Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision by the Australian software company Atlassian to leave the UK and move to the USA; and what assessment they have made of the impact that this will have on their ambition to cement the UK "as a global tech superpower", as outlined in their Digital Strategy, published on 13 June.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
While Atlassian has been UK-domiciled since 2014, its headquarters have remained in Sydney since its founding in 2002 and it has been listed on the Nasdaq stock market in New York since 2015. Her Majesty’s Government does not comment on individual decisions taken by specific businesses.
The UK’s digital economy continues to outpace rivals across Europe and beyond. Our technology market recently became only the third globally to be valued at US $1 trillion and in 2021 37 technology companies went public on the London Stock Exchange.
The recently published Government digital strategy sets out the UK’s vision for harnessing digital transformation, accelerating growth, and building a more inclusive, competitive and innovative digital economy for the future. This will strengthen the UK’s position as a science and technology superpower.
Asked by: Baroness Uddin (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to secure to the co-operation of small and large technology organisations to facilitate opportunities for apprenticeships in that sector.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department continues to work in partnership with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport and support their newly launched strategy to make the digital economy more inclusive, competitive, and innovative by supporting the growth of Digital, Cyber, and Artificial Intelligence strategies.
The department recognises the important role that small and medium sized employers (SMEs) play in creating apprenticeship opportunities, particularly for younger people and those in disadvantaged areas. On 1 June, we reset the reservation levels for all employers who do not pay the levy to zero. This means that employers will be able to make up to 10 new reservations to fund new starts.
Furthermore, we have just published a tender calling for suppliers to engage with SMEs, to encourage more apprenticeship starts. We are using this SME Pathfinder to improve opportunities for individuals and productivity for SMEs in sectors and areas of the country where these are needed most.
Employers in the digital sector have developed 26 high-quality apprenticeships standards including: level 3 Data Technician, level 4 Software Developer and level 7 Artificial Intelligence Data Specialist.
In the 2020/21 academic year there were 14,760 apprenticeship starts in the Digital sector subject area, with a further 10,130 starts so far in the second quarter of the 2021/22 academic year.
The department is also encouraging all employers to offer more flexible training models. There are two flexi-job apprenticeship agencies supporting the digital sector, ensuring apprentices are ready to work on-site and can benefit from the high-quality long-term training that an apprenticeship provides.
We continue to make improvements to the apprenticeship levy transfer system to make it easier for large employers to make full use of their levy funds and support more employers, including SMEs, to take on new apprentices in the technology sectors.
Asked by: Baroness Uddin (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether there is a deficit in the number of apprenticeships in the technology sector.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department continues to work in partnership with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport and support their newly launched strategy to make the digital economy more inclusive, competitive, and innovative by supporting the growth of Digital, Cyber, and Artificial Intelligence strategies.
The department recognises the important role that small and medium sized employers (SMEs) play in creating apprenticeship opportunities, particularly for younger people and those in disadvantaged areas. On 1 June, we reset the reservation levels for all employers who do not pay the levy to zero. This means that employers will be able to make up to 10 new reservations to fund new starts.
Furthermore, we have just published a tender calling for suppliers to engage with SMEs, to encourage more apprenticeship starts. We are using this SME Pathfinder to improve opportunities for individuals and productivity for SMEs in sectors and areas of the country where these are needed most.
Employers in the digital sector have developed 26 high-quality apprenticeships standards including: level 3 Data Technician, level 4 Software Developer and level 7 Artificial Intelligence Data Specialist.
In the 2020/21 academic year there were 14,760 apprenticeship starts in the Digital sector subject area, with a further 10,130 starts so far in the second quarter of the 2021/22 academic year.
The department is also encouraging all employers to offer more flexible training models. There are two flexi-job apprenticeship agencies supporting the digital sector, ensuring apprentices are ready to work on-site and can benefit from the high-quality long-term training that an apprenticeship provides.
We continue to make improvements to the apprenticeship levy transfer system to make it easier for large employers to make full use of their levy funds and support more employers, including SMEs, to take on new apprentices in the technology sectors.
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to (a) assist the growth of the Civil Service Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Network and (b) ensure it is accessible to staff in all civil service departments.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
As set out in the Declaration on Government Reform and the recent Civil Service Diversity Strategy, the civil service is committed to setting a new standard for inclusive workplaces. The Cabinet Office values the importance of ensuring our workplaces are inclusive for colleagues with dyslexia and we engage with relevant Networks where appropriate.
We engage with Civil Service Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Network, via the Civil Service Disability Network and with other cross-Government Diversity Networks to update on key initiatives and share best practice. The network also features on the Diversity Networks webpage on GOV.UK and the Chairs are able to collaborate with other networks using our Diversity and Inclusion hub.
Across the civil service we provide support via a range of individualised workplace adjustments to remove workplace barriers to enable dyslexic colleagues to thrive at work. Our Civil Service Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Network is a great support to improving the working environment for Civil Servants impacted by dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia across civil service departments. The development of the Toolkit has been widely shared with colleagues in Diversity and Inclusion.
Our recruitment processes are reviewed regularly to ensure they remain as inclusive as they can be, with involvement from occupational psychologists to ensure they meet the requirements of as many people with disabilities as we reasonably can.
An equality analysis was carried out in 2016 to demonstrate due and proper regard to our equality obligations. We used the analysis to assess the impact the introduction of online tests in recruitment was likely to have. This included reviews of the literature and involved a range of stakeholder and user consultations. External neurodiversity experts are also providing ongoing independent advice to GRS about how to improve the inclusive experience of neurodiverse test takers. The Civil Service publishes written and video guidance on the alternatives that exist for disabled test takers through the reasonable adjustment process.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the British International Investment's spending commitments to (a) the private sector and (b) the third sector and not for profit organisations.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
British International Investment (BII) - formerly the CDC Group - is the UK's Development Finance Institution. Its mandate is to enhance the role of the private sector to promote inclusive and sustainable economic development. Its mission is to help solve the biggest global development challenges by investing patient, flexible capital to support private sector growth and innovation.
In 2020, BII made £1.22 billion of new commitments to businesses in Africa and South Asia, where the vast majority of the world's poorest people live. BII's portfolio supports 1,200 businesses which directly employ almost 952,000 people and support many more.
Third sector and non-profit organisations are supported through the other parts of the UK Aid programme.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support people's livelihoods in Somalia, including supporting local markets and building the resilience of communities affected by drought.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK is one of Somalia's four largest donors, contributing over £71 million in 2020/21, including £35 million of humanitarian aid. Somalia is the country worst-affected by drought in the Horn of Africa. Recurrent climate shocks and conflicts also continue to drive humanitarian needs in Somalia. Learning the lessons on drought response from 2017, the UK has acted early: we recently announced an additional £13.5 million of support for drought response in Somalia. Our funding will help both to meet immediate needs and to strengthen longer-term resilience to climatic shocks. UK early assistance, and our provision of cash-based support, avoid the selling of productive assets, protect livelihoods and support market functioning. The UK's Special Envoy for Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Affairs visited Somalia in early February to assess the situation, and called for all stakeholders to do more in response to the crisis.
The UK is also delivering a £38 million Supporting Inclusive Growth in Somalia (SIGS) programme. This focuses on financial sector development and investment system strengthening, and on the inclusive development of Micro-Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in three to four key sectors to mitigate climate and conflict risk. It has also provided an immediate response to Covid-19 and is a programming vehicle to advance the UK's agenda on debt relief. SIGS is working towards realising the following outcome targets for Somalia: leveraging up to £60 million in investment, delivering over £30 million in increased incomes, and creating up to 20,000 jobs including for women and youth.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy, published 28 July 2021, what recent progress his Department has made on considering how it can support projects that increase high street accessibility for disabled people, in the design of any future local growth funding.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The Government is committed to creating vibrant, mixed use high streets which are open and accessible to everybody. We have prioritised measures that help give councils and communities the flexibility and support they need to create inclusive and thriving places through the ambitious Planning White Paper, the full package of investment in towns and high streets, and the Levelling Up White Paper.
Successful projects from round 1 of the Levelling Up Fund, the Towns Fund and Future High Streets Fund have included accessibility improvements for high streets across the UK. DLUHC is also making up to £30 million available to local authorities in England to boost the number of Changing Places toilets in existing buildings over the next three financial years.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much funding the Government has allocated to the (a) Belfast Region City Deal, (b) Derry and Strabane Region City Deal, (c) Mid South West Growth Deal and (d) Causeway Coast and Glens Growth Deal in the 2021 Spending Review.
Answered by Simon Clarke
The UK Government has committed to investing £617 million into four City and Growth Deals spanning Northern Ireland. This includes:
Funding for City and Growth Deals is allocated through the Estimates process.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to take into account in its policies the impact of the covid-19 outbreak in areas of East and North East London with relatively high levels of inequality and deprivation; and whether that sub-region will be allocated resources in line with other parts of the country that have comparable socio-economic conditions.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
Newham and Barking and Dagenham were identified as priority 1 areas for levelling up funding alongside other more deprived areas of the country. I am delighted that in the subsequent Round 1 competition, Newham and Tower Hamlets went on to be successful and will receive £49.1 million to deliver community enhancing projects. This includes Newham’s 15-minute neighbourhood project that will create innovative commercial and civic spaces, imaginative public realm, and sustainable transport infrastructure to provide the catalyst for inclusive growth.
In addition to this funding, the East and North East of London have benefitted from further funding commitments, including £510,000 of Community Renewal Funding for Unlocking Green Economy options in the south of Newham, £3 million of Getting Building Funding for 3 Miles Studio in Newham and an uplift to the ongoing programme of regeneration through our Olympic legacy, through £168.1 million for the East Bank Project on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park site.
Whilst some local Levelling Up Fund bids have been unsuccessful, we encourage bidders to reapply in round two which is to be opened in Spring 2022.
The Levelling Up Fund is only one element of levelling up, which means empowering local leaders and communities to drive real change; boosting living standards, particularly where they are lower; spreading opportunity and improving public services, particularly where they are weaker; and restoring local pride across the UK. Levelling up the UK does not mean levelling down London.
The Government will shortly be publishing the Levelling Up White Paper that builds on existing action being taken across Government, setting out a new policy regime that will drive change for years to come.
Asked by: Lord Hylton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the policies of (1) Thailand, (2) Cambodia, and (3) South Korea, towards reducing economic inequalities; and what steps they plan to take on the basis of such assessment.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to deepening and cementing our ties with Thailand, Cambodia and the Republic of Korea as part of our Indo-Pacific tilt.
The Government of Thailand's focus on reducing economic inequalities is outlined in the Thailand 4.0 economic model that focuses on prosperity, security and sustainability. The UK is working with Thailand to provide technical support and partnership, and has developed programmes on health, low carbon transition, smart cities and the digital economy.
The Government of Cambodia's Economic Recovery Plan 2021-2023 seeks to address economic inequalities and promote inclusive growth. The UK is working with Cambodia through the Accelerated COVID-19 Economic Support programme that looks to address economic inequalities by seeking industrial diversification. We are also addressing girls' education and women's empowerment through leadership programmes.
The Korean New Deal outlines the Government of the Republic of Korea's overarching economic policies including on inequality. As part of the UK's Presidency, we invited ROK to the G7 as a Guest Country. Through the G7, we are working together to address global economic inequality, for example by supporting girls' education through funding the Global Partnership for Education, and are working to ensure a clean and resilient recovery from COVID-19 for example by offering support to COVAX.