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Tag: 2021

  • Robert Courts – 2021 Statement on the Rescue Aviation Programme

    Robert Courts – 2021 Statement on the Rescue Aviation Programme

    The statement made by Robert Courts, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, in the House of Commons on 10 June 2021.

    The Maritime and Coastguard Agency plays a vital role in saving lives, and the Government’s second-generation search and rescue aviation programme called UKSAR2G has now reached a pivotal point. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency announces today the shortlisted companies that will be invited to tender for the provision of the next decade of coastguard aviation.

    The UKSAR2G programme will procure services that will provide the next generation of coastguard search and rescue helicopters, planes and remotely piloted drones. New technology will enable the coastguard to find people who need help even more quickly.

    Data has been used extensively to enable aviation operators and manufacturers to put forward innovative solutions that meet the complex demands of all the emergency services and the other Government Departments that benefit from coastguard aviation long into the future. The programme will build upon the success of the current contracts which provide search and rescue helicopters and reconnaissance planes.

    Like the arrangements it replaces, UKSAR2G will be a pan-Government aviation service that supports not just Her Majesty’s Coastguard, but UK policing in the search for lost and missing people as well as the health services in the transfer of critically ill people between NHS hospitals. This will also continue to support the work of our colleagues in other law enforcement bodies in an even more collaborative fashion than today. The scale of this collaboration is seldom seen in Government procurement. The MCA should be commended for thinking beyond requirements to maximise the value from its investment in aviation services.

    The UKSAR2G invitation to tender will be issued today to shortlisted bidders to provide their responses by the end of August 2021. Following negotiation, the MCA expects to award the contract in mid-2022. This will allow time for the successful bidder or bidders to establish operations before commencing service from 2024 for at least 10 years.

    Since 2013, the UK search and rescue helicopter service has been delivered by Bristow Helicopters Ltd, with planes being provided by 2Excel. All existing aviation services currently under contract to the MCA will be replaced once the new contract commences.

    The transition out from the current contracts will start 30 September 2024 and runs through to 31 December 2026, to guarantee a smooth transition of aviation services.

  • Chris Philp – 2021 Statement on EEA Citizens and Right to Work

    Chris Philp – 2021 Statement on EEA Citizens and Right to Work

    The statement made by Chris Philp, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the House of Commons on 10 June 2021.

    The UK has left the European Union (EU), and the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Act 2020 ended free movement law in the UK on 31 December 2020. On 1 January 2021, a grace period of six-months began, during which time relevant aspects of free movement law have been saved to allow eligible EEA citizens and their family members resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 to apply to the EU settlement scheme. This period ends on 30 June 2021.

    We have committed to providing parity between EEA and non-EEA citizens under the new immigration system. All migrants residing and coming to the UK will be required to obtain the correct immigration status, regardless of their nationality. From 1 July 2021, EEA citizens and their family members require UK immigration status to evidence their rights and entitlements in the UK, in the same way as other foreign nationals, such as their right to work or right to rent.

    The right to work and right to rent schemes—the schemes—were introduced as part of a suite of measures designed to tackle and deter illegal immigration. They are intended to prevent individuals without lawful immigration status in the UK from taking up employment or accessing accommodation in the private rented sector; and to support efforts to tackle those who exploit vulnerable migrants, often in very poor conditions.

    Employers and landlords are required to carry out simple checks, applicable to everyone, including British citizens, to ensure the individual has lawful status in the UK before they employ or let a property to an individual.

    Today, I have laid before Parliament the Immigration (Restrictions on Employment and Residential Accommodation) (Prescribed Requirements and Codes of Practice) And Licencing Act 2003 (Personal and Premises Licences) (Forms) Order.

    The order seeks to amend the schemes’ lists of acceptable documents which demonstrate a right to work or a right to rent, by removing EEA passports and national identity cards. It provides the following additions to the lists: an Irish passport or passport card, frontier worker permit, service provider of Switzerland visa, and documents issued by the Crown dependencies EU settlement schemes.

    From 1 July, employers and landlords will undertake right to work and right to rent checks on EEA citizens, who have been issued with digital evidence of their UK immigration status using the Home Office online services. We have already begun this journey, with employers being able to use the online right to work service since January 2019. Since the launch of the optional online right to work service, there have been over 1.3 million views by individuals and over 390,000 views by employers carrying out right to work checks digitally. The online right to rent checking service went live in November 2020, and since then there have been over 36,000 profile views by individuals, and over 6,500 views by landlords carrying out right to rent checks digitally.

    The online services make it simpler for employers and landlords to carry out the checks, as they do not need to see or check documents. The checks can be carried out by video call, as the individual’s immigration status information is provided in real time directly from Home Office systems. The service is secure and free to use.

    However, we recognise that some individuals are anxious about navigating a digital system. Therefore, users will be supported to adapt through clear guidance, with direct support available for those who are less digitally confident, ensuring they are not disadvantaged due to any inability to access or use digital services, including where they have no access to a device or the internet.

    The order also enables employers and landlords to confirm via the Home Office employer or landlord checking service a certificate of application or document issued by the UK, Bailiwick of Jersey or Bailiwick of Guernsey EU settlement schemes, which confirms an outstanding application made by the 30 June deadline. This will ensure that EEA citizens can continue to evidence their eligibility to work and rent until the application is finally determined.

    The order also amends the Immigration (Residential Accommodation) (Prescribed Requirements and Codes of Practice) Order 2014 by extending the list of those granted status as a visitor who can prove their right to rent using the combination of a national passport, plus proof of their arrival within the last six months, for example a physical or electronic air/sea/rail ticket or boarding pass, to EEA citizens.

    Finally, the order amends and updates the existing statutory codes of practice to reflect these important changes which will improve the operation of the schemes. It also makes consequential amendments to the Licensing Act 2003 (Personal licences) Regulations 2005 and the Licensing Act 2003 (Premises licences and club premises certificates) Regulations 2005, and the Illegal Working Compliance Order Regulations 2016, to align with the changes in this order in relation to right to work check.

  • Nadine Dorries – 2021 Statement on Patient Safety Commissioner

    Nadine Dorries – 2021 Statement on Patient Safety Commissioner

    The statement made by Nadine Dorries, the Minister for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health, in the House of Commons on 10 June 2021.

    I would like to inform the House of the launch of a public consultation on proposed legislative provisions governing the appointment and operation of the patient safety commissioner for England.

    As my colleagues will be aware, on 14 December 2020, the Government tabled an amendment to the Medicine and Medical Devices Bill to establish an independent patient safety commissioner for England. The Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021 (MMD Act) achieved Royal Assent on 11 February 2021 and on 11 April established the commissioner position and its main duties and powers.

    The introduction of a patient safety commissioner also acts on the second recommendation of the independent medicines and medical devices safety review, “First Do No Harm”, published in July 2020 by Baroness Cumberlege.

    The patient safety commissioner will add to and enhance the existing work that has been done to improve patient safety by acting as a champion for patients. Listening to our patients is integral to our healthcare system and the commissioner will help to make sure patient voices are heard.

    The core duties of the commissioner are to promote the safety of patients in the context of the use of medicines and medical devices and to promote the importance of the views of patients and other members of the public in relation to the safety of medicines and medical devices.

    Under the MMD Act 2021, (paragraph 6 of schedule 1) the Secretary of State is able to make legislative provisions about the appointment and operation of the commissioner, for example, the terms of office, finances and other support for the commissioner. As is required by the MMD Act, the Department has launched a public consultation to gather views from interested persons on the detail on the appointment and operation of the commissioner. Consultation responses will be carefully considered and will feed into the required secondary legislation.

    This consultation will help to ensure that the provisions governing the appointment and operation of the patient safety commissioner are as comprehensive as needed, so that the commissioner will be able to work for, with and in the best interests of patients.

    I would like to take this opportunity to reassure the House that the Government continue to prioritise work on this initiative. The launch of this consultation represents good progress in setting up of the commissioner.

    The consultation can be accessed using the following link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-appointment-and-operation-of-the-patient-safety-commissioner.

  • Victoria Prentis – 2021 Statement on Annual Fisheries Negotiations

    Victoria Prentis – 2021 Statement on Annual Fisheries Negotiations

    The statement made by Victoria Prentis, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in the House of Commons on 10 June 2021.

    The UK and EU have now reached an agreement on fishing opportunities for the current fishing year. This concludes all annual fisheries negotiations for 2021. This has been a landmark year with the UK negotiating as an independent coastal state for the first time in over 40 years.

    Throughout the negotiations we have worked as a UK team with the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Governments to take advantage of our new status as an independent coastal state. The outcomes secured by the UK team will enable us to improve the sustainable management of our fish stocks in support of the whole of the UK fishing industry in the short and long term.

    Collectively, from all the negotiations, the UK has secured agreement on the total allowable catches (TACs) for 87 stocks.

    UK-EU agreement

    The agreement we have just reached with the EU, for 70 EU-UK TACs, results in a total value of fishing opportunities for the UK in 2021 of approximately 160,000 tonnes, worth approximately £333 million. This is around 26,000 tonnes more than in 2020, with an estimated value of £27 million.

    On non-quota stocks, due to the late conclusion of negotiations this year and the need to provide our respective industries with clarity, the UK and EU agreed that, exceptionally, tonnage limits would not be applied in 2021.

    The UK and EU have instead agreed to work together through the specialised committee on fisheries to develop multi-year strategies for managing non-quota stocks as a priority, as well as addressing challenges in mixed fisheries management, particularly in the Celtic sea, and on implementing a longer-term exchange system for quota.

    Exchanges of quota with the EU, as part of annual negotiations, were not possible this year. However, the agreement includes a commitment to quickly develop an interim basis for exchanging fishing quota ahead of a longer-term exchange system to be decided by the specialised committee on fisheries. The UK expects that quota exchanges would be part of future annual negotiations, as provided for in the UK-EU trade and co-operation agreement.

    We have also agreed changes for 2021 on seabass to reduce wasteful discarding, without increasing fishing mortality.

    UK-EU-Norway agreement

    The trilateral negotiations between the UK, EU and Norway concluded on 16 March 2021, and set TACs for the six North sea jointly-managed stocks. Three of these stocks were set consistent with independently assessed sustainability levels.

    The agreed TACs resulted in catch reductions for North sea cod, plaice, saithe and herring compared with 2020, whilst there were increases for haddock and whiting.

    The UK and Norway also committed to several priority work areas including a review of the management of North sea herring.

    UK-Norway and UK-Faroes bilateral negotiations

    Since the beginning of the negotiations, we have been very clear that the UK’s overriding priority in all negotiations is to agree a balanced deal in the best interests of the entire UK fishing industry. We worked hard to find a way to reach an agreement between the UK and Norway and the UK and Faroes this year, and regret that we concluded that we were too far apart.

    In these negotiations, the UK sought to secure fishing opportunities for the UK industry, whilst at the same time addressing the historic imbalance between fishing opportunities taken in UK waters by other coastal states compared to those the UK took in theirs. In 2019 Norway landed approximately eight times higher value of fish from UK waters than UK vessels landed from Norwegian waters.

    Whilst negotiations were constructive, neither Norway nor the Faroes were willing to provide appropriate compensation for access to fish in UK waters, without which the relationships would have been left significantly weighted against the UK. Neither coastal state was willing to conclude an agreement with the UK solely on quota exchanges.

    Other international negotiations

    This year the UK also participated, and reached agreement, in a number of other international negotiations. This included multilateral negotiations on TACs not covered under the EU-UK and trilateral negotiations, such as mackerel, blue whiting, Atlanto-Scandian herring, and redfish. We also took part in negotiations in several regional fisheries management organisations.

  • Michelle Donelan – 2021 Statement on Student Loan Interest Rates

    Michelle Donelan – 2021 Statement on Student Loan Interest Rates

    The statement made by Michelle Donelan, the Minister for Universities, in the House of Commons on 10 June 2021.

    On 9 June I announced a temporary reduction in the maximum student loan interest rate following the recent decline in the prevailing market rate for comparable unsecured personal loans.

    In accordance with the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998, where the Government consider that the student loan interest rate is higher than the prevailing market rate for comparable unsecured loans, we will take steps to reduce the maximum student loan interest rate.

    The Government regularly monitor the interest rates set on student loans against the interest rates prevailing on the market for comparable loans.

    Following a decline in the prevailing market rate, on 9 June I laid legislation to cap the maximum post-2012 undergraduate income contingent repayment and the postgraduate income contingent repayment student loan interest rate in line with the prevailing market rate. The cap will come into effect from 1 July 2021 and last for a period of three months.

    The reduction will be 0.3 percentage point on the maximum student loan interest rate to reflect the average market rates during the preceding monitoring period.

    Student loan interest rates are updated each year to take account of changes in the retail prices index (RPI). The updates are applied annually at the start of each academic year, 1 September. To take into account this annual change in the ordinary student loan interest rates, two separate caps will be implemented, one for the period 1 July to 31 August and one for the period 1 to 30 September.

    The maximum post-2012 undergraduate income contingent repayment student loan interest rate and the postgraduate income contingent repayment student loan interest rate will be 5.3% between 1 July and 31 August.

    The maximum post-2012 undergraduate income contingent repayment student loan interest rate and the postgraduate income contingent repayment student loan interest rate will be 4.2% between 1 September and 30 September.

    From 1 October 2021, the post-2012 undergraduate and postgraduate income contingent repayment student loan interest rates will revert to the standard rate +3%.

    Further caps may be put in place should the prevailing market rate continue to be below student loan interest rates.

  • Penny Mordaunt – 2021 Statement on the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee (8th Meeting)

    Penny Mordaunt – 2021 Statement on the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee (8th Meeting)

    The statement made by Penny Mordaunt, the Paymaster General, in the House of Commons on 9 June 2021.

    My noble Friend, the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office (right hon. Lord Frost CMG), has today made the following written statement:

    The Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee met today, 9 June, at Admiralty House, London.

    The meeting was co-chaired by the UK’s Lord Frost and European Commission Vice President, Maroš Šefčovič. The First Minister and deputy First Minister of the Northern Ireland Executive and 27 member state representatives attended.

    The Committee received an update on the work of the specialised Committees since the last meeting on 24 February, and discussed progress on withdrawal agreement implementation, with particular focus on the Northern Ireland protocol and citizens’ rights. The first Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee annual report was also agreed and signed, this will be published in due course.

    The UK set out the extensive steps taken to operate the protocol, by the UK Government, the Northern Ireland Executive, and by businesses in Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

    The UK made clear its readiness for continued constructive engagement to find pragmatic solutions that ensure the protocol operates in a way that safeguards the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its dimensions, minimises its impact on the day-to-day lives of communities in Northern Ireland, and maintains the integrity of the EU’s single market. The UK will continue to put forward ideas and options.

    The UK underlined the urgency of a number of issues and noted it would continue to engage fully in discussions with the EU, with a view to finding substantial solutions to address the difficulties being caused by the protocol in Northern Ireland. The UK would, however, continue to consider all options available for safeguarding peace, prosperity and stability in Northern Ireland.

    The UK demonstrated its commitment to EU citizens living and working in the UK, where it has registered over 5 million people in the EU settlement scheme. The UK urged the EU to provide appropriate support to all eligible UK citizens living in the EU, particularly in EU member states with upcoming deadlines for their residency schemes.

    The UK restated its commitment to co-operating with the EU through the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee processes to make sure that pragmatic solutions are developed to implement all areas of the withdrawal agreement.

    A post-meeting statement has been published on www.gov.uk here, giving a current assessment of the UK Government’s view on the Northern Ireland protocol.

  • David Lammy – 2021 Comments on Whole Life Orders

    David Lammy – 2021 Comments on Whole Life Orders

    The comments made by David Lammy, the Shadow Justice Secretary, on 10 June 2021.

    The protection of women and girls from violence is one of the first duties of any government.

    But the Conservatives are failing to take the actions necessary to protect them.

    The Conservatives should urgently introduce whole life orders for any offender found guilty of the rape, abduction and murder of a stranger, as well as Labour’s broader package of measures to keep women and girls safe.

  • Angela Rayner – 2021 Letter on Michael Gove Misleading Parliament

    Angela Rayner – 2021 Letter on Michael Gove Misleading Parliament

    The letter written by Angela Rayner, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, to Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, and Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary, on 10 June 2021.

    Dear Prime Minister,

    I am writing to you following a court judgement in a case regarding the Cabinet Office’s ‘Clearing House’ for Freedom of Information requests. In this case, the judge ruled that the Cabinet Office had presented “misleading” documents regarding the Clearing House unit in the Cabinet Office, demonstrating a “profound lack of transparency about the operation” of this unit.

    The judge ordered the Cabinet Office to release further details of how the Clearing House handled Freedom of Information requests, however these documents have yet to be released.

    The Cabinet Office lists one of its own key responsibilities as “making the way government works more transparent”, yet as the court’s damning judgement makes clear, your government is determined to undermine accountability and transparency at every turn, including when Ministers have been asked about this Clearing House unit.

    Giving evidence to Parliament as a witness to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, on 10th December 2020, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove said: “The idea that there is a secret clearing house or any sort of blacklist is, I am afraid, not correct. Actually, I am glad it is not correct. It is the case that when we look at all freedom of information requests… whether it is a freelance journalist, someone working for an established title or a concerned citizen, all freedom of information requests are treated in exactly the same way”.

    It would appear that Mr Gove has misled Parliament, whether knowingly or unknowingly, in saying “the idea that there is a secret clearing house… is … not correct”, a statement that has been proven to be untrue by this court judgement.

    Mr Gove also stated that all Freedom of Information requests are treated “in exactly the same way”, denying any notion that the Clearing House works to try to withhold some information requested under Freedom of Information laws, treating some Freedom of Information requests differently to others or even blacklisting certain journalists and researchers.

    Because of the lack of transparency regarding the operations of the Cabinet Office Clearing House, the truth about the operations of the unit – and therefore whether Mr Gove misled Parliament by saying that “all freedom of information requests are treated in exactly the same way” – will be revealed in the documents that the judge has ruled must now be released.

    The Ministerial Code is clear that: “It is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament, correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity. Ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the Prime Minister”.

    As laid out in the Terms of Reference for the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests, I would urge you to consult the Cabinet Secretary and refer this matter to the Independent Adviser of Ministers’ Interests for a full investigation. This investigation must include within its scope the documents regarding the operation of the Cabinet Office Clearing House that the Cabinet Office has been ordered to release by the judge in this case, and any further documents relating to the treatment of Freedom of Information requests by the Cabinet Office Clearing House unit.

    Yours sincerely,

    Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP

    Deputy Leader of the Labour Party

    Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  • Ed Miliband – 2021 Comments on Economic Support for Businesses

    Ed Miliband – 2021 Comments on Economic Support for Businesses

    The comments made by Ed Miliband, the Shadow Business Secretary, on 10 June 2021.

    Businesses have operated under historic uncertainty during this crisis, worsened by details of economic support playing catch up with public health announcements.

    Now once again, businesses are in the dark, with a perfect storm of financial pinch points brewing and no reassurance from government that economic measures will remain in step with possible changes to the roadmap.

    It is right we remain guided by the science to tackle this virus, but businesses should absolutely not be paying the price for the Government’s poor handling of our borders and the new variant.

    We’ve got to back businesses on our high streets and safeguard the recovery of local economies. Businesses should not have to worry for even one day that economic support will be pulled away whilst restrictions remain in place.

  • Chris Evans – 2021 Comments on NAO’s Defence Estate Report

    Chris Evans – 2021 Comments on NAO’s Defence Estate Report

    The comments made by Chris Evans, the Shadow Minister for Defence Procurement, on 11 June 2021.

    The MoD has failed to reach any of its targets on reducing the size of the defence estate over the past five years, wasting money that should be spent on the frontline.

    The MoD has got its priorities all wrong, it has been more focused on internal re-organisations rather than getting to grips with the huge challenges within the defence estate, no wonder they cannot achieve their targets.

    There is a pattern within the MoD of setting unrealistic targets, then crossing their fingers and hoping it will be alright on the night. This has to stop, there needs to be a clear strategy in place to ensure the defence estate is fit for purpose.