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1238880

registered interest
date	29/09/2020
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Digital Technology
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to support the growth of the digital economy.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	96893
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/10/2020 answer text <p>The digital sector contributed £149bn to the UK economy in 2018, accounting for 7.7% of UK GVA. It supports 1.2 million jobs and around 194,000 businesses of which almost all are SMEs. Last year venture capital investment in the UK’s tech sector leapt by 44%, with record growth in many of the key sub-sectors including cyber security and AI.</p><p>The Department is taking great strides to support this growth. This year alone we have introduced the UK Gigabit Programme and the Shared Rural Network programme to develop the country’s broadband infrastructure; introduced a Digital Markets Taskforce, an Online Harms White Paper response and a Digital Identity Call for Evidence to ensure people remain safe online; and ran an entirely digital London Tech Week to show our support for the sector. This event was a resounding success, with initial figures suggesting 2,500 unique viewers attended each day, with 24,000 registering for the entire event.</p><p>We also deliver support through Tech Nation and our Digital Trade Network. Tech Nation is the main vehicle used by DCMS to support scale-ups. They deliver a programme of initiatives to support the UK tech sector, specifically startups and scale-ups, notably ‘Upscale’, a programme for scale-ups, aimed at accelerating growth. It comprises workshops, socials, &amp; meetups. Alumni include Monzo, depop and Mixcloud.</p><p>The Digital Trade Network (DTN) is a joint DCMS/DIT initiative, announced at London Tech Week 2020. This £8m programme supports UK tech businesses to internationalise in Asia Pacific, attract capital and talent to the UK and enhance UK digital economy collaborations internationally.</p><p>Finally, the government will publish a new Digital Strategy this year to drive growth in the digital sector and wider economy, and ensure we maximise the benefits of a digital-led economic recovery. It will set out a path to harnessing new appetite for digital transformation, accelerating growth, and building a more inclusive, competitive and innovative digital economy for the future.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 09/10/2020 13:10:36 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1238194

registered interest
date	28/09/2020
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Veterans: Charities
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to support veterans charities which cannot cover their costs and are unable to undertake normal fundraising during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	96068
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/10/2020 answer text <p>The COVID-19 Impact Fund has provided nearly £6m in grants to over 100 Armed Forces charities across the United Kingdom, including a number who are based, or operate, in Northern Ireland to support them through the immediate effects of the pandemic. These charities have ranged from smaller local charities to larger, household names. Many charities have also utilised the Government’s employment and other financial support schemes to help sustain them through the pandemic. In addition the Government has continued to provide £10m to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, some of which has also been made available to help charities respond to the direct impacts of COVID-19. Ministers have continued to hold discussions with the Armed Forces charity sector throughout this period and continue to monitor the financial impact on the sector closely.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Plymouth, Moor View answering member printed Johnny Mercer question first answered 06/10/2020 16:04:56 answering member 4485 label Biography information for Johnny Mercer
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1238195

registered interest
date	28/09/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Rape: Criminal Proceedings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to tackle the backlog of rape cases that have not been tried as a result of the covid-19 outbreak and lockdown restrictions.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	96069
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/10/2020 answer text <p>COVID-19 has been an unprecedented challenge for the criminal justice system, but we have kept courts open and cases flowing through the system throughout. The UK has been a global leader and we are ahead of comparable systems.</p><p> </p><p>HMCTS published an update to the Court Recovery Plan in September, which sets out that court operating hours will be extended, alternative venues will be used as courts to increase capacity, and our continued use of technology to support remote of video hearings. Further measures to increase jury trial capacity are also being explored.</p><p> </p><p>The courts continue to prioritise cases where the safety of the public and individuals is a concern. The most time-critical hearings have continued to take place in the Magistrates’ Courts, including hearings where the defendant is in custody or there is a risk to the public. Magistrates’ courts are now hearing all types of work. In Crown Courts, jury trials have now resumed in over 90% of our sites.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 06/10/2020 15:08:52 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1238196

registered interest
date	28/09/2020
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Television Licences: Older People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has had recent discussions with TV Licensing on payment methods for elderly people who (a) do not bank online, (b) do not have a current account and (c) are uncomfortable returning forms in the post with their account particulars because of the risk of identity theft.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	96070
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/10/2020 answer text <p>The government has said the BBC must look urgently at how it can use its substantial licence fee income to support older people, and must ensure that it supports those affected by its decision on the over 75s concession.</p><p>The BBC is responsible for the collection and enforcement of the licence fee. The BBC, through its licensing arm TV Licensing, offers customers a range of options for paying for their TV Licence. This includes instalment options and different mechanisms such as Direct Debit, bank transfer and Paypoint.</p><p>For those who had previously received a free over 75s TV licence but will have to pay from 1 August, the BBC is also introducing the 75+ Plan: a new TV licence payment plan which enables people to pay in equal weekly, fortnightly or monthly instalments, if they don’t want to pay the licence fee all in one go. Those over 75 who register for the 75+ plan can pay over the counter with cash or a debit card at any PayPoint location, or over the phone or online with a credit or debit card. They can also set up a Direct Debit for monthly payments. The BBC has also set up specialist telephone contact centres to help people affected by the change to the over 75s concession.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Mr John Whittingdale question first answered 06/10/2020 13:55:13 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1237826

registered interest
date	25/09/2020
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Housing: Construction
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has in place to encourage the (a) safe and (b) consistent development of new build housing during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	95631
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/10/2020 answer text <p>The Government and the construction industry have previously published detailed safe working guidance, advising on how to work while maintaining social distancing requirements. This guidance has been accompanied by a joint housebuilding industry and Government developed Charter of good practice, whereby housebuilders commit to the published guidance on safe working. These interventions underpinned a safe return to work on construction sites in the Spring and would continue to apply going forward. Whilst we recognise the constraints developers have on-site, we expect quality to be at the heart of the new homes they deliver.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 05/10/2020 16:00:41 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1237827

registered interest
date	25/09/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has in place to ensure that the assessment of children who may require special needs support is not additionally delayed as a result of new covid-19 social distancing and other restrictions.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	95632
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/10/2020 answer text <p>We understand the need for effective and timely assessment of children who require special needs support. The department’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Improvement and Intervention Unit, alongside NHS England, will be engaging with all local areas to discuss progress on recovery from the disruption caused by the outbreak of COVID-19, and the return to school for children with SEND. This will include representatives from local authorities, health and the parent carer forum for the area, and will be led by the department’s professional SEND advisers, Department for Education case leads and an NHS England SEND adviser.</p><p>One section focuses on statutory processes, education, health and care (EHC) plans and annual reviews. SEND advisers will probe local areas on the timeliness and quality of plans, any barriers to progress, such as capacity to reduce EHC plan backlogs, and actions proposed by local areas to address weaknesses identified. The local authority engagement will also aim to ascertain if the areas have improvement needs that can be addressed by the department’s funded delivery support programme.</p><p>We are increasing high needs funding for local authorities by £780 million this year and a further £730 million next year, which means high needs budgets will have grown by nearly a quarter in just 2 years. In addition, local authorities have been allocated a further £3.7 billion to help their communities through the COVID-19 outbreak. This funding is un-ringfenced, recognising local authorities are best placed to decide how to meet the major COVID-19 service pressures in their local area, including support to children’s services.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 05/10/2020 16:05:54 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1237828

registered interest
date	25/09/2020
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Syria: Armed Conflict
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Turkish counterpart on recent military activity against Kurds in Syria which has reportedly included murder, torture and rape.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	95633
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/10/2020 answer text <p>We are deeply concerned by the findings of the recent UN Human Rights Council's Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria that war crimes, crimes against humanity, and human rights violations are still being committed against the Syrian people by all parties to the Syrian conflict. Officials have raised the allegations made against the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army with the Government of Turkey. The UK continues to call on all parties to the conflict in Syria to respect international law.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 05/10/2020 15:23:36 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1237829

registered interest
date	25/09/2020
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Zimbabwe: Politics And Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Zimbabwe on the process of taking farmland from white citizens of that country.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	95634
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/10/2020 answer text <p>I regularly engage with the Government of Zimbabwe. I last spoke with the Zimbabwean Foreign Minister Moyo on 8 June and raised my serious concerns about the situation in Zimbabwe.</p><p>The UK Government is clear that the responsibility for compensating those that lost their farms during Robert Mugabe's fast track land reform programme lies wholly with the Government of Zimbabwe. I am concerned that the recent compensation deal signed between the Government of Zimbabwe and representatives of farmers seeking compensation is unlikely to be deliverable given the chronic economic situation in Zimbabwe. The British Ambassador to Harare most recently raised these concerns with Zimbabwean Finance Minister Mthuli on 28 September.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 05/10/2020 10:28:27 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1237831

registered interest
date	25/09/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Remote Education: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has in place to (a) contact, (b) encourage parents who have not sent their children back to school to do so and (c) provide home school support for children whose health precludes them from school re-entry.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	95635
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/10/2020 answer text <p>Whilst over 7 million pupils are back in the classroom, we recognise that some parents will still have concerns. In such cases we recommend schools discuss with parents their concerns, and provide reassurance of the measures in place to minimise the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in their school.</p><p>In the guidance for full opening, we asked schools and local authorities to communicate clear and consistent expectations around attendance to families, and to use the additional catch up funding settings will receive. In addition, schools should make full use of existing pastoral and support services, attendance staff, and pupil premium funding to put measures in place for those families who will need additional support to return to school. Relevant guidance can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#attendance" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#attendance</a>.</p><p>Schools and local authorities have also been asked to work closely with other professionals, as appropriate, to support pupils’ return to school, including continuing to notify a child’s social worker, if they have one, of non-attendance.</p><p>As is usually the case, schools should follow up whenever a pupil is absent to ascertain the reason and ensure any appropriate safeguarding action is taken. Schools have a duty to inform the local authority of any pupil of compulsory school age who has had a continuous period of unauthorised absence of ten school days or more.</p><p>On the 1 October, the Department announced a package of remote education support designed to help schools and colleges build on and deliver their existing plans in the event that individual or groups of pupils are unable to attend school because of the COVID-19 outbreak.</p><p>Schools can access a new central support hub, where resources and information on remote education will be housed. This support has been co-designed with schools and includes a range of school-led webinars and resources intended to share good practice. We are also investing £1.5 million of additional funding to expand the EdTech Demonstrator programme, which provides peer-to-peer support for schools and colleges.</p><p>This adds to existing support including the resources available from Oak National Academy. The Department has made £4.84 million available for Oak National Academy, both for the summer term of the academic year 2019-20 and the 2020-21 academic year, to provide video lessons for reception up to year 11. It provides lessons across a broad range of subjects and includes specialist content for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. Oak National Academy will remain a free optional resource for 2020-21.</p><p>The support package can be accessed at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19</a>.</p><p>The Department is committed to the continuation of high-quality education for all pupils during this difficult time. We also want to make clear that schools have a duty to provide remote education for state-funded, school-age children who are unable to attend school due to the COVID-19 outbreak in line with guidance and the law. We have, therefore, published a Direction which provides an express legal duty on schools to provide remote education in these circumstances. The purpose of this direction is to provide greater certainty for all involved in the education sector, including parents, teachers and schools themselves.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 05/10/2020 16:54:38 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1237014

registered interest
date	23/09/2020
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Coronavirus: Vaccination
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure (a) public confidence in development of a covid-19 vaccine and (b) effective planning by GP surgeries to (i) administer and (ii) provide information on that vaccine in the event that one is developed.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	94422
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2020 answer text <p>The Department is working closely with Public Health England and NHS England and NHS Improvement to promote vaccinations and raise awareness of their benefits and the diseases they prevent. We are also working with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to help social media platforms identify and take action against incorrect claims about the virus in lines with their terms and conditions. This includes anti-vaccination narratives that could endanger people’s health.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 22/10/2020 15:45:06 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon