Although the DBT has closed the specific Tradeshow Access Programme, it still provides considerable support to small and medium enterprises to attend trade shows, ranging from training in language and culture and pitching and negotiations to networking receptions that use our embassies overseas and Meet the Buyer events.

The Government are committed to empowering locally elected leaders to drive local economic development. From April 2024, government will support local and

combined authorities to deliver the core functions currently delivered by LEPs; namely, the functions of strategic economic planning, business representation and ongoing delivery of specific government programmes. Revenue funding will be provided to local and combined authorities in 2024-25 to support this activity.

We consider the OBRs forecasts in the context of our commitment to drive forward export growth and achieve our ambition to reach £1 trillion exports by 2030.

UK exports increased by 16% in current prices to £849bn in the 12 months to July 2023, compared to the previous 12 months.

This growth won't stop there, as my Department continues to support companies to export through our Export Support Service, International Trade Advisers and the Export Academy. Through Government and Business working together, we can continue to grow and achieve our ambitions.

We have been working with the U.S. on the Inflation Reduction Act including through negotiations on a Critical Minerals Agreement.

UK firms are already part of U.S. supply chains, and we are a net exporter of raw materials for batteries to the U.S. This agreement will support UK based firms to continue to supply the large U.S. market for these materials.

The Government has negotiated a balanced agreement that maintains our high standards, secures access to new and growing markets and includes strong protections for the UK’s farmers and other agricultural producers, particularly in regard to our sensitive sectors. For example, increased access to the UK market for sensitive agricultural produce will be staged over a significant period of time – in most cases over 10 years – allowing our producers to adjust to any new trade flows from CPTPP members. We have also secured permanent annual limits on the amount of beef, pork, chicken, milled rice, and sugar that can be imported tariff-free from the biggest CPTPP producers, offering further protection to UK producers in these sensitive sectors.

Additionally, in line with our commitments following the signing of bilateral free trade agreements with both Australia and New Zealand, we have not provided those countries with any further market access on sensitive agricultural products as part of our CPTPP accession. Finally, a general transitional safeguard mechanism on eligible products will provide a temporary safety net for industry if they face serious injury, or threat of serious injury, from increased imports from any CPTPP member as a result of the agreement. The Government is clear that this represents a strong package of protections for our farmers and agricultural producers.

We are recognised across the world for the quality and openness of our higher education (HE) system, and we encourage the sector to collaborate with international partners. To be open, we must also be secure. Universities must be security-minded in their approach and safeguard our values.

The government’s International Education Strategy and its recent update make clear that the internationalisation of the HE sector cannot come at any cost. Universities must ensure they have appropriate processes in place to manage risks associated with dependence on a single source of funding, whether that is from a single organisation, or a single nation.

That is why the department has introduced measures like the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, which will address concerns about the possible influence of overseas funding in England, to monitor the overseas funding of registered HE providers and their constituent institutions. This is in order to assess the extent to which such funding arrangements present a risk to freedom of speech and academic freedom in HE.

The Office for Students (OfS), the independent regulator, monitors the risk of over-reliance on overseas income at a sector level. The role of the OfS is not to direct how HE providers manage themselves or to limit their recruitment from a particular country of origin, but to ensure they understand where there is greater reliance and how any risks are being managed, and to take action to protect students from the consequences of unmanaged financial risk, if necessary.

We are recognised across the world for the quality and openness of our higher education (HE) system, and we encourage the sector to collaborate with international partners. To be open, we must also be secure. Universities must be security-minded in their approach and safeguard our values.

The government’s International Education Strategy and its recent update make clear that the internationalisation of the HE sector cannot come at any cost. Universities must ensure they have appropriate processes in place to manage risks associated with dependence on a single source of funding, whether that is from a single organisation, or a single nation.

That is why the department has introduced measures like the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, which will address concerns about the possible influence of overseas funding in England, to monitor the overseas funding of registered HE providers and their constituent institutions. This is in order to assess the extent to which such funding arrangements present a risk to freedom of speech and academic freedom in HE.

The Office for Students (OfS), the independent regulator, monitors the risk of over-reliance on overseas income at a sector level. The role of the OfS is not to direct how HE providers manage themselves or to limit their recruitment from a particular country of origin, but to ensure they understand where there is greater reliance and how any risks are being managed, and to take action to protect students from the consequences of unmanaged financial risk, if necessary.

The government is committed to supporting academia to engage with international partners in a way that reflects the UK’s values and takes account of national security concerns and wider risks.

We have strengthened sector support considerably in recent years, launching the National Protective Security Authority’s ‘Trusted Research’ campaign, and supporting Universities UK to develop guidelines on tackling security risks. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology also provides the Research Collaboration Advice Team, which gives tailored advice to research institutions to help them manage the risks in international collaboration.

The Department continues to talk to universities to ensure advice and measures on tackling security risks when engaging internationally remain relevant and proportionate. This helps to promote safe, sustainable, and legally compliant international collaboration.

The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 will give the Office for Students powers to monitor the overseas funding of registered higher education (HE) providers in England, their constituent institutions, members, and staff in order to assess the extent to which such funding arrangements present a risk to freedom of speech and academic freedom in HE.

Two studies on Lyme disease are being undertaken in association with National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Emerging and Zoonotic Infections Health Protection Research Unit. One is focussing on studying the evolution of disease in patients, and the second is examining the evidence of exposure to the Lyme disease bacteria in the English population by region, using blood samples from the NHS Blood Transfusion & Transplant Service.

Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics and patients typically recover quickly and fully. Guidance accords with best practice used in the US and across Europe and is based upon the available evidence. A number of private clinics offer expensive and complex treatment regimens, caution should be exercised when accessing these services as treatments may not be supported by scientific evidence.

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) share Lyme disease messaging through theirour social, media and stakeholder channels at a national and regional level, most recently publishing the Tick awareness leaflet in March 2023.

The ‘Tick awareness’ leaflet informs the public about the risks associated with ticks including Lyme Disease and tick-bite prevention behaviours. A copy is attached.

UKHSA, along with local authority partners, have also developed a Tick awareness toolkit which includes resources and materials that can be used by local authorities and other organisations to deliver tick awareness campaigns. A copy is attached.

The Department commissioned four reviews on Lyme disease published by the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information group in December 2017. This was followed by definitive advice on treatment, testing and diagnosis of Lyme disease developed by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in April 2018. Most cases are diagnosed on clinical signs by general practitioners, but laboratory testing is widely available through the National Health Service for more complicated cases. NHS testing follows the international best practice on Lyme disease tests and accords with European and US best practice. Some private clinics and laboratories offer their own tests which are not recognised by national health authorities, and for which little literature exists to support their veracity.

As we note in our latest Six-Monthly Report, freedom of speech and assembly continue to be curtailed in Hong Kong as was witnessed on 4 June. The right to peaceful protest and freedom of assembly were both promised to Hong Kongers under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and enshrined in the Basic Law. Marking the anniversary of the massacre, the Foreign Secretary said "we will never forget those who stood up for democracy and will always stand by those who defend human rights in China". The Foreign Secretary made plain our views on Hong Kong with Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng on 5 May and at the UN Human Rights Council on 27 February.

The department does not currently directly or indirectly fund Confucius Institutes, nor are we planning to enter financial arrangements in the future with any Confucius Institute.

The department does not currently directly or indirectly fund Confucius Institutes, nor are we planning to enter financial arrangements in the future with any Confucius Institute.

The department is taking action to review funding arrangements, but does not currently directly or indirectly fund Confucius Institutes, nor is the department planning to enter financial arrangements in the future with any Confucius Institute.

The Government has allocated up to £43 million for the Oak National Academy over the 2022/23 to 2024/25 financial years. This figure relates specifically to direct funding to Oak as an Arm’s Length Body. This figure does not include grant funding in previous years to the Reach Foundation, which incubated Oak. A significant proportion of Oak’s funding will go to schools, publishers and other organisations for the creation of resources.

Value for money was an important factor in the appraisal of options in the creation of Oak as an Arm’s Length Body, and in the design of Oak’s lean operating model, as set out in the published full business case, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oak-national-academy-business-case.

Oak will provide value for money, benefitting schools and pupils by tackling teacher workload, improving curriculum expertise and increasing standards of education.

The Department knows that teachers in the UK benefit from a diverse commercial market of educational resources. Oak aims to complement and stimulate this market, not to displace it. In a recent survey, none of Oak’s surveyed users said they were using Oak resources exclusively. Oak will provide teachers with access to high quality, evidence based resources that are free, optional and adaptable. This will give teachers more choice in deciding what’s right for their pupils, thereby stimulating teacher demand for high quality digital resources.

There is no plan for Oak to be sold or broken up.

The Government has allocated up to £43 million for the Oak National Academy over the 2022/23 to 2024/25 financial years. This figure relates specifically to direct funding to Oak as an Arm’s Length Body. This figure does not include grant funding in previous years to the Reach Foundation, which incubated Oak. A significant proportion of Oak’s funding will go to schools, publishers and other organisations for the creation of resources.

Value for money was an important factor in the appraisal of options in the creation of Oak as an Arm’s Length Body, and in the design of Oak’s lean operating model, as set out in the published full business case, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oak-national-academy-business-case.

Oak will provide value for money, benefitting schools and pupils by tackling teacher workload, improving curriculum expertise and increasing standards of education.

The Department knows that teachers in the UK benefit from a diverse commercial market of educational resources. Oak aims to complement and stimulate this market, not to displace it. In a recent survey, none of Oak’s surveyed users said they were using Oak resources exclusively. Oak will provide teachers with access to high quality, evidence based resources that are free, optional and adaptable. This will give teachers more choice in deciding what’s right for their pupils, thereby stimulating teacher demand for high quality digital resources.

There is no plan for Oak to be sold or broken up.

The department is proud that the UK is a world leading destination for international students.

As set out in the Government’s International Education Strategy, higher education (HE) providers must ensure they are not overly reliant on a single source of funding, whether this is from an organisation or nation, and that they must look to diversify their intake of international students to prevent over-reliance.

The most recent data published by the Higher Education Statistics Authority for the 2021/22 academic year, shows the proportion of Chinese students has fallen, whilst there has been an increase in a wide range of other international student markets, including a 50% increase in students from India, a 107% increase in students from Nigeria and a 78% increase in students from Pakistan, demonstrating the HE sector’s positive approach to diversifying their international student intake.

The government continuously assesses threats posed to the UK. As a matter of longstanding policy, the department is unable to release information regarding threat assessments on the grounds of national security.

The government is clear that any challenges to our core values, whatever their origin, will not be tolerated. The department has introduced a series of measures which will continue to tackle threats to higher education, including through the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill and National Security Bill, currently in Parliament.

The department’s Integrated Review Refresh is launching a new and comprehensive review of legislative and other provisions, designed to protect our academic sector and to identify what more we could or should be doing.

With regards to Confucius Institutes, like all similar bodies they should operate transparently, and with a full commitment to our values of openness and freedom of expression. Universities have a responsibility to ensure that any partnership with a Confucius Institute is managed appropriately, and the right due diligence is in place. The government encourages any providers with concerns to contact the government.

We continually assess potential threats in the UK, and take protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety in the UK very seriously. Any attempts by foreign Governments to coerce, intimidate, harass, or harm their critics overseas, undermining democracy and the rule of law, are unacceptable.

As the Security Minister stated to the House on 1 November, the Home Office works closely with departments across Whitehall and with devolved administrations to ensure that our national security is protected and that, in particular, those who have chosen to settle here are free to engage in our democratic society without fear of the regimes that they have tried to leave behind.