Daily Report Thursday, 4 February 2021 CONTENTS
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Daily Report Thursday, 4 February 2021 This report shows written answers and statements provided on 4 February 2021 and the information is correct at the time of publication (06:30 P.M., 04 February 2021). For the latest information on written questions and answers, ministerial corrections, and written statements, please visit: http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/ CONTENTS ANSWERS 7 Integrated Security, Defence, ATTORNEY GENERAL 7 Development and Foreign Policy Review 13 Attorney General: Apprentices 7 Leader of the House of Courts: Coronavirus 7 Commons: Apprentices 13 Crown Prosecution Service: Shipping: Quarantine 14 Recruitment 7 Transparency of Lobbying, Rule of Law 8 Non-party Campaigning and Sexual Offences: Prosecutions 8 Trade Union Administration BUSINESS, ENERGY AND Act 2014 14 INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 8 UK Trade with EU: Customs 14 Additional Restrictions Grant 8 UK Trade with EU: Freight 15 Business Improvement UK-EU Partnership Council 15 Districts: Operating Costs 9 Voting Methods: Visual Business: Coronavirus 9 Impairment 15 Climate Change and DEFENCE 16 Research: Finance 10 Armed Forces Covenant Fund Coronavirus: Vaccination 10 Trust 16 Disability 11 Armed Forces: Northern Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Ireland 16 Industries 11 Army Families Federation 16 Small Businesses: RAF Scampton 17 Coronavirus 11 Saudi Arabia: Military aid 17 CABINET OFFICE 12 Veterans: Foreign Nationals 17 Arts: UK Relations with EU 12 DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND Government Departments: SPORT 18 Procurement 13 [Subject Heading to be Assigned] 18 Amusement Arcades: Schools: Mental Health Coronavirus 19 Services 35 Broadband: Coronavirus 20 Service Pupil Premium 36 Broadband: Prices 21 Special Educational Needs: Broadband: Regulation 21 Coronavirus 36 Cinemas: Coronavirus 22 Vocational Education: Coronavirus 37 Events Industry: Coronavirus 23 ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND Festival UK* 2022 23 RURAL AFFAIRS 39 Film and Television: Agriculture: Carbon Emissions 39 Coronavirus 23 Department for Environment, Gambling Commission: Food and Rural Affairs: Surveys 24 Apprentices 39 Hospitality Industry and Food: Coronavirus 40 Leisure: Coronavirus 24 Peat Bogs: Fires 40 Musicians: Visas 25 FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH Social Media: Disinformation 26 AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE 41 Sports: Coronavirus 26 Anne Sacoolas 41 Technology: Coronavirus 27 Armed Conflict: Sexual Technology: Regulation 27 Offences 41 Tourism: Suffolk 28 Bahrain: Political Prisoners 42 EDUCATION 28 Bosnia and Herzegovina: Apprentices: Public Sector 28 Peace Negotiations 43 Assessments: Coronavirus 29 Chen Quanguo 43 Department for Education: Developing Countries: Female Staff 30 Genital Mutilation 43 Family Courts: Foster Care 30 Developing Countries: Remote Education 44 Further Education: Assessments 31 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Further Education: Apprentices 44 Coronavirus 31 Iran: Nuclear Fuels 45 Further Education: South Yorkshire 32 Kashmir: Human Rights 45 Obesity: Children 33 Myanmar: Military Coups 46 Remote Education: Greater Oman: Customs 46 London 34 Overseas Aid: LGBT People 46 Palestinians: Coronavirus 47 Palestinians: Remote Public Transport: Protective Education 48 Clothing 60 Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade 48 Road Traffic Offences 60 Schengen Agreement: Borders 48 Shoplifting 61 Sexual Offences: Armed Veterans: Deportation 61 Conflict 49 Veterans: Hong Kong 62 Uganda: Politics and Visas: British National Government 49 (Overseas) 62 HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE 50 HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND Cancer: Screening 50 LOCAL GOVERNMENT 63 Care Homes: Visits 51 Buildings: Insulation 63 Coronavirus: Vaccination 51 Council Housing 63 Genetics: Screening 53 Harlow Council: Coronavirus 64 Hospital Beds: Yorkshire and Help to Buy Scheme 65 the Humber 53 Housing First 65 Rare Diseases: Finance 53 Ministry of Housing, HOME OFFICE 54 Communities and Local [Subject Heading to be Government: Marketing 67 Assigned] 54 Owner Occupation: Low Action Fraud 54 Incomes 67 Asylum: Housing 55 Park Homes: Fees and Charges 67 Asylum: Military Bases 55 Park Homes: Sales 68 Asylum: Napier Barracks 56 Sleeping Rough: Coronavirus 68 Asylum: Penally Camp 56 Social Rented Housing: Dangerous Dogs: Police Finance 69 Custody 57 INTERNATIONAL TRADE 69 Gosport War Memorial Hospital 57 Department for International Trade: Apprentices 69 Home Office: Apprentices 57 Department for International Home Office: Marketing 57 Trade: Staff 70 Home Office: Staff 58 Overseas Trade: Mexico 70 Members: Correspondence 58 JUSTICE 71 Napier Barracks: Fires 59 [Subject Heading to be Police: West Yorkshire 59 Assigned] 71 Berwyn Prison: Welsh TREASURY 83 Language 72 Advertising: Taxation 83 Prisons: Wales 72 Aviation: Coronavirus 83 Youth Custody: Coronavirus 74 Bounce Back Loan Scheme 84 NORTHERN IRELAND 74 Build Back Better Council: Northern Ireland Office: Public Appointments 84 Apprentices 74 Business: VAT 85 SCOTLAND 75 Cash Dispensing 85 Food Standards Scotland: Coronavirus Job Retention Staff 75 Scheme: Pregnancy 86 Scotland Office: Apprentices 75 Coronavirus: Quarantine 86 Scotland Office: Marketing 76 Customs Grant Scheme 87 Sovereignty: Scotland 76 Eat Out to Help Out Scheme 87 Surveys: Scotland 77 Financial Services: Fraud 88 Union Connectivity Review 77 Free Zones: National Security 88 TRANSPORT 77 Free Zones: Non-domestic Air Routes: Volcanoes 77 Rates 89 Alternative Fuels 78 Gaming Machines: VAT 89 Delivery Services: Standards 78 Gyms: Coronavirus 90 Department for Transport: Gyms: Taxation 91 Apprentices 78 Health Professions: Tax Driver and Vehicle Licensing Avoidance 91 Agency: Coronavirus 79 High Rise Flats: VAT 91 Driving Instruction: Hospitality Industry and Retail Coronavirus 79 Trade: Coronavirus 93 Driving Tests: Coronavirus 79 Hospitality Industry and Retail Electric Scooters 80 Trade: Non-domestic Rates 93 Electric Scooters: Sales 80 London Capital and Finance: Electric Scooters: York 81 Insolvency 94 High Speed Two: Staff 81 Mortgages: Coronavirus 94 Motorcycles: Driving Tests 81 Museums and Galleries: Tax Allowances 95 Motorcycles: Training 82 Non-domestic Rates 95 Railway Stations: Billingham 82 Non-domestic Rates: Tax Union Connectivity Review 83 Allowances 96 Personal Care Services: VAT 96 Retail Trade: Non-domestic Kickstart Scheme: Third Rates 96 Sector 105 Revenue and Customs: Audit 97 Pensions: Canada 106 Roads: Fees and Charges 97 Sick Pay: Coronavirus 106 Self-employment Income Social Security Benefits: Support Scheme 97 Disability 106 Small Businesses: Non- Social Security Benefits: domestic Rates 98 Standards 107 Stamp Duties 98 Universal Credit 108 Stock Market: Internet 99 Universal Credit: Veterans 108 Taxation (Post-transition Ventilation: Coronavirus 108 Period) Act 2020: Impact MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS 110 Assessments 99 DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND Taxation: Self-assessment 99 SPORT 110 Treasury: Apprentices 100 National League: Coronavirus 110 Treasury: Marketing 100 WORK AND PENSIONS 111 Treasury: Staff 101 Kickstart Scheme 111 UK Trade with EU: VAT 101 WRITTEN STATEMENTS 113 VAT: Surveys 101 DEFENCE 113 WALES 102 Ministry of Defence Votes A Wales Office: Apprentices 102 Annual Estimate 2021/22. 113 WOMEN AND EQUALITIES 102 Ministry of Defence Votes A Gender Recognition: Supplementary Votes 2020/21 113 Companies 102 HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE 113 WORK AND PENSIONS 103 COVID-19 update 113 Access to Work Programme 103 HOME OFFICE 114 Children: Maintenance 103 Police Grant Report (England Contracts: Appeals 104 and Wales) 2021/22 114 Department for Work and HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND Pensions: Staff 104 LOCAL GOVERNMENT 115 Employment: Coronavirus 104 Local Government Finance 115 Employment: Disability 104 JUSTICE 118 Jobcentres: Staff 105 Eleventh Annual Report of the UK’s National Preventive Kickstart Scheme: Disability 105 Mechanism 118 PRIME MINISTER 119 Public Service Pensions Ministerial and Other Maternity Consultation Response and Allowances Bill 119 Update 121 TREASURY 120 The Van Benefit and Car and Van Fuel Benefit Order 2021 123 HMRC Powers and Safeguards 120 Notes: Questions marked thus [R] indicate that a relevant interest has been declared. Questions with identification numbers of 900000 or greater indicate that the question was originally tabled as an oral question and has since been unstarred. ANSWERS ATTORNEY GENERAL Attorney General: Apprentices Tulip Siddiq: [146972] To ask the Attorney General, how many and what proportion of the staff employed by her Department are apprentices. Michael Ellis: The Attorney General’s Office currently have no apprentices. As staffing levels are below 250 the Department does not meet the criteria for the 2.3% target. However, plans are nevertheless in place to recruit 2 or 3 apprentices. Courts: Coronavirus Rachel Hopkins: [911881] What steps she is taking with the Lord Chancellor to tackle the court backlog. Suella Braverman: I have seen first-hand how innovatively and resiliently criminal justice agencies have responded to the pandemic to boost court capacity – in June 2020, I observed virtual hearings conducted via the Cloud Video Platform in Bristol Magistrates’ Court. I have also met with various CPS Areas to discuss their approach, and know that the CPS is committed to working closely with the courts service and judiciary on court recovery work. This is an unprecedented challenge, but I have been impressed with the truly collaborative approach criminal justice partners have taken. Crown Prosecution Service: Recruitment Ellie Reeves: [146996] To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the CPS annual report 2019-20, how many (a) additional