The NHS COVID Pass is available to people aged 16 years old and over and can be used to demonstrate vaccination and recovery from COVID-19. We are exploring ways for children aged 12 to 15 years old with two vaccinations to demonstrate their vaccination status for international travel. Each country sets their own requirements for entry and border health measures. Many countries exempt under 18 year olds from proof vaccination status or accept negative test results.

Government continues to monitor the flow of freight vehicles travelling between the UK and EU nations, including those travelling between the Republic of Ireland, Great Britain and continental Europe.

DfT’s published road freight statistics can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/road-goods-vehicles-travelling-to-europe-july-2020-to-june-2021.

The Government supports the future growth and success of international passenger rail services, which provide many benefits for passengers, businesses and the wider economy including significant environmental benefits.

The Government regularly engages with international partners, as well as industry, to discuss and encourage the expansion of international rail connections to Europe. The Government stands ready to engage with other partners and private operators to facilitate potential new sleeper services, where there is a commercial proposition to do so.

We have not received representations from the Scottish Government on financial support for (a) ports and (b) ship operators in connection with services from Scotland to the European continent.

However, any such service would have to operate on a commercially viable basis and this would be a matter for any prospective ferry operator to consider.

The UK is committed to the protection and promotion of social rights. The UK has ratified the 1961 European Social Charter (ESC), the European Code of Social Security and numerous other international social rights instruments. The UK is fully committed to all of the Council of Europe instruments it is Party to and engages constructively in work on socio-economic inequalities at the Council of Europe.

The UK Government is taking important steps to reduce inequalities and levelling up across the whole of the United Kingdom, particularly as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. We have launched a suite of employment support schemes, significant investments in skills, training and apprenticeships, and Universal Credit has played a crucial and effective role in protecting the most vulnerable.

The Department for Work and Pensions is continuously reviewing its policies on socio-economic inequalities to ensure that no one and no community is left behind.

It has been a longstanding UK priority to achieve a two-pillar solution to the challenges that digitisation creates for the international tax rules.

This includes the introduction of rules that will require large multinational groups, including those in the banking and wider financial services sector, to pay a minimum level of tax on the profit they realise in each jurisdiction in which they operate.

The Government is delighted that the G20 and over 130 members of the OECD Inclusive Framework have come together to endorse this solution and the UK will continue discussions with its global partners over the coming months as it looks towards finalising the plan for implementation.

The Government already engages with international partners, as well as private operators, to encourage the future growth and expansion of international rail passenger services from the UK. It also stands ready to engage with other partners and private operators to facilitate potential new routes where there is a commercial proposition to do so.

The UK is also actively participating in discussions through multilateral organisations, such as the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s (UNECE) Working Party on Rail, regarding the promotion and development of international rail.

We are engaging with international partners, including the EU, and will provide an update in due course on how we will approach vaccinated individuals from other countries. We recognise that there are those who cannot have a vaccine for medical reasons, and we will work to ensure they are not disadvantaged. We have already set out our approach for those on clinical trials, and similarly will set out our approach for those with medical exemptions soon.

The UK will spend £10 billion on overseas development assistance in 2021, making us the third largest aid donor in the G7, as a percentage of GNI. The move from spending 0.7% to 0.5% of our GNI on ODA was taken in response to extreme economic and fiscal circumstances. We have prioritised our aid to be more strategic and remain a force for good across the world. Open Societies was one of seven core priorities for the aid budget this year, as set out by the Foreign Secretary, and was also a key theme in the Integrated Review. The Government intends to return to the 0.7% ODA target when the fiscal situation allows.

The EU has legislated such that British Citizens can travel visa-free in the Schengen area for short stays, such as for tourism, for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. British Citizens who are planning to stay longer will need permission from the relevant Member State, which may require applying for a visa and/or permit. British Citizens who apply for visas for longer stays in an EU Member State will also need to meet the healthcare requirements of that country. They may be able to join local healthcare schemes, or they may have to take out private insurance. They should check all entry requirements with Member State authorities before they travel.

The provisions in the Protocol on Social Security Coordination in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) mean that reciprocal healthcare arrangements are in place, allowing people to continue to have access to urgent or necessary healthcare cover when travelling in the EU. However, the Government still recommends that individuals take out comprehensive travel insurance which covers healthcare costs when travelling abroad. Reciprocal healthcare arrangements only cover emergency and necessary healthcare costs and so may not cover all healthcare costs that might arise when travelling.

As the Foreign Secretary made clear in his 24 May statement to Parliament, the Belarusian authorities' forced landing of Ryanair flight FR4978 and their subsequent arrest of the journalist, Roman Protasevich, is a shocking attack on human rights, media freedom, civil aviation and international law. The Government has condemned the harrowing broadcast of Mr Protasevich's interview by Belarusian state television. It is distressing to watch and clearly has been made under duress. Those responsible must be held to account. The Government is deeply concerned by the continuing attacks on media freedom in Belarus and has repeatedly called on the Belarusian authorities to release journalists who have been arbitrarily detained and hold to account those responsible for attacks on journalists and for other human rights violations.

The following table shows net imports from mainland Europe as a proportion of total UK electricity supply for 2017 to 2020. The data for 2020 is provisional; final data will be published at the end of July.

Source: Energy Trends tables 5.1 and 5.6

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/electricity-section-5-energy-trends

From provisional data, net imports from continental Europe—the Netherlands, Belgium and France—provided 5.6% of UK electricity supply in 2020. Final data for 2020 will be published at the end of July.

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her Answer. Threats to provision of power to Jersey have highlighted the issue of UK reliance on overseas power supplies. Currently, I think we have four interconnectors and the number is going up by about 10 or even 12. Does the Minister agree that it is highly dangerous for our nation to be reliant on power sources beyond our shores, and contrary to government policy on resilience and sovereignty? Rapid completion of major new nuclear reactors, plus advanced modular reactors, would seem to be the answer to ensuring sufficient UK provision of zero-carbon electrical power.

I agree entirely with the noble Lord, who speaks with great authority on this matter. The Iceland link is, I think, no longer going ahead, but I can confirm, as I said in an earlier answer, that we have 18 gigawatts of interconnected power provided for within the energy White Paper. It does indeed play a vital role in supporting a flexible decarbonising system, by rapidly responding to changes in demand and supply. Interconnection supports the integration of low-carbon generation in the UK to meet our net-zero goal. It also provides competition in the energy sector that will reduce prices and lead to lower energy bills.