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1523442

registered interest
date	18/10/2022
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Natural Gas: National Grid
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the number of households off of the mains gas grid in (a) each parliamentary constituency, (b) each council area and (b) the UK.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	66045
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2022 answer text <p>BEIS publishes the numbers of <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fstatistics%2Fsub-national-estimates-of-households-not-connected-to-the-gas-network&amp;data=05%7C01%7CParliamentary.PQ%40BEIS.gov.uk%7C97ec086ddfcb42d2e6d508dab5a5214e%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C638022018068796305%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=7H1P%2B02O2qlYFd%2BBREzs%2BR8VLYt%2F423DFNA5SU4YC1A%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">domestic properties not connected to the gas network</a> down to Local Authority level. This includes properties where a gas grid connection is possible but no connection has been made. These estimates state that 4,128,000 (14 per cent) of domestic properties are not connected to the gas network in Great Britain. Equivalent data is available at <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fstatistics%2Flsoa-estimates-of-households-not-connected-to-the-gas-network&amp;data=05%7C01%7CParliamentary.PQ%40BEIS.gov.uk%7C97ec086ddfcb42d2e6d508dab5a5214e%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C638022018068796305%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=JpS5gwLn4gmiHj4%2Bm3%2FAyZ2w%2Fi906nlMphO0HJI1Qq4%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Lower Layer Super Output Area</a> (LSOA) and <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fstatistics%2Fmsoa-estimates-of-households-not-connected-to-the-gas-network&amp;data=05%7C01%7CParliamentary.PQ%40BEIS.gov.uk%7C97ec086ddfcb42d2e6d508dab5a5214e%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C638022018068796305%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=bS2Ryw8ATW8upy3MEJBy%2FDIv63S7s5bvqDPLl5jm3nY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Middle Layer Super Output Area</a> (MSOA) levels, but not by constituency or council area. For Northern Ireland, data on gas connections is available via the <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.uregni.gov.uk%2Fpublications%2Fannual-retail-energy-market-monitoring-report-2021&amp;data=05%7C01%7CParliamentary.PQ%40BEIS.gov.uk%7C97ec086ddfcb42d2e6d508dab5a5214e%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C638022018068796305%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ZdY97h7NGsk2aFugFpyAuve%2B32FWQOdH1L%2Finy4oQ3A%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Annual Retail Energy Market Monitoring report</a>.</p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart question first answered 24/10/2022 14:45:10 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden

1523443

registered interest
date	18/10/2022
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Pension Credit: Cost of Living
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether people in receipt of Pension Credit are entitled to the full £150 council tax rebate to help with energy costs in every part of the UK.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	66046
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2022 answer text <p>Most households in Council Tax bands A to D qualify for the core council tax energy rebate of £150, if they are occupied as a sole or main residence on 1 April 2022. Eligibility for the scheme is not dependent on a household’s qualification for benefits. Alongside the core council tax rebate, local councils have been provided with £144 million of discretionary funding to support any household suffering financial hardship as a result of rising energy bills. Local councils are responsible for determining who is eligible and for making payments under their discretionary fund.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 21/10/2022 12:03:09 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden

1523446

registered interest
date	18/10/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students were accepted onto higher education courses by each A-level grade combination in England in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	66047
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2022 answer text <p>The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service publish data on acceptances to full-time undergraduate higher education by A level grade combination. It can be found here: <a href="https://www.ucas.com/data-and-analysis/undergraduate-statistics-and-reports/ucas-undergraduate-sector-level-end-cycle-data-resources-2021" target="_blank">https://www.ucas.com/data-and-analysis/undergraduate-statistics-and-reports/ucas-undergraduate-sector-level-end-cycle-data-resources-2021</a>.</p><p>The table below shows the number of acceptances by A level grade combinations for English 18-year-olds for the three most recent years.</p><p>Figures for 2022 are due to published in December.</p><p><strong>Table 1 – English 18-year-olds accepted to full-time undergraduate higher education by A level points:</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>A level points</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2019</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2020</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2021</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>3 points (EEE)</p></td><td><p>305</p></td><td><p>105</p></td><td><p>145</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>4 points (DEE)</p></td><td><p>1,160</p></td><td><p>400</p></td><td><p>475</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>5 points (DDE)</p></td><td><p>2,625</p></td><td><p>945</p></td><td><p>1,015</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>6 points (DDD)</p></td><td><p>4,740</p></td><td><p>1,935</p></td><td><p>1,980</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>7 points (CDD)</p></td><td><p>7,100</p></td><td><p>3,585</p></td><td><p>3,380</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>8 points (CCD)</p></td><td><p>9,665</p></td><td><p>6,155</p></td><td><p>5,100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>9 points (CCC)</p></td><td><p>11,895</p></td><td><p>9,170</p></td><td><p>7,650</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>10 points (BCC)</p></td><td><p>13,805</p></td><td><p>11,590</p></td><td><p>10,185</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>11 points (BBC)</p></td><td><p>14,390</p></td><td><p>13,710</p></td><td><p>12,400</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>12 points (BBB)</p></td><td><p>14,395</p></td><td><p>15,350</p></td><td><p>14,410</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>13 points (ABB)</p></td><td><p>13,800</p></td><td><p>15,540</p></td><td><p>15,665</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>14 points (AAB)</p></td><td><p>11,860</p></td><td><p>15,090</p></td><td><p>16,160</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>15 points (AAA)</p></td><td><p>10,690</p></td><td><p>14,555</p></td><td><p>16,555</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>16 points (A*AA)</p></td><td><p>8,365</p></td><td><p>12,755</p></td><td><p>14,905</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>17 points (A*A*A)</p></td><td><p>5,285</p></td><td><p>9,880</p></td><td><p>12,860</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>18 points (A*A*A*)</p></td><td><p>4,835</p></td><td><p>11,085</p></td><td><p>16,505</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>All</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>134,910</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>141,860</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>149,380</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Morley and Outwood answering member printed Andrea Jenkyns question first answered 24/10/2022 16:20:41 answering member 4490 label Biography information for Dame Andrea Jenkyns
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden

1522892

registered interest
date	17/10/2022
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	Care Homes: Protective Clothing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to remove the recommendation that care home staff wear face masks; and what recent assessment he has made of the impact of that recommendation on communication with residents with dementia and deafness.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	64375
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2022 answer text <p>In adult social care, the guidance continues to recommend that all care home staff and visitors wear masks to provide protection for residents from COVID-19. The guidance allows for masks to not be used if, as part of a risk assessment, its use is considered particularly challenging for the resident, such as for residents with dementia and deafness.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has commissioned a review of this guidance to ensure it reflects the latest available evidence and safe and proportionate infection prevention and control principles.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 10/11/2022 14:24:45 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden

1518951

registered interest
date	10/10/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Uniforms
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the cost of school uniforms by promoting price competitiveness.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	59039
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2022 answer text <p>The Department recognises that many people are worried about the impact of the increases in the cost of living with many households struggling to make their income stretch to cover the basics. It is therefore even more important that schools consider the cost of their uniform and follow the guidance to ensure best value for money for parents.</p><p>In November 2021, the Department published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms, which schools must consider when designing and implementing their uniform policies. The guidance, which came into effect in September 2022, requires schools to ensure that their uniform is affordable and secures best value for money for parents.</p><p>The guidance requires schools to:</p><ul><li>keep branded items to a minimum, allowing parents more choice on where they purchase most items of uniform</li><li>demonstrate how value for money has been obtained from suppliers for any required branded items</li><li>avoid single supplier contracts unless regular tendering competitions are run. The Department advises contracts to be retendered at least every five years.</li></ul><p>This guidance is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms/cost-of-school-uniforms" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms/cost-of-school-uniforms</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Stoke-on-Trent North answering member printed Jonathan Gullis question first answered 24/10/2022 09:20:28 answering member 4814 label Biography information for Jonathan Gullis
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden

1518952

registered interest
date	10/10/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Beverage Containers: Deposit Return Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to introduce a deposit return scheme for drinks containers in England.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	59044
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2022 answer text <p>In its 2019 manifesto, HM Government committed to introduce a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers to incentivise people to recycle more and to reduce littering of in-scope containers. HM Government has consulted twice on the introduction of a DRS. The most recent consultation in 2021 sought views on a range of topics to ensure effective delivery of a scheme. We are analysing responses to this consultation with a view to publishing a Government response in late 2022.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 18/10/2022 15:07:56 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden

1518953

registered interest
date	10/10/2022
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Energy Bills Rebate
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how his Department plans to provide the £400 energy payment to people in households that are off grid.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	59048
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2022 answer text <p>On 29 July the Government set out further details of the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) and confirmed that further funding would be available to provide equivalent support of £400 for energy bills for the small percentage of domestic energy consumers not reached by EBSS. This will include those who do not have a domestic electricity meter or a direct relationship with an energy supplier including off grid homes.</p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart question first answered 18/10/2022 16:19:15 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden

1519047

registered interest
date	10/10/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Sheep: Animal Breeding
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to facilitate the import of (a) semen and (b) other products for (i) rare breed sheep and (ii) Icelandic sheep.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	59110
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2022 answer text <p>Special licences can be sought for the import of semen and other products for rare breed sheep, which are then considered on a case-by-case basis. We remain committed to the diversification of the domestic genetic portfolio in line with the relevant risk assessments in place to maintain our domestic sanitary and phytosanitary standards.</p><p>Breeding projects in Great Britain over recent years have successfully strengthened domestic flock resistance to the fatal ruminant disease known as scrapie. Introducing genetically susceptible rare breeds into the domestic flock will compromise the excellent work achieved to promote our flock resistance.</p><p>There is currently only one breed of sheep in Iceland which, unfortunately, does not possess the gene for resistance to scrapie. We recognise that importers are unable to meet the scrapie requirements for our import certificate.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 18/10/2022 15:35:41 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden

1519280

registered interest
date	10/10/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Marine Environment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect the UK's marine environment.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	60136
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2022 answer text <p>Our statutory UK Marine Strategy sets out a vision for UK waters to achieve clean, safe, healthy biologically diverse and productive seas, which are used sustainably. The Strategy provides a legal framework, agreed with the devolved administrations, for assessing and monitoring the status of our seas and to put in place the measures needed to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES). The Strategy covers marine biodiversity, non-indigenous species, commercial fishing, nutrient pollution, contaminants, underwater noise and marine litter. To protect UK seas effectively, we need to work with other countries. The UK plays a leading role in OSPAR (the regional sea convention for the North-East Atlantic). We coordinate our efforts with our neighbours to ensure the best protection for our seas whilst maintaining their sustainable use.</p><p>Domestically, we have designated a comprehensive network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and are focused on making sure they are properly protected. In English waters there are 178 sites protecting 40% of our seas. 98 sites in English inshore waters now have management measures in place to protect sensitive features from bottom towed fishing gears. All existing MPAs in English offshore waters will be protected from fishing activities which could prevent them achieving their conservation objectives through a three-year byelaw programme being undertaken by the Marine Management Organisation.</p><p>HM Government has also recently finished consulting on five candidate Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs).</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 19/10/2022 11:14:19 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden

1519281

registered interest
date	10/10/2022
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Cost of Living
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy that people receiving contributory-based (a) Employment and Support Allowance and (b) other benefits should be eligible for (i) the Cost-of-living Payment and (ii) other financial support for increases in the cost of living.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	60137
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2022 answer text <p>The Cost of Living Payment is rightly being targeted at low income households who are in receipt of a means-tested income replacement benefit. Non-means tested benefits are not qualifying benefits for the Cost of Living Payment in their own right because people receiving these benefits may have other financial resources available to them. We have no plans to change the current eligibility criteria.</p><p> </p><p>Cost of Living Payment, 6 million disabled people who receive an eligible non-means tested disability benefit, including Personal Independence Payments, have received a one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150.</p><p><em> </em></p><p>These payments are part of the Government’s £15bn package of support and sit alongside</p><p> </p><ul><li>a £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment to anyone entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment</li><li>the extension of the Household Support Fund with an additional £421 million to support households with the cost of essentials</li><li>a £150 Council Tax rebate sent earlier this year to those in Council Tax bands A-D in England, creating a total of at least £1,200 in direct support for millions</li><li>The government has announced unprecedented support within its Growth Plan to protect households and businesses from high energy prices. The Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme are supporting millions of households and businesses with rising energy costs, and the Chancellor made clear they will continue to do so from now until April next year.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The guidance with the full list of support can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-support-for-the-cost-of-living-factsheet/government-support-for-the-cost-of-living-factsheet" target="_blank">Overall government support for the cost of living: factsheet - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a></p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 18/10/2022 14:39:26 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden