Sally-Ann Hart

Tackling geographic inequality and Levelling Up across the whole country is a key ambition of this government.

To support this, in December the Minister for Women and Equalities announced the Equality Data Programme, to ensure that geographic and socio-economic inequality is taken into account, alongside other factors, when identifying barriers to opportunity.

Sponsorship of the Social Mobility Commission has now moved across to the Equality Hub and will play a crucial role in tackling regional inequalities.

Additionally, as part of our commitment to spreading opportunity the Cabinet Office will relocate to Glasgow and York as part of the Places for Growth programme.

The Department has reviewed the responses to its consultation on minimum energy efficiency standards in the non-domestic private rented sector. The Department is working to ensure the policy design remains fair and proportionate for landlords and tenants within the current economic climate and to help to realise the benefits of reduced energy bills, more comfortable and healthier workplaces, and greater energy security. The Department is also continuing to engage with commercial building owners and representative groups to understand the different pathways to support decarbonisation and give certainty to the energy efficiency supply chain. We plan to publish the response in due course.

The Government’s approach to community energy is set out in the Net Zero Strategy. This includes running the Community Energy Contact Group to provide a dedicated forum to discuss the role that community energy can play in the delivery of net zero with the sector. The approach also includes support for community energy projects from Ofgem, which welcomes applications from the sector to the Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme. The Government is also supporting local authorities and community energy groups to work together to develop projects within UK Growth Funding schemes.

BEIS has commissioned scientific research to better understand the feasibility of including Blue Carbon in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory, and what change in UK Greenhouse Gas emissions would result from inclusion. A technical report on this subject is due for publication this summer.

The UK is a major global market for renewables. Last week we confirmed that this year’s Contracts for Difference round will be our largest renewables auction ever with a draft budget of £265 million. We are also spending £160 million to support ports and manufacturing infrastructure for offshore wind – securing local jobs and benefits.

The BBC is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the TV licensing system, and is operationally and editorially independent of government. The BBC have confirmed ARC scheme payments can be paid by BACS transfer as well as cheque.

Historic England has no powers to compel the owners of Scheduled Ancient Monuments to keep them in good order, however its Heritage At Risk Repair Grants budget can help fund the repair and conservation of those that have been included on its Heritage at Risk Register. It can also fund activities that help to reduce or avoid related risks.

Implementation of the Universal Service Obligation is the responsibility of Ofcom. The Universal Service Conditions set out by Ofcom require the Universal Service Providers to divide the ‘Total Cost of Provision of Infrastructure which is capable of being shared’ by the ‘Number of relevant premises’.

As the independent regulator, Ofcom is currently investigating BT’s compliance with its obligations as a broadband Universal Service Provider as they are concerned BT may not be complying with the regulatory conditions correctly when it assesses excess costs for a given connection.

We understand that Ofcom expects to determine the next steps before the end of this year.

We recognise that these are extremely difficult conditions for tourism businesses across the country, including those along the South East coast. We continue to listen to people’s priorities for recovery and will closely monitor the ongoing impact on the tourism industry.

We are looking into ways we can work with local authorities to celebrate the UK’s diverse tourism offer once it reopens. We are actively considering all the recovery ideas suggested to us by stakeholders, including schemes to promote domestic tourism.

Through the Cultural Renewal Taskforce and the Visitor Economy Working Group, we have worked very closely with the tourism sector to develop Covid-secure guidance which will help tourism businesses reopen safely. Guidance documents covering hotels and other guest accommodation, the visitor economy and pubs and restaurants are published on Gov.uk.

VisitEngland have also introduced an industry standard quality mark that tourism businesses can acquire if they are compliant with Covid-19 secure guidance. The ‘We’re Good To Go’ industry standard mark is part of VisitEngland’s ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign, which encourages the public to find out what is open and when. This campaign points consumers toward Destination Management Organisations’ websites, helping people to access up to date local information.

Nothing is more important than the safety of children and staff. It has always been the case that where we are made aware of a building that may pose an immediate risk, the Department takes immediate action.

It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, Local Authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies – who work with their schools on a day-to-day basis, to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools and to alert us if there is a concern with a building.

The Department has acted decisively and proactively to tackle this issue. This Government has taken more proactive action on RAAC than any other in the UK. The Department issued comprehensive guidance in 2018, and subsequent years, to all responsible bodies highlighting the potential risks associated with RAAC and supporting them to identify this within their buildings, as well as to take appropriate steps in meeting their obligations to keep buildings safe. The most recent guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-estates-guidance.

There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England, and the vast majority are unaffected. A significant proportion of the estate was built outside the period where RAAC was used, with around one third of the estate built since 2001, therefore, the Department has focused efforts on buildings built in the post-war decades.

The Department issued a questionnaire in March 2022, asking responsible bodies to inform the Department of any suspected RAAC identified in their estates. Responsible bodies have submitted questionnaires for over 98% of schools with blocks built in the target era, of which there are 14,900. We are pressing all remaining schools to get checks completed, to determine which schools require surveys.

The Department is contacting responsible bodies to help them respond to this request and to advise on what needs to be done, so that they can establish whether they believe they have RAAC. This work will continue until we have a response for all target era schools.

Schools and colleges where RAAC is suspected are being fast tracked for surveying, which is used to confirm whether RAAC is actually present. All schools and colleges that have already told us they suspect they might have RAAC will be surveyed within a matter of weeks, in many cases in a matter of days.

All schools where RAAC is confirmed are provided with a dedicated caseworker to support them and help implement a mitigation plan and minimise the disruption to children’s learning.

Across Government, Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates as soon as possible. This will be updated on a regular basis as new buildings are identified and surveying and remediation are carried out. The Department for Education published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September, and committed to providing further updates.

Schools will contact parents where RAAC is identified and inform them of any impacts on their child. The vast majority of schools are unaffected. Any parents that are unsure if their child’s school is affected should contact their school directly.

While some short term disruption is inevitable, all available measures will be taken to minimise disruption to pupil learning and ensure that pupils continue to receive face-to-face teaching. Where there is any disturbance to face-to-face education, schools will prioritise attendance for vulnerable children and young people and children of key workers. The guidance published by the Department in August also includes guidance on provision for pupils with SEND and sets out expectations that schools continue to provide free school meals to eligible pupils.

The Department will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make buildings safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. Where schools and colleges need additional help with revenue costs, like transport to locations or temporarily renting a local hall or office, the department will provide that support for all reasonable requests. The Department will also fund longer term refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects where these are needed, to rectify the RAAC issue in the long term.

All previously confirmed Schol Rebuilding Programme projects announced in 2021 and 2022 will continue to go ahead. A full list of confirmed projects can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme.

Further information on RAAC in education settings is available on the Education Hub: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/06/new-guidance-on-raac-in-education-settings/.

The Department is committed to ensuring that anyone, regardless of their gender or background, can pursue an education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. To support this, the Department has committed substantial spending to STEM education.

The Department funds the Isaac Physics programme to increase the numbers of students, particularly from typically underrepresented backgrounds, studying physics in higher education. The Department also funds the Inclusion in Schools project to increase the uptake of A level physics from underrepresented students, including girls.

Additionally, the Department is funding the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme, which provides tailored national support for teachers and students in all state funded schools and colleges in England with additional provision for those in priority areas, in particular girls and disadvantaged groups. The Department’s Maths Hubs programme focuses on improving attainment gaps, which may be associated with disadvantage, gender, or other factors.

The Department is allocating £100 million of funding into the National Centre for Computing Education to drive increased participation in computer science and funding research programmes looking into how to tackle gender balance in STEM subjects.

Secondary schools are expected to provide pupils with at least one meaningful interaction with employers per pupil per year, with a particular focus on STEM employers. These interactions introduce pupils to a range of different career possibilities and challenge stereotypes, as well as helping to prepare them for the workplace. This can be facilitated through programmes such as the STEM Ambassadors programme, a nationwide network of volunteers and STEM related employers providing a range of engaging and inspiring activities for pupils. Approximately 45% of these ambassadors are women and 15% are from minority ethnic backgrounds, providing young people with a variety of role models.

As stated in the SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan, published 2 March 2023, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) are developing an apprenticeship for teachers of sensory impairment. They are working with universities, local authorities and sector representatives, including the National Deaf Children’s Society, the Royal National Institute of Blind People and the British Association of Teachers of Deaf Children and Young People to develop the qualification. Subject to approval by IfATE, the apprenticeship will be published this year, but the department does not currently expect it to be delivered until 2025; allowing for providers to prepare the courses for delivery.

The department is investing £3.8 billion more in further education and skills over the Parliament as a whole, to ensure people can access high-quality training and education that leads to good jobs, addresses skills gaps, boosts productivity and supports levelling up across the country, including in coastal areas.

This includes more investment for apprenticeships and employers in coastal communities can access funding for apprenticeships to meet their skills needs.

We have also launched T Levels, which are world-class programmes developed with over 250 leading employers to the same quality standards as apprenticeships and will ensure more young people gain the skills and knowledge demanded by employers. T Levels are already being delivered across the country, including in coastal areas such as Scarborough, Blackpool, Hastings, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.

Skills Bootcamps are available online across the country, with training also being delivered in many coastal towns including South Shields (construction, engineering, green skills), North Shields (engineering, green skills), Hartlepool (creative industries), Poole (HGV driving), and Weston-Super-Mare (digital).

The Free Courses for Jobs offer gives eligible adults the chance to access high value Level 3 qualifications for free. There are over 400 qualifications on offer in areas such as engineering, social care and accounting, alongside many others, which are delivered in all of England’s coastal areas, for example Bournemouth and Poole College and Weston College.

The government is also in the process of rolling out employer-led Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs), together with supporting funding, which will help deliver a key aim of putting employers more firmly at the heart of the skills system. The policy builds on the experience from eight trailblazers, including Cumbria, Kent, Sussex, Tees Valley and West of England, which have coastal towns economies. Developing and delivering a LSIP will be a collaborative process and the expectation is that the plans will provide an agreed set of actionable local skills priorities that employers, providers, and stakeholders in an area can get behind to drive change. By ensuring skills training is more responsive to the needs of employers and local economies, people will more easily be able to develop the skills they need to get good jobs and increase prospects.

Throughout the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Review, parents and carers told the department how lengthy, stressful, and often expensive, the tribunal process can be.

In the current system, in most cases, families must secure a mediation certificate before registering an appeal with the tribunal, but they do not have to participate in the mediation itself. If the parent or young person does decide to proceed with mediation, then the local authority must ensure that a mediation session takes place within 30 days. There were 5,100 mediation cases held during 2021. Of these, 74% were settled without the need to progress to Tribunal.

Waiting for a SEND tribunal hearing can take significantly longer, the tribunal has a performance measure that 75% of appeals should be brought to hearing and the decision issued within 22 weeks.

This government’s proposals seek to resolve issues earlier and improve relationships locally by strengthening mediation, including consulting on making it mandatory. Parents will still be able to go to tribunal if necessary.

The green paper is now out for public consultation on its proposals until 22 July.

The Government recognises the important role that blue carbon habitats can play in climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience. These richly biodiverse habitats also provide a crucial buffer from coastal flooding, benefit fish stocks and improve local water quality.

The UK is a global leader in ocean protection and we have taken a number of steps to support blue carbon habitats. 40% of UK waters are in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) which cover the majority of our saltmarsh and seagrass habitats. Our focus is now on ensuring that these MPAs are effectively protected. The first three Highly Protected Marine Area designations in English waters recently came into force, two of which include further blue carbon habitats such as sub-littoral biogenic reefs and sub-littoral mud.

The Environment Agency’s Restoring Meadow, Marsh and Reef initiative is working to restore native oyster reef, as well as seagrass meadows and saltmarsh. Working in partnership with environmental non-government organisations, industry, community groups and academia, the initiative aims to identify innovative funding opportunities, streamline regulatory processes, build capacity and share knowledge with partners to facilitate a larger programme of restoration.

Defra has set up the UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership in partnership with the Devolved Administrations to address evidence gaps that currently prevent the inclusion of blue carbon habitats in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GHGI). Inclusion of these habitats in the GHGI will allow blue carbon to be marketed and traded as a carbon offset, leveraging private investment into these vital natural carbon stores.

Increased private sector investment into nature-based solutions will be crucial to protect 30% of the worlds ocean by 2030 and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. Our Green Finance Strategy sets out how the Government will mobilise public and private financial flows to meet climate and environmental targets and our Nature Markets Framework sets out the Government’s aim to raise at least £500 million in private finance to support nature’s recovery every year by 2027 in England, rising to more than £1 billion per year by 2030.

The UK is also leading the way in developing Marine Net Gain in English waters, which will require developers to leave the environment in a better state than before new development, targeting biodiversity decline while securing potential blue carbon benefits.

The proposed ban on the use of electric shock collars controlled by hand-held devices was developed after considering a broad range of factors, including the impact of a ban. When considered alongside the academic research, the public consultation responses, and direct engagement with the sector, HM Government concluded that these types of electric shock collars present an unacceptable risk to the welfare of dogs and cats and that their use should not be permitted.

Defra-commissioned research AW1402 and AW1402a revealed that many e-collar users were not using them properly and in compliance with the manufacturers' instructions. As well as being misused to inflict unnecessary harm, there is also concern that e-collars can redirect aggression or generate anxiety-based behaviour in pets, making underlying behavioural and health problems worse.

We consider the peer-reviewed Defra-commissioned research to be robust. It showed that e-collars have a negative impact on the welfare of some dogs.

Data from the research was published separately in two different reputable scientific journals, which required additional independent peer review exercises involving scrutiny from experts in the same field prior to publication. This gives HM Government further confidence that the results are robust.   In addition, we have considered Professor Elliffe’s independent commentary on our research alongside Defra commission research provided by the University of Bristol, University of Lincoln and the Central Science Laboratory as part of the development of our policy.

The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs includes guidance and reminders for owners about their responsibilities to provide for the welfare needs of their animal, but also to keep their dogs safe and under control. The code of practice is available here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/697953/pb13333-cop-dogs-091204.pdf

The proposed ban on the use of electric shock collars controlled by hand-held devices was developed after considering a broad range of factors, including the potential impacts of such a ban. HM Government considered academic research, public consultation responses, and direct engagement with the sector and concluded that these devices present an unacceptable risk to the welfare of dogs and cats and that their use should not be permitted.

HM Government takes the issue of livestock worrying very seriously, recognising the distress this can cause farmers and animals, as well as the financial implications. Data on the number, and outcome, of recorded incidents of livestock worrying is held by individual police forces. All reported instances of livestock worrying should be taken seriously, investigated and, where appropriate, taken through the courts and met with tough sentences. The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, introduced in Parliament on 8^th June 2021, includes new measures to crack down on livestock worrying in England and Wales.

Meanwhile we maintain that it is best practice to keep your dog on a lead around livestock. Natural England recently published a refreshed version of the Countryside Code, which highlights that it is best practice to keep dogs on a lead around livestock. The Code also makes specific reference to keeping dogs in sight and under control to make sure they stay away from livestock, wildlife, horses and other people unless invited. Moreover, the Code helpfully sets out certain legal requirements, encouraging visitors to always check local signs as there are locations where you must keep your dog on a lead around livestock for all or part of the year.

The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs includes guidance and reminders for owners about their responsibilities to provide for the welfare needs of their animal, but also to keep their dogs safe and under control. The code of practice is available here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/697953/pb13333-cop-dogs-091204.pdf

Our ambition for NAP3 is to have a clear set of objectives for adaptation, and a systematic and robust set of policies, programmes and investments to meet those objectives. We aim to have measurable metrics, timelines and progress indicators, all linked to the 61 risks set out in our risk assessment.

We have extensive plans underway to adapt to and mitigate the risks of a warming climate, including our work to restore biodiversity, protecting and restoring our peatlands, wetlands and natural environment, and cleaning up our air, which we are delivering through our landmark Environment Act, and will look to integrate into NAP3.

We know there is more to do to prepare for a warmer world and will base our approach on the latest evidence, and advice from the Climate Change Committee. I’d be happy to meet with my Honourable Friend to discuss this programme of work further.

The investigation and subsequent prosecution of Southern Water focused on unlawful discharges of sewage through the storm system thus bypassing full treatment at Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) and discharging to the environment in non-storm conditions. The sites all discharged either directly into, or in close proximity to, designated shellfish waters off the North Kent coast, around the Solent, and Langstone and Chichester Harbours.

During the current water company investment round (2020 - 2025), water companies are required to install overflow operation monitors on storm overflows at around 3500 WwTW, including Southern Water WwTWs, along with Flow Passed Forward Flow monitors. Permits will be reviewed and conditions tightened to afford even greater levels of scrutiny and environmental protection. The data from these monitors will be used to assess compliance with permit Flow Passed Forward Flow limits when overflows operate. As well as ensuring that the required flows are passed forward for full treatment through the WwTW when the overflow operates, the monitors will also be used by the Environment Agency to check that the overflows only operate within permit requirements of rainfall and snowmelt.

The Government is pushing forward in working towards improving the state of the water environment by setting robust and ambitious water quality targets within the Environment Bill. Alongside these targets the Government will consider the policy levers required to meet the targets, including taking further action to tackle sources of water pollution.