Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Implement sanctions against the Nigerian Government and officials
Gov Responded - 11 Nov 2020 Debated on - 23 Nov 2020 View 's petition debate contributionsThe Government should explore using the new sanctions regime that allows individuals and entities that violate human rights around the world to be targeted, to impose sanctions on members of the Nigerian government and police force involved in any human rights abuses by the Nigerian police.
Impose sanctions on China over its treatment of Uyghur Muslims
Gov Responded - 28 Jul 2020 Debated on - 12 Oct 2020 View 's petition debate contributionsThe UK Government plans to introduce “Magnitsky law”, a law which targets people who commit gross human rights violations. Through this law or alternative means, this petition urges the UK Government to impose sanctions on China for their human rights violations on the Uyghur people.
These initiatives were driven by Tom Tugendhat, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to increase the maximum custodial sentence for the offences of child cruelty and causing or allowing a child or vulnerable adult to die or suffer serious physical harm to imprisonment for life; and for connected purposes.
Pets (Microchips) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - James Daly (CON)
Desecration of War Memorials Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Jonathan Gullis (CON)
National Health Service Reserve Staff Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Alan Mak (CON)
Flexible Working Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Helen Whately (CON)
Police Officer Training (Autism Awareness) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Ann Clwyd (LAB)
Armed Forces (Derogation from European Convention on Human Rights) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Leo Docherty (CON)
Low-level Letter Boxes (Prohibition) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Vicky Ford (CON)
Immigration Detention of Victims of Torture and Other Vulnerable People (Safeguards) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Joan Ryan (TIG)
Ceramics (Country of Origin Marking) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Ruth Smeeth (LAB)
Sanctions (Human Rights Abuse and Corruption) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Lord Austin of Dudley ()
Children of Armed Services Personnel (Schools Admission) Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Anne-Marie Trevelyan (CON)
Statutory Nuisance (Aircraft Noise) Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Tania Mathias (CON)
Unlawful Killing (Recovery of Remains) Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Conor McGinn (LAB)
These arrangements are subject to the outcome of negotiations.
Commercial drivers and hauliers who move goods between Great Britain and the European Union will require new documentation from 1 January 2021. Hauliers should not attempt to cross the border unless they have all the right documentation.
The Government has produced an easy-to-use checker tool which can be accessed via gov.uk/transition for businesses and citizens to find out exactly what they need to do to prepare.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to PQ 33512 on 21 April 2020.
The Government has made an unprecedented package of support available to businesses that are required to close or which have been severely affected by the restrictions put in place to tackle Covid-19 and save lives.
Following on from closure of the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund, other grant support measures have been in place to reflect the changing landscape of local and national Covid-19 restrictions. This includes funding for businesses required to close and discretionary funding for Local Authorities to support other businesses that whilst able to remain open may be severely impacted.
In January, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a further package of business grant support. Business premises that are required by law to close – including those businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors – are able to access grants of up to £4,500 per 6-week period of closure and a further one-off Closed Business Lockdown Payment of up to £9,000.
The Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) is available to all businesses in England that have been required to close due to local or national COVID-19 restrictions.
There are three key considerations when a Local Authority determines the eligibility of a business for a grant under the LRSG (Closed):
Where an organisation meets all of these criteria, it is considered eligible to receive a grant through the mandatory LRSG (Closed) scheme.
Local authorities are responsible for making decisions on whether a business qualifies for a grant. In doing so they must take into account guidance released by government Statutory Instruments (including exceptions).
The Green Homes Grant Scheme launched for applications on 30 September and as announced on 18 November will run until 31 March 2022. Our installer data is at Local Authority rather than regional level. As of 23 November, the number of TrustMark registered installer businesses available in each of the Local Authorities within Kent are as follows:
Businesses should carry out COVID-19 risk assessments and consult the current guidance. If reflexology businesses interpret that they can remain open during the national COVID-19 restrictions, they should refer to the Close Contact Services guidance.
Businesses are eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund and the business rate holiday scheme if they are based in England with a property that is wholly or mainly being used for the purposes of retail, hospitality and/or leisure.
The Government has announced an additional discretionary fund to support small businesses that fall outside the scope of the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund and the Small Business Grants Fund, which have under 50 employees and have seen a significant drop of income due to Coronavirus restriction measures.
The Government is also providing an unprecedented package of wider support available to breweries. This includes business interruption loan schemes, job retention and self-employed income support schemes, as well as a bounce back loan scheme. The full details of all these measures have been published at:
https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/.
The government is committed to deliver lightning-fast, reliable broadband to everyone in the UK. Our plan - to stimulate investment, bust barriers and drive competition - is working. We're on track for one of the fastest rollouts in Europe and for 60% of all households to have access to gigabit capable speeds by the end of the year. It is a huge leap forward from 2019, when it was just 9%.
The government will announce the next areas to be connected via Project Gigabit shortly as it pushes ahead with efforts to connect at least 85 per cent of the UK to gigabit-capable broadband by 2025.
The telecoms market is thriving with new entrants and investments changing the picture on the ground. Project Gigabit is designed to be responsive to this and the ordering and timing of the procurement pipeline will remain dynamic with quarterly updates to the plan.
Kent is Phase 2 of Project Gigabit’s procurement plans. There will be a procurement process for a supplier to provide gigabit coverage to all premises within the area which are not scheduled to get coverage through any other route (subject to a cost cap for the very hard to reach premises).
Both the new voucher scheme and the procurements are part of Project Gigabit, which we are supporting with funding of £5 billion so hard to reach communities are not left out - starting to level up now, not waiting for the end of the commercial rollout, and adding to the half a million rural homes and businesses already given coverage through our support
To provide immediate support across the UK we are funding up to £210 million worth of vouchers over the next three years to help with the costs of installing gigabit capable networks to people’s doorsteps and up to £110 million to connect up to 7,000 rural public buildings such as GP surgeries, libraries and schools.
Currently 93.64% of the constituency of Tonbridge and Malling have access to Superfast broadband, which is slightly lower than the national average of 96.84%. Tonbridge and Malling has seen 292 voucher connections with a value of over £447,805. There are also a further 312 vouchers that are pending connection, totalling £982,778.
Sports and physical activity providers and facilities play a crucial role in supporting adults and children to be active. That’s why we have continued to make sure that people can exercise throughout the national restrictions, and why we have ensured that grassroots and children’s sport is front of the queue when easing those restrictions.
On Monday 22 February, the Prime Minister announced a roadmap out of the current lockdown in England. The roadmap outlines four steps for easing restrictions. There will be a minimum of five weeks between each step: four weeks for the data to reflect changes in restrictions; followed by seven days’ notice of the restrictions to be eased. The Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Scientific Adviser have made clear that this will give adequate time to assess the impact of each step and reduce the risk of having to re-impose restrictions at a later date.
Step 2 will take place no earlier than 12 April and as part of this indoor sports facilities including gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools will reopen for individual usage. At Step 3, no earlier than 17 May, indoor group activities including swimming clubs can resume.
Since May 2019, eligible homes and businesses in rural areas that are part of a group project have been able to benefit from the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme funded by the Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme. Voucher funding is a grant to individual residents and small businesses and is therefore committed when a voucher is issued to a beneficiary, at which point their supplier has 12 months to provide a connection. The Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme is due to close on March 31 2021, by which point all voucher requests must be received.
Due to the success of the voucher scheme, and in line with the government’s ambition to provide access to gigabit-capable broadband to the hardest-to-reach communities in rural areas across the UK, a new gigabit broadband voucher is being developed as part of the UK Gigabit programme. This will target the hardest to reach areas which are least likely to benefit from commercial rollout. The government expects the new voucher to go live in April 2021 and, along with further details of the voucher, a new eligibility checker will be published in order to help consumers identify if they are eligible for a voucher. BDUK will also work with suppliers to help them transition existing projects, where they are eligible, to the UK Gigabit programme so that communities do not miss out on the opportunity for government funding to enable their access to gigabit capable connections.
The National Leisure Recovery Fund seeks to support eligible public sector leisure centres to reopen to the public, giving the sport and physical activity sector the best chance of recovery to a position of sustainable operation over the medium term.
A total of £100 million is available as a biddable fund to eligible local authorities in England, which will be allocated in a single funding round covering the period 1 December 2020 to 31 March 2021. Eligible local authorities include: those in England who hold responsibility for the provision of leisure services, those who have outsourced their leisure provision to an external body to and those whose outsourced leisure arrangements have ended since 20 March 2020 and services are now delivered as an in-house function.
To help ensure an equitable distribution of the National Leisure Recovery Fund, a Notional Funding Allocation has been calculated for each eligible local authority and funding awards will only be made in excess of the Notional Funding Allocation in the most exceptional circumstances. The basis of the Notional Funding Allocation is a per capita allocation. This has then been adjusted to take into consideration physical activity levels, number of facilities and health outcome indicators.
Government has worked closely with the Local Government Association (LGA), ukactive, the District Councils' Network, Community Leisure UK, Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association and others to make sure the application and funding process is as fast and simple as possible.
Sports and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health, and are a vital weapon against coronavirus. That’s why we made sure that people could exercise at least once a day even during the height of lockdown - and why we opened up grassroots sport and leisure facilities as soon as it was safe to do so.
Nobody wanted to be in the position of having to introduce further National Restrictions. However as the Prime Minister said, with the virus spreading faster than expected we cannot allow our health system to be overwhelmed. Therefore, from Thursday 5 November until Wednesday 2 December indoor and outdoor leisure will be closed. The National Restrictions are designed to get the R rate under control through limiting social contact and reducing transmissions.
In order for these measures to have the greatest impact, we will all need to sacrifice doing some things that we would otherwise like to do, for a short period of time. We have not introduced further exemptions because when you unpick at one activity the effectiveness of the whole package is compromised. As soon as we're in a position to start lifting restrictions, grassroots sports will be one of the first to return.
Sports and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health, and are a vital weapon against coronavirus. That’s why we made sure that people could exercise at least once a day even during the height of lockdown - and why we opened up grassroots sport and leisure facilities as soon as it was safe to do so.
Nobody wanted to be in the position of having to introduce further National Restrictions. However as the Prime Minister said, with the virus spreading faster than expected we cannot allow our health system to be overwhelmed. Therefore, from Thursday 5 November until Wednesday 2 December indoor and outdoor leisure will be closed. The National Restrictions are designed to get the R rate under control through limiting social contact and reducing transmissions.
In order for these measures to have the greatest impact, we will all need to sacrifice doing some things that we would otherwise like to do, for a short period of time. We have not introduced further exemptions because when you unpick at one activity the effectiveness of the whole package is compromised. As soon as we're in a position to start lifting restrictions, grassroots sports will be one of the first to return.
Football clubs are the bedrock of our local communities and it is vital they are protected.
We have provided unprecedented support to businesses through tax reliefs, cash grants and employee wage support, which many football clubs have benefited from. Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund has also provided £210 million directly to support community sport clubs and exercise centres through this pandemic.
Government recognises the implications for sports clubs of not being able to admit spectators to stadia from 1 October, and are working urgently on what we can do now to support them.
DCMS is responsible for organising the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph on Whitehall on 8 November. We have taken advice from Public Health England on the appropriate mitigations to ensure social distancing and we will continue to review the situation and take advice from experts as necessary.
Those organising Remembrance Sunday events should follow the guidance on outdoor events prepared and issued by the Events Industry Forum, with input from DCMS and in consultation with Public Health England and the Health and Safety Executive. This guidance can be found here. The Local Government Association has also issued guidance for local authorities about outdoor events here.
All public expenditure in relation to the education administration of Hadlow College (and the related West Kent & Ashford College) have, and continue to be subject to, the highest levels of accountability and transparency.
All expenditure has been approved by the Financial Cases Committee (FCC) in the Education and Skills Funding Agency, which is an independent committee. The FCC includes Her Majesty's Treasury, external independent experts, legal, commercial and the Further Education Commissioner, and subsequently ministers and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, as required by delegations.
The Technical and Further Education Act 2017 provides that the education administrators are officers of the court which approves their fee requests. The education administrators' hourly rates are based on a commercial procurement framework which offers material savings to their rates charged in normal insolvencies. The spending of the education administrators is fully disclosed through their six monthly reports to creditors, which are publicly available at Companies House.
Matters relating to any absences by school staff, whether related to COVID-19 or not, are a matter for the individual’s employer.
To manage their staffing requirements, schools may need to alter the way in which they deploy their staff and use existing staff more flexibly, as set out in our guidance. These include making best use of teaching assistants, hosting initial teacher training, using volunteers, engaging supply staff using in-year allocated budget, and seeking support from the local authority or trust.
Schools will continue to receive their core funding allocations – as determined by the local authority for maintained schools and through the general annual grant for academies – for the 2021/22 financial year (April 2021 to March 2022 for maintained schools and until August 2022 for academies and non-maintained special schools). This will happen regardless of any periods of partial or complete closure and will ensure schools can continue to pay staff and meet other regular financial commitments.
On Saturday 31 October 2020, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister announced New National Restrictions from Thursday 5 November until Wednesday 2 December to control the spread of COVID-19: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november.
On Wednesday 4 November, the Department for Education published guidance for education and childcare settings on the impact of these restrictions. The guidance can be found through the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-and-childcare-settings-new-national-restrictions-from-5-november-2020.
Schools that provide a full-time education continue to remain open for all children and young people, as they have since the start of the autumn term, for the duration of the New National Restrictions.
Where provision is taking place outside of school, this provision should only operate where the provision is reasonably necessary to enable parents to work, search for work, or attend education or training, or where the provision is used for the purposes of respite care, including for vulnerable children.
Out-of-school activities that are primarily used by home educating parents as part of their arrangements for their child to receive a suitable full-time education (which can include supplementary schools, tuition centres, or private tutors) may also continue to operate.
All other out of school activities, not being primarily used by parents for these purposes, should close for face-to-face provision but can offer remote education for the duration of the New National Restrictions.
The Department’s advice on educational visits can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools. The advice is in line with guidance from Public Health England, the Cabinet Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. It is currently under review and the findings will be available at the end of November.
The Government has introduced a package of support worth more than £200 billion to help as many individuals and businesses as possible during the COVID-19 outbreak. This includes small business grants, the coronavirus loan guarantee schemes, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and the deferral of VAT and income tax payments. The measures introduced have been designed to be accessible to businesses in most sectors across the UK.
Further measures have been announced by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that build on the significant support already available, and set out how the current support will evolve and adapt. These include the extension of the CJRS until the end of March 2021, the extension of the deadline for applications for the Bounce Back Loan scheme and other loan schemes until 31 January 2021, and increased support for the self-employed through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grants.
Furthermore, businesses in England that are forced to close due to national or local restrictions will receive up to £3,000 per month. Local authorities in England will also receive one-off funding of £1.1 billion to support businesses more broadly over the coming months, as a key part of local economies.
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. Businesses can also access tailored advice through our Freephone Business Support Helpline, online via the Business Support website, or through their local Growth Hubs in England.
The Department is rebuilding or refurbishing school buildings required to deliver the school curriculum through the Priority School Building Programme. It would therefore not be possible for a school to have a building rebuilt or refurbished through this programme with the aim of it being leased to nurseries or other organisations. It is however possible for alternative funding to be provided from third parties so that additional accommodation is included in the scope of works, if this is agreed at the start of a project.
It is possible for all schools to lease areas of their facilities and schools may have informal or lease arrangements with third parties out of hours. Before granting any lease of public school land to a third party, a local authority, governing body, academy trust, or charitable landowning trust must comply with the legislative requirements to involve the Secretary of State. In most cases this requires an application for consent. The grant of a lease by an academy trust would also require the consent of the Secretary of State under the Academies Financial Handbook and the trust’s funding agreement.
The Environment Agency has applied to enlarge the Leigh Flood Storage Area, via an amendment to the scheme made under the River Medway (Flood Relief) Act 1976 (“the 1976 Act”). In making this application the Environment Agency has consulted interested parties, who have raised concerns, which remain.
Given these concerns remain, and some interested parties supported a local inquiry to examine the application and their concerns, a local inquiry is the appropriate next step.
The local inquiry will be held by a Planning Inspector and I am hopeful that it will begin in the first half of 2021. My officials are currently working with the Environment Agency and the Planning Inspectorate on the details of the specific timetable. This will ensure that the appropriate procedures are followed and that any proposed dates are convenient for all interested parties.
My officials will continue to keep all interested parties, including your Constituency Office, updated on progress and when the inquiry will begin.
Defra has not held meetings with fast food outlets specifically on using vehicle recognition technology to print vehicle registration numbers on take-away packaging. We do not think it would be appropriate to require take away vendors to implement such a system due to the additional regulatory burden it would place on these businesses. However, we strongly support voluntary initiatives to reduce littering and we know that some fast-food outlets have piloted similar schemes with some success. The success of any such scheme would be dependent on the willingness of the local authority to follow up with enforcement. Local authorities have the autonomy to decide how to prioritise their enforcement activities.
We believe that businesses should try to reduce the amount of litter their products generate. The Litter Strategy sets out how we intend to work with the relevant industries to tackle certain types of particularly problematic litter, including fast-food packaging, smoking-related litter and chewing gum.
Our forthcoming Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for packaging will require producers to cover the full net costs of managing packaging at its end of life, including litter. We plan to undertake a second consultation on EPR for packaging in early 2021. In preparation for that consultation, we are currently reviewing the proposed timeline for its introduction.
Those who have been advised that they need to shield will still be able to register for support to access food until 17 July. This includes access to emergency food parcels and priority access to supermarket delivery. After this date, the National Shielding Service will no longer accept registrations. From 1 August, the advice to shield ends and so will delivery of emergency food parcels.
Supermarkets and convenience stores have played a phenomenal part in ensuring sure the nation has access to food and essential supplies. Supermarkets have confirmed that shielded individuals who have requested help to access food will retain their priority access to online delivery slots after 1 August.
If an individual registers for support before the deadline, and does not yet have an online account with supermarkets, supermarkets will continue to update their priority matching lists until 31 July. If a supermarket delivery slot is needed, please encourage shielded individuals to create online accounts with supermarkets as soon as possible. We are working continuously across Government and with supermarkets to remove barriers to accessing online delivery.
When the advice to shield ends, there will still be options in place to support people to access food if they need help. If someone cannot access delivery slots, and friends and family are not able to help, then the NHS Volunteer Responders will continue to offer support with getting access to food. There are also other commercially available options including telephone ordering, food box delivery, prepared meal delivery and other non-supermarket food delivery providers. Local Authorities can help people in urgent need of support.
The issue of the impact of oilseed rape on health, specifically in relation to allergies, is kept under review by Defra. Based on the scientific evidence currently available, there would be no justification for regulating the planting and growing of oilseed rape. Defra is responsible for certain legislation that protects human health, including but not limited to air quality legislation and statutory nuisance provisions, however, these do not specifically contain protections from oilseed rape.
The general power in section 71(2) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to require any person to provide specified information does not extend to local authorities and is limited to the Secretary of State and, in England, the Environment Agency. Under section 71(2A), local authorities have this power but only with regards to their right to search and seize vehicles under sections 34B and 34C. Local authorities do have a range of powers under section 108 of the Environment Act 1995 to investigate pollution incidents.
It is the responsibility of a landowner to dispose of waste fly-tipped on private land. However, under sections 59 and 59ZA of the Environmental Protection Act, local authorities are able to require an occupier or landowner to remove such waste from their land within a specified time, which is not less than 21 days. A local authority is also able to remove such waste in certain circumstances such as where it is necessary that the waste be removed immediately to prevent pollution of land, water or air or harm to human health.
The Department for Transport is in the process of considering how the recently concluded Spending Review 2021 will impact on a range of rail projects, including the proposed electrification of the line between Hurst Green and Uckfield. A decision as to whether the scheme will progress further will be made in due course.
In line with the Prime Minister’s road map announcement, car driving lessons will resume on 12 April providing data shows it is safe to move to step 2 of the road map. In response to a request by the Approved Driving Instructor National Associations Strategic Partnership, car driving tests have been scheduled to restart 10 days later on 22 April. This will give candidates the chance to access tuition to ensure they are properly prepared before they take their test.
There are currently over 400,000 people with a driving test booked. This includes some candidates who have had their tests cancelled and rescheduled on more than one occasion because of the pandemic. It would be unfair, and impractical, to move every one of those back to accommodate those with tests booked to take place before 22 April.
Highways England is leading the update of The Highway Code to improve guidance for drivers on motorways and high-speed roads. The public consultation began on 1 March and will close on 29 March. Highways England will assess all consultation responses and determine whether they need to amend the current proposals to address the comments received.
Unfortunately, the information required to provide answer to this Parliamentary Question is not held within the Department and therefore should be directed to Network Rail on PublicAffairs@networkrail.co.uk who will be able to assist.
Unfortunately, the information required to provide answer to this Parliamentary Question is not held within the Department and therefore should be directed to Network Rail on PublicAffairs@networkrail.co.uk who will be able to assist.
I have asked my officials to arrange such a meeting with my Honourable Friend and other relevant MPs.
Under EMA’s, Operators will be paid a maximum of 2% of the cost base of the franchise before the COVID-19 pandemic began, with an element of the fee conditional on operators meeting performance, passenger experience and efficiency targets.
The Management Fee is a fixed periodic fee, and is payable at the end of the EMA whilst the Performance Fee covers the EMA Period, with fixed amounts based on an Operators performance, payable after a performance review has taken place.
The Department for Transport issues non-mandatory guidance to English local authorities on setting speed limits, including 20mph speed limits. It suggests that 20mph limits can be introduced in streets that are primarily residential as well as major streets where there may be significant numbers of pedestrian and cycle journeys and this outweighs the disadvantage of longer journey times for motorised traffic.
Local authorities are responsible for taking decisions about setting speed limits on their roads as they have the local knowledge making them the best placed to do so.
The Department has issued notices under Section 78(1) of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 to London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London Stansted airports. These notices set out the noise mitigation requirements for departing and arriving aircraft at these airports, including details on the Instrument Landing System (ILS) joining point arrangements.
The Department does not collect data on where aircraft join the airport’s ILS, but we expect London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London Stansted airports to do so and we encourage other large airports to do the same.
The Department has not provided any specific guidance to NATS, the Civil Aviation Authority or individual airports relating to aircraft arrival operations during an extended period of low air traffic movements. However, we expect that all airports will seek to ensure their arrival operations are efficient, provide safe and stabilised approaches, and minimise their overall environmental impact.
The Department has issued notices under Section 78(1) of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 to London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London Stansted airports. These notices set out the noise mitigation requirements for departing and arriving aircraft at these airports, including details on the Instrument Landing System (ILS) joining point arrangements.
The Department does not collect data on where aircraft join the airport’s ILS, but we expect London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London Stansted airports to do so and we encourage other large airports to do the same.
The Department has not provided any specific guidance to NATS, the Civil Aviation Authority or individual airports relating to aircraft arrival operations during an extended period of low air traffic movements. However, we expect that all airports will seek to ensure their arrival operations are efficient, provide safe and stabilised approaches, and minimise their overall environmental impact.
The Active Travel Fund will deliver over 400 cycling schemes. Whilst the majority of local authorities are reporting a positive impact in local communities, ten local authorities have notified the Department that they have removed schemes funded in tranche one of the emergency active travel fund. We are aware that many other authorities have modified schemes or reprioritised funding in response to feedback from local communities. This is to be expected given that many schemes were introduced on a trial basis, and the pace of delivery as part of the initial phase of the Covid emergency response.
The Emergency Measures Agreements between the Department and Train Operators were designed to bring stability and certainty to the rail industry. Following the expiry of the EMAs in September, the department agreed Emergency Recovery Measures Agreements with the rail industry. These agreements are between the Department and Train Operators, they do not stipulate Network Rail Land utilisation.
At present, Network Rail do not currently have any plans to review the use and function of goods yards to create more off-street parking options at rural stations. The Network Rail property team are however, assessing parking at Network Rail managed stations, this is focusing on opportunities regarding capacity and the potential introduction of electric vehicle charging stations.
The Department for Transport has encouraged all licensing authorities to consider ways in which they can support the trade to continue to operate and provide essential travel. Any measures that authorities elect to introduce are a matter for them. The Department does not hold any data on payment plans or payment deferrals offered by licensing authorities.
As part of COVID related timetable changes, to protect performance across the network during the pandemic and ensure key workers can continue to move across the network, some Medway Valley services now turn at Paddock Wood, to avoid interactions with Main line services and to reduce the need for unplanned skip-stopping on the Main line.
The services that were removed had an average loading of 5 passengers at Tonbridge; the change has resulted in approximately 12 minutes additional travel time for these passengers. However, the current service delivers an overall significant performance improvement for a much larger number of passengers across the network.
Airspace modernisation is vital to the future of aviation, to delivering net zero and create opportunities for airports to manage the noise impact on local communities. It is a critical infrastructure programme of national importance that will support the aviation sector’s recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, in light of the pandemic, we recognise that the timescales in which airspace modernisation will take place will change. We are working with the CAA to review the Airspace Modernisation Strategy, to consider the recommendations from ACOG’s recent report ‘Remobilising the Airspace Change Programme’, and will advise stakeholders of our preferred approach later in the Autumn.
In March 2020, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) took the difficult decision to suspend most MOTs for buses to support the Government’s efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Since then it has been working hard to safely reintroduce vehicle testing. It has worked closely with the bus industry to ensure operators are clear about test dates and exemptions, and it will increase testing capacity to minimise the operational impact on businesses.
In March 2020, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) took the difficult decision to suspend most MOTs for lorries, buses and trailers to support the Government’s efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Since then it has been working hard to keep people safe, whilst still providing a critical worker testing service to support the national emergency response.
The DVSA is managing the reintroduction of vehicle testing and demand for MOTs by:
using existing testing resource efficiently through an overtime scheme and redeployment of duties; and
implementing a phased return to testing by:
giving 2 three-month MOT exemptions to those vehicles whose MOTs were originally due in March and April, and;
giving 1 three-month MOT exemption initially, to those vehicles whose MOTs were originally due from June – initially this will be done for those MOTs due in June, July and August.
giving vehicles due an MOT in May an exemption until August.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has carried out a detailed assessment of the number of registered buses due an MOT before 30 November 2020. Based on exemptions currently issued, the volume of tests due from July 2020 to November 2020 for all public service vehicles, which includes buses and coaches, is 52,500.
The government has taken steps to support commercial businesses, including those located within railway stations. These measures include amending the Coronavirus Act to extend the time period for suspension of the forfeiture of evictions from 30 June to 30 September and landlords will also be prevented from using Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery unless they are owed 189 days of unpaid rent. In addition, the temporary ban on the use of statutory demands and winding-up petitions, where a company cannot pay its bills due to the Covid-19 pandemic, has been extended to 30 September. The government has also ensured that businesses and workers have access to unprecedented packages of support, including £330 billion of government-backed and guaranteed loans.
As of the 9 July 2020, Southeastern has 218 rental agreements with tenants to operate businesses within Southeastern managed stations.
The majority of rail season ticket holders (i.e. those with more than seven weeks remaining on their annual ticket) are able to claim a refund. Southeastern and GTR Southern introduced new processes to make claiming easier during COVID-19 travel restrictions, for example the ability for passengers to claim refunds remotely rather than returning their ticket to a ticket office. We have also allowed season ticket holders to backdate their claim to 17th March, when ‘do not travel’ advice was first introduced, and they now have up to 56 days to submit their claim.
The Department does not hold data on the number of season ticket holders who have been unable to claim a refund from Southeastern or GTR Southern since the introduction of the Emergency Measures Arrangements. This is because not all season ticket holders require a refund, as some still need to use their tickets to travel to work.
The Department is reviewing the regulations that apply to e-scooters as part of our Future of Transport Regulatory Review. In response to COVID-19, we are accelerating and expanding planned trials of rental e-scooters, allowing all areas that want to host trials to do so. We will introduce legislation in June to allow trials to begin. Evidence gathered in trials will inform whether and how e-scooters should be legalised in the future.
The Department regularly engages with Network Rail on a whole host of infrastructure matters.
We know how important it is to introduce the long awaited regular services between Maidstone East and the City as soon as possible. My officials continue to work with the industry to resolve the issues which have so far prevented a regular service from being introduced and to provide passengers in Maidstone with a regular all-day service to the City at the earliest opportunity. We will endeavour to arrange a meeting between my Honourable Friend, other relevant MPs and senior representatives from GTR and Network Rail to update on the situation and the work that is ongoing to find a solution as soon as practically possible in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A large number of meetings took place in 2018 and 2019 about the delivery of Thameslink services to Maidstone East.
We know how important it is to introduce the long awaited regular services between Maidstone East and the City as soon as possible. My officials continue to work with the industry to resolve the issues which have so far prevented a regular service from being introduced and to provide passengers in Maidstone with a regular all-day service to the City at the earliest opportunity. We will endeavour to arrange a meeting between my Honourable Friend, other relevant MPs and senior representatives from GTR and Network Rail to update on the situation and the work that is ongoing to find a solution as soon as practically possible in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Officials held a number of discussions from late 2018 until late 2019 with GTR and within the cross-industry group, the Thameslink Timetable Industry Readiness Board, to consider rolling stock provision for a Thameslink Maidstone East service. Ministers have not met with GTR specifically to discuss rolling stock provision for a Thameslink Maidstone East service, but do regularly engage with GTR on a wide range of issues.
We know how important it is to introduce the long awaited regular services between Maidstone East and the City as soon as possible. My officials continue to work with the industry to resolve the issues which have so far prevented a regular service from being introduced and to provide passengers in Maidstone with a regular all-day service to the City at the earliest opportunity. We will endeavour to arrange a meeting between my Honourable Friend, other relevant MPs and senior representatives from GTR and Network Rail to update on the situation and the work that is ongoing to find a solution as soon as practically possible in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Govia Thameslink Railway is in discussions with the Department to identify future requirements for the Uckfield line. However, these discussions are at a very early stage, and therefore we do not have any confirmed plans in place at this time. Further updates on this matter including timescales will be provided when it is appropriate to do so.
The Franchise Agreement between Govia Thameslink Railway and the Department specifies two trains per hour between Maidstone East and Cambridge (via the Thameslink core). As with any service introduction, this is subject to obtaining the necessary track access rights from Network Rail.
Following the introduction of the May 2018 timetable, which caused serious disruption to passengers, it was decided any new introduction of service would need to go through more rigorous scrutiny. Thus all future timetable changes need to guarantee the stability and reliability of services.
Unfortunately, introducing the Maidstone East Thameslink services onto an already busy and complex railway network is not yet possible without seriously compromising reliability of existing train services that thousands of passengers rely on every day. Several issues are currently preventing the introduction of the service: on top of timetabling constraints, rolling stock availability and stabling facilities are issues that need to be solved. I can assure my Rt Hon Friend the industry is working hard to resolve these and provide passengers in Maidstone with more frequent services to the City of London as soon as possible. I have had various meetings on this matter with all involved and understand how frustrating this delay is for residents of Maidstone, and other areas which will be served by this route. I will keep my Hon Friend up to date as solutions are found.
The matter of compensation for season ticket holders in the event of disruption is the responsibility of the train operating companies, in this case Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR). Under its Passenger’s Charter, GTR operates both the Delay Repay and Enhanced Compensation schemes, and I would encourage season ticket holders and other passengers affected by the disruption on this route as a result of the landslip at Godstone to make the appropriate claims under these schemes.
Govia Thameslink Railway is in discussions with the Department to identify future requirements for the Uckfield line. However, these discussions are at a very early stage, and therefore we do not have any confirmed plans in place at this time. The Department will not be publishing details of these discussions as they are of a commercially sensitive nature. Further updates on this matter will be provided when it is appropriate to do so.
The Department for Transport has allocated Kent county council a total of £34.45m of additional funding in the last two years in recognition of the particular pressures on the County’s road network due the flow of freight traffic to the short strait crossings. This funding was allocated in particular in the context of the development of the Operation Brock traffic management plan, and it has enabled work to improve the resilience of roads that could come under increased pressure in the event of cross-channel disruption.
We will continue to work closely with the Kent resilience forum and other local resilience forums to monitor the situation, including reviewing any additional funding requirements.
The Advice for decision makers guide (ADM) supports the decision making for various social security benefits, including Universal Credit (UC). This guide is published online, is freely available to the public and the specific guidance which would support a decision as to whether a person as described would have entitlement to UC is referred to below.
A condition of entitlement for UC is that the claimant must not be receiving education. This excludes most students, including those with learning difficulties. In chapter H6 of the ADM, paragraphs H6026 to H6028 set out the meaning of “receiving education” for the purposes of determining entitlement to UC. If a person is treated as receiving education they will not be entitled to UC unless they meet one of the exceptions which are listed at paragraph H6041.
Paragraphs H6026 to H6028 advise that a person is treated as receiving education if;
A student with learning difficulties will likely fall to be considered under the guidance set out at the last bullet point, unless they are of a QYP age. If the student is a QYP, they continue to be treated as receiving education and will only have entitlement to UC if they first meet one of the exceptions listed at paragraph H6041 and, if under age 18, one of the minimum age exceptions listed at chapter E of the ADM, paragraph E1024. A QYP remains to be supported by their parents, who receive benefits for them.
Prior to the introduction of Personal Independence Payment for people of working age, the age limit for new claims to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) was age 65. A claimant, born on or before 8 April 1948, in receipt of DLA can continue to get the benefit beyond age 65 if they continue to satisfy the relevant disability tests. They can also apply for a higher rate of the care component if their care needs increase. People with mobility problems that arise only after they have reached age 65 cannot claim the mobility component for the first time nor can a claimant who was receiving a lower rate mobility component whose mobility needs increase move to the higher rate.
The New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) programme provides mentoring support for eligible claimants to help them enter into self-employment, or increase their earnings from an existing business. Each NEA participant works with a business mentor as they develop a business idea, and for up to 52 weeks when they are trading.
Although Covid-19 has presented us with many challenges, the NEA programme remains in place and our providers and mentors continue to deliver information and guidance to support participants in their self-employment journey.
Guidance was supplied to all clinical commissioning groups (CCG), including Kent and Medway CCG, on 13 December in 2021 in response to the national expansion of the COVID-19 booster programme. The guidance is available at the following link:
This guidance highlighted the priority for all CCGs to ensure additional capacity to maximise throughput and efficiency at existing sites, opening additional vaccination sites and extending opening times. NHS England and NHS Improvement provided 71 vaccination sites in Kent and Medway in mid-December 2021. A static vaccination site opened in Sovereign Way Car Park, Tonbridge from 1 December 2021 and a second mobile trailer for the Bat and Ball area in Sevenoaks opened in early February 2022. Community pharmacy provision was increased by 50% in Kent and Medway.
As of 13 February 2022, over 1.4 million people in Kent and Medway CCG have received their first dose, over 1.2 million people have received their second dose, and over one million people aged 18 years old and over have received either their booster, third primary dose or fourth dose as a booster.
There are no plans to do so.
On 13 April, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) published their final advice on phase two of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, which was to continue with an age-based programme. Students planning to study abroad in the 2021-22 academic year will receive their vaccinations in line with that advice when they become eligible because of their age, individual clinical risk factors, or because they are students who work as frontline health or social care workers or are unpaid carers. In line with other adults in the United Kingdom, they can expect to receive their first dose by the end of July 2021 and their second dose within 12 weeks of their first.
Non-National Health Service vaccination sites have been secured under formal lease or licence where required. As payment of rental and other costs for the use of these sites has been agreed in each case, there is no expectation of payment for loss of income.
Photographers who are practising in a work capacity are exempt from the gathering restrictions, though anybody who is not working and is taking part in the photography, including those being photographed, must adhere to the social contact restrictions that apply in that tier both indoors and outdoors.
Photographers cannot operate in premises that are closed, for example in a hospitality setting in tier 3, unless they are ‘making a film, television programme, audio programme or audio-visual advertisement’.
The Government is keeping the restrictions under continual review.
In the national restrictions, which are due to expire on 2 December 2020, photography studios are not considered to be essential services and should not be open to members of the public, although a photographer may continue to leave the house to go to their own studio for work purposes. While photographers could meet one other person outside for the purposes of work, there is not an exemption allowing someone to leave the house to meet a photographer. Photographers may legally visit someone's home if necessary for work purposes. However, we would advise this is kept to a minimum or for essential purposes.
NHS Property Services has to date been required to reinvest proceeds of surplus site disposals in maintaining its existing estate. The Department is working now with NHS England and NHS Improvement to give NHS Property Services the ability to ringfence a proportion of future proceeds secured from disposals of surplus sites for reinvestment in local National Health Service estate priorities.
With regards to Edenbridge War Memorial Hospital, the site is not currently surplus to NHS operational requirements and unless this position changes and the property is vacated and sold, there are currently no such receipts available to reinvest. NHS Property Services is working closely with the Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group and the local Sustainability and Transformation Partnership to understand their priorities and how it can best support this.
NHS Property Services has to date been required to reinvest proceeds of surplus site disposals in maintaining its existing estate. The Department is working now with NHS England and NHS Improvement to give NHS Property Services the ability to ringfence a proportion of future proceeds secured from disposals of surplus sites for reinvestment in local National Health Service estate priorities.
With regards to Edenbridge War Memorial Hospital, the site is not currently surplus to NHS operational requirements and unless this position changes and the property is vacated and sold, there are currently no such receipts available to reinvest. NHS Property Services is working closely with the Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group and the local Sustainability and Transformation Partnership to understand their priorities and how it can best support this.
Tonbridge Cottage Hospital transferred from West Kent Primary Care Trust upon its abolition in 2013 to NHS Property Services. Since May 2019 National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts can request a transfer of estate in the ownership of the NHS Property Companies, which includes NHS Property Services.
Applicant trusts are required to submit a business cases to the Department explaining how a transfer of ownership will benefit the local health system and confirming that the transfer would be on the terms set out in guidance. The Department will then decide whether the transfer should take place.
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust submitted a business case for the transfer of Tonbridge Cottage Hospital in March 2020. We are currently assessing this and are in discussions with the trust and NHS Property Services as part of the process.
We are deeply concerned about the situation in Idlib, North West Syria, as a result of the ongoing offensive by the Syrian regime and Russia. We are calling on all parties to adhere to previously agreed ceasefires and abide by their obligations under International Humanitarian Law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, particularly UN Security Council resolution 2254, which calls for a nationwide ceasefire as part of a political process to end the conflict. We have repeatedly raised the issue at the UN Security Council, and called an emergency session on Idlib on 6 February.
In financial year 2019/20, the Department for International Development allocated £118 million to projects implemented by organisations delivering aid cross-border primarily into North West Syria, including Idlib. This support has helped to provide hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people with food, clean water, shelter and healthcare, including mental health support. UK aid is helping to support protection of civilians in Idlib, including an early warning system to alert civilians of airstrikes and support to emergency search and rescue teams.
The UK’s airspace is an essential part of our national transport infrastructure. The Government is therefore committed to modernising UK airspace, in order to deliver quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys and more capacity for the benefit of those who use and are affected by UK airspace.
The Government has recently announced that it will be providing up to £5.5m to support airspace modernisation over 20-21 and 21-22, to ensure that this work continues, despite the challenges that Covid-19 has presented for the aviation sector.
During this difficult time for the country, the Government is acutely aware of the extreme disruption to people’s lives, jobs, and businesses due to the necessary actions to tackle COVID-19.
The Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund closed to new applicants on 28 August. However, the Government recognises that businesses which are legally required to close due to national or local restrictions, including those which were introduced on 5 November, will need additional support. This is why we have announced the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) scheme, which will provide businesses in England which are legally required to close with grants of up to £3,000 per four-week closure period, depending on their rateable value.
Through the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open), local authorities which were subject to restrictions on socialising between 1 August and 5 November will also receive additional funding so that they can make grants of up to £2,100 per month of closures to hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses which were able to remain open but which experienced a severe reduction in demand due to restrictions on socialising.
On top of this, we have provided Local Authorities with a further £1.1 billion across England via the Additional Restrictions Grant. Local Authorities have discretion on how to use this funding to support businesses in their areas, but we encourage them to set up discretionary grant schemes to support businesses which can remain open, but which are nonetheless severely affected by the enhanced COVID-19 restrictions.
Businesses across the country should also be able to benefit from others measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of support for businesses, including:
Businesses that are not in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, which can stay open but are nonetheless severely affected by the enhanced COVID-19 restrictions, will continue to have access to the Government’s unprecedented package of support throughout the month of November.
This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), which provides employees with 80% of their current salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. The CJRS has been extended until the end of March and will give open businesses the flexibility to support employees for any amount of time and shift pattern. Further, self-employed individuals who are currently actively trading but are impacted by reduced demand due to coronavirus may also be eligible for the Self-employment income support scheme grant, covering November to January, which has increased to cover 80% of average profits, up to £7,500.
We have also provided Local Authorities with a further £1.1billion across England via the Additional Restrictions Grant. Local Authorities have discretion on how to use this funding in their areas, but we encourage them to set up discretionary grant schemes to support these businesses.
The practical issues that prevented the Government from being able to include the newly self-employed in 2019-20 in the original Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), namely that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will not have access to their self-assessment returns to be able to verify their eligibility, still remain. Unlike for employees, self-employed income is not reported monthly, but at the end of each tax year on the individual’s Income Tax Self-Assessment return. This means that the most reliable and up-to-date record of self-employed income is from 2018-19 tax returns.
The SEISS Grant Extension continues to be just one element of a comprehensive package of support for individuals and businesses. This package includes Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support and other business support grants. The Government has also temporarily increased the Universal Credit standard allowance for 2020-21 by £20 per week and relaxed the Minimum Income Floor meaning that where self-employed claimants' earnings have significantly fallen, their Universal Credit award will have increased to reflect their lower earnings.
The current structure of VAT rates raises a significant amount of revenue for the Government, raising over £130 billion in 2018/19. This plays an important part in funding the Government's spending priorities including hospitals, schools, and defence.
Changes to the current rate of VAT on the transport service provided by independent taxi operators would come at a cost to the Exchequer, and that cost would have to be balanced by increased taxes elsewhere, or reductions in public spending. Although the Government keeps all taxes under review, the Government has no current plans to change the VAT treatment of such goods.
The Government is in continual dialogue with the insurance sector about its contribution to handling this unprecedented situation. The Government is also working closely with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to ensure that the rules are being upheld during this crisis.
For those businesses which have an appropriate policy that covers government ordered closure and unspecified notifiable diseases, the Government’s social distancing instructions are sufficient to allow businesses to make a claim against their insurance, provided the other terms and conditions in their policy are met.
The FCA’s rules require insurers to handle claims fairly and promptly; provide reasonable guidance to help a policyholder make a claim, and appropriate information on its progress; not reject a claim unreasonably; and settle claims promptly once settlement terms are agreed. In addition, the FCA has said that, in light of COVID-19, insurers must consider very carefully the needs of their customers and show flexibility in their treatment of them.
Furthermore, on 15 April, FCA sent a letter to the insurance industry, setting out the FCA's expectation of firms regarding their handling of business interruption insurance claims, urging insurers to settle claims quickly in cases where there was a clear obligation to pay the claim in full or in part.
In addition, on 1 May, the FCA published a statement setting out their intention to seek legal clarity on the handling of business interruption insurance claims, in order to resolve any doubt for businesses facing uncertainty on their claims. In their statement the FCA also noted that insurers should look at how they can help consumers who are experiencing financial distress as a result of COVID-19.
However, most businesses have not purchased insurance that covers losses from COVID-19. Insurance policies differ significantly, so businesses are encouraged to check the terms and conditions of their specific policy and contact their providers.
The Government recognises that businesses who do not have appropriate insurance cover will require support from elsewhere. As such, businesses should explore the full package of support set out by the Chancellor, which includes measures such as business rates holidays, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and wage support.
Events hire companies could be eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund if they are in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rates Relief. Businesses are eligible for a £10,000 per property, for each of their properties in receipt of these reliefs.
Events hire companies could also be eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Fund. Businesses are eligible for a £25,000 grant per property, for each property which is used for retail, hospitality or leisure purposes with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000. Businesses are also eligible for a £10,000 grant per property, for each property used for these purposes with a rateable value of £15,000 or less which is not in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rates Relief.
Events hire companies which are not eligible for grants from these two funds because of how they interact with the business rates system may be eligible for a discretionary grant from their Local Authority. Government has provided up to an additional £617m for Local Authorities in England to enable them to make grants payments to businesses in these circumstances.
Local Authorities are responsible for defining precise eligibility for these discretionary grant funds. However, it is our intention that the following businesses should be considered as a priority for these funds:
Recipient businesses will also have to meet the following criteria:
Businesses will need to apply to their Local Authority in order to receive grants. Each Local Authority will need to create their own process, which may take some time. We encourage businesses to look out for their Local Authority’s version of this scheme, and to contact their Local Authority for more information in due course.
The Government is reviewing large parts of property law affecting homeowners as part of its leasehold and commonhold reform agenda. As part of this we are working with the Law Commission to understand the implications of their 2011 report on easements, covenants and profits à prendre, “Making Land Work.” The Making Land Work recommendations would provide a route for challenging future positive land obligations created under the new regime.
For owners of freehold properties who pay estate rentcharges, we will also introduce a right to challenge the reasonableness of those charges in the same way that leaseholders can challenge service charges, and remove the statutory right for owners of rentcharges to take possession or grant a lease of the property in the event of non-payment by the homeowner.
Our reform programme has recently moved forward significantly with the introduction of the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill on 12 May 2021, which we have said will be the first part of major two-part legislation in this Parliament.
The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) have their own detailed procedural guidance on the conduct of examinations - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/examining-local-plans-procedural-practice and their own code of conduct https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-conduct. These take account of the report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life. My Department has not provided separate guidance to PINS.
More generally, PINS are aware of the legitimate interest that Members of Parliament have in the progress of local plans in their areas, and the important contribution they can make in representing the interests of their constituents. Local plan Inspectors are encouraged to engage positively with local MPs in the examination process whilst adhering to the Franks principles of openness, fairness and impartiality. This includes avoiding dealing privately with one party in the absence of other parties.
The way in which Parish and Town councils have responded to the challenges of the pandemic is testament to the unique position they occupy within our local government family.
Whilst the Government does not have the necessary powers to pay Parish and Town councils directly, we are encouraging their principal authorities to discuss the funding support they can provide from within the support we have provided them, which is over £7.2 billion.
Therefore, Parish and Town councils should liaise with the relevant principal authorities on how this money is allocated in their area.
The Government believes very strongly that fees, such as service charges, should be transparent and communicated effectively, and that there should be a clear route to challenge or redress if things go wrong.
The law is clear that service charges must be reasonable and, where costs relate to work or services, these must be of a reasonable standard. Leaseholders may make an application to the First-tier Tribunal to make a determination on the reasonableness of their service charges.
The Government believes Permission fees and administration charges should only be used where necessary and should only cover any reasonable costs incurred.
The Government established an independent working group chaired by Lord Best to raise standards across the property sector, which also considered how fees such as service charges should be presented to consumers and the circumstances under which permission fees and administration charges could be justified, and whether they should be capped or banned. The working group has published its final report to Government and suggested that Government should consider introducing a prescribed list of acceptable fees. We are considering the report’s recommendations carefully and will announce next steps in due course.
The Government made a Written Ministerial Statement on 13 March, setting out the need for flexibility around deliveries to supermarkets and other retailers of food, sanitary and other essential items given the disruption to supply chains due to the impact of the Coronavirus. This statement is being kept under review. Conditions are a matter for local authorities, and should be kept to a minimum, and must meet the tests set out in National Planning Policy Framework of being necessary, relevant to planning and the development, enforceable, precise, and reasonable in all other respects. We are also continuing to engage with supermarkets on the extent to which the relaxation is being used.
We have been working closely with councils and each local authority has a dedicated contact point in the shielding programme. Our South East Regional Team currently works closely with Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, as well as Kent County Council and its lead District Council Tunbridge Wells. Officers from the team continue to speak with senior officers on matters regarding people who are shielding. This support will continue as the core offer to those shielding has been extended until the end of July.
Our £50 million Re-opening High Streets Safely Fund (RHSSF) will provide councils with additional funding to support their business communities with measures that enable safe trading in public places. We have provided guidance for local authorities on the activities that can be funded through RHSSF. This includes the provision of Information Officers to deliver?business-facing?awareness activity, as set out in strand three of eligible activity in the fund guidance.?The RHSSF is not intended to fund all of the interventions listed in the Safer Public Spaces guidance, published in May, which included the option of street stewards to help manage pedestrian flows.
Our £50 million Re-opening High Streets Safely Fund (RHSSF) will support a range of practical safety measures to help businesses trade safely on our high streets. Whilst street wardens cannot be funded through this stream of funding, Local authorities may wish to fund Information Officers to deliver?business-facing?awareness activity, as set out in strand three of eligible activity in the fund guidance. Signage, street markings and temporary barriers are also in scope of funding. The RHSSF will provide the tools to help towns and cities develop safe trading environments, particularly in high streets, and will be key to kick starting the economy, getting people back to work, businesses trading and helping to reinvigorate communities.
Further information on the RHSS Funding Agreement and claims process will be made available in due course.
It is important to keep the planning system moving as much as we can, so that it is able to play its full part in the economic recovery to come. We note the concerns some authorities are raising on 5 year housing land supply and we will continue to monitor the situation.
On 13 May the Secretary of State announced measures to further support house building. This included: allowing more flexible working hours on construction sites which will support these sites in meeting social distancing requirements; a statement that site visits and the use of digital technology and virtual meetings should become the norm in planning casework by mid-June; and introducing a range of temporary measures to make it easier to operate the planning system, especially the development management process, within the current public health guidelines. More information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-planning-update
National planning policy and guidance include strong protections against noise effects, making it clear that the planning system should prevent new and existing development from being adversely affected by unacceptable levels of pollution.
Plan-making and decision making need to take account of the acoustic environment and in doing so consider whether or not an adverse effect is occurring or likely to occur when development may create additional noise, or would be sensitive to the prevailing acoustic environment (including any anticipated changes to that environment from activities that are permitted but not yet commenced).
Planning guidance is clear that this can include noise pollution from aircraft, where this could subject residents or occupiers to significant noise impacts.
Local authorities are equipped with a range of powers and strong incentives to tackle empty homes. Through the New Homes Bonus, they earn the same financial reward for bringing an empty home back into use as for building a new one. Since 1 April 2019, via the Rating (Property in Common Occupation) and Council Tax (Empty Dwellings) Act 2018, local authorities have the discretion to increase the maximum level of premium charged on properties that have been empty for more than two years from 50 per cent to 100 per cent extra council tax. In certain circumstances, local authorities can apply for an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) to temporarily take over the management of a property that has been empty for more than two years and bring it back into use
The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that local authorities’ plans and decisions should support efforts to identify and bring back into residential use empty homes and other buildings in general, supported by the use of compulsory purchase powers where appropriate.
The Government has no current plans to bring forward legislative proposals that seek to increase the penalties for the offences of causing or allowing death or serious injury to a child or child cruelty at this stage.
The Government will, however, continue to keep the maximum penalties for these specific offences closely under review.
Ministers meet the Chairman of the Sentencing Council regularly to discuss a range of issues related to sentencing. The Sentencing Council meets on a monthly basis to discuss matters relating to sentencing and guidelines and a representative of the Lord Chancellor attends those meetings. Officials in the MoJ also meet regularly with members of the Office of the Sentencing Council and discuss a wide range of issues.
The Sentencing Council has published a definitive guideline for child cruelty offences, which came into force on 1 January 2019.
There are no statutory deadlines for making probate applications, therefore the Department has issued no guidance to HMRC as it would not be appropriate.
Completing inheritance tax assessment and payment is a necessary part of the process for applying for probate. While HMRC determine the policy on deadlines for inheritance tax calculation and payment in line with that legal framework, they will consider it to be within the scope of a reasonable excuse and grounds for appeal against any late filing penalties should a customer be unable to file their Inheritance tax return on time because of impacts from COVID-19.