Written questions by Burghart.

With reference to his Department's publication entitled Safeguarding the Union, published on 31 January 2024, what progress his Department has made on establishing ministerial structures to (a) monitor a

Matters related to European affairs may be considered by Government Ministers at the Europe Cabinet Committee. These arrangements are complemented by interdepartmental structures to manage the implementation of the Windsor Framework and any issues arising...

If she will publish the most up-to-date figures for the (a) number of applications, (b) number of placements and (c) location of placements for the Turing Scheme.

The figures for the number of Turing Scheme applications and placements were recently published on GOV.UK and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/turing-scheme-funding-and-assessment-outcomes-2024-to-2025.For the 2024/25 academic...

With reference to his Department's publication entitled Safeguarding the Union, published on 31 January 2024, what progress his Department has made on replacing the green lane with a UK internal market s

The Government is continuing, as set out in the Command Paper, to take steps to give effect to the internal market system. More than 9,000 businesses are registered for the existing UK Internal Market Scheme, which enables them to move goods from Great Br...

With reference to his Department's publication entitled Safeguarding the Union, published on 31 January 2024, what recent progress his Department has made on removing prohibitions on shrubs and trees.

Since the publication of the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper, bans have been lifted on five species of plant including hazel, wild privet and linden. The Commission has published a further seven commodity risk assessments for other species, following...

With reference to his Department's publication entitled Safeguarding the Union, published on 31 January 2024, what progress his Department has made on ensuring there will be no checks when goods move wit

As set out in the Command Paper, as we transition to the UK internal market system we are focused on ensuring the smooth flow of trade through a risk-based and intelligence-led approach to tackling criminality, abuse of the scheme, smuggling and disease r...

With reference to his Department's publication entitled Safeguarding the Union, published on 31 January 2024, what progress his Department has made on establishing a UK Internal Market Guarantee.

The UK Internal Market Guarantee will apply to the operation of the UK internal market system when it is given effect next year. As envisaged in the Command Paper, this will be overseen by the Independent Monitoring Panel, the appointments to which were c...

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to paragraph 43(m) of the publication entitled Safeguarding the Union, published on 31 January 2024, what progress his Department has made on developing legislative prop

The Government confirmed at the end of September that we would no longer proceed with the introduction of mandatory GB-wide ‘not for EU’ labelling from the beginning of October 2024, as originally proposed. We will put in place the legislative powers nece...

What the VAT status is of further education colleges.

Education services supplied by an “eligible body” are exempt from VAT. For VAT purposes, an “eligible body” broadly refers to most regulated, publicly funded, or not-for-profit education providers. This means no VAT is charged on supplies of education mad...

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 October to Question 7835 on Terrorism: Northern Ireland, if he will publish details of all requests for public inquiries that he has considered.

I do not intend to publish details of the requests I receive for public inquiries. I have written to those whose requests I have recently considered.

With reference to his Department's publication entitled Safeguarding the Union, published on 31 January 2024, what progress his Department has made on the implementation of the measures set out in paragr

The Government is committed to taking all steps necessary to protect the UK internal market. We continue to make significant progress on measures set out in paragraph 43 of the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper. Recent progress includes confirmation of...

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 October 2024 to Question 5643 on Terrorism: Northern Ireland, how many requests for public inquiries he is considering.

I have recently considered several requests for public inquiries and decided to ask all the families involved to get in touch with the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR). The Government will consider any further req...

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Multiply maths initiative.

Multiply is the government’s UK wide programme for improving adult numeracy. Multiply provision spans from supporting to build confidence with numbers through to full maths qualifications.The department provides funding to all local areas in England to de...

How many skills bootcamps have been delivered in each of the last three years, by (a) local authority area and (b) discipline.

The department is awaiting finalised data for the 2023/24 financial year from providers so cannot provide data for this year.The department has published separate reports on the implementation of Skills Bootcamps for the 2022/23 (Wave 3) and 2021/22 (Wave...

Whether he plans to appeal against the judgment of the Belfast Court of Appeal in the challenge to the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, delivered on 20 September 2024.

On 7 October 2024, I laid a Written Ministerial Statement in Parliament providing the Government’s initial response to the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal’s judgment in Dillon & Others. The statement can be found here: https://questions-statements.pa...

What progress he has made with Moderna on the (a) manufacture of mRNA vaccines in the UK, (b) establishment of a global clinical trials base and (c) investment in UK-based research and development

As part of the Moderna-UK Strategic Partnership signed in December 2022, Moderna is building an mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility in Harwell, Oxfordshire. The Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre will support the United Kingdom to be more resilient ...

With reference to page 37 of his Department's publication entitled Transforming public procurement, what progress has been made on readying the Central Digital Platform.

The Central Digital Platform is an online system that will be established by the Procurement Act 2023 to improve transparency and efficiency in public procurement. The Central Digital Platform is currently being developed and will be operational and ready...

If she will give further education corporations the same VAT status as Multi Academy Trusts and 16 to 19 Free Schools.

On 29 July, the Government announced that, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by a private school in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent. This will also apply to boardin...

Whether he plans to use 36 Whitehall.

The 36 Whitehall building is not in use and there are no current plans to bring it back into use.

With reference to his oral statement of 11 September 2024 on Patrick Finucane Murder, Official Report, columns 842-3, when he plans to (a) appoint a chair of the inquiry and (b) have agreed terms of refe

The Government will follow due process under the Inquiries Act 2005 in establishing the inquiry into the death of Patrick Finucane. This will include the appointment of the Inquiry Chair and consulting him on the Terms of Reference.As outlined in my oral ...

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 3 September 2024 to Question 1967 on Incubator for Artificial Intelligence, by when he plans to have the agreed full-time headcount of 70 staff employed.

i.AI is building to a full complement of 70FTE. Recruitment was paused due to the pre-election period and will resume shortly.