary funding. This is in addition to the 80% of households supported by the Council Tax Energy Rebate for council tax billpayers in bands A-D.

The Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) noted in its December 2021 Financial Stability Report that direct risks to the stability of the UK financial system from cryptoassets are currently limited. However, it also noted at the current rapid pace of growth, and as these assets become more interconnected with the wider financial system, cryptoassets will present a number of financial stability risks.

The Chancellor laid the Financial Stability report in Parliament on the 14^th December.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published consumer research in June 2021, which offered insight into the cryptoassets market in the UK. The FCA found that 4.4% of UK adults currently hold cryptocurrency, or approximately 2.3 million consumers. The FCA also found that the median value of holdings of crypto owners was £300, and 47% of crypto owners (who chose to declare their holdings) had £260 or less in crypto.

According to the December 2021 Financial Stability Report, no major UK banks have reported having direct exposures to cryptoassets as yet, some UK and global banks are starting to offer a variety of services, such as cryptoasset derivatives trading, and custody services.

The UK authorities continue to monitor developments in this area very closely and have already taken a series of actions to support innovation while mitigating risks to stability and market integrity. These include launching a new anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regime for cryptoassets in 2020; consulting on proposals to ensure cryptoasset promotions are fair, clear and not misleading; and consulting on a proposal to ensure cryptoassets known as ‘stablecoins’ meet the same high standards expected of other payment methods. The Government will issue responses to the consultations shortly.

The Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) noted in its December 2021 Financial Stability Report that direct risks to the stability of the UK financial system from cryptoassets are currently limited. However, it also noted at the current rapid pace of growth, and as these assets become more interconnected with the wider financial system, cryptoassets will present a number of financial stability risks.

The Chancellor laid the Financial Stability report in Parliament on the 14^th December.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published consumer research in June 2021, which offered insight into the cryptoassets market in the UK. The FCA found that 4.4% of UK adults currently hold cryptocurrency, or approximately 2.3 million consumers. The FCA also found that the median value of holdings of crypto owners was £300, and 47% of crypto owners (who chose to declare their holdings) had £260 or less in crypto.

According to the December 2021 Financial Stability Report, no major UK banks have reported having direct exposures to cryptoassets as yet, some UK and global banks are starting to offer a variety of services, such as cryptoasset derivatives trading, and custody services.

The UK authorities continue to monitor developments in this area very closely and have already taken a series of actions to support innovation while mitigating risks to stability and market integrity. These include launching a new anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regime for cryptoassets in 2020; consulting on proposals to ensure cryptoasset promotions are fair, clear and not misleading; and consulting on a proposal to ensure cryptoassets known as ‘stablecoins’ meet the same high standards expected of other payment methods. The Government will issue responses to the consultations shortly.

Data broken down into each of the specific categories requested is not available. However, the Valuation Office Agency publishes its non-domestic stock of properties here: http://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/non-domestic-rating-stock-of-properties-including-business-floorspace-2021

Relevant data by Special Category (SCAat) Code for retail premises, large food stores/superstores and shops can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/992133/NDR_Stock_of_Properties_Tables_RV_bands_by_area_2021.zip

This links to a number of files, including two which provide relevant data by SCat code for English region, and for England:

• SCAT_AREAS_N_ALL (showing frequency of count)
• SCAT_AREAS_RV_ALL (aggregated rateable values)

Data showing changes in the rateable values of non-domestic business properties by region, billing authority, and sector, resulting from work carried out for Revaluation 2017, is available here: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/non-domestic-rating-change-in-rateable-value-of-rating-lists-england-and-wales-2017-revaluation.

At Autumn Budget 2021, the Government announced that it will continue to explore the arguments for and against an Online Sales Tax, the revenue from which would be used to provide business rates relief for in-store retail. The consultation will launch in the new year.

If the Government decides to proceed with such a tax, it will assess any effects on the public finances, including business rates, once the final policy decisions have been reached.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is currently collecting information and assessing valuations for the 2023 Rating List. As this work is ongoing, the VOA does not yet hold estimates on the percentage changes in rateable values. Once the revaluation exercise is complete, a draft Rating List will be published. This is expected to be published in late 2022.

The aggregated breakdowns requested in the question are not available. However, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) will publish detailed relevant data on the total rateable value and properties in Wales in due course. VOA statistics can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/valuation-office-agency/about/statistics

Non-domestic rates are a devolved matter in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Non-domestic rates are a devolved matter in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Valuation Office Agency publish data for the total rateable value for different property types here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/non-domestic-rating-stock-of-properties-including-business-floorspace-2021

The Government is delivering a tax cut worth almost £1.7 billion for retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses in the year 2022-23. Eligible properties will receive 50 per cent off their business rates bill, up to a maximum of £110,000 per business.

Together, the new Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief and the Small Business Rates Relief will mean that over 90 per cent of retail, hospitality and leisure businesses will receive at least a 50 per cent reduction in their business rates bills in the year 2022-23.